ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
After dinner, the tour group returned to Vatican City to see arguably the most famous church in all of Christendom. Huge throngs of people were already flooding St. Peter's Square. Burial site for its namesake and numerous popes as well as papal basilica, St. Peter's Basilica is not only a destination for the Catholic faithful... Continue Reading →
The Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling is adorned with the fresco masterpieces painted by Michelangelo, outside of being the site of Papal conclaves, is more than a destination for tourists. It is arguably one of the great achievements of Renaissance art, even more remarkable for the fact that Michelangelo really didn't want to do it even... Continue Reading →
Panforte is Siena's contribution to the confectionary world. Somewhat like a fruitcake (though nothing like the American kind), it is dense and chewy, containing nuts, fruits and spices and is sweetened with honey. But, for our money, we much preferred the cookie known as ricciarelli, a heavenly combination of almonds, honey, confectioners' sugar and egg... Continue Reading →
The most striking and imposing architecture in Siena is its Duomo. We were taken there by our guide Annalisa. After some background information, she left us there to explore it on our own. Like any religious structure of this size, it took many years to complete. It's difficult not to be impressed by its scale,... Continue Reading →
We arrived in Siena around 4:30pm. The bus had to drop us off outside the city walls from where we walked to our hotel, only 15 minutes away. Siena is a medieval city. Many of its old buildings have been preserved and its streets are lined with reddish brick (sienna). There are very few automobiles to... Continue Reading →
Our tour made a brief stop in the town of San Gimignano, noted for the preservation of 14 medieval towers that have survived the ravages of war and other calamities. These efforts have earned it the designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their original construction date to the 11th to 13th centuries. The town... Continue Reading →
It is believed that Rick Steves put Cinque Terre on the American tourist map when he sang the praises of these five quaint Ligurian coastal towns in his popular tour guide on Italy. The Italian Riviera, as this stretch of coastline is called, now attracts hordes of tourists annually. The reason these towns (Riomaggiore, Manarola,... Continue Reading →
One of the most recognizable structures in all of Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. En route to Cinque Terre, we made a brief stop in Pisa with storm clouds threatening above. The crowds were large, as you might expect at one of Italy's iconic sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After walking... Continue Reading →
The Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flowers), a cathedral built in the Gothic style, is a treasure of Florence that showcases two important artistic achievements. The first is an impressive octagonal dome that was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, a master goldsmith by trade. Two amazing facts about the dome: because... Continue Reading →
On our arrival in Florence, Robin, our guide, took us first to the Accademia Gallery where one of the most celebrated works of art is housed, Michelangelo's David. What a literally towering achievement it is, a 17-foot sculpture carved out of a single block of marble. Michelangelo was only 26 years old when he started,... Continue Reading →
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