Florence or Firenze has been one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations for a long time. The Uffizi Gallery featuring works of Botticelli, Giotto’s bell tower and the famous cathedral and Michelangelo’s David ( the original as well as a number of copies) have made Florence a drawcard for culture buffs. Add to this Florence’s reputation as a world fashion leader (especially leather) and the … Continue reading Instead of Florence
Barga The town of Barga is already rated as one of the best towns or villages in Italy to visit. The historic old town has been immaculately preserved and the more modern outer town is obviously thriving. A town of 10,000 it has a famous jazz festival each year and attracts artists and artisans from other countries. The cathedral dating from the twelfth century is … Continue reading Three lesser known towns to visit in northwestern Tuscany
Florence and Siena and the Chianti region between these two cities have made Tuscany a popular world attraction. But in the northwest corner of Tuscany, nestled in the Apuan Alps, is the region of Garfagnana. This is the place to go if you like small hilltop towns and steep walking through lots of greenery with views to snow capped mountains. We were based in near … Continue reading Walking off the beaten track in Tuscany
Ferrara is a relaxing city to visit because the historic centre is spacious with wide streets as well as laneways and many piazzas.Riding a bike is the easy way to see the old town but you can also walk around without being disturbed by cars. The well maintained palaces and churches are a feast for the eyes and the main castle built by the d’Este … Continue reading The stylish city of Ferrara
Venice continues to draw so many tourists that local Venetians are understandably unhappy. Living in Venice presents huge challenges in this city which some say is drowning in its canals. Shopping, moving around the narrow streets on foot, accessing the train station or the doctor or even conducting a funeral. This is becoming increasingly difficult with the hoards of tourists descending upon Venice, especially from … Continue reading Is Venice worth visiting?
Tourists have been heading to Italy for a long time but there is still a lesser known part of Italy that many tourists have not yet discovered. Situated above the Veneto region ( think Venice, Verona, Vicenza, Padova) and reaching up to Austria in the north and Slovenia in the east is the unique Italian region of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. It’s capital is the former Austro Hungarian … Continue reading San Vito al Tagliamento – a small Italian town in the heart of Friuli
