The Battistero di Pisa is the largest baptistery in Italy and like the famous leaning tower leans at a slight angle. The white marble Baptistery is in many ways the most beautiful building on Pisa’s field of miracles. It combines a round Romanesque base with Gothic upper floors with dainty details. The white of the marble is often offset beautifully by the green lawn … [Read more...]
Visit the Cathedral Museum of Pisa (Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo)
The Cathedral Museum of Pisa (Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo) displays original artwork from the famous cathedral, baptistery and leaning tower of Pisa. Many of the original sculptures of the Duomo, baptistry and Camposanto Cemetery in Pisa are now preserved in the relatively small Cathedral Museum of Pisa (Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo). In addition to numerous original Gothic … [Read more...]
See Renaissance Frescoes at the Camposanto Cemetery in Pisa
The gothic arcades of the Camposanto Cemetery in Pisa are decorated with some of the finest Renaissance frescoes in Italy. Despite having a large collection of sarcophagi, the Camposanto Cemetery next to the marble Cathedral of Pisa is mostly not visited for graves but rather for its collection of Renaissance frescoes. For centuries the Camposanto, rather than the famous … [Read more...]
Visit the Sinopie Museum in Pisa
The Sinopie Museum (Museo delle Sinopie) in Pisa gives a fascinating look at how the frescoes of the Camposanto Cemetery were created. The Sinopie Museum (Museo delle Sinopie) in Pisa displays the original rough sketches used in the designs of the magnificent 14th-century frescoes in the Camposanto Cemetery. As these drawings were plastered over never to be seen again, … [Read more...]
Transportation to the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Getting to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is easy from many other parts of Italy including Florence, Livorno, Siena, and Rome, by train or on day trips. It is also easily seen en route to or from the airport. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the top sights to see in Italy. This iconic campanile is hugely popular with day-trippers and bus parties and well worth seeing when in … [Read more...]
Transportation to Chenonceau Chateau in the Loire Region of France
Driving is the best option for most visitors to Château de Chenonceau but public transportation and day-trip tours are alternatives. Getting to Château de Chenonceau on the Cher River in the Loire region of France is easiest by car but public transportation is also available with trains arriving from Tours and Bourges. Cycling is an option from Amboise and other towns in … [Read more...]
Visit Renaissance Egeskov Slot Castle in Denmark
Romantic Egeskov Slot is a living castle with fun park for families, museums, and beautiful gardens located on the island Funen near Odense in Denmark. Renaissance Egeskov Slot is an impossibly romantic moated castle with one of the most beautiful gardens in Denmark. It is a truly family-friendly destination with a very large fun park, a variety of play areas, a treetop … [Read more...]
Visit Clos Lucé – Leonardo da Vinci’s Home in Amboise
Leonardo da Vinci spent his final three years in Amboise in a chateau now housing a museum with models of his designs. Château du Clos LucĂ© is a relatively small 15th-century palace in the Loire town Amboise. The chateau was the childhood home of King Francis I but much more famously the palace where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final three years as the guest of the king of … [Read more...]
Visiting Chateau de Valencay in Berry, France Centre
Chateau de Valencay in Berry near the Loire was the home of Talleyrand and served as state guesthouse during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. Chateau de Valencay is an impressive palace with marvelous formal gardens, a large nature park, a maze, animals, and play areas for children. Valencay served as state guesthouse during the times of Napoleon Bonaparte and was the country … [Read more...]
Visiting Château de Chenonceau in France
Château de Chenonceau is the most romantic castle and the most popular monument to see in the Loire region of France. Château de Chenonceau is the most popular and arguably the most recognizable chateau in the Loire Valley. This incredibly romantic Renaissance chateau celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2013. Château de Chenonceau is most famous for it gallery that spans the … [Read more...]
Historic Chenonceau – The Ladies’ Chateau
Chenonceau, the Ladies’ chateau, has an interesting history as royal residence in the Loire and center of power in the 16th-century Kingdom of France. Romantic Château de Chenonceau celebrated its official 500th anniversary at the start of 2013. When construction of the present Renaissance palace started in 1513, few could have expected that in the following century … [Read more...]
Touring Château de Chenonceau on the Cher
Visitors to romantic Château de Chenonceau can see the magnificent palace and gallery spanning the Cher River, formal gardens and a maze. Château de Chenonceau is the most popular castle to visit in the Loire region of France. Visitors crowd into the small but beautifully restored palace with its famous gallery spanning the River Cher on an arcaded bridge. Chenonceau is also … [Read more...]