San Gimignano, in Italy’s Tuscany, is well known for its medieval tower houses, structures built for defense — and built to show off wealth and power. However, plenty of other towns and cities, in Italy and beyond, once had or still have tower houses, or something similar, built at least
San Gimignano is best known on the tourist circuit for its medieval tower houses. As a result, the town is sometimes called the “Manhattan of the Middle Ages.” However, in, say, the 13th century, the town wouldn’t have been so exceptional — the wealthy, or the merely well-to-do, were building
UNESCO says that Siena’s historic center “is the embodiment of a medieval city. … The whole city of Siena was devised as a work of art that blends into the surrounding landscape.” I couldn’t have explained it better myself, the reason I found Siena so appealing during a long-ago
In my 2018 holiday letter to friends, I described my funniest travel experience for the year as follows: <<I visited Assisi in Italy and its Basilica of St. Francis. A sign at the basilica entry said, “no photos,” so tourists were sneaking shots like crazy. Near the altar, I watched
I’ve been clearing out old files, all to reduce clutter and, no doubt, to make room for more of the same. Rifling through old papers has jogged many a memory, recalling long-ago trips to destinations no longer safe to visit and, in particular, the trips I hosted to Europe for
