The Fragrant City of Grasse, Perfume Capital of the World
Julie Szimon discovers the intricate world of perfume making in the Grasse. Images courtesy of Shelley Lamantia. Grasse, located in Provence, is the perfume capital of the world. It’s mild temperatures and sunshine make Grasse the perfect place for growing perfume-yielding flowers. Grasse originally was known for it’s tanning industry until Catherine of Medici made […]
Saint Paul de Vence: The Light of Painters
Saint Paul de Vence, a medieval town with pointed roofs like tops of pencils as described by Victoria Perkins, has been sought out for painters for its particular light. First image by John Urbancyzk. The timeless beauty of Saint Paul de Vence by Caitlyn Dabbs Saint-Paul was founded in the 9th century, so this proves […]
The Magical Maze of Old Nice
We were happily lost in Old Nice for the day, stumbling upon one enchanting corner after another. Image by Emily Kundert. An Ode to Old Nice, by Kiersten Rexcoat Ten feet wide, narrow and steep The roads of Old Nice are unlike any I’ve seen. Couples hand in hand, with shimmer in their eyes Lost […]
Nice: A Bouquet of Flowers, Fruits, and Spices
The group awoke at dawn to witness the unfolding of stalls, flowers, fruits, and spices at the market in Nice. Image by Rachel Schuttler. Liz Blume explores flowers and fruits… While walking in the streets of Nice you are greeted with the sweet smell of flowers and a long line of tents. The flower market […]
Sea Sounds of the French Riviera
New sea, new sounds, different perspectives, Victoria Perkins sizzles with the summer heat and is soothed by the French sea… The waves are high and strong as they crash onto the beach. The rocks loosen and move with each wave and the friction of them hitting each other can be heard by a distinct sizzling […]
Nice: Browsing Through the Treasures of the Antique Market
Our team explored the weekly antique market of Saleya in Nice. Keep reading for what we’ve unearthed! Photo credits, in order of appearance, to Jen Adams for image 1, Lauren Marquez for image 2, and Melissa Lee for the final two images. Market overview by Melissa Lee: Once a week, on Mondays, the bustling Cours […]
Nice la Belle!
Nice, Nice la Belle as the French call her, the city is already starting to captivate our team with her azure sea (hence, the French name for the Riviera la Côte d’azur) and that Riviera essence that made writers like Fitzgerald swoon. Our team member John Urbanczyk writes of “the beauty of the water, a […]
Local Treasures: Tossini Bakery’s Focaccia Col Formaggio di Recco
One last tidbit from the Italian Riviera. On the way up to France we stopped by the town of Recco, in the region of Liguria, where we tried a DOP consortium-protected specialty of the area. Focaccia col formaggio di Recco is a thin flatbread oozing with cheese that is only made in this Ligurian town. […]
Cultural Crossing: Menton
We have landed in France! The first stop across the border is the town of Menton, hotly contested by the Italian and French throughout history, though its Mediterranean air thick with equally French and Italian voices suggests a blend of cultures perched between two countries. Jen Adams reports on how culture goes beyond borders. First […]
Arrivederci Versilia
Dusk has closed upon our Italian journey. We’ve explored the coast and the hills of this side of the Riviera, glided (and fatigued) along most of Versilia’s bikelane on the boardwalk, we’ve tasted its cuisine and breathed in the scent of its people. Julie Szimon captures sensory details of a Versilia intimately explored. Our following […]
Summertime in Florence: Eating Light on Light Budgets
by Simone Bodmer-Turner After studying in Florence for an entire semester, I returned for the summer determined to quit my indulgence in cheap and delicious pizzas, oversized cheese-loaded pastas and mountains of bread soaked in olive oil. And no, gelato is not mentioned in that list because too bad, I’m not giving it up. By […]
Seeing Music: at the Russian concert with the Mayor and Andrea Boccelli
We were invited by the mayor of Forte dei Marmi, Umberto Buratti, to a quartet of young Russian musicians who performed at Forte dei Marmi’s Chiesta di Sant’Ermete. Our team met opera singer Andrea Boccelli as well (see photo below)! Kayla McCaig reports on not only hearing music but seeing it, as we continue to […]
An Ode to Viareggio’s Fish Market
Viareggio’s famed fish market poetically inspires Jessica Kantak. Image by Caitlyn Dabbs. At the market, there will be odors. You smell the fish, you smell the motors. The flavors in my nose remains strong and pungent The fish in the crates, are beyond abundant. […]
Le focacce di Forte dei Marmi!
The best snack in Forte dei Marmi is undeniably the focaccia bread, and our group tasted stuffed versions at two of the city’s best spots where locals and visitors have been dining for generations – Vale’ and Orlando. Kayla McCaig on Vale’, in the center of town… Before it became a casual sitdown place, Vale, […]
Pietrasanta: Contemporary Art
Chanelle explores contemporary art at the studio of Emanuele Giannelli, a Pietrasanta-based sculptor as well as owner of Forte dei Marmi’s beloved Giannelli bookshop. The sculptor Emanuele Giannelli of Forte di Marmi visited us last week to speak about his profession. He invited us to his studio to view some of his work. A few […]
Pietrasanta: Ancient Art
Melissa, immersed in the quiet grandiosity of Pietrasanta’s Duomo di San Martino As you enter the town of Pietrasanta the first thing you will notice is the breath-taking Cathedral with the mountains providing a stunning backdrop. The Cathedral of San Martino was built directly after the foundation of Pietrasanta by the Lucchesi in 1255 and […]
Pietrasanta dining: A tavola da Filippo!
We enjoyed a meal prepared specially for us at Filippo, a gem of a restaurant close to the main cathedral of Pietrasanta. Cover image by Jen Adams. About Filippo, by Emily Kundert… Nestled amongst the small shops and giant cathedrals of Pietrasanta, a hillside town that can be reached also by bike, is a tiny […]
A Quiet City, Full of Life
Melissa, John, and Rachel wander through the Little Athens of Italy… Pietrasanta. A haven for artisans both ancient and modern, the history and passion in this town are palpable. Around every corner this becomes more and more apparent. Magnificent stone works of yesteryear, both architectural and sculpture, surround you as you walk, their cracked and […]
Cooking Clams with Local Chefs
Emily, Charlie, and Kayla Learn the Secrets of Spaghetti con Arselle from a Local Expert… As Bagno Stefanella’s chef Ivana snapped the rubber gloves to her hands, we had no idea what was in store for us. Laid about in front of her were the most brilliant colors radiating against the cold, stainless steel of […]
Cibo in Season, When the Summer is Simmerin’!
Palazzi Intern Simone Bodmer-Turner chats with Ganzo Chef Paul Salmeri about Florence’s markets for fresh, seasonal produce that is delicious and easy on the budget. See what products are on the market table right now, as spring slides away and summer shifts into gear. With Florence’s ever shifty climate the way one knows when the […]
Markets in the Italian Riviera!
We’ve been exploring the markets in Versilia, the local name for the Italian Riviera along the Tuscan coast. Find out what our team has to say about the markets here and the products, people, and interactions that bustle in these very special places. John Urbanczyk on weaving through the labyrinthine the food market… The marketplace […]
Seeing, Tasting, Hearing Riviera Cuisine
Julie Szimon on Truly Tasting Italian Cuisine… If anyone had asked me before I came to Versilia what I thought the food was going to be like, I would have said good. Good cannot begin to describe the quality of food that we have had since arriving. Yesterday we ate lunch at Bagno Stefanella and […]
First Sensory Experiences in the Italian Riviera
Charlotte Huber on Colors… I honestly wasn’t ready to leave home to come to Italy but Saturday came and I was packed and ready to go. I did cry when my family left but that was to be expected. I had never traveled on a plane or even to another country before so I was […]
Welcome to the Riviera!
The 2011 Summer Travel Publishing Program is off to a start (despite rain in the Riviera), our group of students and faculty have landed in the Italian Riviera where we will explore the area with the five senses for the first two weeks and continue the final week in in the French Riviera. Students will […]