Ancored next to the Faraglioni, Capri |
College
friends, former students, cousins and other members of my extended family have enjoyed coming
to visit me here in Italy over the past five decades.
And of course I want to make
them feel comfortable, showing them special places and our Italian country
lifestyle.
But its
not easy to please everyone. Etruscan necropoli dating from 8th
century BC and 13th century frescoed churches are not everyone’s cup of
tea.
Byron's swimming place, Portovenere, Liguria |
Especially visitors who arrive from
new countries find it difficult to grasp the passage of time and history.
Try to explain to a New Zealander or
South African why the works of art in St. Peter’s Basilica are not in
chronological order, what a mosaic is or who Michelangelo was in just a few easy sentences.
But one thing that everyone, from any part of
the world, can appreciate immediately is a great view, a gorgeous landscape.
Here is my selection of breathtaking views and gorgeous landscapes to
admire in central Italy. How many have you visited?
Feel free to
add your nominations in a comment below.
1. a typical village in Liguria, Portovenere
2. The view from Villa San Michele,
Capri
3.
The calanchi of Civita di Bagnoregio
4. The lavender fields ripening near
Viterbo
5. The Rivellino hill, Tuscania (foto C. Thompson)
Nature’s wonders are abundant
here, but I do prefer a touch of human
intervention, like the neat rows of the vineyards, a tower or castle adorning a hilltop or a homey, flower filled piazza with laundry hung to dry.
6. Flowers alongside Etruscan walls,
Viterbo, Piazza San Lorenzo
7.
Piazza del Sole, Vetralla
8.
The mountains seen from Amalfi’s Duomo
9.
Gardens
of Villa Lante, Bagnaia
10. Rolling hills of Tolfa, Fontana del Papa, Tolfa (photo by Torre Newman)
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To find out more about central Italy check out my website and books... read the reviews, one of our books might make that perfect Christmas gift for anyone who loves Italy.
Latest News:
Fulvio Ferri and I will be interviewed live on TV2000 (Vatican TV channel) SKY channel 142 on Monday morning, Nov. 19th between 9:30-10:30.
We will be answering questions about lifestyle, the olive harvest, and his recipe book "Olio e Ricordi in Cucina". Try to tune in.
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You are cordially invited to my next conference "Foreign Archeologists and Artists in Etruria" to be held at the Vetralla Library, Vetralla on Friday afternoon, Nov. 23
I will be speaking in English at 4 p.m and at 5 p.m. in Italian.
Sieti cordialmente invitato alla Conferenza illustrata
ARTISTI ED ARCHEOLOGI
STRANIERI IN ETRURIA
Ponte
di Blera di S. Ainsley
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Out of the Top Ten and your photos of Portovenere, Liguria & Faraglioni, Capri, I've only not seen 2. Civita di Bagnoregio (#3) and Gardens of Villa Lantge Bagnaia (#9). All are breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteA good reason to return soon: Civita and Villa Lante are easy to see in one day...If you need suggestions for where to eat let me know. Hope to see you soon...why not share on FB friends.
ReplyDeleteI vote for Civita myself.
ReplyDeleteI suggest driving to the Belvedere before (across from Civita di Bagnoregio) where one can have a very suggestive view of the town and the nature surrounding it before hiking up to it. Have a great pic from there if you want it!
I vote for Civita myself.
ReplyDeleteI suggest driving to the Belvedere before (across from Civita di Bagnoregio) where one can have a very suggestive view of the town and the nature surrounding it before hiking up to it. Have a great pic from there if you want it!
I suggest driving up to the Belvedere before hiking over to Civita. This way one can have an amazing view of the town and the surrounding nature and really appreciate its uniqueness.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could post the picture that I recently took from there!
Thanks Giulia, I posted your photo. Best place to eat in Civita I think is Hostaria del Ponte. Where did you eat?
ReplyDeleteIf anyone else has spectacular shots of their favorite places, please send them and I'll add them to this post.
A great selection, I could add hundreds more. :)
ReplyDelete