A modern piece of art, shown in the photo above, honors all those who have lost their lives for their country (Italy) in war, and also in peacetime.  Walking along the sidewalk, right before one gets to the entrance of the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio, to the right, at the edge of the parking lot, there…

As we explored the two cloisters of the Catholic University, we came upon a plaque dedicated to Aristide Calderini, the Italian archaeologist and academic.  His family moved to Milan from southern Italy, when he was six years old, and from that day on, he became intrigued by the city, as he grew to love it. …

We woke the next morning, to find the backyard filled with neighbors, preparing for an Easter Egg Hunt.  It was such a delight to watch the children searching for the eggs, amid the greenery just outside our windows. After watching the Easter Egg Hunt for a while, we headed outdoors ourselves, to explore more of…

Around the corner, on Via Circo, # 4, there was the Liceo Classico Statale “Tito Livio.”  A plaque on a nearby facade marks the house where Attilio de Marchi, the Italian historian, writer, and philologist, lived and died. A small section of the ruins of the ancient Roman Circus of Milan, from the period when…

We were in Milan over Easter weekend, arriving on Good Friday, and then, heading to our next destination the following Tuesday.  We chose an apartment in the center of the city, in a palazzo, with a lovely garden at the back, and a cloister in the middle, both of which we had windows that opened…

Our second day in Casorate Sempione, which was also our last, was a Sunday, and after sleeping in a bit, and a cup or two of cappuccino, we headed out.  Unlike the United States, most shops in Italy are closed on Sundays, except for in the main tourist destinations.  Therefore, we decided to take advantage…

Before catching a flight back to the USA, we like to take a day or two to unwind in a small town by the airport, out of which we are flying.  This makes the whole travel experience a lot nicer.  There is no struggling to get to the airport on time, since it is usually…

A bit further along, we came upon the Muro della Costituzione Romana, which is a panel set into a wall of the terrace where the Constitution of the Republic is inscribed.  This was put in place in 2013, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Villa Lante was designed by Giulio Romano in…

We woke to a beautiful day, and after a quick breakfast, made our way back up the Janiculum Hill.  At the top of Via Garibaldi, # 29, you will find the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino.  Built on the site of Garibaldi’s battle for the defense of the Roman Republic, the beautiful monument was designed by the…

After exploring the exhibition spaces of the Reale Accademia di Spagna, we made our way into the courtyard-like space that houses Bramante’s masterpiece!  Various monuments adorn the walls, along the side of the space. This was not my first visit to the Tempietto, but on the earlier occasions I had made the climb up the…

The Reale Accademia di Spagna is a cultural institution run by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Their headquarters and exhibition space is in the cloister of the former monastery of San Pietro in Montoro, on the Janiculum Hill, and has been since 1881.  Visitors to the Accademia also have access to the Tempietto del…

We decided to begin our day by heading up, on Via Garibaldi, to the top of the Gianicolo Hill.  Founded in 1888, by the Methodist Women’s Missionary Society, the Istituto Metodista was opened to provide an education to young women, whose families were too poor to provide them with one themselves.  The Institute was housed…