** ITALY WITH FRIENDS JOURNAL PHOTOS**
Bella Italia Tour - September 2018
Heading up to Capital Hill.Bill and Christie make a pretty picture on the steps up to Capital Hill.The ladies enjoy a moment of rest on Capital Hill.Inside the Capital Hill Museum. Statue of Constantine.Does Constantine look a bit like Rocky?Fantastic view of the Roman Forum from the Captial Hill Museum.
What a great group with a great view over Rome.Enjoying the evening in Piazza Navona.The Roman Colosseum.Travel buddies Lillian and Evelyn in the Colosseum.Inside the Colosseum.
The ruins of the ancient Roman Colosseum.M is for the Millis family.Fun with ancient marble slabs in the Colosseum.Christie finds her C.R is for Rebecca today.There is an E for Evelyn.
The Pantheon.The amazing dome and oculus in the Pantheon.Campo dei Fiore market.Ready for a Vatican Museum tour.St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
The Bella Italia group in Rome.A welcome dessert on Piazza Navona.The Roman Colosseum.Visiting Constatine in the Capitaline Museum.A "pretend" toss of those coins in the Trevi Fountain.The Pantheon in Rome.
Learning all about ancient Pompeii from our guide Paola.Evelyn and Lillian on the streets of Pompeii.A fast food counter in ancient Pompeii.There is always one in every group!!Visiting Pompeii with guide Paola. That is Mount Vesuvius in the background.Louis and Rebecca in an ancient bath/spa in Pompeii.
Bill and Christie cozy up in Positano.Beach scene in Positano.interesting beach scene in Positano.The lovely Amalfi Coast town of Positano.Louis and Rebecca in Positano.Our Lemoncello demonstration with Valentino's family.I get a special shot of Positano with Valentino.Valenti Lemoncello shop.The Amalfi beach area.Yummy fresh seafood.The amazing view from our hotel.A day out on the boat to Capri.
Ready to check out the coastal town of Sorrento.Marina Piccolo in Sorrento.Bill and Christie in Sorrento.Dee and Judy in the Cloister of St. Francis church in Sorrento.On the streets of Sorrento.Piazzo Tasso in Sorrento.Our amazing dinner in Sorrento.A freshly caught fish just for us.Rossela has fun with Louis and Rebecca.Pasta with the delicious local San Marzano tomatoes.Dinner with a hug from Mattei. A final toast of Lemoncello. Salute!
A panoramic view of Orvieto.Orvieto's beautiful Duomo.Piazza Duomo right outside our hotel.Beautiful scenery around Orvieto.Inside the Orvieto Duomo.Ready for dinner in Orvieto.Soloman prepares pasta with truffle.Yummy Umbriciella pasta with tomatoes.Evelyn finally finds the right size bottle of vino.The underground at Soloman's restaurant.Deep under Orvieto.Coming back up from Orvieto's Underground.
Piazza Il Campo in Siena.City Hall and the Torre de Mangia in Siena.The amazing Siena Duomo.Pretty market in Siena.The Piccolomino Library in the Siena Duomo.One of the many marble floor mosaics inside the Duomo.
Tuscany's San Gimignano.Fattoria San Donato Winery.Pretty picture at Fattoria San Donato.Our first wine tasting at Fattoria San Donato.Christie and Bill with a Pomegrante tree at Fattoria San Donato.Vernaccia Vineyards around San Gimignano.Our first Tuscan meal in San Gimignano.Piazza Cisterna in San Gimignano.Beautiful landscape surrounding San Gimignano.Some of the towers in San Gimignano.Amost full moon rising over San Gimignano.
The beautiful setting of the American Military Cemetery near Florence.Angel shares the historyof the cemetery.The monument of peace.The wall of the missing.One of the almost 5000 heroes buried here.A group shot with Angel and the map room.
Ready for a tour of Castello da Verrazzano winery.Louis and Rebecca make a pretty picture in a pretty setting.With future Vin Santo wine.Enjoying a multi-course lunch with estate wines.Estate wines.A group that feels no pain!
Beautiful Florence.Florence's Duomo.Michelangelo's amaziing "David".Ready for a cooking class at Chefactory.The ladies with Chef Walter.Don't Louis and Bill look like fine cooks?
The water taxi ride into Venice.Wandering around Venice.St. Mark's Basilica.What a great picture.St. Mark's Square.The Rialto Bridge.The Grand Canal.Lovely ladies on the Grand Canal.Beautiful Venice.This is how Louis is going to celebrate his birthday.Happy Birthday Louis.Our farewell dinner in Venice.