3 Scenic Hill Towns

Some of the most scenic towns I've visited are those that are perched high atop a hill. These towns offer great views of the surrounding countryside and medieval buildings add to their charm. From Provence and the Cote d'Azur in the south of France, to the region of Tuscany in Italy, here are some photos of my three favourites.

Eze Village, France

The Tuscan Hill Town of San Gimignano

Thirty miles southwest of Florence in the rolling hills of Tuscany is San Gimignano, the Town of Fine Towers. Our visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site was a pleasant break from the cultural overload of Florence and Rome. Only 14 of the town’s original 72 towers remain standing but they create a dramatic skyline. And while wandering the streets of this picturesque town I sampled award-winning gelato, a traditional Tuscan sausage and one of Italy’s oldest wines.

San Gimignano, the Town of Fine Towers

Great Art Museums of Florence

Our tour of Italy last summer first took us to Rome and Capri. Then we said farewell to the beautiful island of the Sirens and ventured inland and north to the region of Tuscany, a land of sunflowers, hill towns and the birthplace of the Renaissance. We arrived in Florence mid-afternoon and started our visit on a high note, touring two of the world’s greatest art museums: the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi Gallery.

Tuscan Field of Sunflowers

Dan Brown's Inferno: Florence in Photos

Dan Brown's latest novel, Inferno, was released on May 14th, just in time for a rainy long weekend. It was hard to put the book down as I followed Robert Langdon on another thrilling chase through the streets of Florence and Venice. And it prompted me to look up my photos of some of the locations from the book.

Inferno opens with a mysterious character running north from the Arno River, behind a palazzo with a crenellated tower, through Piazza di San Firenze toward the spire of the Badia.

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

Piazza di San Firenze and the Badia Spire

Dinner in Tuscany

It was our second day in Florence on Trafalgar's Contrasts of Europe train tour through England, France and Italy. The morning coffee on tour has been very good. And the coffee machine in the ornate breakfast room at the Boscolo Astoria was designed to dispense any number of variations on the standard cup of java - espresso, latte, cappuccino. It resembled a Las Vegas slot machine with its many lights and buttons.

Ceiling of the Boscolo  Astoria Breakfast Room