Out Charmed

I like to plant myself somewhere and take little day trips from a central location.  So in Siena, I day tripped to Orvieto; in Rome, I went to Assisi, the Saint Francis pilgrimage site and home to more Giotto frescoes.  All three cities are hilltop, and they compete for the most charming in my mind.  Winding streets, medieval fortresses and city walls, and the most breathtaking Tuscan and Umbrian views of countrysides.  They really became retreats for me, a little rest from the more hectic and urban areas.  Walking slowly, meandering, each day I thought, "This has been a perfect day."  It does not get old.

Here are some pictures of Siena, Orvieto, and Assisi, best imagined with a little Harry Nillson in the background.  http://sheisasinafieldasilkentent.shutterfly.com/pictures/508

 

I also decided to stay in Sorrento, in southern Italy rather than Naples.  Sorrento is a quiet, coastal, cliffside town.  So, the pictures also include my day trips to Pompeii and Paestum, both ancient Roman sites (Paestum is also the ancient Greek complex that will inspire the Acropolis in Athens, Greece).  I have been so lucky to be able to see everything from ancient works and sites to contemporary artists.  It has been a very full trip :)