Southern Europe Archives

Pienza & The Rolling Hills of Tuscany

The Tuscan countryside is a magical landscape with gently rolling hills, artistic cypress-lined avenues, and well-preserved historic towns.

A Tuscan hill town once rivaled Florence in wealth and influence, Siena is famous for its well-preserved historic core and Gothic monuments.

For centuries, the Medici had shaped the cityscape of Florence, elevating it into a hub of artistic, intellectual, and political brilliance.

Cortina D’Ampezzo has long been one of Italy’s most desired winter resort towns. It nestles in an alpine valley embraced by impressive peaks.

San Marino may be tiny but it’s the only surviving medieval commune in Italy. All thanks to its isolated location and political shrewdness.

Though millenniums have passed since its heydays, evidence of ancient Rome is still very much alive in monuments across the Italian capital.

Vivid mosaics of Ravenna represent not only fine craftsmanship but also the city’s history and cultural changes in the 5th and 6th centuries.

Midway between Barcelona and Madrid, Zaragoza seems under the radar. But this city is worth a visit thanks to its heritage and monuments.

Madrid is a city of elegant boulevards, gorgeous mansions, and manicured parks. It is also renowned for its fantastic food scene.

La Rossa, La Dotta, and La Grassa are the most familiar nicknames of Bologna as they present the prominent features of this wonderful city.

An idyllic scenery where deep blue lake set in the shadow of snow-covered Alps, Lake Como is an ideal getaway destination for the Milaneses.

If you can only use one word to describe Milan, what word would you choose? I found “extravagance” is the most appropriate word.

Bright and shockingly colorful, Isola di Burano looks for all the world as though it has come straight out of a children’s storybook.

Getting lost in a new place is not a pleasant experience. But losing orientation in an amazing place like Venice is a different story.