Baptistery of St. John, Siena, Italy
When it comes to early Renaissance art, Siena is more or less thought of as Florence’s little brother. A lot of the same artists worked in Siena. Donatello and Ghiberti … Read more
Portrait of a Ghost Town: Condado de Alhama, Spain
[NOTE: My visit to Condado de Alhama was in 2012, and the photos here were taken at that time. You’ll see from the flurry of comments below that present-day Condado … Read more
The Sans Souci Palace, Potsdam, Germany
The Sans Souci Palace in Potsdam, outside Berlin, was the “getaway” for King Frederick the Great of Prussia. The pressure of being a mid 18th Century ruler was evidently so … Read more
Images of Mount Fuji, Japan
Mount Fuji, or Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration, is how UNESCO describes Mount Fuji. It is indeed an inspiration.
Budapest: Stay and Eat
Our recommendations on where to stay and eat in Budapest. Walking the neighborhoods of Budapest open up all sorts of historic and contemporary doors.
Warming Up to Budapest
To get to know Budapest, start walking. These neighborhoods, both near and beyond the Danube riverfront, will give you a real feel for the city.
Saint Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome
The church of Saint Cecilia features an extraordinary sculpture of the saint below the altar. Well worth a visit just to see it.
The Medici Chapels, Florence, Italy
Maybe it was just the day–Christmas Eve–but, aside from us, there was almost nobody in the Medici Chapels. That’s lucky if you’re trying to make photos, but disturbing when you … Read more
The Duomo and Bell Tower at Night, Florence, Italy
It’s impossible to walk around Florence at any time of day and not risk bumping into people, light poles, or parked cars. Because wherever you go, you’re confronted with the … Read more
Cathedral of John the Baptist, Wroclaw, Poland
Poland is full of beautiful churches. I’m not sure how so many survived the devastation of Poland during World War II, but either they did get very lucky, or in … Read more
