Italy 2015 Recap

Since I was on a roll posting about my Alsace and Germany trip, I figured I'd go back and (finally) finish the posts I started in 2017 about my Italy trip in 2015 (I can't believe its been 5 years since that trip!).  In 2017, I blogged all the way through my time in Tuscany, but never continued with the posts from Venice. (If you'd like to skip ahead to the new material, it starts at number 11).

I had saved posts in 2017 so that the trip would all be together.  As a result, even though these posts are brand new, they are showing as though they are from 2017.  I figured I'd go ahead and do a recap of the entire trip now that all the posts are up and done!


1.  Day 1--A Roman Holiday

My trip to Italy starts in Rome with beautiful churches, roman artifacts, and Baroque surprises, including the Trevi fountain.

2.  Day 2--Ancient Rome.

A trip to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Trajan's Market, followed by churches and more Roman artifacts.

3.  Day 3--Pantheon, Palaces, and St. Paul's Outside the Walls

Not only churches (including the Pantheon) and the Galleria Doria Pamphilj palace, but the Spanish steps, protestant cemetery, piazza navona, and nightime pictures of the Vatican.

4.  Day 4--the Vatican

Next to the Vatican, a country inside a country, to see St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican museum, and nearby Castel Sant'Angelo, followed by more churches (this time with loads of mosaics), and dinner at the Piazza del Popolo.

5.  Day 5--Orvieto

One of my favorite days when we took a day trip to Orvieto in the hills of the Umbria region.  It had ramparts and hand painted pottery!

6.  Day 6--An Arrival in Florence

The start of our time in Tuscany, with a cathedral, churches, and beautiful views.

7.  Day 7--Medici Florence

Lots of art (including Michelangelo's David), a Medici Palace and Chapel with more Michelangelo, and maybe a couple more churches.

8.  Day 8--Firenza, Continued

A bit of art, a tower house, and palaces from our continuing exploration of Firenza (Florence).

9.  Day 9--Lucca & Pisa

Two day trips in one as we took a train to Lucca in the morning and in the afternoon visited the leaning tower of Pisa.  Lets just say that the tower isn't all the leans in Pisa.

10.  Day 10--Siena

Another favorite day as we visited medieval Siena with its well preserved  streets, gorgeous cathedral (my absolute favorite of all  I saw in Italy), and a medieval hospital.

11.  Day 11--Venetian Luxury

We took a train then a boat down into Venice and relaxed in the terrace of our hotel in a former palace before heading down a few buildings along the water to see the Doge's Palace and then my first glimpse of Piazza San Marco.

12.  Day 12--Venice's winding alleys, bridges, and canals

Visiting San Marco Duomo then off to wander beyond the square.

13.  Day 13--Padua

Taking our daytrip in the Veneto region of Italy (the region with Venice) to Padua, with this famous Basilica, university, and the Scrovegni Chapel, which, unfortunately, we could not take pictures inside but was still beautiful.

14.  Day 14--Venetian Lagoon

Another favorite day of the trip (and also the last) as we took an elevator to look out over Venice, took a trial boat run to La Salute Church, and then boated to the quant fishing village of Burano with its rainbow colored row homes, canals, and lace.  We ended our trip in San Marco listening to live music and eating cake--perfect end to any trip.

Looking back over this trip it is amazing how many churches we went into in so many different styles.  I really do practically never say no to a church!  My favorite of the three big cities had to be Venice, with its decaying mansions and labyrinth of narrow streets and canals.