Sienese restaurants are a great value by Florentine and Venetian standards. For pasta, a good option is pici (PEE-chee), a thick Sienese spaghetti that seems
Category: Italy 2023
For our three days and two nights in Siena, we chose the Hotel Chiusarelli. Hotel Chiusarelli has a mix of 48 classic and modern rooms
Siena’s 13th-century cathedral and striped bell tower are one of the most illustrious examples of Romanesque-Gothic style in Italy. This ornate but surprisingly secular shrine
Whenever I speak to someone who has traveled to Siena, someone else nearby always seems to chime in: “Siena? I loooove Siena!” Located in the
Trattoria Anita – Midway between the Uffizi and Santa Croce, feels old-school, with wood paneling decorated by dusty rows of wine bottles. Brothers Nicola, Gianni,
For our stay in Florence, we chose a hotel in the sleepy zone near the Ponte Vecchio. This area has several sights and some fine
The imposing Pitti Palace, several blocks southwest of Ponte Vecchio, has many separate museums and two gardens. The main reason to visit is to see
The striking green-and-white marble facade of 13th-to-15th-century Basilica di Santa Maria Novella fronts an entire monastical complex, comprising romantic church cloisters and a frescoed chapel.
The Basilica of San Lorenzo – on the site of the first Christian church in Florence – was built outside the Roman walls and consecrated
Florence’s massive cathedral is the city’s geographical and spiritual heart. Its dome, visible from all over the city, inspired Florentines to do great things. The