Professor Patrizia Farina and Italian students.
 

After a  landing in the southern coast of France, (Nice and Montecarlo) , the Italian border was crossed in Ventimiglia, in order to enter Liguria. Here an entire day was spent in the Cinque Terre region. The English translation is “Five lands”, in fact they are five adorable coastal fishing villages – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Corniglia and Monterosso – dramatically situated on cliffs and only reachable by train, by sea, or by foot.

The following day we found ourselves in Tuscany, one of the prettiest regions in the entire Italy.  Firenze showed us all her Renaissance splendor in her Cathedral with Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria with the Medici Palace (where the original Michelangelo’s David once stood) and  the Chiesa di Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and Rossini are resting.  Then it was Pisa, another favorite.  The students could admire the very famous XII century “Leaning Tower”, and the beautiful Field of Miracles where, fortunately (after extensive work), the Tower still stands.  Nights were spent on smaller towns, like Montecatini Terme, a local Spa town, very popular among the Italians because of its therapeutic waters, and the many cafes and restaurants.

A small stop in Verona, in order to admire the famous balcony of the Shakespearean Romeo Capulet and Juliet Montegue and soon it was Venezia, la Serenissima. With a gorgeous weather as a backdrop, the Grand Canal, St.Mark Square, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs left many of us breathless.  A very interesting glass blowing demonstration was also included in the day and …we couldn’t resist a gondola ride, of course.

Last but certainly not least, one of the most picturesque regions of the entire North was visited. The pristine beauty of the Lake Como region captured many of us. Lake Como is situated at 1,350” of altitude and it’s the deepest lake in Europe. Surrounded by the Swiss and Italian Alps, the lake stretches 30 miles and splits at Bellagio, a little jewel of a town, often center of the Italian and international jet set.

At that point our time in Italy time came to the end, but not without a timeless collection of memories and sensations. 
 

EXPERIENCE TUSCANY TOUR - MAY 2006

The May 2006 TOUR was concentrated in Tuscany (Firenze, Siena), Umbria (Assisi, Perugia) and Roma. For information about future tours, please contact:  
 

Piazza del Campo, Siena (Italy)

PATRIZIA FARINA, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF ITALIAN

WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY
181 WHITE STREET
DANBURY, CT 06810

MAILBOX: BERKSHIRE HALL, ROOM 120B, MIDTOWN CAMPUS

EMAIL: farinap2000@hotmail.com