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Italy Archives

Chianti Wine Road: Tuscan Villas, Towns and Landscapes

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 at 4:25 am

The Chianti region in Tuscany, Italy was already world-famous during the past centuries. British and German Romantic writers, Goethe among many others, discovered here a piece of natural beauty. Gently guided by the hard working hands of countrymen who reclaimed many hectares of woods to create a patchwork of combed cultivated fields, the natural landscape has ever since been the main asset of Tuscany. And the terroir of Chianti, with its distinctive asperities, is among the most suggestive of all Tuscan views. However, the word Chianti unavoidably evokes the homonym wine produced on this land. The very first wine to…

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Caesars Palace Hotel Las Vegas – Roman Tower Room Review

Friday, April 8th, 2011 at 5:41 am

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For our last few days in Vegas we decided to stay at Caesars Palace. We had stayed here before on a previous visit but at that time we were given an upgraded room in the Forum Tower. This time, we were offered an upgrade for $50.00 but we declined and so we had a standard room in the Roman Tower. Check-in On check-in the guy checking us in tried to get us to upgrade to a better room for an extra $50 a night but since we had the upgraded room before and as we weren’t really all that impressed we declined…

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What You Will See At The Colosseum In Rome

Saturday, November 28th, 2009 at 8:44 am

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Did you know that the iconic Colosseum (sometimes spelled Coliseum) in Rome is now officially one of the ‘new’ Seven Wonders of the World’? The campaign for ‘new’ wonders was the brainchild of a Swiss businessman called Bernard Weber. He wanted people to vote for the wonders…“So everybody can decide what the new seven wonders should be and not some government, not some individuals, not some institutions.” The Seven are not ranked and they were voted for by over 100 million people! Here’s why the Colosseum is so popular. It’s an elliptical (almost oval) shaped Amphitheater which was built sometime…

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Out and About in Florence (Italy)

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 5:32 am

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Florence is the capital city of Tuscany, a region in Italy. It was a huge centre for medieval trade and finance and is where the Italian Renaissance began. The historic city centre was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981, fulfilling the first five criteria of UNESCO’s checklist for the honor. It’s worth having a look at these cultural criteria as they encapsulate all that is magical and unique about Florence. World Heritage Site UNESCO Cultural Criteria met by Florence: I. To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius II. To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a…

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Everything You Need to Know About Siena (Italy)

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 at 3:40 am

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Strolling around Siena in the mid morning sunlight and stopping to have a cool gelato on the steps of the Duomo is just one of those delightful experiences that firmly imprint on your memory. And nothing could dampen our fond memories of Siena, even though our car was broken into and our traveling companion, a stuffed dog named Chili, and Paula’s driving glasses were taken. This was the only unpleasant incident we experienced during our time traveling around Europe. So onto ‘What you need to know about Siena’ Siena (also often spelled Sienna) is the capital of the province of…

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A Short History of the Venetian Mask

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 7:04 am

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When Paula and I were in Venice we were captivated by the amazing array of Venetian Masks available for sale. The workmanship and attention to detail is quite extraordinary and they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles. And because this is not an item that you want to jam into your suitcase you will find that most stores will arrange to ship your chosen mask home. So what is it that inspired the Venetians to wear masks in times gone by. I wouldn’t mind betting that it was a cover up for when they were getting…

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A Guide to Tourist Attractions in Milan

Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 8:40 am

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Italy is famed for fashion and one of the most stylish Italian cities is Milan. It is also one of the richest cities in Europe. If you prefer some history and culture, Milan has that too. It’s home to the biggest Gothic Cathedral in the world. People flock to Milan to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting of the Last Supper. Opera buffs know that one of the most famous opera houses in the world, La Scala, is also in Milan. Where is it? Milan is about 30 miles south of the Alps. It’s in North West Italy, in the…

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The Boboli Gardens

Thursday, August 16th, 2007 at 11:41 pm

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After taking in the sights on the Ponte Vecchio we arrived at the Pitti Palace and the majestic Boboli Gardens. These beautiful formal gardens are situated behind the Pitti Palace which was the property of the Medici family. This stunningly beautiful palace is the 2nd largest museum in Florence. The gardens cover and area approx 45,000 metres and include statues from the 16 and 17th century. There are many areas where you can sit and relax before continuing on your stroll through the many twists an turns. I have read a number of reviews about the gardens and some have not been very encouraging saying they are…

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A Day in Florence

Thursday, August 16th, 2007 at 11:23 am

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We are so excited to be here in Florence so we rise early and head down to partake of a very tasty buffet breakfast. Everything, as usual in Italy, is cooked to perfection, proscuitto, eggs – scrambled, poached and fried, an assortment of cheeses, breads, jams, little Italian sausages and fresh tomatoes gently grilled to perfection. The breakfast room is abuzz with tourists from many countries all quickly downing a hearty feed before setting off for an exciting day of exploring. Our first stop is the Ponte Vecchio on our way to the Pitti Palace of the Medici’s and the…

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