Back to Italia

Things have been super busy here and we're waaayyyyy behind on our posts. We haven't finished talking about Italia yet - and since we left that wonderful land, nearly a month has passed and we've been to four other countries!

To refresh your memory (and mine), when we last left our heroes (in Italy), they were examining the antiquated underground pigeon farms of Orvieto. Orvieto was roughly the halfway point of our trip, which looked essentially like this:

1. Pisa ☑ (A)
   
2. La Spezia and The Cinque Terre ☑ (B-C)
   
3. Florence (D)
   
4. San Gimignano ☑ (E)
   
5. Sienna ☑ (F)
   
6. Orvieto ☑ (G)
   
7. Rome (H)
   
8. Sorrento, Almalfi Coast, Capri (I)
   
9. Mt. Vesuvius (J)
   

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So it seems that the next city up is Florence!

"Siena! Oh, I love Siena!"

With a recommendation like that, how could we possibly skip the Tuscan town of Siena?

We hopped on a bus in San Gimignano and headed out for a day in the town known for its church and town square (or Il Campo). Il Campo is a huge, semi-circle, paved square that sits in front of the town hall and tower. The square is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and do a bit of people watching. We sat on a lovely balcony just above Il Campo and enjoyed delicious sandwiches made with the best of Italian meats and cheeses. After lunch we wandered through the square and crowds of people while sipping on fresh lemon and strawberry granitas.

City Tower

Matt in front of the Fountain of Joy

After lunch we headed off to the religious center of Siena and visited the Duomo, the Baptistery, and the Duomo museum. We were treated to works by Donatello, Pisano, Bernini, and Ghiberit in situ. Both the Duomo and the Baptistery have beautiful, intricate inlaid marble floors that are an artistic treat all by themselves.

Baptismal Font at the Baptristry by Ghiberti and Donatello

Marble Floor from the Duomo

Donatello's St. John the Baptist at the Duomo

My favorite part was the Piccolomini Library in the Duomo. It is a sumptuous room that is decorated with with bright frescoes and a beautiful ceiling. The real treat for me was the intricately decorated illuminated manuscripts and music scores that are displayed around the room.

Ceiling of the Piccolomini Library

The rest of our Siena pictures can be found here.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano was our fourth stop on our tour of Italy (1st - Pisa, 2nd - Cinque Terre, 3rd - Florence). It is a beautiful Tuscan hill town with 14 of its original 70 towers still standing. We enjoyed walking through the winding cobblestoned streets, eating gelato at the town well, picnicking outside the city walls, and popping in and out of the little shops.The views of the Tuscan countryside are breathtaking from the town and we couldn't stop taking pictures.At the top of the town there is a nice park with olive trees, roses, and a few grapes vines. We took a break from site seeing to enjoy a tasting of the local Vernaccia wines.We even got to enjoy the a beautiful sunset from the park at the top of the hill town.

More photos from the beautiful town can be found here.

Roman Aquaducts

One morning we left the center of Rome to visit the suburbs and the aqueduct park. Everyone learns about the aqueducts in school and how the are a feat of Roman engineering. But I don't think they can be truly appreciated until you are standing up close and personal with the mammoth architectural feats.
Upon arriving at the park, I was completely blown away by the size and beauty of the aqueducts. Standing next to the endless arches, you can almost imagine them crisscrossing the Roman Empire bringing water to the city centers.
Special thanks to Ron in Rome, whose blog shared with us this great site in Rome.

The rest of our aqueduct photos can be found here.

Hiking the Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre is one of Italy's beautiful, coastal gems. We were lucky enough to spend three days in the national park hiking along the coastal cliffs and sunbathing on almost-private beaches. The weather was beautiful and the flowers were in full bloom; I don't think it could have been any prettier.

The first morning we hiked between four of the towns and ended up at the Lemon Festival in Monterosso. We started the day in Manarola, the second town. From here we took the flat, 45 minute hike and killer switch-back stairs to Corniglia.After exploring the town of Corniglia, we headed out on the hour and half walk to Vernazza. The views coming up on Vernazza are breathtaking and make you want to pick-up and move the Cinque Terre.
We grab slices of pizza and enjoyed a harbor side picnic. After lunch, we started the up and down and up and down hike to Monterosso, the last of the five towns. Just before arriving in town we bought lemons from terrace farmer; you would never believe how sweet and delicious a lemon can be after a long hike. The Lemon Festival was in full swing when we arrived into town a few moments later.After enjoying some lemoncello, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and sweet lemons, we spent the afternoon sunning on the rocks just off the beach.
We ended the day by taking the Via Dell'Amore stroll from Manarola to Riomaggiore to watch the sun set over the Ligurian Sea. We climbed down off the path and watch the sunset from some rocks in the water.

And, of course, you can find more pictures of this beautiful place here.

Photos of Pisa

The first stop on our Italy vacation was the town of Pisa and the Field of Miracles. The Field of Miracles (or Campo die Miracoli) is Pisa's religious center and contains four white marble buildings spread out on a green lawn.

The Duomo (or Cathedral)The Camposanto Cemetery

The Baptistery

And, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Which is actually the bell tower for the Duomo

Okay, Okay. Our first stop was actually a gelato stand, where we enjoyed delicious cones of limoncello, orange, and coconut gelato. How else can one start an Italian vacation but with a few scoops of the Italian delicacy?But as soon as we finished our cones, we headed straight for the most famous building in Italy. A few minutes on the beautiful lawn told us the sweaters we packed would not be needed and we were in for a wonderful, sunny vacation.

The rest of our pictures, including the interiors of the buildings, can be found here.

Chinotto

While trying to get hydrated today (it's hot in Italy!) we ran into an interesting drink labeled "Chinotto" in the grocery store. It had no drawing on the label and we couldn't find a corresponding fruit on their fruit stands. The grocery clerks told us it was distinctly Italian but couldn't translate what it actually was (fruit? vegetable? animal? mineral?). The desk person at our hostel didn't do much better. So we tried it anyway. It looks like Coke and tastes vaguely like a generic soda... but then the slightly numbing and bitter after-taste reminds you of why this is a regional specialty. (Turns out a chinotto is a citrus fruit grown almost exclusively in Italy.)

Welcome to Italy

Laura and I have been traveling in Italy for the last week for our "summer holiday," as it is known in Europe. We started in Pisa, then trekked to the Cinque Terre, gazed at magnificent art in Florence, then visited the hill-top triumvirate of San Gimignano, Sienna, and Orvieto. Most recently, we've been seeing the sites of Rome. Pictures and more details will be coming soon, but first I'll give you my personal orientation to Italy.

Everything in Italy - particularly middle to southern Italy where we have been - exists in one (or some combination) of the following three states:

1. Disrepair
   
2. Complete abandonment
   
3. Covered in a thin layer of grime
   

As negative as all of that may sound, it all contributes to the incredible atmosphere of the country, which is frenzied and unique and friendly and (this week) blazingly hot, and yes, also obscenely beautiful. After all, how can we expect a country dotted with the remnants of "the ancients" not to be in disrepair?

We have seen the pastel buildings of the Cinque Terre clinging to hills on the oceanside, smelled the fresh lemons in the terrace groves, seen the Italian laundry wafting in the breeze from city balconies, climbed thousands of steps, eaten more gelato than should be allowed in a lifetime, walked through underground caves, stood in awe of some of the world's finest masterpieces, retraced the steps of Roman Caesars, and - most importantly - we've managed not to get anything stolen.

"Holiday" isn't the right word at all. We're on an adventure. Welcome along for the ride.

Art In Situ

For the best art in Milan, get out of the galleries and head to the Il Cimitero Momumentale. The cemetery was created in 1870 and it still used today. The Italians do cemeteries just like they do life - over the top.

The tombstones, plaques, and family buildings are lavishly decorated with sculptures, candles, flowers, photos, and inscriptions. The art ranges from weeping angels to gruesome grim reapers to modern sculptures to scientific themes to Gothic arches to sculptures of the entire last supper scene.

Photography was frowned upon, so I could only snap a few shots with our little camera.

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene...

Verona, a short day trip from Milan or Venice, should be visited for so many reasons that have nothing to do to with Romeo and Juliet.

1. The train ride through hundreds of acres of vineyards and beautiful countryside


2. Roman Ruins - city gates, an arena, and a theater
   

3. Beautiful Bridges with lovely views
   
4. Picturesque squares with plenty of sidewalk cafes to enjoy the local wines: Amarone & Soave
   
5. Sweeping views of the Italian countryside from the handful of towers
   
6. Walks down narrow cobblestone streets and staircases
   
7. The castle on a hill
   
8. Stunning and diverse architecture