While I didn’t quite squeak out a full year of doors, I was still lucky enough to be introduced to Norm’s Thursday Doors challenge by my magnificent friend (and Italy compadre) Manja. Many of the doors, not surprisingly, were ones I strolled by, entered, or just plain adored whilst in my Italy travels this past summer. It’s a challenge to keep my post brief, so I’ll have to dig not so deep to try to pick my ultimate favs.
Rome. Bananas!
The street art was incredible – though only a bit of it was on doors – this a fav.
Looking out to the small piazza from the Chiesa di San Donato, Civita di Bagnoregio
Civita di Bagnoregio. Here, you can see thru its sole ancient entryway.
I can’t imagine a better group of women to chill out with (literally, it was a hot 90+ degrees in Civita!) Oh, and our pal Fonzie too. Amazing day in our two lovely towns
Orvieto, the Duomo reflection.
Delightful Volterra. A fav for sure.
Cinque Terre: Vernazza
Trastevere, Rome
Gelato! Friends! What a day in Trastevere and all over Rome.
Perpsective! Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome. My bestie Manja snapped this photo!
At the Bargello in Florence, greeted by some lovely lions in crowns!
Closer to home – well, kind of! Seems these doors actually span coast to coast 🙂
Ok. I know, I know – my last few posts have been limited to Thursday’s Door challenge (though, a lovely challenge it is!). If only that pesky work thing didn’t burden my days!
Volterra. I struggle with saying it was my favorite hill town in Italy. Because those who’ve been know – it’s near impossible to have one favorite spot in Italy. That said, I adored this splendid town, and have pics to view that would put us all to sleep. In a good way, to sleep. Its fairy tail “pinch me” charm goes unsurmounted…
L’estrice, or, “the Hedgehog”, is a wonderful art shop, based on a Florentine technique of etchings that are engraved entirely by hand on zinc. Volterra was one town where I spent a good bit of my shopping budget, and L’estrice etchings are now gracing the walls of my home 🙂
One of the L’estrice etching prints, now framed and hanging on my wall at home – lovely!
Volterra, Italy
Fabula Etrusca was another shop which I discovered, of Etrustan styled jewelry (who can pass THAT up?). The jewelry is made here, in part of the actual shop (which was lovely), by craftsmen who studied to become gold and silversmiths right here in Volterra. Somehow, I ended up with more goodies than I intended to purchase. Oops! 🙂
My very special treat from Fabula Etrusca.
Church of San Pietro
ahhhh, Tuscany…
At night….
Yours truly, readying to leave Volterra. Until next time! Oh wait, that would be “arrivederci”!
While it’s not easy – or even necessary – to choose a favorite place in Italy, I may have to put Volterra on the top of my list. Coming off of our first stop of Rome, and the city-esque crowds of tourists, Volterra was an incredible respite. And, an amazingly gorgeous hill town that left me teary-eyed from the overwhelming charm and history.
Volterra, historically, is a walled hill town dating back to at least the end of the 8th century BC. What’s amazing is, it’s believed to have been continuously inhabited since that time. AMAZING. This is a place where just being and sharing space with the beauty and history settled into my soul in a gentle, healing, humbling way.
Much of my pictography in this post is meant to convey Volterra in a simplistic way. The irony of simplistic is, here it is charming and beautiful, no matter where or how one ventures in this lovely classic Italy hill town.
Panoramic view from Volterra, beautiful Tuscany
Under the Tuscan MoonEarly a.m. view from my room windowOmbra della sera, “Shadow of the evening”, Etruscan museum. The statue represents a nude male, 22.6 inches tall, with very elongated body but head in normal proportions. It is estimated by archaeologists to date from the third century BC. Quite humbling.Wine cellar, the wine tasting fantastic.Roman Theatre, excavated in the 1950’s, built in the late 1st century BC.Volterra CathedralSan Giusto, VolterraCute Italian dogs and cute Italian men 🙂
Etruscan Arch, entry into townOne of many, many quaint streets in Volterra.Beautiful everything here.
Fetching the World 