A visit to Arezzo is always a good idea, especially if you can time it with the antiques market (first Sunday of every month and the Saturday before) and a special exhibition! Excellent show about Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) and his circle, making this the second post featuring this artist/architect/biographer this year (remember the Corridor?)! No offense to Vasari, but it was the Etruscan Chimera (unearthed in 1553) that truly stole the show; however, his letter to Michelangelo and numerous sketches were also captivating. Had an absolutely fabulous lunch at i Briganti Toscani “la Tavernaccia” (shout out to Nicholas, who was an incredible host!), then attempted to walk some of it off whilst looking at antiques. All in all, a perfect day! #arezzo #fieraantiquariaarezzo #giorgiovasari #brigantitoscani #ilcovodeibriganti #sienaitalytours

Just call me “Anna la Magnifica” as I live out my Medici fantasy! I know I know, I give the family a bad rap in Siena (they earned it, to be fair), but in Florence, it’s another story! I took advantage of low season to visit the Vasari Corridor, which was built in 1565 and connects the Palazzo Vecchio to the Uffizi, passes over the Ponte Vecchio, then it goes around a tower and through a church before emptying out into the Boboli Gardens. Just 750 meters long, it’s a journey through centuries, and I was grinning the entire time. Commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici, the corridor was built by Giorgio Vasari and allowed the Medici safe passage between home and office. It also granted them the feeling of being quite literally above other Florentines, and, I must confess, I felt the same! However, the threat of assassination back then was real, and after Pope Clement VII de’ Medici had to run for his life using the “passetto” (linking St Peter’s to the Castel Sant’Angelo) during the Sack of Rome in 1527, his relatives thought a similar escape route might be prudent. The family could even observe mass from a safe distance in a private box in Santa Felicita. As the 1478 Pazzi Conspiracy proved, however, nowhere was ever truly safe! (History recap: Lorenzo the Magnificent’s brother, Giuliano, was killed in the Duomo on Easter Sunday. Lorenzo adopted Giuliano’s illegitimate son, who later became Clement VII!) The guards who accompanied us were lovely and allowed us plenty of time to look out the windows and take pictures. We exited at Buontalenti’s Grotto, where you can see copies of Michelangelo’s prisoners (the originals are in the Accademia). Yes, I’m a huge dork, but I just had the best time today! I had walked through the Corridor once before, in 2009 or 2010, when it was lined with the Uffizi’s impressive collection of artists’ self-portraits. Now, these can all be seen on the first floor of the Uffizi (I’ll show you my favourites in a later post!). #vasaricorridor #corridoiovasariano #medici #giorgiovasari #firenze #florence #livingmymedicifantasy #annalamagnifica #sienaitalytours

Correte - run! - to the Met to see “Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300-1350”, only on through 26 January (or plan to get to the National Gallery in London between 8 March and 22 June)!! 🤍🖤🤍🖤This is a beautifully curated exhibition with dramatic lighting and informative explanations of why Siena truly was an artistic center in the first half of the 14th c. The Big Four (as I like to call them) are the stars: Duccio di Buoninsegna, Simone Martini, and the brothers Lorenzetti, Ambrogio and Pietro. Other artists in their circle are also included, as are some French works which may have inspired them. The best part was seeing how interested all of the visitors were, patiently waiting their turn to get close to the paintings to admire the exquisite details. Had some lovely chats about the art, iconography, even the medieval ivory trade, and, ovviamente, about Siena, my home for more than a decade. What a joy to see so many Sienese works together, some of which I had never seen in person (including a few parts of Duccio’s Maestà; one of the predella panels even lives in Fort Worth, Texas, where I was born!). The final painting was a fantastic surprise, as it is one of my all-time favourites (and I had forgotten it would be here!): Simone Martini’s “Christ Discovered in the Temple”. A selfie with this just wouldn’t do, so a lovely mother of an adolescent boy offered to take a picture, making sure I emulated that teenage angst just right. Was really hoping for an exhibition catalogue, but alas…they did, however, have Rick Steve’s guidebook there! Hope to see you in Siena soon so we can admire more of the city’s 14th-c splendour together! 🤍🖤🤍🖤 #metmuseum #sienatheriseofpainting #sieneseart #ducciodibuoninsegna #simonemartini #ambrogiolorenzetti #pietrolorenzetti #siena #artedeltrecento #trecentosenese #sienanews_official #comunedisienaofficial #radiosienatv #ricksteveseurope #sienaitalytours

Happiest of holidays to you all! Thank you for being a part of my life; I am so very very grateful ❣️ #happyholidays #buonefeste #merrychristmas #buonnatale #mayyourdaysbemerryandbright #2025herewecome #grazieatutti #italymylove #sienaitalytours

Met a man on a horse in Florence yesterday, a man and a horse I have seen multiple times over the years. Plucked up the courage to introduce myself, and we had a lovely chat. Zoltan (great name!) then invited me to take a little ride on Fulmine (Lighting ⚡️)…well, how could I refuse?! #magicalflorence #fulmine_ilcavallodifirenze #firenze #turistapercaso #buonefeste #sienaitalytours

Very rarely (never?!) do I post anything about modern art, because, truth be told, I am completely out of my comfort zone after 1650. But there is a wonderful exhibition at Santa Maria della Scala in Siena (through 30 March) featuring Italian art from two important collections (Monte dei Paschi and Cesare Brandi) spanning the years 1915 to 1960. We were lucky enough to walk through with the curator, Prof. Quattrocchi, who explained how the collectors chose the works and how they reflected particular periods in 20th-c Italian history. I did recognize a few of the names, but I shall just let the works speak for themselves in these pictures. #santamariadellascala #siena #arteitaliana #novecentoitaliano #sienaitalytours

I’ve been a bit quiet on the socials lately, but that’s because all of my energy has been dedicated to students and guests! Nothing like a bit of countryside and friends to help reset 🥰 #iloveitaly #asciano #villaasesta #thewanderingwestie #sienaitalytours

Winning isn’t everything, but it sure is fun! 🖤🤍🧡🐺🧡🤍🖤 #contradadellalupa

I’m still trying to figure out that work-life balance, but I do have two days off in September. 😅 But what better way to spend one of those free days than by trying a whole bunch of organic wines in Panzano in Chianti?! 🍇Silly me only got a picture with my pink G&T (I mean, doesn’t everyone start a wine day with gin?). 🍸 Also met the most famous butcher in the land, Dario Cecchini, although was a bit too star-struck to ask for a photo. 🥩Did manage to get one of Elliot sipping on some vino though! 🍷 #panzanoinchianti #vinoalvino #dariocecchini #thewanderingwestie #sienaitalytours

It’s September, so that means schiacciata all’uva in Florence! This one was superb, made by the granddaughter of the owner (Sig. Enzo). I shouldn’t have, but how could I resist? #florence #schiacciataalluva #trattoriaenzoepiero #sienaitalytours