Italian Journey Part Two

 I finally get round a few more the images from the trip in May. From Cortona we went on to Florence and the these shots are taken in and around this great city.

The Loggia dei Lanzi

View of the Duomo from the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio

Santa Croce and The Arno from the tower of the Palazzo vecchio

Looking west along the Arno from the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio

Piazza della Signoria from the Plazzo Vecchio

Brunelleschi's famous dome from the Palazzo vecchio 

The Duomo from the Palazzo Vecchio

The splendour of Santa Croce viewed from the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio

Summer in Florence at the Ponte Vecchio

Back street window, Florence

Picturesque doorway, country lane, Florence

Walking the country lanes of Florence, south of the Arno. This is Via di San Leonardo and Villa Spelman. 

View west across the Chianti hills from near the Torre del Gallo, south of Florence.

Italian Journey Part One

 Time seems to be flying by this year, with little left to catch up with my blogs. I have been taking a little time this week to catch up with some outstanding posts. Here is a selection of images from a visit to Tuscany in May of this year.

Sunset in Pisa, the late evening glow reflected in the still waters of the Arno.

A panorama of the Val di Chiana from the walls of Cortona, Lake Trasimeno can be glimpsed in the distance.

The Etruscan walled hill top town of Cortona, perched high above the Val di Chiana, Tuscany.

In Tuscany every lane is an adventure, new vistas await at every turn.

The ancient olives are like figures in conversation.

The narrow streets and ancient high walls of Cortona glow with heat and light on warm summer evenings.

The Church of Santa Maria Nuova, designed by Vasari, glows in evening sunlight.

The hills of Umbria viewed from the the walls of Perugia.

Perugia, another hill top town of ancient walls.
 

A school outing, Perugia

Local pottery, Perugia

Piazza IV Novembre, Perugia

The ancient aqueduct in Perugia is now an old town walkway.

A sudden afternoon thunderstorm moves away at sunset, the sun breaks through the fast moving clouds to spread golden light across the Val di Chiana.

After sunset the clouds still retain the warm afterglow.

Next day, after the storm, the air is crisp and clear, the Tuscan countryside vibrant green, dust washed away by the storm.

The hills around Cortona offer wonderful views of Lake Trasimeno.

The roadside shrine at Bramasole, made famous in the book "Under The Tuscan Sun"

Le Celle, a hermitage nestled in the hills near Cortona, a beautiful serene spot where St Francis of Assisi used to retreat to a small cell carved out of the hillside.

Le Celle, where the air is filled with birdsong and the sound of running water.

At sunset in Cortona, the air is filled with the calls of swifts as they dart and swoop through the air.

Villa Gamberaia, Florence, Italy

The gardens of the Villa Gamberaia at Settignano, in the hills above Florence, are a truly wonderful experience. Below are some of my images and words on the visit.

Nothing can prepare you for the breathtaking magnificence of the scene. You have climbed the hill to Settignano, continued upwards to the Villa Gamberaia, entered the gardens, walked down the drive and arrived at the terrace.

The garden appears to float over the valley of the Arno, to the right is a stunning view containing the jewel that is Florence, city of the Renaissance, the dome of the Duomo is unmistakable. Brunelleschi's famed architecture forever a symbol of the city, which is perfectly framed by a stone pine and a low wall interspersed with sculptures of urns and dogs, constantly on watch.

                 

The design of house and garden in this hilltop setting is a sublime meeting of art, architecture and nature. One feels truly awed at the wonders and perfection before you.

Its beauty is  great enough to absorb one almost completely, the terraces, the ponds, the great apse of cut cypresses, the bowling green as you look at it from the grotto toward the south like a great boat sailing through space, the view over the quiet landscape of the Chianti hills and further over domes and towers to the snow-capped Apennines and the Arno glimmering in the plain. For years Gamberaia remained one of the haunts of my life ….

Bernard Berenson, Sunset and Twilight. From the Diaries of 1947-1958, 4-5 March, 1948.