“When you become who you were meant to be, you will set the world on fire.” — St. Catherine of Siena Visitors to Siena will see lots of references to Catherine of Siena, one of the city’s most venerated … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Italy
What to see in Siena – Contrade Celebrations
Founded in the Middle Ages for defense purposes, the Contrade di Siena are districts throughout the city, whose inhabitants were likely trade and craftsmen. Originally there were about 59 contrade, of which only 17 remain active today. Each contrada has its own motto, flag, … Continue reading
Where to Eat and Sleep in Siena
During our recent trip to Siena we tried a number of different dining options, from a fine dining restaurant to deli fare; all of which were very good choices. With those meals in mind, here are our recommendations for where … Continue reading
What to do in Siena – Duomo di Siena Complex
If you’re visiting the Duomo in Siena, you may wish to see the other sites that make up the Duomo di Siena complex. Extending out from the existing cathedral, the complex includes the area that was to be a much … Continue reading
What to see in Siena – Il Duomo di Siena
Italy boasts an astounding number of spectacular churches filled with priceless art and intricate architectural features. The Duomo di Siena, located in Piazza del Duomo, is no exception. Considered to be ‘one of the most illustrious examples of Italian Romanesque-Gothic cathedrals’, the … Continue reading
Welcome to Siena
Click a thumbnail to find out more. After visiting Italy on a number of occasions, we finally made a point of visiting one city we’d read and heard a lot about…Siena. Now that we’ve been there, we’re wondering why we didn’t … Continue reading
Florence to San Gimignano to Siena – Getting there
In preparing for our recent trip to San Gimignano we spent some time researching transportion options. We checked various websites which gave us conflicting information, making finding detailed information difficult and often confusing. So, with what little we obtained in hand, we … Continue reading
Where to eat and where to sleep in San Gimignano
If you’re in San Gimignano and looking for a place to eat, we have a few recommendations. Places that we enjoyed and would have loved to return to had we been in town longer. On our first day, we stopped … Continue reading
What to do in San Gimignano – Palazzo Comunale & Torre Grossa
For such a small community, there’s quite a lot here. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions and timing we didn’t get to all of them. We did, however, stop in at the Palazzo Comunale and the Torre Grossa, two of San Gimignano’s main … Continue reading
San Gimignano – Italy’s ‘Town of the Towers’
Click the thumbnails below to read more about what to see, things to do, where to eat, and getting around in San Gimignano. Once a main stop on the Roman road to Pisa the walled hilltop town of San Gimignano … Continue reading
Where to eat and where to sleep in Florence
Italy may be known for its cuisine, but like many places, finding a good meal can be hit or miss. We were lucky to find some really good restaurants during our recent trip to Florence. So without further ado, here are … Continue reading
What to do in Florence – Palazzo Pitti
If you’re heading to Florence and wander south of the River Arno into the Oltrarno area, you may notice the monumental fortress-like building on a small hill. This is the Palazzo Pitti, one of the city’s impressive, yet overwhelming, art … Continue reading