In June 2003 I enjoyed a magnificent vacation of almost two weeks in Italy. It was the second time I had ever been, and except for Rome and Florence I went mainly to places I had not been, tending to emphasize the countryside of Tuscany or Umbria or the coast. I’ve been to Western Europe several times and I went because I’ve always either enjoyed or been intrigued by European history, languages, art, architecture, and cuisine.

On this trip to Italy I went to Cortona, Florence, Assisi, Rome, the Cinque Terre area of the Ligurian Riviera (northwestern coast), and Milan. The weather was warm and sunny for nearly all the trip.

Most of my time each day was spent touring churches, cathedrals, monasteries, museums, and various monuments. I made a special point of sampling various aspects of Italian cuisine, especially flavors of “gelato,” and practicing Italian phrases and expressions I picked up since I already knew French. (French was my undergraduate course of study.)

The highlight of my trip was my pilgrimage to the peaceful, medieval town of Assisi in Umbria where all sights were within walking distance and I could see the major events of the life of San Francesco (St Francis) unfold. I also particularly enjoyed the Cinque Terre (the “Five Lands”) for its beautiful scenery, kind citizens, and fine wine and pasta. I also enjoyed experiencing the interiors of a number of churches with either tombs of great Italian heroes or because of their painting and sculpture. I returned to the States from Milan, and during my few hours there I was fortunate to see DaVinci’s magnificently restored Last Supper fresco and a special science museum that included many models of his engineering inventions. My photographs emphasize Assisi and the Cinque Terre rather than Florence and Rome, where I had previously been and spent more time.

The entire trip confirmed my love for Europe as my favorite place to vacation, and I became aware of several new Italian towns or areas I would like to visit on a future trip, including Siena, the Veneto district, and more Umbrian towns. Of course, I’d love to revisit the places I toured on this trip.