Best Photos from our trip to Italy

Sept 19th - October 5th 2008

Melanie and I took a two week trip to Italy in late September of 2008. We traveled with my Mom and my sister Rose. To save money, we planned the trip on our own, instead going with an established tour group. Because of the work Melanie put into the planning, we had an excellent adventure; we saw almost all the sights we hoped to see. It was a busy two weeks!

Our trip began with 3 nights in Venice. We had 5 nights in Florence, and 7 nights in Rome. From Florence, we took a day trip to Pisa, and we took another day trip to Siena. From Rome, we took day trips to Pompeii, Tivoli and Ostia Antica.

We did not rent a car. Instead, we took trains and buses everywhere. The public transportation system in Italy is wonderful. Every train was on time. The cities are small enough that walking is the best option for a lot of the sightseeing. We found that a walking tour in each city was an excellent way to discover a lot of unexpected sights.

I took a couple thousand photographs during the two weeks, and my sister and Mom took thousands more. On this page I have selected my favorite photographs from the whole trip. Most of these pictures are included in the more complete webpages that describe each of our daily adventures. My original intent was to choose my favorite 100 pictures for display on this webpage, but some how the total number of pictures crept up closer to 130, because there were so many pictures that I didn't want to leave out.

I tried to design this page for easy browsing - you can click on any thumbnail to bring up that photograph. The title of the photograph will be displayed if you roll your mouse over any thumbnail. I grouped the photographs by city, rather than by strict chronological order. We visited the Vatican multiple times, but here all the Vatican pictures are presented in one block.

We saw a great number of classic Italian attractions: St Mark's Square in Venice, the Statue of David in Florence, the Leaning Tower, the Vatican, the Colosseum - but planning and visiting Italy has only revealed that there is so much more to see. A return visit or three is definitely in the long range plans!

Click on any thumbnail to open photo in new window. (You don't need to close the previous photo to click a new thumbnail.)

Venice

Venice Aerial View Venice Canal Reflection Venice Delivery Gondola Venice Rialto Bridge Venice Grand Canal Venice Campanile Venice San Giorgio Maggiore Venice City View Venice Doges Palace Courtyard Venice Golden Staircase Venice St Marks Basilica Venice Lion Statue Venice Four Horses Saint Marks Venice Saints Mosaic Saint Marks Venice Florence Eurostar Train

Florence

Florence - Bargello - Architecture Muse Florence - Bargello - Jason Florence - Boboli Gardens Florence - Bronze Doors Florence - Campanile (Bell Tower) Florence - City View Florence - David Florence - Duomo Museum Pieta Florence - Duomo Florence - Michelangelo Plaza Florence - Ponte Vecchio Florence - Santa Maria Novella

Pisa

Pisa Bapistry Pisa Duomo Interior Pisa Duomo Pisa Group Photo Leaning Tower of Pisa Rose and Mom Pushing the Leaning Tower of Pisa Top of the Pisa Duomo

Siena

Siena City Hall Siena Piazza del Campo Siena Gala Fountain Siena Complete Duomo Siena Duomo Siena Mosaic Floor Siena Duomo Piccolomini Library Siena Wall Painting Piccolomini Library Siena Library Ceiling

Pompeii

Pompeii Entrance Porta Marina Pompeii Basilica Pompeii Baths Pompeii Fast Food Pompeii House of the Faun Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius Pompeii Street Ruts Pompeii Temple of Jupiter Pompeii Grand Theater Pompeii Body Casts

Rome

Rome Claudio Aqueduct Rome Acquedotto Claudio Rome Claudio Aqueduct Rome Aqueduct Felice Rome Street Performers Colloseum Exterior Colloseum Interior Rome Colloseum Arch of Constantine Roman Forum Rome Palatine Hill Rome Morning View Rome Piazza Popolo Rome Spanish Steps Rome Lion Fountain Popolo Plaza Rome Borghese Fountain Rome Borghese Gallery Rome Borghese Gardens Rome Trevi Fountain Trevi Fountain Coin Toss Rome Column of Marcus Aurelius Melanie Street Sign Rome Bust of Gustavo Rome Church St John Lateron

Saint Peter's and Vatican Museum

Vatican San Pietro Plaza Group Photo in front of Vatican Vatican Water Fountain Rome Roof of the Vatican Top of St Peters Vatican Rome St Peters Dome View Vatican St Peters Dome Michelangelos Pieta Altar Saint Peters, Rome Vatican Museum Porphyry Bowl Raphael School of Athens Rome Vatican Museum Laocoon Statue Rome Mithras Bull Statue Vatican Museum Ceiling Vatican Museum Ceiling Vatican Museum Table Vatican Exit Spiral Staircase Rome Sunset Vatican St Peters Rome Sunset from Castel Sant Angelo Vatican St Peters at Night

Hadrian's Villa

Hadrians Island Retreat Hadrians Villa - Pool Hadrians Villa - Servant Tunnel Hadrians Villa - Canopus Hadrians Villa - Temple of Venus

Villa d'Este

Villa Este Entrace Villa Este Roman Fountain Villa Este Hundred Fountains Villa Este Fountain of Tivoli Villa Este Oval Fountain Villa Este pools Villa Este Fish Ponds Villa Este Neptune Fountain Villa Este Rustic Fountains

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica View Ostia Antica Amphitheater Ostia Antica Bakery Ostia Antica Baths Ostia Antica Mosaic Floors Ostia Antica Statue Ostia Antica Restored House Ostia Antica Ruins Ostia Antica Latrines