With a free weekend, we decided to hit the west coast and visit the port city of Genoa, where pesto and seafood dishes are abundant, and where historic homes and tiny alleyways beckon along the hills of this ancient town.
We enjoyed our first 2019 visitor from the States in February, with one week to explore and show her northern Italy. With the visit coinciding with Kevin’s winter school break, we put on our running shoes (and for La Scala, our fancy shoes!), and spared no time to show our friend all we could of the area we now call home!
Sunny skies, short lines, cool weather- what more does one need or want, to experience the magic and beauty of Florence, Italy?
There is more to Parma than food, I was surprised to discover. Walk around. The Piazza Garibaldi has a bronze statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi, considered the founding father of the country of Italy. On one side of the square is the Governor’s Palace which has a central bell tower with an interesting and large clockface that also shows the time in other parts of the world.
Picasso’s Portrait of Dora Maar, surrealist photographer and muse/lover of Picasso
Rather than line up to revisit the Louvre or the Musee d’Orsay on our recent trip to Paris, we decided to explore the Picasso Museum, which was a first for us both. We were not disappointed!
A long weekend beckoned us towards the northwest mountain region of Italy and we couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised by the majestic beauty and history before us!
It’s our first full rainy weekend in Milan, so we decided to visit the Duomo and see the Cathedral and the adjacent museum. Other than the scary top with its wet stone steps, I’d say it was a good way to spend a rainy day!
Kevin met me in Bologna after my trip to Rome and I think it’s safe to say that climbing the big tower is not in my future, after spry Kevin swore that he would never do that again!
Bologna Tower- Kevin climbed, but never again!
View of Bologna from atop the tower
In our first two months in Italy we’ve had almost no rain, so the intermittent showers and even thunderstorms I experienced in Rome were a welcome change, despite the fact that we dashed from sight to sight between downpours. The cloudy sky created terrific light effects as we took a panoramic guided bus tour of the hills and ancient sights of Rome.
St. Peter’s Basilica under Clouds
Here’s a common ice breaker question: If you could have dinner with an historical figure from the past, whom would you pick? For me, besides Jesus (I know, might be a bit ‘churchy’ for some of you…), it would be Michelangelo.
Sistine in the round
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