This is St. Francis' hermitage, the place where he would escape to from Assisi town, to pray and…read moremeditate along with his 4 companions. Thank God the Franciscan brothers still keep this place sparse and little decorated and it hasn't been made into a tourist circus like the town has. Many of them regularly walk the trails in the woods also to make sure tourists and pilgrims are not acting stupid. This is a holy sanctuary. This is the place where the stories of St. Francis preaching to the birds, receiving the vision of the angels and even levitating while experiences his spiritual ecstasies happened. If you want to come here and meditate and experience the same serenity that St. Francis did, by all means do so, there are many places in the woods and trails here for that and if you are in the right state of mind, stay quite and reverent and in a receptive state, some magical insights will come to you given how much St. Francis loved nature. St. Francis' energy is here but you have to be very patient and quiet to pick up on it, it is not in the town nor in the basilica where his bones and relics are. You'll get the feeling that you are a million miles away from the ugliness of the world but please take a reverent attitude here instead of an obnoxious, tacky tourist one. I saw both types of behavior in action here unfortunately. I saw very quiet and serious Italian pilgrims here given that the day I came was immediately after St. Francis' Feast Day. I also saw a yogini barefoot and doing a serious session of Earthing but I also saw the most obnoxious, loud, rude and uncouth Asian and Eastern European tourists who only show up because their guidebook tells them to but don't understand the significance of this place, the same types I saw at the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Greek island of Patmos, Mount Shasta in California and who had literally taken over the Sistine Chapel, they walk through the hermitage with the same amounts of poise and discretion as a brontosaurus, without even a second's worth of appreciation, take their stupid selfies and leave. Seriously, if that's the attitude you take, why bother even coming here? I spent a good three hours here, walking the trails and meditating at the the outdoor alters in the woods and in the caves that Francis' four closest brothers often went into seclusion to, for the purposes of deep, deep meditation and prayer, specifically Brother Leo, Brother Masseo, Brother Rufino and Brother Angelo. All four of their caves are here. I seriously hope the Franciscan Brothers can protect this place, this is one of the last real pure, spiritual refuges left in this world.

This magical place will blow your mind! Spend at least two hours here to silently soak up the…read morepeaceful atmosphere. This place is gorgeous and holy. It's kind of a long and steep walk from town so you may want to ride up in a car. You should bring some water if you want to hike around here because you won't find food or beverages for sale here.

GORGEOUS!!!! Like watching the sunset in Hawaii:))) wow! Love it here!! Photos don't suffice..read more

If you know me, you know I love a good cathedral and this one is pretty great…read more Orvieto is a gorgeous, perfect hill town crowned with this jewel of a church. Started in 1294 (!) it took 300+ years to build. There's plenty of art including spectacular frescos by Signorelli. When you look at the elaborate decor - inside and out- reflect that most of this is hand laid mosaic work. Incredible

If you can only visit one place in Orvieto, the Duomo should be it! This strikingly beautiful 14th…read morecentury cathedral is likely the crown jewel of the small mountain town. It has amazing statues (check out all 18 of them, including the two right in front of the altar-- the unbelievable Angel of the Annunciation and the Virgin of the Annunciation! ) masterpiece frescos, and stained glass windows so vibrant that they etch into your heart! For just 5 Euros (at this writing) the beauty and memory you get is simply out of this world. A true marvel !!!

What an amazing place! The best food, fashion, sights galore. Amazing foretress built over a town…read morethat you can still walk through. Panoramic vistas everywhere. This is a stunning location and is a new favorite of mine. Many high end hotels make this a must see when visiting Italy. Convenient to get to and filled with so much to do and see that you will wish you had stayed longer.

Ok.. I LOVE this place. It has a Great Lake and the festivals are also fun! The people are wayyyy…read morenicer here than most cities. Gorgeous! I recommend driving around and going to the center and the lake!!

The Duomo di Siena is one of the most visually appealing cathedrals in Italy...a place where art…read moreand devotion converge in extraordinary harmony. Towering over Piazza del Duomo in Siena's historic center, the cathedral immediately commands attention with its distinctive dramatic blackandwhite striped marble façade, a color scheme that reflects the ancient symbols of the city itself. While we have seen many beautiful Italian cathedrals, this one is one of the most unique ones. Stepping inside the cathedral is awe-inspiring and completely breathtaking. Unlike many cathedrals whose beauty lies primarily on the exterior, Siena's Duomo interior is splendid and grand. The interior is lavishly decorated with striped marble columns, gilded details, sculptures, and frescoes that make the space feel more like a grand art gallery than a traditional church. While indelible photographs are forever etched in our minds, our tour guide discouraged us from taking photos inside the cathedral. One of the cathedral's greatest highlights is its marble inlaid floor, created over several centuries by dozens of artists. Often described as one of the most beautiful cathedral floors in the world, it features intricate biblical scenes and moral lessons created in marble mosaic. When you view such beauty, it feels bigger than yourself. Majestic!

We were lucky enough to see the cathedral in October when the floors were uncovered and it was…read moretruly a sight to see. Absolutely worth the visit and make sure to go to the top of the bell tower during your visit for a spectacular view and a great photo opportunity.

The seat of city government this is decorated with giant frescoes, stained glasses windows and…read moreoriginal hard woods. Well worth a quick stop In while walking the piazza.

I have been to Siena twice. On my second trip, I visited for Palio. The day of the festivities, I…read moremade my way to Torre del Mangia to do some sightseeing. Located in Piazza del Campo, the center and heart of Siena, Torre del Mangia is one of the most prominent symbols of Siena. It's one of TripAdvisor's most popular attractions in Siena and for good reason. Snap a few pictures of the tower from the outside and then walk inside. It's free to check out the courtyard area where you'll be able to take a really cool photo of the tower from the interior. You'll know what I mean when you're there. After you're done checking out the courtyard, for a fee, you can buy a ticket to go up the tower and get some panoramic views of the city. If they happen to be sold out, you can also get some scenic views by checking out the Duomo. Torre del Mangia is a must visit while in Siena!

10/28/2013 My…read morehusband and I woke up early and went to the City Wall Tower as our first stop of the day. Good thing we went early in the morning, as we were able to get some sparkling nice views from the top. Once you climb the 330 steps to the top (the staircase is rather narrow in some areas, so they will ask you to check in your bags about 1-2 flights up). This is definitely one of the best views of Siena and Tuscany. Well worth the 8€ per person. We were able to stay at the top for a good 20-30 minutes to take some photos of the beautiful Siena landscape + look out into the hills of Tuscany. GORGEOUS!! We think the best time to go is in the morning when the sun is not out in full force, and the fog is leaving the hills...so you can get some clear photos. :) We loved our experience and definitely recommend it. We know of others who went to the top of the Duomo, so that's another option as well; but we didn't do that one since we already went to the top of the City Tower. Either way, I'm sure the views are great. :)