ITALY and ROME are two separate things


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Europe » Italy » Lazio
November 8th 2012
Published: November 8th 2012
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Italy- who knew? Well, the thousands of tourists who go there every year, but the gob-smacking beauty of the place caught us by surprise. We knew about the Alps of course, but there are huge craggy mountains everywhere and we drove through many on the way to our first stop, the Cinque Terre, through tunnel after tunnel and over viaduct after viaduct, with steep valleys plunging below, sprinkle... Read Full Entry



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Town wallsTown walls
Town walls

Colle di Val d'Elsa is still completely surrounded by its defensive walls
Chianti countryChianti country
Chianti country

a Tuscan scene at Castellina in Chianti
Saint GimignanoSaint Gimignano
Saint Gimignano

another beautiful Tuscan town
Toscana landscapeToscana landscape
Toscana landscape

– look at all those lovely vineyards
View of SienaView of Siena
View of Siena

we had a day there (unlike some people)
Catedral di Santa Maria in SienaCatedral di Santa Maria in Siena
Catedral di Santa Maria in Siena

white and pink marble and green serpentine – just gorgeous
A town called Todi in UmbriaA town called Todi in Umbria
A town called Todi in Umbria

much nicer than its name suggests, this is walking on the mura (town wall)
Chestnut Festival Chestnut Festival
Chestnut Festival

celebrations in Soriano nel Cimino, near Viterbo in Lazio, wonderful drummers and junior medieval jousters
Fire eaters Fire eaters
Fire eaters

- handy when roasting chestnuts
the Medieval pageantthe Medieval pageant
the Medieval pageant

we couldn’t get a ticket to watch it, but got caught up in it on the way home – the costumes were fabulous
Free roasted chestnutsFree roasted chestnuts
Free roasted chestnuts

from the street corner roasters – they tasted…um…of nothing
Soriano nel CiminoSoriano nel Cimino
Soriano nel Cimino

the castle and old town from our landing window
Cattedrale di Santa Margherita in MontefiasconeCattedrale di Santa Margherita in Montefiascone
Cattedrale di Santa Margherita in Montefiascone

a beautiful domed cathedral (2nd biggest after St Peter’s) in a glorious hill town near Viterbo
Civita di Bagnoregio, LazioCivita di Bagnoregio, Lazio
Civita di Bagnoregio, Lazio

an amazing hilltop village that looks like a Terry Gilliam film set – the houses are crumbling because the hilltop is crumbling, but it’s kept alive for tourism
Crumbling countrysideCrumbling countryside
Crumbling countryside

the hills are clay based – dramatic, but not so good for building on!
Largo di BolsenaLargo di Bolsena
Largo di Bolsena

the largest volcanic lake in Europe and we drove round it! It was surprisingly like Lake Taupo
Etruscan tombs in SutriEtruscan tombs in Sutri
Etruscan tombs in Sutri

very eerie, right by a busy main road – dozens of tombs, some had been converted to garages or storage sheds!
Villa Lante, Bagnaia near Levanto,Villa Lante, Bagnaia near Levanto,
Villa Lante, Bagnaia near Levanto,

Renaissance pleasure gardens created by and for the powerful Popes – they must have had some pretty cool barbecues!
Roman walls in FormiaRoman walls in Formia
Roman walls in Formia

there is so much visible Roman history everywhere – no signage – it’s just part of the furniture
Formia, south of RomeFormia, south of Rome
Formia, south of Rome

and the mountain we tried to climb – but that’s another story…



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