Empty Squares

I”m sure all the Italian cities/towns we visited are flooded with tourists all spring, summer and fall. However, this was winter. Early on, Sheryl started a series of photos of me in empty or nearly empty squares - something you would never see in the rest of the year.

Until the final day, we had experienced nary a drop of rain and temps rarely dipped below freezing. We were lucky.

We were able to spend all the time we wanted in each place and see the highlights up close. The museums had space to move and take in the art without fighting for a spot.

If you want to see all the sites without the lines, crowds, annoyed shopkeepers, reservation-requirements for a decent meal, go in winter. As they say, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. I wore leggings under my pants, tank tops under my shirt and sweater, a really good hat, scarf and gloves, warm socks, and my longer down coat. And the unused umbrella. Mostly, I was just fine. I invested in some tech gloves so I could use my phone without taking them off.

A true pleasure.Read more