A Visit to San Gimignano Italy

Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2012

Surrounded by the rolling hills of Tuscany filled with vineyards, cypress trees, and fields of sunflowers, San Gimignano is a surprising mixture of ancient history and architecture, with a touch of contemporary life and art.  You can easily spot San Gimignano as you approach by the remaining 14 towers that vary in height.  The town is so unique, that in 1990 UNESCO named it as a World Heritage site.  What is great about visiting the medieval town of San Gimignano, is that you explore it by just walking and taking it all in.  As you walk through the gates, you feel like you step back several centuries.

Palazzo del Popolo
The Palazzo del Popolo (People’s Palace) dates back to the 13the century and serves as the seat of civic power in San Gimignano. At street level, is a courtyard built in 1323 AD which displays the coats of arms of past elected city officials and the ground floor of this remarkable piece of architecture is home to the main civic offices of the local town council. The upper floors of the People’s Palace are home to the Civic Museum and the Picture Gallery, with works of art dating as far back to the 13th century. Adjacent to the Palazzo del Popolo is the Torre Grossa” (great tower) built in 1300 AD.

Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Doumo form the center of the town.
The tallest remaining tower can be found here standing at 177 ft. high, called the Torre Grossa.  You can climb to the top for amazing views of the countryside.  The Duomo (Collegiate Church) one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany, is rich with original and valuable art by some of the most famous artists in the history of the country. The altars, chapels, frescoes, statuary, and commissioned paintings tell the tales of centuries of history and give the church an atmosphere of a renowned and important museum.

Church of St. Agostino
The Church of St. Agostino is the property of the Order of Saint Augustine. Built in the 13th century, the church is the second largest church in San Gimignano. Inside walls of the church and the altar are filled with 13th and 14th century frescoes that tell the story of the Life of St. Augustine. The Cappella di San Bartolo is the final resting place of the eponymous saint (1228–1300).

You can also visit the Archeological Museum, the Spezieria dello Grada Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the Ornithologoical Museum, are home to ancient artifacts and works of art that reflect momentous events of the town from the Hellenistic period (200 to 300 BC), to 1348 when the Black Death Plague killed most of the population, and through the 15th century into modern times. 

You will also find several cafes, restaurants, shops and gelateries.  The local wine is called Vernaccia di San Gimignano.  Wild game and Boar salami and sausage is found in most markets. As a matter of fact they use boar in several items including cream. The area is known of pecorino cheese. You can also buy Tuscan olive oil, Grappa from nearby Chianti, honey, pasta, Tuscan cookies and Saffron. 

Make time to walk to the Rocca where you will have panoramic views of the countryside.  Several Italy tours offer a visit to San Gimignano as an optional while you are in Florence since it is only about an hour drive each way.

 

Milan Italy Tour

Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Milan is the center of Italian fashion and business. Milan is a bustling cosmopolitan city with lots to offer the sophisticated traveler. Milan's museums house such treasures as Da Vinci's Last Supper and works by Mantegna, Raphael and Titian.

There are 9 distinct zones that come off of the Historical Center of Milan: Centro Storico & Brera, Corso Buenos Aires, Magenta, Ticinese-Navigli, Amendola-Fiera & San Siro, Porta Vittoria & Porta Romana, Citta Studi and Isola. Brera is a great place to start. By day you can visit art galleries and palaces, as well as lots of antique shops and hand made goods.  By night there are plenty of restaurants and nightlife.

Milan is not typically included in the shorter tours, as they focus on Rome, Florence and Venice. The shortest trip we offer including Milan is the 9 day Reflections of Italy tour that begins in Rome visits Assisi, Siene, Florence, Venice and ends in Rome.  For those that have visited the Southern area of Rome, there is the 10 day Nothern Italy and Cinque Terre tour vacation. Browse our Italy tours or call a travel specialist for assistance in finding the right trip that visit Milan.

Italy: Art and Culture

Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Italy has been witness to the birth of two of the most powerful and influential forces in not only Europe, but the Western World. The mark the Romans left on the world is not only cultural but the evidence of their highly sophisticated society is no more abundant than in the heart of the former Empire itself, Rome.

Almost 1000 years after the fall of the ancient Roman Empire, Italy again (this time with Florence leading the way) became the cultural capital of the world, the Renascence (not just an art movement, but an intellectual awakening, an explosion of science, technology and discovery that changed the way the people of Europe operated and saw themselves) flourished here.

Florence is still today the undisputed capital of Renascence Art, fueled by the Medici Family in the late 1400’s and into the 1600’s the city was host to Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello and a who’s who of art science and philosophy legends . People still visit the city today to witness for themselves the beauty and perfection in painting, sculpture and architecture that was created during this time. Some of the cities most famous and visited museums include the Accademia and the Uffuzi.

Rome was never far behind Florence in this cultural awakening and is home to the Vatican City, home to the Vatican Museums and the roof of the Sistine Chapel so famously painted by Michelangelo as well as his ‘Last Judgment’. People also flock to Rome from every corner of the globe for religious pilgrimages, to St. Peters Basilica, home of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City, located in the heart of Rome.

Venice also provides a totally unique experience with it’s canals, bridges, gondolas, the Basilica of St Mark and the square, reputed to be one of the most beautiful and romantic in the world.

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Naples and Capri Italy

Posted on Thursday, December 15, 2011

Once the domain of kings and wealthy nobleman, modern Naples is a lively, working port city along the Amalfi Coast. It is surrounded by Cape Miseno on one side and the Sorrento peninsula on the other and across the blue waters of the Bay of Naples lies the charming isle of Capri. Its modern skyline is dominated by the heights of the not-too-distant Mount Vesuvius.

Things to do While on a Tour in Florence

Posted on Tuesday, November 01, 2011