Italy

What wonders exist in our world when we see scenes like this. Taken near Siena in Tuscany.

Taken in Tuscani, 2011

A trip to the heel of Italy is not complete without a visit to this most unusual historic village. Here we see many of the Trulli houses. Most Trilli houses of this village are just for show now but some are still inhabited. A great place to wander. "A trullo (plural, trulli) is a traditional Apulian dry stone hut with a conical roof. Their style of construction is specific to the Itria Valley, in the Murge area of the Italian region of Apulia. Trulli generally were constructed as temporary field shelters and storehouses or, as permanent dwellings by small proprietors or agricultural labourers. In the town of Alberobello, in the province of Bari, whole districts contain dense concentrations of trulli. The golden age of trulli was the nineteenth century, especially its final decades, which were marked by the development of wine growing." Wiki

Taormina in Sicily is a facinating place. The old Greek Theatre built high above the town gives us a great view here. Its hard to believe that these walls were built in the days of the Roman Empire.

SPC Domino effect competition May 2019 -runner up. Taken in Milan, Italy in 2013.

In 1994 we had a holiday on Lake Garda in northern Italy. At the northern end of the lake was the beautiful town of 'Riva del Garda' from where a climbing road quickly lead us into the beautiful mountain range known as The Dolomites. Here is one of our views I took with my Canon A1 35mm camera. This sight of these three high peaks (Tre cime di Lavaredo) on here is perhaps one of the most famous scenic views of this Alpine range. (see PiP). Original on slide.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure to review a holiday we had way back in 2011. We stayed for a week, out of season in a holiday home, near a small commune called Cecina, about two miles from the sea and 30 miles south of Pisa. I present here, over the next couple of weeks my pleasant memories of this area starting with an iconic Tuscan landscape, taken on our way to the beautiful towns of Volterra and Siena.

Our first full chance to relax before seeing our accommodation. Here we are at our local beach of Cecina with a sight that we would never ever see back home in Britain. Matched sun-umbrellas and chairs all lined up in an orderly fashion. Of course, demonstrating that certain Italian flair of matching harmony with nature. Enjoy full screen

Memories of Tuscany: San Gimignano and its towers Our first full day trip out here in Tuscany was to San Gimignano and Volterra. San Gimignano is famed for its high narrow towers, some show here. This is a beautiful hilltop town but unfortunately I never got the chance to capture it from low down nor far away, showing the classic view. Enjoy full screen "San Gimignano, a small walled village about halfway between Florence and Siena, is famous for its fascinating medieval architecture and towers that rise above of all the other buildings offering an impressive view of the city from the surrounding valley. At the height of its glory, San Gimignano's patrician families had built around 72 tower-houses as symbols of their wealth and power. Although only 14 have survived, San Gimignano still retains its feudal atmosphere and appearance. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990, San Gimignano offers visitors the chance to step back in time" - www.discovertuscany.com/san-gimignano

You have to be in San Gimignano to really appreciate the medieval beauty and history of this place. Here we are in perhaps the very heart of this walled town, at the 11th c Piazza Duomo. The steps belong to the Bassilica S.Maria Assunta and the building on the left is the Town Hall (Comune San Gimignano) and I am under the archway of a big towered building called Torre Rognosa. It is warm and bright here; hence many of the visitors seek these squares for a quiet place to relax in the shade. The town has many stoned archways; here we can see four alone. Enjoy full screen

As people go about their normal day and tourist look for the next souvenir shop, I run around with my camera to my eye and just shoot and shoot. Here a double arched thoroughfare lets me capture part of this medieval town in all its splendor. Enjoy full screen

A view from the hilltop town walls towards the north west here. As can be seen, this is wine country and so vineyards dot the whole area. We can also see, as with many other medieval towns, there are also new dwellings beyond its walls -a necessity in the reality of today. Enjoy this sultry vista in full screen.

Volterra is another town of tight narrow streets and alleyways as can be seen here. I believe it was common practice to build arches joining high buildings that were close together to counter earthquake damage in such areas. Of course the streets are narrow so that the buildings can give cool shade, and the heights were driven by the needs of a high population in a very restrictive footprint on this hilltop plateau. Enjoy full screen

A meeting in the narrow streets of Volterra is the setting for this candid capture. The red top of the girl ties in well with the red geraniums and sun-shade. I must admit to liking the rustic tones of the walls here too in this light. Enjoy full screen

A winding ploughed field track takes our eye and imagination directly to this ruin. What was it? - I have no idea, but it must have been a fair size with its many windows and high walls. Perhaps a castle of old, belonging to a Baron or Prince before being besieged? This taken some miles Southwest of Volterra on our way back to Cecina. Enjoy full screen

Just about 10km south from our accommodation at Cecina is this small but pleasant seaside resort of Mariana di Bibbona. Like lots of the beaches around here, many places are reserved for those that are willing to pay. I – well, I wander around with my camera looking for scenes like this, and I very seldom sit down to sun-bathe. Hope you enjoyed this free view as much as I did. Especially in full screen Ps - We will visit the hillside village of Bibbona later.

Another in my ‘Memories of Tuscany’ series here. We have now left the iconic hilltop town of Volterra but it can still be seen here high on a plateau in the background hills. Before us is the typical landscape of Tuscany framed by a gap in this old wooden fence. Of course the reddish flowers give our eyes a base to start from. Best full screen –of course :) HFF and enjoy your weekend.

The next town on our Tuscany list is Siena. Here we see a view looking towards the highest part of this charming city, showing its cathedral, ‘Duomo di Siena’. Its construction started in 1196 and it is built with medieval bricks. The Pip shows the main forward view of this magnificent building. Enjoy.