Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala, Siena, Tuscany

Advantages: A really little jewel you can't miss...
Disadvantages: The most important part of it it's his exterior view

..., and was chosen by a lot of artists as a temporary residence, like Leopardi, Shelly and Byron. I think that you must take a tour around it, in every road, above all the little one, you can find little but beautiful buildings, you can see through the houses windows Renaissance wall paintings, or vaults… Well let's return to the main subject of this op. Santa Maria della Spina is one of the first things that catches your attention by walking along the Arno (on the Lurgarno). It is situated near the Ponte Solferino, it is one bridge from the city main roads (Borgo Stretto and Corso Italia) where there is Palazzo Gambacorti, the municipality. (Easily reachable by feet) It was edified in 1230 as an oratory to protect the "ponte novo", a bridge linking S. Antonio and S. Maria road and it was called S. Maria del pontenovo. It is the result of a lot... Read review

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Advantages: Away from the Tourist Hoards of St Marks.
Disadvantages: None

...Just returned from our annual anniversery trip to Venice and noticed that no-one has done a review on this church as yet. Just Jump on Vaperreto Number 2 outside St Marks. As you stand by the water at St Marks you can not but notice a large Church on the opposite side of the Canal which is the Church of Santa Maria Della Salute, I am afraid I did not take any photos this year as the main dome is covered in scaffolding, in fact there seemed to be more buildings this year that were being worked on. This is not a critism of Venice, by its nature restortaion work is a necessity. It was on 22 October 1630 that the Senate of Venice decided to build a Church to Honour the Madonna to mark the end of the Plague which had devestated Venice. So the first stone was laid on April 1st 1631, what a change from here where it seems to take... Read review

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Advantages: jFantastic Ambiance, Medieval City with Modern Feeling. Food and wine are excellent.
Disadvantages: None at all.

...I was lucky enough to be chosen, by the Colchester Town Council, to put together a Judo Team to represent the town at the Twin Town Games in the Magical City of Sienna in Tuscany, Italy. I was also fortunate enough to be working for the Local Newspapers at the time and they requested that I prepare a write-up of the event. I thought it would be churlish not to include a "Travelogue", of Sienna whilst I was there, so here it is. I found it hard to understand why the magical city of Siena is not on any of the tours offered by Travel Agents. Not that I am personally disappointed, for the very selfish reason that I was able to enjoy this Italian delight in comparative isolation from everything that smacks of "Holidays Abroad". Just 35 miles south of Florence, Siena is a jewel of medieval splendour. It invites the visitor... Read review

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