Ancient Etruscan sarcophagi are a very popular topic of interest in Tuscany, as well as in my Roman Art History course here at CET. Fun fact: they aren’t filled with embalmed bodies (they’re more like gigantic urns) but these relics have largely helped historians unravel the mystery of the Etruscan civilization. This specific one is in the archaeological museum at Santa Maria della Scala (field trips are always a plus, right?).
My classmates and I went on a day trip to the city of Lucca a couple weekends ago – Lucca is famous for it’s medieval walls that encircle the entire city, which have now been turned into a beautiful pedestrian walk way. The walls are decorated with various statues, monuments and awesome vistas.
This statue was in the Lucca botanical gardens! We saw the gardens from atop the wall and decided it was definitely worth checking out. If you are ever in Lucca I definitely recommend it!
This wonton soup is from nationally renowned Chinese dumpling restaurant, Ravioli Wang – I was so impressed with the quality, it was delicious! Sometimes eating Italian food every day can get tiring, but Siena has an awesome spread of other cuisines and cultures, this dumpling place being one of the best in Italy!
As everyone knows, gelato in Italy is unparalleled. My roommates and I decided to go on a mission to find the best gelato in Siena and we believe we did! This gelato from Il Bacio is super creamy and refreshing, located just outside the entrance to the center of the city, at Porta Camollia. Grab some on the way to the train station before a weekend trip!
CET treated us to a cooking class, where we learned how to make picci (pictured here), gnocchi, tortellini and cantucci biscotti! The restaurant then served up our own pasta in their array of yummy sauces. All around a great experience.
This awesome view is of the church San Domenico! Siena is wonderful in that you can go wandering aimlessly and run into views like this. I was surprised to learn that the Duomo in Siena isn’t used very often for actual services, San Domenico is.
This is ciaccino, a specific type of pizza that is served on a flaky, focaccia-like bread with all the topping options you could hope for. My classmates and I have made it a tradition to grab a slice together at least once a week after class!
This photograph features an exquisite golden rose, crafted in the 14th century in Siena, commissioned by Pope John XXII. This rose is actually featured in the Cluny Museum in Paris, but I wanted to make a point of how important a city Siena was in the middle ages. Art from Siena diffused all over Europe during this time period – being able to see Sienese art even in Paris was very cool.
