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Cathedrals Of Vatican City You Will Be Amazed To See

January 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to cathedrals, then Italy has to be one of the countries in the world that firstly, boasts the most and secondly, it also has to have some of the most magnificent examples of cathedrals and basilicas that anyone could ever hope to see. Vatican City which today is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, is the world’s smallest sovereign state and this magnificent domain sits proudly overlooking the city of Rome and its glorious River Tiber.

Vatican City is the centre of the world’s Catholic faith and for centuries has ruled the billions of devout believers who can be found in every far corner of the planet. It is one of the most visited holy sites in the whole of Italy, with millions of visitors descending on this unique area to wonder and marvel at its sheer splendour and magnificence. The architecture and buildings that make up this devoutly religious independent state are truly spectacular both looking at them from the outside as well as inside their immensely decorated interiors that appear to go on forever.

Everybody who arrives in Rome automatically has to arrange a visit to this amazing location, and it is usually the number one place to tour around on their agenda. To not go to Vatican City and visit the cathedrals as well as the Sistine Chapel and all the splendid museums would be sacrilege to say the least. The immense power of the place is awe inspiring with each and every edifice being molded to perfection both inside and out. The most talented of painters, sculptors and other artisans have all left their signatures on parts of the buildings which are cultural and historical legacies the whole world can enjoy and marvel at.

St Peter’s Basilica

 

St Peter’s Basilica which is called the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano in Italian, is one of the largest late Renaissance churches found within Vatican City and although it is not strictly speaking considered as a cathedral, it is nonetheless one of the holiest Catholic sites on earth. The basilica boasts one of the biggest interiors of any church on the entire planet. It is truly an amazing place with its main dome dominating the skyline in a way that can only be seen to be believed.

The sheer size of the interior and the splendid decoration of the doorways, the walls as well as the massively high ceilings and columns, leaves you feeling very small indeed. It is here that St Peter is buried and many successive Popes are laid to rest in this holiest of holy sites. Artists namely Michael Angelo sculpted the amazing statue of the Pieta which is housed within the basilica. To visit this basilica, you really need to take your time as there is just so much to see and take in and this just cannot be done in a rush.

The entire area of Vatican City is just incredible, this includes the gardens and St Pietro Square as well as the many museums which house some of the greatest art treasures in the world. The gardens date back to medieval times and actually take up more than half of the entire area which covers over 44 hectares in total. The pure splendour of the garden with its trees, orchards and immaculately kept lawns, offer a place of tranquility and solace that is both mystical and peaceful at the same time.

Taking a tour around Vatican City and the wonderful basilicas, means spending more than just a few hours amidst some of the most treasured artworks ever created by the best artists of the day, as it takes a bit of planning because there is just so much to see here. Each beautiful part of the basilica makes you stop and wander at the immenseness of it all.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of visiting this amazing place and I found that the best way of doing it was with an organized tour, as not only did I avoid many of the cues but I also got to see a lot more of what I really wanted to see, which were the works of art by Michael Angelo and Bernini not forgetting the incredible monument to the Stuarts by Canova.

I had at first thought that taking a guided tour may mean being rushed through and past all of the wondrous things that you can see here, but in actual fact this was not the case at all. I felt we were given plenty of time to really appreciate all the superb things we were shown, so all in all, it was a really pleasant experience that I felt was definitely worth paying for. If you are visiting the Vatican City on a tight budget then this is not always possible to organize, so my advice to you is to plan your time well when you are there, or you might find you are overwhelmed by the whole experience, which might spoil it a little and this would be a real shame and worse, you might miss some of the treasures that are on display.

Whether it is the superb artworks or the splendid architecture that really interests you the most, you cannot help but be inspired by the whole experience of visiting this amazing basilica. From the moment you arrive and see the Swiss Guards to the immense square in front of St Peters Basilica, you start to realize the enormity of the whole place and just how important it is to the Catholic world today – just as it was throughout the centuries. The pomp and glory of this basilica may take your breath away and the works of art that are housed in the interior are bound to impress you as no others will ever do. This is because the setting is just so exquisite and so very grand. From the immaculate flooring right up to the fantastical ceilings that depict the holiest events in the bible. Visiting the basilicas of Vatican City made me feel very humble and it was an experience that marked me forever as one the deepest ones I have ever felt to this day.

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Bridges of Florence You Don’t Want To Miss The View From

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When you see an aerial shot of the city of Florence, it is reminiscent of a superbly well organized jig saw puzzle with the wonderful river Arno flowing through it breaking the puzzle up in an elegant manner. The bridges that join each side of the city are really something that are quite spectacular and the views from these bridges have to be seen to be believed especially at certain times of the day.

The Ponte Vecchio bridge

Ponte Vecchio Bridge ~ by **Mary**, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by **Mary**

 

The Ponte Vecchio bridge is not just a bridge, it is a monument that has to be admired from both close up and afar. The bridge has a world of its own along it, with jewellery shops that are famous the world over, tempting visitors and shoppers alike to browse in them in a setting that is out of this world.

This amazing structure was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi and Neri di Fioravanti. It was built to replace the Roman bridge which has suffered too much damage during the floods on the River Arno. In the evenings, at sunset is probably one of the best times to see the bridge from afar, just downstream in fact, as the lights come on along it as well as in the various shops and establishments that are situated on the bridge it gives a magical impression to the whole area that is exceptionally beautiful. The reflections of the arches in the rivers’ waters take on a mystical appearance that is enchanting to say the least. But then at sunrise, the Ponte Vecchio is a stunning place to see, as the suns’ first rays of the morning, light it up in a magical and mystical way.

Then there is the Ponte Alla Carraia, which dates back to medieval times. It has been rebuilt on several occasions especially after the Second World War when it was damaged by the Germans. It is a simple bridge but the views of it and from it, are amazing. When the weather is calm and the light is good, the reflections of the arches on the river are spectacularly clear. It does not matter which side of the river you happen to be on, the vistas of the city and the line of buildings that run along the river banks in such a stately manner, is an amazing vista. These vantage points offer the amateur photographer some great shots whether the photo is taken early in the morning, midday or on a balmy evening. From the bridge itself either looking upstream or downstream, the views of the river and the buildings are brilliant as everything looks so majestic.

Ponte Alla Carraia

Ponte alla Carraia by fabbio, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by fabbio

 

There is no doubt that Florence is a photographers dream city, especially when it comes to its bridges that so elegantly cross from one side of the city to the other. Nobody visiting the city could possibly miss the photo opportunities they see when the approach them, are on them or as they see them in the distance from the banks of the river. When the sun is in just the right part of the sky, the reflections of the bridges on the water is simply mind blowing. Even the less ornate ones are just delightful and offer some of the best views of the city with its towers and tall buildings dominating the skyline.

The lovely low bridge of Ponte Alla Grazie is one of the bridges in Florence that gives the impression of an optical illusion both in the real and on photograph. This little bridge stood the tests of time and when you remember it was first constructed in 1227 then rebuilt in 1345, you can’t help but be impressed by this fact. It spans the widest part of the river Arno and when it was originally built it had buildings on it including a church hence its name, just as the Ponte Vecchio has today. However, the lovely ancient bridge was totally destroyed during the Second World War by the retreating German army and a new one was constructed to replace it. The modern bridge although a wonderful architectural feat, does not have the same charm as the old one, but the views of it and from it are still a wonder to behold.

Ponte Alla Grazie

 

When visiting Florence you cannot help but wander down to the river, the Ponte Vecchio attracts many tourists and lovers of architectural heritage to the area, but the magnificence of the buildings and the sheer size of them as they stretch as far as the eye can see along the rivers banks, makes it a lovely experience to just meander along these banks with camera at the ready. This is when you get the best impressions of the bridges in Florence and the vistas they offer you of the architecturally rich city of Florence.

From the more modern bridges to the ancient one like Ponte Vecchio, the River Arno in Florence is as majestic as the city itself. Even on a stormy day when the clouds hover over this ancient town, there are vistas that are simply out of this world. Capturing them on film is a wonderful way of keeping a memory fresh and alive of a beautiful city that over time has met the modern day with an ease that many cities have done been able to do. This is what makes Florence such a beautiful historic city to visit as it stands as a timeless monument to such a glorious past.

With so many beautiful sights to see whether from the ancient Ponte Vecchio or the modern bridges that have had to replace the old ones, Florence is a city that has to be discovered and then explored with a camera always at the ready to catch that perfect shot of a vista that can be seen nowhere else in the modern fast moving world. Florence is a magical, mystical city that is full of ancient history. Today like the bridge of Ponte Vecchio on the River Arnor, Florence stands as a monument to these times long past, it is a grand city which is a photographers dream because there is just so much to photograph when you visit this gorgeous Italian city.

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Affordable Day Trips From Rome You Need To Take

December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The wonderful metropolis of Rome has to be one of the most vibrant cities in the world and anyone who arrives here for the first time will be impressed at the organized mayhem of cars that rally round the city at break neck speeds in what appears to be a controlled manner. I for one love the city and the bustling atmosphere of the place. The pure chic of it all with the trattorias and cafés that line the streets, make it the perfect city to sit down, have a great cup of coffee and watch the world go by.

 

Rome is superbly situated with so much to see and do in the surrounding areas. Tuscany and Umbria not being that far away, makes Rome the perfect base for trips to these neighboring regions which have so much to offer visitors hungry to tour around the ancient monuments and ruins that abound in the areas. There is an endless list of places to visit when in Rome so having an insight into a few of the day trips that are available is great as it means you can plan your stay here really well. It means you get to see as much as you can, but without overdoing it so the experiences are pleasantly memorable ones.

One of the day trips which I went on was to Orvieto. This delightful hill town is in Umbria. It has existed since the Etruscan times, so really very interesting for anyone who loves history as I do. The museums and monuments found here are out of this world. The most impressive structure in Orvieto has to be the cathedral which has a mosaic façade and it is one of the best examples of medieval architecture you will ever come across in Italy. It takes around an hour to drive to this lovely hillside town, but when you arrive you won’t be disappointed as there are some great restaurants as well as shops to eat at and browse around in the town.

Orvieto Cathedral

 

Etruscan history abounds in the regions around Rome and none more so that in Tarquinia where there are tombs from the period as well as a museum that is definitely worth a visit. The centre of the town is pure medieval and the cathedral boasts frescoes that date back to 1508. Again this little treasure of a town is about an hour outside of Rome and if you don’t want to drive there is a train service from the capital to Tarquinia that runs pretty regularly.

View on Tarquinia

 

Of course if you are looking for a day out which offers you a spectacularly refreshing vista, a trip to Tivoli has to be on the agenda. The Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa are simply breathtakingly beautiful with gardens and fountains built in the Renaissance period. Hadrian’s Villa is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and when you see it, you really understand the magnificence of that period of Italian history. You can either drive to Tivoli or there is both a train service and a bus service from Rome.

Tivoli Gardens

 

For lovers of Italian wine, then a day trip to Frascati is a must. The town is situated in the hills around 13 kilometres outside of the city. This makes a great day out to an area that is built up on a volcanic complex of hills, so the landscapes and scenery are out of this world. If you are visiting Rome during the hot summer months, you will find a trip to the hills of Frascati refreshingly welcoming.

Town of Frascati

Frascati by Frank Hamm, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic License  by Frank Hamm

 

Visiting Rome and not organizing a day at the beach would be sacrilege. Ostia Lido is a great destination for a day out of the hot city and although it is not the trendiest of beaches in the region, it offers you some really very nice private beach areas to just sit and enjoy the sun, sea and Italian way of relaxing. Ostia Lido is famous for its dark coloured sand and because it is only about thirty minutes from the capital is definitely worth considering for a nice quiet, relaxing day out of the city on a gorgeous private beach.

Ostia Lido Beach

 

If you are a food lover, then why not try a day out at one of the Italian cookery schools like the one at Fontana del Papa. This is a great idea for anyone who wants a break from the city in an environment that is pure Italian. The great thing about this idea is that you can stay overnight if you want to and the owners are very happy to pick you up at the station when you arrive. You get to learn how to cook some amazing Italian food in a family run affair that is both welcoming and charming. And the countryside is just spectacular in the area.

A day trip to the gorgeous town of Florence, which is another place that just has to be visited if you possibly can, is something you really need to think about. The fast trains from Rome only take around an hour and a half to arrive in Florence, so it is definitely worth considering. The centre of the town is just pure Italian splendour and with so much to see and do here, from the many historical sites to the fantastic restaurants, cafés and shops, it is a day trip that will be more than just a bit memorable.

Of course closer to the capital there is Vatican City with the incredible Sistine Chapel and all of the museums. Then there are the Catacombs of San Calliso where you will find the largest and most probably the most impressive of them in the whole of the area. One thing to bear in mind that Sundays are the best days to organise a trip here as the roads around the Appian Way are closed to traffic, making the experience that much more pleasant.

Rome, the grand Metropolis of Italy is a fantastic city to visit and because it is well situated amidst the gorgeous neighbouring regions, there is an abundance of day trips that can be organised so that you get to see and do as much as you possibly can when you are visiting the capital. Planning a few trips out of the city is like going on an adventure that will let you see more of the country in the nicest possible way.

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Medieval Town Of Siena To Explore

December 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The whole region of Tuscany is quite exceptionally beautiful. It is steeped in history with some of the best preserved architecture that dates back to medieval times. For centuries man has been attracted to the area which means today we are able to see the legacies of their civilizations and what influences they had on the region.

 

The gorgeous town of Siena, the capital of the province is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has to be one of the most visited cities in all of Italy. There is an abundance of places to explore during a stay here, from museums as well as the magnificent art galleries along with restaurants that serve traditional and extraordinarily fine Tuscan cuisine and all of this in a superb medieval setting that takes you back in time.

Il Palio Horse Race

Il Palio by Dean Ayres, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by Dean Ayres

 

Famous for its twice yearly horse race, Il Palio, Siena is quite unique. It is another one of the lovely fortified hill towns that are found in Tuscany. It was first settled long ago in c.900-400 BC and the first inhabitants were a tribe known as the Saina. This Etruscan people were way ahead of their time and reclaimed much of the previously un-farmable land with their innovative methods of irrigation. Everywhere the Etruscans settled became fertile land and their hill towns were incredibly well fortified against all marauders.

Through the centuries Siena has been settled by the Romans and even a Gaulish tribe. Being far from the main roads, the town did not prosper during the Roman time as trade was limited. As such Christianity did not reach Siena until much later when the Lombards invaded the town and its surrounding areas. It was then that Siena started to really thrive.

Walking through the town is like walking back through all the centuries with the ancient meeting the modern world in a harmonious way that it is utterly charming. Exploring the town is a delight and discovering the marvels it reveals around each corner is breathtaking.

Of course the main sights like the cathedral which dates back to the 12th century, is a structure that just makes a person feel so very small when standing and looking up at the fairy tale like towers that point to the heavens. The cathedral is the greatest example of pure Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture that one could ever hope to see. It has a marvelous history and with many of the finest artists, stone masons and sculptures of the day having added their works of art to the interior. Walking around inside of the cathedral surrounded by works of art that are out of this world makes it a mystical experience that is almost tangible.

Cathedral Of Santa Maria

 

With so much architectural heritage in Siena, it would be hard not to be impressed by each and every one of the medieval buildings which has survived the tests of time. The Piazza del Campo, which is the town square, is where the famous Il Palio horse race takes place twice yearly, but it is also here that you will find the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia. As with all things in Siena, there are treasures within treasures and the Palazzo Pubblico houses another incredible museum with frescos by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti. It is like finding a secret drawer in an antique desk that has yet another piece of gold hidden it in and when you do discover it, you realise what a wonder it is to behold.

Piazza Salimbeni

 

Lit up in the evenings the Piazza Salimbeni has to be one of the most beautiful sights in Siena. This incredibly statuesque building is the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena which is the one of the oldest banks in the region. It continues to be part of the Sienese economy and is a major player that has been in existence for centuries.

There are some wonderful festivals that take place in Siena and the most famous one has to be the Il Palio di Siena. This traditional horse race attracts an audience from all over the land as well as spectators from all corners of the globe. Anyone wanting to witness this race which takes place firstly in July and then in August, should try to reserve seats as the event is incredibly popular and as such a very crowded affair.

For lovers of Italian wine, Siena is close to the wine growing region of Chianti, so a trip out to the surrounding area is a must in order to discover even more treasures that the region has to offer its eager visitors.

Siena is a town which is incredibly proud of its heritage and with so much to offer, a short or long stay here is an experience a traveller could never forget. Walking through the center of the town, which is pedestrian only, you can only stop and wonder at all the gorgeous things that you come across. That is when you can really take a break and treat yourself to the amazing ‘gelatos’ that you find here.

Discovering a fine restaurant in Siena is easy and the traditional Tuscan cuisine that they serve will get you coming back for more. All washed down with a superb bottle of Chianti from the region, has to be a travellers idea of heaven in a setting that could not be more idyllic.

The summer months do tend to get very crowded, so hotel reservations should be organized well in advance. I was very fortunate a few years ago to be invited to Siena by a couple of friends who have a house there. I went in the springtime and I found that the town was delightfully quiet. But the best part about my trip was that the landscape was just bursting into flower and the scents in the air were amazing. I fell in love with this medieval town, just like so many other travellers have done over the decades, and look forward to revisiting Siena one day in the not too distant future to enjoy once again the uniqueness of the town and all that is has to offer.

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The Best Pizza Spots In Pisa To Dine At

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The lovely Tuscan region of Italy and that incredible culinary Italian export that people from all over the world have come to know and love, the Pizza are brought together in a wonderfully romantic way in the delightful historic town of Pisa.

Nobody could deny that the Italians excel when it comes to their cuisine. Every region of the country has its own traditional specialties, and in Tuscany these are incredibly good. However, the dish that is universally known and prepared to perfection throughout Italy is, of course the pizza. There are rules in place that are adhered to without fail when it comes to how the pizza bases are prepared. Their thickness and size of the pizza is the key to whether or not one has been prepared the way it ought to be, and then of course there is the choice of toppings and throughout Italy, you are really spoilt for choice.

 

When in Pisa you have to know where to go to get the best pizza and it stands to reason that the locals are the people who know which Pizzeria serves the dish to die for. With so many visitors descending on the town to see the leaning tower as well as all the other marvelous sights that abound throughout the city, there is an amazing choice of restaurants, pizzerias and other eateries, so it could seem a bit daunting when you first arrive there.

But for a fast food delight when in Italy, it has to be a pizza. If like me you love the extra thin base on your pizza, the wonderful La Cereria prepares theirs just like this. The toppings however are extremely copious with a selection of them that could take you a while to choose from, but this is all part of the fun of eating a pizza.

If you are looking for somewhere to grab a bite in a really nice location, then try the Il Vecchio Dado. Their pizzas are great although a little bit on the expensive side, but with an ice cream parlour just down the road, it is the ideal place to enjoy a really well prepared pizza and then treat yourself to one of the best ‘gelatos’ from the Bottega del Gelato after your meal.

Visiting Pisa on a budget means finding really affordable places to eat at and in this case you have to go to Bagni Di Nerone where the pizza is, not only very good but very well priced too. The pizzeria is extremely popular with students just for this reason, so it is a great place to try out for the food, the ambiance and the price. Another really good place to get a pizza, have a beer and a dessert for a very reasonable price is La Spigolatrice and again this is a very popular place to eat so the ambiance is always good here too.

Right in the heart of Pisa, there is a lovely pizzeria which is great value for money. L’Antico Vicoletto serves up incredibly good pizzas in a really friendly atmosphere which means the restaurant is usually busy, but this does depend on the time of year you are visiting the city. It’s a pizzeria that both locals and tourists enjoy eating at.

For anyone who likes their pizzas on the large size, then Le Scuderie is probably where you might just meet your match because here you buy your pizza by the metre. All the pizzas are cooked in a wood oven with bases that are nice and thick. The owner however, is not the friendliest person you might ever come across in Pisa, but his pizzas more than make up for this.

If you don’t mind a bit of stroll, then a walk outside the city walls to a pizzeria called Funiculi is well worth the effort. It is situated close to the Roman baths, so that’s two reasons why it’s a good excuse to go and eat there. This is a very popular place, full of locals who dig in to plates of delicious antipasto and some of the best pizzas in Pisa.

The Pizzeria Il Montino has a great reputation for serving some of the best pizza in town as well as the best focaccio and ceccina. The restaurant itself is very small so you may have to wait to get a table, but the wait will certainly be worth it!

JACS bistro is a restaurant come pizzeria that serves great Italian food and superb pizzas as well as sandwiches. This is another very popular restaurant where the food is out of this world and the atmosphere very Italian.

If you are in Pisa with the family, then Osteria Pizzeria Il Fantasma dell’Opera is a great child friendly place to eat at. This is a truly good value for money place to eat and it is incredibly popular, which is always a good sign that the restaurant is a good one.

Another very child friendly pizza place is the Pizzeria Tavola Calda La Tana where not only are kids made really welcome, but the pizzas are great and really inexpensive. If you don’t want to sit down to eat at the restaurant, they have a take-out service which is really handy if you want to keep on the move.

Of course with a name like Pizzamania, you would expect this restaurant to be excellent and it is. Italians love it and the pizzas are more than just good, everything about them is superb. On top of this they are excellent value for money – all this in a friendly atmosphere that makes dining out, eating your favorite Italian dish a real delight.

It is always nice to get some idea of the best places to eat at when you are visiting a new town or city, but it can also be a great adventure finding a place off the beaten track that serves amazing dishes including of course pizzas. I always believe that if there are loads of locals eating at the place then the chances are that the food is going to be the best around and I am yet to be proven wrong. The Italians simply love their food and expect the best all the time, so as a rule of thumb, you just can’t go wrong if you choose a pizzeria that the Italians themselves love, a place where they can relax and enjoy their wonderful food as only the Italians can do.

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