Postcard from Italy – Colli Euganei

The Euganei Hills are a series of hills of volcanic origin that range in height from 300 to 600 m from the Padovan-Venetian plain a few km south of Padua. The Colli Euganei form the first Regional park established in the Veneto, enclosing fifteen towns and eighty one hills. Les collines euganéennes sont une série de collines d’origine …

Postcard from Italy – The Little Church and the Big Church

So, instead of renovating and extending one church, you build a bigger and better one next door! Santa Croce is outside the town of Noventa Vicinente in the Veneto. My Italian isn’t good enough to give any further information! Alors, au lieu de rénover et aggrandir une église, on fait construire une deuxième plus grande et …

Postcard from Italy: Sant'Antonio – Padua

I think that the church of Saint Anthony is by far the most interesting monument in Padua. It is an amazing combination of styles: Roman façade, Byzantine cupolas, Gothic central tower and bell-towers and late Renaissance chapel containing the tomb of Saint Anthony. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed inside. This is taken from the first …

Postcard: Villa Giovannelli – Padua

We were astonished to see this building as we cycled along the Piovego canal from our B&B to the historical centre of Padua. We now know it is Villa Giovannelli, built on commissoin at the end of hte 17th century by an unknown architect. The enormous Corinthian columns are typical of Palladian villas. It’s inspired us …

Postcard – Castelletto di Brenzone, Lake Garda, Italy

Today, we cycled from Torri del Benaco to Malcesine on the eastern side of Lake Garda and found lots of these little ports along the way; The morning light was magical; Aujourd’hui, nous avons fait du vélo de Torri del Benaco à Malcesine sur la côte est du lac de Garde et avons trouvé beaucoup …

Postcard: Bossons Glacier – Glacier des Bossons

The Bossons Glacier is a river of ice (the largest in Europe) that descends from the top of Mont Blanc in the Alps. The bottom end of the the glacier today has regressed, but it was still present at 1200 metres in the 1980s. at the end of the 19th century, the glacier went right …