This was one of the walled cities we visited on our trip to Italy and the one we decided to stay in…read morefor the night. Volterra is a great choice, it had lots of historical sites, plenty of restaurants, and in general, it was amazing. It has an impressive view driving up from the road and looked very formidable from a distance. Be aware that there is no driving without a special permit allowed inside the walls, so you need to find parking in a lot outside. We had a nice airbnb just inside the gates and loved our late night and early morning walks around the town before it got busy. The shops, restaurants, and scenic viewpoints were fun to stroll through at our leisure. It was amazing to see the city inhabitants that keep this amazing historical town a living breathing city as they carried out their daily tasks that involved a lot of uphill walking! The labryth of cobblestone roads really add to the setting and are fun to get lost in as you visit the locals' thriving businesses.

A great living village. It's not just set up for tourists, because there are actually families…read moreliving here. There are also ancient Roman ruins on one side of town. Plenty of shops, gelato parlors, and eateries line the streets. I also saw a few banks and ATMs as well. It's very quaint and can occupy a number of hours eating and browsing.

This museum is off the beaten path and a fun alternative to the very touristy packed places. They…read moreoffer an audio tour and the whole package is well worth the price.

During our tour of Tuscany, we went trough the Museum of Leonardo da Vinci, nestled in the heart…read moreof Vince where he was born. Depending on your interests in da Vinci, will determine your love for what you see. I have always been fascinated by his work and when you go through the museum, you will see some models of his inventions, from a machine to make domes to his flying machines. If you are as fascinated by his work as I am, stop in. It will not take too long to go through the place!

San Gim has much to offer travelers like Vernaccia di San Gimignano (a famous white wine),…read moreCinghiale (wild boar salami) and breathtaking views from one of its fourteen towers. Just admire how M.C. Escher saw the city -- http://www.mcescher.com/Gallery/ital-bmp/LW96.jpg It also has a dark and sordid history as a hub for prosecuting and punishing those deemed heretics by the Roman Inquisition. Some of the common charges included practicing homosexuality, promiscuity, Protestantism and Judaism. The museum that houses the tools of the torment trade was an optional excursion during my tour but I'd have rather died than miss it. Here are some of the grisly gadgets I saw -- Guillotine. A true classic I've actually considered installing a small one in my kitchen, because I want to start the deliberate and systematic destruction of a particular group of plants...lettuce. When compared to arugula or radichetta, it's an inferior race of leafy green vegetable. Just thinking about it makes me want to hum my assassin's anthem, Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Iron Maiden. An 80's hair metal band or a torture device meant to look like a sculpture. You can host a dinner party and no one would know you're also doing your sacred duty of punishing the wicked. Don't worry the victim's screams won't spoil the meal, it's completely soundproof. Once the guests have left you can open one side and have a peek at the damage the steel-spiked interior has done. Unfortunately by then the accused may have passed out due to the intense claustrophobia the maiden of Nuremberg was designed to induce. Judas Cradle. Get busted for crimes against the church and you'll get placed on a wooden triangular apparatus named for Jesus' betrayer. If you were lucky on your chest or back, if your jailer was having a particularly bad day...you'd be forced to sit on it while the Judas Priests strapped heavy weights to your ankles and left gravity do their dirty work. http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljq9cmVgFQ1qaod4yo1_500.jpg Pear of Anguish. A spreading caliper of pain that opens in four directions with a locking mechanism to hold it in place in the prisoner's mouth, vagina or rectum. It was often used in this fashion -- Inquisitor, "What do you say we take a break from all this thumb-screw business I'm famished. Would you like a pear?" Alleged Blasphemer, "Oh yes. I'm so nauseous and in terrible pain, mercy...please!" Inquisitor, "OK but since you're in cuffs I have to feed it to you, open real wide." http://www.kinkcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/pear-03.jpg Obviously someone didn't know the unwritten rule, never accept anything from an executioner, they're known to have notoriously cruel senses of humor. The detainees at Gitmo don't know how good they've got it; I'll take barking German Shepherds and waterboarding any day over the tamest device of displeasure they keep in this joint. Admission is €12/7/5 for adults, children, and groups respectively which is double or triple the price of most institutions in Italy, but I doubt this museum has much philanthropy. You can't really have a press conference with a giant cardboard check that says "Torture Museum" on it when they're a so many kids with leukemia in the world. At the time I was ready to poke my own eyes out if a saw another damn fresco or architectural marvel and it was a welcome off the beaten path distraction. I recommend it and so does the Wu-Tang Clan. They stopped at St. Gimmy's Museo della Tortura during the first leg of their European tour, which inspired this skit -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnYsAeqUzUc

We were walking through San Gimignano and saw this museum. We went in and purchased tickets. $34…read morefor 4 of us. You get two museums for the price of one. They are within walking distance. Plenty of old torture devices to see. Pretty cool if you are into medieval memorabilia. There is a cool basement cellar area. It's worth the trip while there. It's a quick walk through.

The Accademia Gallery in Florence offers a focused, more intimate, and ultimately defined by a…read moresingle, overwhelming masterpiece, Michelangelo's David. Founded in the late 18th century as a teaching collection, it evolved into one of Italy's most important art institutions You slowly move through the gallery of Renaissance paintings and plaster models. You curiosity begins to build as you anticipate viewing this famous David. Quite impressive...the statue's size, precision details, and sculpture expertise lives you in awe. The Accademia's smaller size allows for a more intimate experience. It highlights Michelangelo's works as well as adding meaningful context.

You cannot visit Florence without visiting Galleria dell'Accademia to see Michelangelo's David…read more Though I had a tour guide, I felt like the pace was too slow. It's a great museum, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather beat the crowds to see David, and then take my time strolling through all the other works of art. Seeing 17' of David in person is unreal-- a human made this out of rejected marble. The magnitude of David's height and attention to detail is incredible and the lighting under a skylight highlights every vein and definition of muscle even more so. If you're looking for a deep dive art history lesson, I'd recommend using AI. Note: try to book skip-the-line tickets in advance. If you're unable to, you can try to book through a third party booking system such as Viator, but you'll be paying more.

We were on a tour and drove to San Gimignano, an Italian hill town in Tuscany, southwest of…read moreFlorence. Encircled by 13th-century walls, its old town centers on Piazza della Cisterna, a triangular square lined with medieval houses. It has a skyline of medieval towers, including the stone Torre Grossa. The Duomo di San Gimignano is a 12th-century church with frescoes by Ghirlandaio in its Santa Fina Chapel so it was well worth taking a few moments to visit this gorgeous church. This inside is surrounded with statues of Saints and altars with furnishings of gold and silver. It is an absolute must if you intend to visit.

Great church at Medieval town. This church is part of the museum. This church is a gem in Tuscany…read moreItaly. The church good charm due to the great painting in the church. It was painted in the 13th century. The church also call the Collegiate Church. The church originally build in 10th century. At 13 century it was rebuilt and expand to current big building. The wall painting is the best of the church to tell the story of Christ. The wall painting includes the crucifixion, last supper, Good Friday and more. They are detail painted. Some of the wall paints faded due to long history on the wall. This church has pipe organ and side chapel. The columns and ceilings are well decorated. It is a small church that good for this medieval town. It is renaissance style church with a lot of Arch.

25th Wedding Anniversary trip alert (European vacation)…read more.. The Uffizi Gallery is housed in a long, elegant structure designed in the 16th century by Giorgio Vasari for the powerful Medici family, the gallery retains an air of purpose and grandeur, its corridors opening toward views of the Arno River and the city's historic skyline. The Uffizi collection is widely considered one of the finest in the world, particularly for Italian Renaissance painting, and includes works by masters such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Iconic paintings like Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera feel both familiar and astonishing when encountered in person. Their scale are beyond belief. The depth and breadth of the gallery is a bit overwhelming, with dozens of rooms and hundreds of masterpieces, creating moments where wonderment converges with a bit of tiredness. What lingers most is the sense of continuity: the Medici legacy encapsulated every wall, and the feeling that one is walking through the very cradle of Renaissance thought. The building itself is stunning...frescoed ceilings, eye-catching statues, and glimpses toward Florence's landmarks. Uffizi Gallery reinforces the idea that art, history, and city are intricately connected. Prepare to take adequate time to view the exhibits

November 6, 2024 3:45-6:45PM…read more We initially didn't plan to visit but was told this is a must do in Florence. I'm glad we did. I love art museums and thought this was more religious artifacts but glad to see some of my new favorite paintings in person. Silly me! Upon entering the museum, there a lot of stairs to climb. Get your exercise in for sure! I did see a very tiny elevator a little bit hidden to the side, so they definitely can accommodate those needing accessibility but plan accordingly as the elevator was tiny, probably one stroller/wheelchair at a time. The Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Spring are both so amazing to see in person. The works of Caravaggio were very powerfully presented. The da Vinci, the Michelangelo, the Raphael... so many great artist and their works are housed here. Lots of Sweet Baby Jesus and the Madonna, various Adam and Eve paintings.. My favorite besides Botticelli's, was from Pietro Perugino's a Portrait of a young man.. the eyes, the emotions, almost the sadness... what a great painting. The various views from the Uffizi Galleries of Florence was also pretty amazing, from Ponte Vecchio, along the Arno River and the view of the city... so glad we went during sunset as I caught some pretty great shots with just my iPhone. I definitely think this is worth the stop and glad to have this as an impromptu visit. Got in pretty quickly without a reservation either, we were very lucky.

Florence is like the birthplace of STEM, so when visiting here, going to the Galileo Museum is a…read moreMUST! Learning of not only Galileo, but his followers who came after him and the benefactors - the Medici family, was inspirational. It made me realize how bravery is foundational to how science evolves a society, and how essential loyal benefactors are to helping with the change. Truly amazing.

In ancient times, to know the time, people used the sundial, a measurement tool based on the…read moredetection of the position of the sun. Sundials had a gnomon, the bar whose shadow marked the time on the dial. Standing outside the Museo Galileo near the Uffizi Gallery at the Palazzo Castellani in Florence, my partner, our friends, family member, and I stumbled on the Monumental Sundial on our way to find an establishment for lunch in September. Originally built in 2007, a tall bronze obelisk constitutes the gnomon of a modern sundial, which casts its shadow on the lines of travertine marble and brass flanked by the signs of the zodiac in glass and marble placed on the ground, indicating time and date. It was visually stunning.