Corinna B's World Goes To San Gimignano ~ The Glam Italia Tour

San Gimignano, Tuscany

San Gimignano is my home in Italy. 
Nestled on a hilltop between Florence and Siena, this little, walled, medieval town is known as the “Town Of Fine Towers”, due to the unforgettable skyline created by the remaining 14 towers that proudly watch over the neighboring hills and vineyards stretching their way across Tuscany. At one time there were more than 70 towers in this tiny town, playing an architectural game of “my one’s bigger than yours”.

I just adore this beautiful place.

Buy local olive oils and cheeses in San Gimignano

At home in America when my crazy life gets too stressful, when I can’t sleep at night, or when life gets too complicated, I close my eyes and make the drive from Poggibonsi, through all the roundabouts, and up the winding  hill, past the olive oil stand and the wineries, and in to San Gimignano.

My parking spot sits beside a giant nespole tree which bares the most beautiful fruit. 

From there in my mind I walk to the Porta San Matteo and take in every store and coffee shop along the via San Matteo, sometimes stopping at Lucia and Maria’s for my daily caffe and slice of Mandorlata, sometimes just walking straight to the lovely Piazza Duomo and my beautiful attic apartment.
It is the quintessential de-stresser.

Grab a caffee and a slice of panforte at Lucia and Maria's on via San Matteo

Thursday morning market in San Gimignano

Market day in San Gimignano, Tuscany

I love the Thursday morning market in Piazza Duomo 

and Piazza Cisterna

Enjoy a prosecco in Piazza Cisterna after the tourists have gone for the day

Enjoy a gelato or just chill at Piazza Cisterna, The cisterna was built in 1287

 Take time to look inside the cisterna, There are deep grooves in the stone rim from centuries of ropes hauling up buckets of water.

Make sure you explore the back streets of San Gimignano

If you ever come to  San Gimignano, make sure you stay until after all the tourist buses leave at 5pm. Enjoy an early evening Prosecco in the Piazza Cisterna and take a sunset walk along the top of the walls that encircle the town. Take in the view, and breathe in the magical air of one of the loveliest places I know.

Piazza Cisterna in San Gimignano before the tour buses arrive in the morning

Via San Matteo in San Gimignano before the tour buses arrive

San Gimignano is magic at the end of the day when the tourists are gone

Stroll along the walls when all the tourists have left for the day

All images are my own. Please do not use without my written permission.
Thanks!

Hotel Il San Pietro Di Positano

There is no place on earth quite like the glorious Il San Pietro Hotel in Positano.

No place at all.

The Il San Pietro is an architectural masterpiece, sculpted into the cliffs overlooking the beautiful bay of Positano. The hotel was designed to be in complete harmony with the natural beauty of this very unique stretch of the Amalfi Coast, and combines the utmost in luxury with views so spectacular you can barely breathe.

There are only 62 rooms, each of which has it’s own private balcony with views so stunning you can barely breathe.

The San Pietro has its own private beach that you reach by an elevator cut into the rocks.

The Michelin Star restaurant grows it’s own vegetables in a private terraced garden, and the olive oil comes from The Hotel San Pietro’s own olive grove.

If you are unable to stay at the hotel, a glass of wine on the beautiful Mediterranean terrace, with it’s breathtaking and world famous view of Positano is an absolute must. It is one of those multi-sensory experiences that will stay with you forever. 

It is quite possibly the most romantic place on earth and most definitely the very closest you can get to heaven on earth.

Every view is stunning

My favorite place for a glass of wine at the end of the day. The terrace at the beautiful Hotel Il San Pietro, Positano.

Lipari ~ The Glam Italia Tour

 Lipari, Aeolian Islands, Sicily.

Midnight in Sicily, on the beautiful island of Lipari

Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere.
And sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

Lipari at night.

This year I lead a private tour of Italy.
We called it the Corinna B's World Glam Italia Tour.
It really was quite glamorous.
We spent a few days in the Aeolian Islands, with home base being the beautiful island of Lipari.

Lipari town, Lipari

Lipari town, Lipari

Lipari town, Lipari

From Lipari we took boat trips to other islands in this breathtakingly beautiful volcanic chain.

boating in the Aeolian Islands

Boat trip in the Aeolian Islands

Aquacalda, Lipari

One of the most magnificent things about the Aeolians is the lack of Hiltons. And Marriots. And any other major chain of hotels.
There were no condo complexes blighting the horizon.
It was perfect.

Lido on the beach in Porticello

scooters at Canneto Beach, Lipari

If you venture to Lipari, stay in Canneto Beach. It is only 5 minutes from the main harbor and Lipari town, but is quiet, lovely, and has a perfect view of the active volcano Stromboli across the water.

Blue waters off Canneto beach in Lipari, with a view of Stromboli smoking in the distance

From Aquacalda in Lipari you can see Salina, the island from Il Postino

There are fantastic places to eat in Canneto Beach, and you can walk to them all.
(Just make sure you avoid La Papisca. They charge tourists a ridiculously inflated prices and are surly and mean. Everywhere else is fantastic). 

Canneto Beach at night

Canneto Beach at night

Canneto Beach at night

We stayed at the beautiful Hotel La Zagara. The service was amazing and very personable, and we loved everything about this hotel. I most definitely plan on staying there again next year.

Sunday Morning In Ortygia, The Glam Italia Tour

"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything"
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Italian Journey (1786-1788)

I'm not quite sure what Goethe was up to here.
Sicily and Italy were not unified until 1861.
And each stands alone, completely magnificent.
But I love the quote.

Sicily is my obsession. Since the very first time I ever set foot on this magical island I have not gone one day without thinking about it. It is always on my mind.
Despite the incredibly long travel day to get here from Phoenix, it was the logical place to start the Glam Italia Tour. (as in start our beach time before our waistlines have a chance to register that we are eating pasta...) 

Sunday morning in Ortygia

Ortygia is a little island connected to the city of Siracusa.

The history here is astounding.

The remains of Apollo's temple, built in 732 BC are surrounded by apartments built over the centuries. Some incredibly old, some rebuilt after WWII. Can you imagine looking out your bedroom window at this??

Waiting outside church on Ortygia, Sicily. I just loved her pants. I want a pair!

Walking through the streets of Ortygia

Locals catching some sunshine on the breakwater outside the walls of Ortygia

This little boy sat on the steps of the Duomo in the spectacular Piazza Del Duomo, in the searingly bright sunshine, playing the sounds of the soul of Sicily.
The Duomo is a must see. The original Siculi built a temple to the deities here, the in the 5th century BC The Greeks built a temple around it, and since then in has been added to over the centuries. The current facade is Baroque, but as you walk through you see thousands of years of history

These columns were built in the 5th century BC. Running your fingers over their crenellations you feel 2500 years of history beneath your skin.