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
Italy
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
Our 2015 Travels in 50 Photos
I said the same thing last year, but 2015 was our biggest year in travel yet. Four continents and 16 countries, about 75 cities, 11 United States National Parks, and … Read more
Mapping 2015: Highlights and Snapshots
It’s been such a full year I needed to retrace our itinerary to get my head around all that we’ve seen in 2015. Initially, I just wanted to post some … Read more
Trip Totals: Accounting for our Whereabouts
Apart from toting up income (not enough) and expenses (too much), we endorse counting up other important things in your life, especially at tax time. Count your blessings; count your … Read more
Discovering European Capitals of Culture
Since 1985, the European Commission has been designating one or two cities per year as European Capitals of Culture (ECOC). That’s thirty years of work, recognizing more than fifty cities, … Read more
Modern Architecture in Rome: Rebuilding the City
I don’t mind saying that travel has a way of reminding me how little I know. In Rome a few weeks ago (December 2014), we signed up to take our … Read more
Florence Italy Revisited: The Church Circuit
Note: This story was originally posted together with a summary of Florence’s museums. But the post became unwieldy: that’s how many significant churches and museums are recommended in Florence. Churches, … Read more