Spotting the contradewhile walking in the streets of the historic center of Siena was a fun way to explore the Tuscan city.
But, of course, we had “bigger” sights to discover. And as always, there was something in it for each of us.
“The” Piazza del Campo
The Piazza del Campo was a stone’s throw (ok, maybe just a little bit more) away from our hotel, the B&B Piazza Duomo.
A weekend in the medieval Tuscan city of Siena. A city well-known for the Palio horse race in the Piazza del Campo, brought to the big screen by the Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.
We walked the narrow streets of the well-preserved historic center (another UNESCO World Heritage Site! :)), in search of signs of the 17 contrade (neighborhoods or wards) of Siena that fiercely contest the Palio.
Every contrada has its own symbol and flag, and it was exciting to head out in search of them.
Just outside the Cadorna station in Milan, is a beautiful, unique two-part sculpture – Ago, Filo e Nodo i.e. Needle, Thread and Knot. It was one of the first “attractions” of Milan that I paid a visit to. Little did I know that I would soon pass by it at least a couple of times a week.
Our morning promenade of discoveryin Luxembourg had been remarkable, and we were eager to resume the journey.
It was time for a stroll in the gorgeous Vallée de la Pétrusse. As we descended from the vantage viewpoints overlooking the valley, we passed Rue St. Ulric and then, Rue St. Quirin. The verdant valley gave us an entirely different perspective of the city. The walls of the ancient fortifications rose on either side.
The war memorial, the Monumento ai Caduti, also known as Tempio della Vittoria, is situated a short walk away from the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio. This beautiful monument was closed to the public when I visited. I managed to take some pictures from outside.
In memory and honor of the brave souls.
Paris? No! 🙂
The Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace) at Piazza Sempione (Parco Sempione) on a gorgeous spring day in Milan.
Wishing you peace and triumph in your personal goals! 🙂
I’ve always loved walking around a city or town to explore it. Sometimes with a destination in mind, sometimes without. Sometimes in a happy mood, sometimes in a sad one. Sometimes brimming with energy, sometimes a bit tired. Sometimes in sunny weather, sometimes in the rain. Sometimes for an hour, sometimes for hours. And every little journey brings with it a little souvenir – of people, of places, of conversations, of discovery.
On a bright sunny morning, we began a day-long promenade of discovery in the city referred to as the “Gibraltar of the North”, owing to its strategic fortifications (which are now a UNESCO World Heritage site).
Armed with walking maps from the Tourist Office at Place Guillaume II, we were all set to explore the city of Luxembourg.
In the midst of this city known for its high GDP per capita, lies an ancient quarter waiting to narrate its tale: of tumultuous history, of fierce battles, of foreign occupation, of patriotism, of dreamy castles and strong fortifications.
On our trip to the landlocked country of Luxembourg, one of our favorite activities was elephant-spotting. Yes, elephants in Luxembourg City! 🙂
Let me offer an explanation. During our weekend in Luxembourg City, we saw beautiful statues of elephants at various locations in the city. The Elephant Parade, an open-air exhibition of statues of the pachyderm, was held in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 2013. The objective of this fund-raising event is to increase public awareness of the need for conservation of Asian elephants.
The capital of Belgium was on our travel itinerary in spring 2013.
Tintin and Asterix, waffles and fries, the “little” Manneken Pis and the majestic Grand Place made our trip a memorable one.
Grand Place:
If you have time for just one place in Brussels, the Grand Place it would be :). Also known as the Grote Markt, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is among the most popular tourist attractions in the city.