Between the 11th and 15th centuries, Pisa used to be a wealthy and powerful republic in today’s Tuscany. Architectural masterpieces were built, and fantastic art was created at this time. Pisa was a center of culture and commerce for many centuries. But like any prosperous state, it was surpassed by another place, in this case by the sea republic of Genova. Pisa was largely forgotten, but luckily, the cultural heritage survived the centuries.
Envisioned and built in the 12th century, the Cathedral district of Pisa in Tuscany is truly a place of marvels. Sure, we all know the Leaning Tower of Pisa more as a funny mishap in architectural history, but you cannot miss the brevity and majesty of these buildings in the way they must have been built many centuries ago.
Like many other Italian towns, Riomaggiore is filled with different colors. The houses are painted in red, blue, and different shades of yellow. Furthermore, there are beautiful bright flowers everywhere. Take a dive into the colors of Riomaggiore!
For many centuries, the villages of Cinque Terre were only reachable by sea. When young lovers wanted to meet, they had to take a different path to do so in secret. A network of mule tracks connected the villages over the hills and vineyards. After dusk, these were the paths lovers could take to finally meet their loved ones. Today, the lovers’ lane is a favourite hiking route for many, its romantic past has become history.
The region of Liguria is characterized by many little villages scattered across the landscape. They are little planets of their own, all of them different yet charming in their own ways. Some impressions from July 2021.
Lerici is situated at the southern end of the Gulf of La Spezia, sometimes called Gulf of Poets as well, since it is known for renowned writers such as Lord Byron spending time here. Lerici itself is a small town with around 10.000 inhabitants, but it is lovely, colorful, and definitively worth a visit.
Michael Hoffman Photography 