paula reynolds

She lies just south of Siena, this stark yet soft and wizened land. Her sensuously rolling landscape is ever-changing — breathtakingly alluring when bathed in the play of shadows and sunlight, moody and dark when clouds obscure the sky. Iconic …

It might well be the next “Greatest Show on Earth,” even if the monkeys and clowns are missing. It’s no circus, however.   The first “artainment” of its kind, Giudizio Universale brings to life the narrative of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel …

Part of the intrigue of Tuscany is the abundance of small hamlets and villages. Scattered across the rural landscape like precious gems awaiting discovery, the charms and beauties of these ancient borghi are many. Off the SR2 thoroughfare from Siena …

String some lights, hang a wreath, decorate the tree, and deck the halls with every form of green and red imaginable – Christmas is nigh! But have you polished up your Urn of Fate – fattened your Fasson ox – …

Once upon a time, about 600 years ago, the deep southern reaches of Calabria cradled the heart of Europe’s silk industry. Nestled in the Catanzaro hills, mulberry trees flourished in the mild Mediterranean climate, their leafy branches offering food for …

When in Rome … it’s a no-brainer that the famed Colosseum is at the top of most visitors’ list of “must see” attractions. In fact, this forerunner to our modern arenas plays host to about 4 million tourists a year, …

Come to the beach where the sea is blue, and little white waves come running at you. A wave comes splashing, over your toes; you just stand still, and away it goes. We’ll build a castle down by the sea …

“Salute!” — the clink-clink of glasses resounds like church bells throughout Italy as the late afternoon begins to dissolve towards evening. It’s aperitivo time – that glorious hour or two (or three) when the busy-ness of the day is set …

Italy’s towers are an integral part of her appeal, yet comparatively few remain. At the height of its development, Lucca boasted 250 towers; today has only 3. The hilltop town of San Gimignano holds the honor of best representing what …

Ah, prosciutto – that lovely, pink hued, paper-thin sliced meat that has delighted Italy’s residents for at least 3,000 years. Perhaps not as romanticized as wine or olive oil (anyone for a cozy picnic in a pig pen or butcher …