Category Archives: Italy

It’s hard to believe that this town of 100,000 was a European economic powerhouse for nearly 300 years (1000-1300 AD). At one time Pisa controlled Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, and traded extensively with regions as far away as North Africa … Continue reading →

OK, we know Messina is of historical importance.  But spending about four hours here really didn’t give us a real feel for the place.  In the photo you can see the Strait of Messina, which separates Sicily from the mainland of … Continue reading →

It was a stormy, blustery morning two weeks ago when we got to Sorrento, Italy.  The city itself is supposed to be beautiful and viewed from the sea we could understand why it’s such a popular destination.  Sorrento is the … Continue reading →

In mid-February, we spent four days in Sicily.  How does one begin to describe this complex, independent place?  Decaying, proud, chaotic, beautiful, home of the Mafia?  It’s all of the above, plus heavy memories of the Spanish Inquisition thrown in. … Continue reading →