Mike's Travel Adventures
Rome
Acqua Paola Fountain
The Faro di Roma Lighthouse
Belvedere del Giancolo
One of Rome’s most beautiful (and least crowded!) fountains, the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, sits atop the Gianicolo, a hill west of the historic center of Rome. The fountain’s name, literally “The Fountain of the Paulian Water” speaks of its creator: Pope Paul V.
Faro di Roma, also known as the Rome Lighthouse, is a historic lighthouse located on the coast of Fiumicino in Rome, Italy. It was built in the 1920s and stands at a height of 33 meters, providing guidance and navigation for ships entering the port of Rome. The lighthouse is a popular tourist attraction, offering stunning views of the surrounding coastline and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
It stands on the right bank of the Tiber River and climbs the hill of the same name, dotted with sycamore trees. It is the Belvedere on the Janiculum Hill, one of the most beautiful views in the entire capital.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age.
Roman Forum and Palantine Hill
The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum, is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum. The Palatine Hill, which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the center, is one of the most ancient parts of the city; it has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire".
Pantheon
It stands today as the most well-preserved structure from Ancient Rome, having survived floods and earthquakes, and staying relatively untouched for over 2000 years – it is still made up of the original marble and granite from thousands of years ago.
The Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) is an 18th-century fountain in the Trevi district designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762 and several others. Standing 86 ft high and 161.3 ft wide, it is the largest fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.
Fontana di Santa Maria
The Fountain in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere is a fountain located in the square in front of the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. It is believed to be the oldest fountain in Rome, dating back, according to some sources, to the 8th century.
Forum of the Peace
The Temple of Peace, also known as the Forum of Vespasian, was built in Rome in 71 AD under Emperor Vespasian in honor to Pax, the Roman goddess of peace.
Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy, climb a steep slope between Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church, at the top.
Arch of Janus
The Arch of Janus is the only triumphal arch preserved in Rome. It was set up in the early 4th century AD at a crossroads at the northeastern limit of the Forum Boarium, close to the Velabrum, over the Cloaca Maxima drain that went from the Forum to the River Tiber.
Forum of Augustus
The Forum of Augustus is one of the Imperial fora built by Augustus. It includes the Temple of Mars Ultor. The incomplete forum and its temple were inaugurated in 2 BC, 40 years after they were first vowed.
Forum of Trajan
The Forum of Trajan was the final, and largest, of Rome’s complex of so-called “Imperial fora”—dubbed by at least one ancient writer as “a construction unique under the heavens”
Fontana della Barcaccia
The Fontana della Barcaccia is a Baroque-style fountain found at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome's Piazza di Spagna. Pope Urban VIII commissioned Pietro Bernini in 1623 to build the fountain as part of a prior Papal project to erect a fountain in every major piazza in Rome.
Campitelli Forum
Located between the Roman Forum and the Campidoglio Hill, the 10th rione of Rome is the best known and vital in the city. The numerous archaeological and museum sites occupy over 60% of its territory.
Forum of Nerva
Forum of Nerva is an ancient structure chronologically the next to the last of the Imperial fora built. Because this forum was built within the narrow space between two other forums, the Forum of Nerva was the smallest of the great six forums of Rome. Nevertheless, for almost four centuries, this busy forum was an interconnecting hub between several other forums.
Fountain of Ponte Sisto
The grand Fontanone di Ponte Sisto stands in Piazza Trilussa, facing the south end of the Ponte Sisto river. The fountain, which was also known as the Fontanone dei Cento Preti (Grand Fountain of a Hundred Priests), originally stood on the other side of the river, where it was part of the facade of the Collegio Ecclesiastico.
Mouth of Truth
The Mouth of Truth is an ancient Roman marble mask which stands against the left wall of the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church, at the Piazza della Bocca della Verità, the site of the ancient Forum Boarium. In the Middle Ages, the Mouth of Truth myth was born: it was said that liars who placed their hand inside the sculpture would immediately lose it. Supposedly, Medieval Romans saw the sculpture as a lie detector for those who committed acts like adultery and perjury.
Ponte Sisto Bridge
Ponte Sisto is a bridge in the historic center, spanning the river Tiber. It connects Via dei Pettinari in the Rione of Regola to Piazza Trilussa in Trastevere.
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II
Ponte Vittorio is spread over three masonry arches and is 110 meters long, and 20 wide. It has a grand sculptural decoration with four marble groups and four Victories on its pillars and headboards.
St. Angelo Bridge
Ponte Sant'Angelo, originally the Aelian Bridge or Pons Aelius, was completed in 134 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian, to span the Tiber from the city center to his newly constructed mausoleum, now the towering Castel Sant'Angelo.
Temple of Portunus
The Temple of Portunus is an ancient Roman temple built beside the Forum Boarium, the Roman cattle market associated with Hercules, which was adjacent to Rome's oldest river port and the oldest stone bridge across the Tiber River, the Pons Aemilius.
Fontana del Moro
Fontana del Moro is a fountain located at the southern end of the Piazza Navona. It depicts a nautical scene with tritons, dolphins, and a conch shell.
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a public open space built on the site of the 1st century AD Stadium of Domitian and follows the form of the open space of the stadium in an elongated oval. The ancient Romans went there to watch the agones, and hence it was known as "Circus Agonalis".
Mamertine Prison
The enemies and traitors of the Roman people and state prisoners were locked up and executed in the monument. Among the many historical figures condemned to death by strangulation or beheading in the Mamertine Prison, Jugurtha, king of Numidia, in 104 BC, and Vercingetorix, king of the Gauls, in 46 BC.
Temple of Hadrian
The Temple of Hadrian (Templum Divus Hadrianus, also Hadrianeum) is an ancient structure on the Campus Martius dedicated to the deified emperor Hadrian by his adoptive son and successor Antoninus Pius in 145 bc. This temple was previously known as the Basilica of Neptune.
Trajans Column and Forum
Trajan's Column is a triumphal column that commemorates Roman emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars. It is located in Trajan's Forum, north of the Roman Forum.
Fountain of Neptune
At the northern end of Piazza Navona, which it shares with the Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Moor Fountain, was once known as the “Calderari fountain”, because it was located close to a small alley full of shops of pots and pans’ makers and sellers.
Portico of Octavia
The colonnaded walks of the portico enclosed the Temples of Juno Regina and Jupiter Stator, as well as a library. The structure was used as a fish market from the medieval period up to the end of the 19th century.
Baths of Caracalla
The baths followed the "great Imperial baths" blueprint for Roman baths. They were more a leisure center than just a series of baths. Besides being used for bathing, the complex also offered facilities for taking walks, reading, studying, exercise and body care.
Temple of Hercules Victor
The Temple of Hercules is the only surviving sacred structure in that was made of Greek marble. Located in the Forum Boarium on the eastern bank of the Tiber, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city.
Lungotevere Castello and Ponte Umberto
The Mausoleum of Hadrian, also known as Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering rotunda in Parco Adriano. The popes later used the building as a fortress and castle, and it is now a museum.
Fountain of the Four Rivers
The Fountain of the Four Rivers depicts the Gods of the four great rivers in the four continents as then recognized by the Renaissance geographers: the Nile in Africa, the Ganges in Asia, the Danube in Europe, and the Río de la Plata in America.
Colosseum Arena and Underground
The underground was the domain of the animals, props, lifts and ramps that made the special effects of the games. It is also where most of the gladiators entered the colosseum through an underground passage linked to their barracks and training area.
Pyramid of Caius Cestius
Inspired by Egyptian models, one of those who chose a pyramid as a tomb was Caius Cestius, a praetor, a tribune of the plebs, and a member of the Septemviri Epulones, magistrates who organized banquets in honor of the most prominent deities, as can be seen on one of the inscriptions on the facade. Another inscription tells us that the construction works had to last no more than 330 days. The family members would have lost their inheritance.
Out and About
Pictures taken around the city as I was wondering around or going from place to place. Buildings, streets, transportation, etc.
Florence
Palazzo Vecchio
Piazza del doumo
Santa Croce Basilica Complex
The Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) is one of the most famous symbols of the city of Florence. Palazzo Vecchio was built in the form of a castle and with a tower of 94 meters high between 1299 and 1314. Its function was to become the residence and workplace of the officials of the republic, so it has several rooms, each with a unique personality.
Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) is located in the heart of the historic center of Florence. It is one of the most visited places in Europe and the world and the most visited area of the city. The square contains Florence Cathedral with the Cupola del Brunelleschi, the Giotto's Campanile, the Florence Baptistery, the Loggia del Bigallo, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and the Arcivescovile and Canonici's palace.
The basilica is the largest franciscan church in the world. Its most notable features are its sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils, and its tombs and cenotaphs. Legend says that Santa Croce was founded by St Francis himself.
Michelangelo David Gallery
The Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze (Gallery of the Academy of Florence), is an art museum best known as the home of Michelangelo's sculpture David. It also has other sculptures by Michelangelo and a large collection of paintings by Florentine artists, mostly from the period 1300–1600.
Uffizi Gallery
The Gallery entirely occupies the first and second floors of the large building constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is famous worldwide for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the Modern period).
Giardino di Boboli
The Boboli Gardens are considered one of the most important and beautiful Italian style gardens in the world and have influenced Italian garden and landscape architecture through their unique blend of fountains, caves, streets, buildings, small woods, statues, and ponds.
Out and About
Pictures taken around the city as I was wondering around or going from place to place. Buildings, streets, transportation, etc.
Venice
Doges Palace
The Doge's Palace is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice in northern Italy. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice. It was built in 1340 and extended and modified in the following centuries.
Leonardo Da Vinci Museum
This museum houses a collection of machines made based on Leonardo da Vinci projects, built in full size. All machines work and many can be tested. Inside the museum there are also educational projections about the life and works of the Great Genius, as well as a reproduction of the main pictorial works of the artist and some of his main anatomical studies.
St. Marks Basillica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, commonly known as St Mark's Basilica, is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathedral of San Pietro di Castello.
Out and About
Pictures taken around the city as I was wondering around or going from place to place. Buildings, streets, transportation, etc.
La Fenice Opera House
Teatro La Fenice is a historic opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of "the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theater" and in the history of opera as a whole.
Verona
Arco dei Gavi
The Arco dei Gavi well-known as the Gavi Arch is an ancient monument in Verona, northern Italy. It was initially built at the Via Postumia the Roman road leading to the city by the Gens Gavia, a noble Roman family who had their hometown in Verona. During the Middle Ages, it was used as a gate in the walls. It was built to honor several members of the famous Gens Gavia family that is believed to have been of Veronese origin in the first century A.D. because of a sign engraved in its stone for centuries. The sign also marked the new expansion of Verona outside the city walls in the early 1st century A.D.
Casa di Romeo
One of the most visited landmarks in Verona is Juliet’s Balcony, located inside what is called the “House of Juliet,” but is actually just the former residence of a local noble family. Similarly, visitors can find the “House of Romeo” not far from his lover’s home. This 14th-century palace is located on a narrow road in the center of Verona and belonged to Cagnolo Nogarola, a Veronese noble of French descent. It’s a typical medieval residence decorated with Ghibelline-style merlons and fortifications, complete with a large internal courtyard.
Love Miezekze Gem
A cat figurine with a broken heart made of glass found in an alley way. One of several hidden gems around the city. It is for those that like to find the oddities.
Piazza San Nicol0
San Nicolò all'Arena is a Roman Catholic parish church in the historic center of Verona, Italy dedicated to Saint Nicholas. It is located close to the Arena.
Ponte Pietra Bridge
The Ponte Pietra is a Roman arch bridge crossing the Adige River in Verona, Italy. The bridge was completed in 100 BC, and the Via Postumia from Genoa to Aquileia passed over it. It is the oldest bridge in Verona.
Porta Leoni
Porta Leoni is an ancient Roman gate in Verona, northern Italy. The gate was built during the Roman Republic by P. Valerius, Q. Caecilius, Q. Servilius and P. Cornelius, and restructured in imperial times. It was connected to the road which led to Bologna and Aquileia. The original Roman name is unknown.
Tomba di Giulietta
The city of Verona not only celebrates her on its famous balcony, but also preserves the tomb that, according to tradition, housed her mortal remains. Juliet's Tomb is located inside the former 13th century Capuchin convent of friars, today, the “G.B. Cavalcaselle Fresco Museum.”
Arena di Verona
The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Bra in Verona, Italy, built in 30 AD. It is still in use and serves as a venue for large-scale opera performances. It is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. In ancient times, the arena's capacity was nearly 30,000 people.
Castelvecchio
Castelvecchio is the most important museum in Verona. It is inside the castle built by the Scala family in the mid-1300s. It exhibits Medieval and Renaissance sculpture and has a rich picture gallery, ancient bronze bells, jewelry, weapons and armor.
Pizza Bra
Piazza Bra, often shortened to Bra, is the largest piazza in Verona, Italy, with some claims that it is the largest in the country. The piazza is lined with numerous cafés and restaurants, along with several notable buildings.
Piazza dei Signori
The Piazza dei Signori (Piazza of the Gentlemen) is right next to the more famous Piazza delle Erbe in the heart of Verona. It is surrounded by important buildings or “palazzos” and not as old as the Piazza delle Erbe. The buildings that surround it are impressive from an architectural and historical standpoint.
Ponte Scaligero Bridge
The Castel Vecchio Bridge or Scaliger Bridge is a fortified bridge in Verona, northern Italy, over the Adige River. The segmental arch bridge featured the world's largest span at the time of its construction.
Punto Panoramico
25 or so minute walk to the big viewpoint called “Punto Panoramico”. Lots of picture stops along the way including the “Ponte Pietra Bridge”. There were a lot of steps to make it to the top but the view was definitely worth it.
Torre dei Lamberti
The Torre dei Lamberti is an 84 meter high tower built in 1172. In May 1403, the top of the tower was struck by lightning, but restoration works did not commence until 1448, lasting for 16 years. During this period, the tower was expanded, with the newer sections distinguishable today by their use of different materials, such as marble. The prominent clock was added in 1779. The tower houses two bells: the Marangona , which signals fires, work times, and the hours of the day, and the larger one, called Rengo, used to summon the population to arms or to convene the city's councils. It was used for this purpose during the revolt called veronese easter in 1797.
Casa di Giulietta
Juliet's House, one of the most famous places in the city of Verona and an absolute reference point for lovers of the world, is a medieval palace in Verona, where the Dal Cappello family probably lived since the 13th century. The family gave its name to the street and the emblem is carved into a relief in the keystone of the internal arch of the building's courtyard.
il Buco di Verona
According to the legend, Romeo hid in this small gallery to escape the Capulets. Relevant to the plot are Lord and Lady Capulet, Juliet, and Tybalt as well as Juliet's nurse and Rosaline - Lord Capulet's niece.
Piazza Independenza
Piazza dell'Indipendenza is a large square in the heart of Florence's historical center. The square was built in the nineteenth century in order to celebrate the April 27, 1859 uprising that led to the abdication of Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany. The uprising was organized by patriots fighting for Italian unification. The square is dotted with cafes and restaurants, and the many shops on Via Nazionale are nearby.
Paizza dell Erbe
Piazza delle Erbe (Herbs Square) is the ancient Roman forum of Verona. It has always been the exact center of the city, a meeting place for locals and visitors.
Ponte delle Navi Bridge
This bridge croses the Adige River which winds its way through Verona, embracing most of the old city within one of its wide curves. There are numerous bridges over the Adige, connecting the main part of the city, which lies southwest of the river, with the sections that lie to the northeast. Many of these are modern bridges, rebuilt after heavy bombing of the city during World War II.
Scaliger Tombs
The Scaliger Tombs is a group of five Gothic funerary monuments in Verona, Italy, celebrating the Scaliger family, who ruled in Verona from the 13th to the late 14th century. The tombs are located in a court outside the church of Santa Maria Antica, separated from the street by a wall with iron grilles. They were closed for renovation when I was there.
Verona Vecchia
Open part of the street where you can see parts of structures from ancient roman times. Just another oddity to check out.
Out and About
Pictures taken around the city as I was wondering around or going from place to place. Buildings, streets, transportation, etc.
Milan
Arco della Pace
Situated at the northwestern edge of Parco Sempione is Napoleon's 25m-high triumphal arch. Designed by Luigi Cagnola in 1807, it echoes Paris' Arc de Triomphe and marks the start of Corso Sempione, the main road that connects Milan to Paris via the Simplon (Sempione) Pass.
Piazza della Scala
Piazza della Scala is a pedestrian central square of Milan, Italy, connected to the main square of Milan, Piazza del Duomo, by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II passage. It is named after the renowned Teatro alla Scala opera house, which occupies the north-western side of the square; the building actually includes both the opera house and the Museo Teatrale alla Scala (La Scala Museum), dedicated to the history of La Scala and opera in general.
Doumo di Milano
Milan Cathedral, or Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary, is the cathedral church of Milan, Lombardy, Italy. Dedicated to the Nativity of St. Mary, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Archbishop Mario Delpini.
Sforzesco Castle
Sforza Castle, is a medieval fortification located in Milan, Northern Italy. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, in the 16th and 17th centuries it was one of the largest citadels in Europe.
Park (Name Unknown)
A very large park in the city. Lots of places to sit and people watch, statues, pond, grassy area. Just a nice place to relax a little and take a breath.
Terrazza del Duomo
Large plaza surrounded by many stores and lots of architecture. Quite frequently, street performers will be here displaying their talents.
Out and About
Pictures taken around the city as I was wondering around or going from place to place. Buildings, streets, transportation, etc.
Naples
Castel Nuovo
Castel Nuovo, often called Maschio Angioino, is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall in central Naples, Campania, Italy. Its scenic location and imposing size makes the castle, first erected in 1279, one of the main architectural landmarks of the city.
Castel Sant'Elmo
Castel Sant'Elmo is a medieval fortress located on Vomero Hill adjacent to the Certosa di San Martino, overlooking Naples, Italy. The name "Sant'Elmo" derives from a former 10th-century church dedicated to Sant'Erasmo, shortened to "Ermo" and, finally altered to "Elmo".
Catacombs of San Gennaro
The Catacombs of San Gennaro are underground paleo-Christian burial and worship sites in Naples, Italy, carved out of tuff, a porous stone. They are situated in the northern part of the city, on the slope leading up to Capodimonte, consisting of two levels, San Gennaro Superiore, and San Gennaro Inferiore.
Out and About
Pictures taken around the city as I was wondering around or going from place to place. Buildings, streets, transportation, etc.
Pompeii
Pompeii is a vast archaeological site in southern Italy’s Campania region, near the coast of the Bay of Naples. Once a thriving and sophisticated Roman city, Pompeii was buried under meters of ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The preserved site features excavated ruins of streets and houses that visitors can freely explore.
Sienna
Siena, a city in central Italy’s Tuscany region, is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. The fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown. The city’s 17 historic “contrade” (districts) extend outward from the piazza.
Padua
Padua is a city in Northern Italy’s Veneto region. It’s known for the frescoes by Giotto in its Scrovegni Chapel from 1303–05 and the vast 13th-century Basilica of St. Anthony. The basilica, with its Byzantine-style domes and notable artworks, contains the namesake saint’s tomb. In Padua's old town are arcaded streets and stylish cafes frequented by students of the University of Padua, established in 1222.
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is an Italian hill town in Tuscany, southwest of Florence. 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.
Pisa
It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the city contains more than twenty other historic churches, several medieval palaces, and bridges across the Arno.
Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica is an ancient Roman city and the port of Rome located at the mouth of the Tiber. It is near modern Ostia, 25 km southwest of Rome. Due to silting and the invasion of sand, the site now lies 3 km from the sea. The name Ostia derives from Latin os 'mouth'.