Our third day in Florence, or Firenze, began as a wet one.  That didn’t stop me from getting outside and exploring! A plaque on a wall commemorates the building where Saint Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi lived and died. Saint Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi lived in the monastery of the Chiesa di San Frediano in Cestello….

The Chiesa di Santo Spirito is located at the end of the piazza of the same name.  The piazza is the scene of a daily market, as well as home to a number of cafés and restaurants. The church dates from 1444, and was built on the site of an earlier church.  Designed by Filippo…

To me, the city of Florence is like a ornately set piece of jewelry: It is beautiful, delicate, and perfect in its arrangement.  Walking the streets of this city can be a transporting experience, sending one back to the times of the Renaissance, for this is the city that gave birth to that most glorious…

Window shopping in Florence can be an artistically educating experience, particularly in the Oltrarno neighborhood. A plaque on a wall pays tribute to the birthplace of famous Italian lawyer and politician, Giuseppe Mantellini. In Piazza San Felice, a small triangular space just past the Palazzo Pitti, you will find La Colonna di Cosimo I, or…

This was not the first time that I’d visited the lovely city of Florence, or Firenze, as the Italians call it.  As a matter of fact, this was my seventh visit to the city.  When visiting this popular Tuscan destination, I prefer to stay in the area known as the Oltrarno.  This is the area…

We were planning on spending time in Rome at the end of our trip, as usual, but since we needed to catch the train for our next destination at Rome’s Termini Station, we decided to spend one night there in the middle of the trip, and while we were there, catch the last performance of…

Just to the left of the Canopo, you will find a walkway that seems to lead out into the countryside.  Follow it! This pathway will lead you to the Roccabruna, a tower along the edge of the property, which overlooks the valley beyond.  I love this spot!  I find it to be very tranquil, and…

We wanted to spend the first part of our fourth day in Tivoli exploring Villa Adriana, or Hadrian’s Villa.  Of all of the attractions in Tivoli, this one is the largest, and also the most tricky to get to, as it is located a bit outside of the town, closer to the area known as…

My favorite attraction, when visiting Tivoli, is Villa Gregoriana.  This immense park has it all — waterfalls, ruins, history, nature, all accessible by following the numbered itinerary that one is given at the ticket office.  There are two entrances to this park, but I recommend starting your visit off at the main ticket office and…

I love exploring towns during the morning hours.  That is the time of the day when the local marketplaces are full of people, buying the items that they need for the day.  There seems to be a sort of peacefulness surrounding everything that is happening.  No one is really rushing anywhere, confident that even while…

Once you have finished exploring the interior of Villa d’Este, take the staircase outside to the vialone of the building.  The vialone is the panoramic terrace of the villa.  It is 200 meters long, and runs the length of the building.  From here, you can get a lovely perspective of some of the delights that…

Being close to the capital city of Italy, Rome, approximately 30 kilometers away, Tivoli is a popular destination for day trippers or tourists, who arrive by train, bus, or even sometimes, automobile.  Most of these people are gone by nightfall, but, during the day, the city can turn into a mass of tourists, all there…