Phew! It has been a crazy week. Last Wednesday we left for Venice. The group and I spent Saturday hiking in the Cinque Terre, I headed out Sunday to tour the countryside in a vintage Fiat, and yesterday we all visited Pisa and San Gimignano. Not to mention I went out to the infamous Luisa Via Roma party in Florence last night. Needless to say, I am spent!
But, as I always say, it is totally worth it. I would not have wanted to miss out of any of these fabulous experiences. I am a bit behind sharing them on the blog, but I promise I will get through all of them eventually.
These pictures are from a week ago when the group spent the day in two fabulous Tuscan hill towns - Pienza and Montepulciano. Pienza is famous for its pecorino cheese and Montepulciano for its red wine, which makes for a great day of eating and drinking. We picnicked in Pienza and then explored the charming town before heading out to Montepulciano.
Pienza is the ideal Renaissance city. After his election, Pope Pius II decided to build his perfect city based on the principles of the Renaissance. It is considered one of the first forays into urban planning. The city was artfully laid out and meticulously designed. It became the summer residence of the Pope and his most important cardinals. Today the city is perfectly preserved thanks to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Pienza also overlooks the stunning Val d'Orcia, which in my opinion is the most beautiful part of Tuscany.
Unlike Pienza, Montepulciano was never redesigned or built by a pope, so it retains it Medieval look and feel. I would say there is less to do in Montepulciano than in Pienza, but it is definitely worth a stop for some amazing wine (the Catina Contucci is worth a visit) and a fabulous meal.
For our fun day in the Tuscan countryside, I wore my favorite gingham shorts and bell-sleeve top from Club Monaco. It was our first truly warm day since arriving in Italy, which is so rare for June. I am not complaining, but it was nice to finally feel the sun!
The little cliff-side town of Positano really is "la dolce vita," (a.k.a. the sweet life). Positano is definitely one of my favorite places in the world, and even though I have visited every summer for the past 6 years, it never ceases to impress with its beauty and charm.
Positano is my happy place. It has everything I love -- stunning views, delicious food, picturesque streets to explore, and tons of local Italian charm (also gorgeous custom sandal shopping).
I purchased this amazing Trina Turk coverup before I left for Italy. I love a great coverup that doubles as a dress for a day of seaside relaxing. It means that you can easily transition from beach to lunching to strolling (I have noticed over the years that Italians, unlike Floridians don't really walk around in swimwear when not on the beach). The dress/coverup is a lightweight swimsuit spandex so it's super comfortable and functional. In my opinion, Trina Turk makes the best coverups.
The hat, however, is probably my favorite part of this look. Olivia, from Hats by Olivia, created it especially for me. It was perfect for the Amalfi Coast and so many locals complimented me on it.
This is quite possibly my all-time favorite Suite dress. Jen did such an incredible job and I am so in love with it. I have always dreamed of wearing a Dolce and Gabbana lemon print dress while strolling through Capri. It seems like every summer DG releases the cutest lemon-themed or Italy-themed line. This summer was no different. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I created a lemon print of my very own, printed the fabric with Spoonflower before I left the states, and took it to Florence with me so Jen could do her magic.
Jen asked if I wanted a particular silhouette, but I trust her completely and told her she could do whatever she wanted. The end was result was this perfect, and super flattering, fluted ruffle skirt. Naturally, I wore my amazing new creation for our day in Capri (you can learn more about Capri here).
Do you love this lemon-print dress as much as I do?
I have linked more of my favorite Suite designs below!
Have I mentioned that I love this skirt? It has basically been on repeat since I bought it in Paris (recently seen here). The coordinating top, however, I actually stumbled on in Florence (it's the same brand -- Sandro). I was planning on just wearing the skirt with a simple black sweater or shirt, but when I saw this adorable crocheted coordinating top, I couldn't resist. Especially since I knew we were heading to Siena later in the week. I mean, is this not the perfect outfit for Siena (you can read more about Siena here)?
Today we are off to explore more Tuscan towns, be sure to follow along on Snapcaht (HinHH)!
We just returned from an exhausting but amazing three days in the Amalfi Coast. I have been traveling to the Amalfi Coast for about seven years now and I never grow tired of it. It is one of my favorite places on earth (well, that I have been to).
For the student tour we give them a taste of everything -- a boat ride around the island of Capri, eating fresh seafood overlooking the sea, a beach day in the adorable town of Positano, hiking Vesuvius, and visiting the ruins of Pompeii... all in three days!
So before I dive into the details next week (details on the lemon dress are coming, I promise!), I thought I would share some of my favorite snapshots (I can't tell you how happy I am with my new camera).
Siena is such an incredible city. Not only is it surrounded by some of Tuscany's most beautiful countryside, it retains its medieval look and feel. Visiting Siena is like stepping back in time. The city is well worth a day trip and easily reach via bus from Florence. So I have rounded up my 10 must-do things in Siena.
1) Marvel at the marble-striped duomo. I think Siena wins for my favorite cathedral in Italy (Milan is a close second). It's facade is a gorgeous array of pink, green, and black marble. Siena actually built their impressive cathedral before Florence's giant dome, but not to be outdone by their rival Florence, Siena immediately started a massive expansion. This new expansion would have dwarfed the churches of Tuscany, but sadly, the Black Death arrive shortly after construction began. Only one wall of the new nave was erected, which brings me to number two...
2) Climb the unfinished wall of the church for the perfect panoramic of Siena. Although unfinished, today Siena's unrealized cathedral houses the duomo museum. But the best part of this awkward wall is that you can climb it. From the top you can see the perfect view of Siena's famous Campo (main town square, pictured above).
3) See the Piccolomini Library. Inside Siena's massive cathedral, in a small room on the lefthand side of the nave, is the Piccolomini Library. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful cycle of Renaissance-style frescos in the world. The library was built by Siena's most powerful family, the Piccolomini (the family produced two popes). The library was intended to hold the manuscript collection of Pope Pius III (then just the "nephew" of Pope Pius II). The gorgeous and colorful fresco cycle was painted by Pinturrichio and his assistants, which included a young Raphael.
4) Visit the city's archive. I know I am very partial to archives, but I promise visiting the Sienese archive is a very cool experience. They have created a little museum inside of the archive to display the city's rich history. It is a quick but very interesting visit.
5) Refuel with Panforte. Like most regions in Italy, Siena has a couple of interesting local food specialities. The most famous is probably panforte. This fruit and nut concoction dates all the way back to the 13th century. The word literally means strong bread and it was created as a durable (and spicy) snack for long journeys. It was even the snack of choice for many crusaders. Think of it as an early Lärabar. Today, all sorts of variations are sold in shops throughout Siena. 6) Learn about the Palio in the Campo. You will definitely want to visit the main square of Siena, which is famous for two reasons -- its odd shape (like a shell) and the historic horse race that still occurs there. The Palio is a crazy horse race that has been run since the 14th century. Many of the restaurants around the square display pictures of this unbelievable event.
7) Pick a Contrade. Siena is divided into 17 rival neighborhoods, or "contrade." While the competition today is peaceful, historically these divisions were fierce rivalries. Each contrade in Siena has their own church, baptismal font, festivals, and identity. They also have their own racehorse, and this is where the competitors for the yearly horse race come from.
8) Visit Catherine. In addition to a crazy horse race, Siena is also famous for a very important woman - Saint Catherine of Siena. Although she died in Rome, Catherine was born and lived much of her life in Siena. Today you can visit her home and her relics (a finger and head) inside the church of San Domenico. Catherine is remarkable for the political role that she played in the 14th century. This was obviously not a period when women had formal rights or political power. Catherine, however, managed to eschew marriage and played a critical role in reestablishing the papacy in Rome. She also famously didn't eat anything but the holy eucharist. Mystical women, like Catherine, are the subject of one of my all-time favorite books - Holy Feast, Holy Fast.
9) Stroll and shop Siena's picturesque streets. Siena isn't all history and no fun. The city has great shopping and cute streets, which are perfect for window (and non-window) shopping.
10) Sip some bubbles (or coffee) in the Campo. After a long day of exploring and sightseeing, Siena's main square (or Campo) is the perfect spot to sit and admire the city's beauty, people watch, and enjoy a drink. You will pay extra for the location, but it's totally worth it!
Have you visited Siena? What are your must-do in Siena?
