Margaret Cowling Arts - Florence and Rome

Venice Padua Florence Rome

Florence & Rome: 14 October to 1 November

Florence (12 nights)

After a coach trip from Padova, we make Florence our new home for twelve nights. The hotel, only metres from the Duomo, boasts spectacular views, looking out to the Duomo itself and Giotto's campanile.

Nestled in amongst many of the significant sights of the Renaissance, we walk to most of our painting and non-painting destinations.

Our location gives us the sense of being surrounded by great art and astounding art history.

Portion of breakfast room view of Duomo, Florence

We also take the opportunity to visit the most beautiful unspolit Tuscan towns: the Etruscan Volterra, with its extraordinary views of undulating landscape; the tiny fortress town of Monteriggioni, surrounded by vineyards; San Gimignano dominated by bristling towers; Lucca with its beautiful renaissance walls and of course, Siena.

With each visit into the countryside we enjoy the gradual change in leaf colours of deciduous trees from green through green-gold to gold and of vines to gold and red.

Renaissance walls, Lucca

Volterra

The towers of San Gimignano

Lunch at tiny Monteriggioni

Siena

To gain another perspective of the city of Florence, we paint and view from Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking the valley of the Arno.

Piazzale Michelangelo overlooking Florence and the Arno River

Vineyards turning colour from San Gimignano

Ponte Vecchio on the Arno, Florence

Florence provides us with a feast of museums, galleries and monuments, and we set aside a couple of days especially for these, including the Uffizi, the Accademia (which houses the David).

Our proximity to many others, such as the Bargello, Palazzo Riccardi, Palazzo Vecchio, Orsanmichele, San Lorenzo, enables us to see so much, particularly on our "free days" (unscheduled days, which give everyone the chance to rest, shop or pursue our suggestions).

On the roof terrace or our Florence hotel

Monteriggioni, garrison village/fort

View from Boboli gardens, Florence

Florence has a vibrant café life and wonderful restaurants – and we enjoy another group dinner at one of these.

We also have opportunities to explore the local markets, paint in the Boboli gardens and visit the many amazing frescoes – by Fra Angelico, Giotto, Lippi, to name a few in the churches and monasteries near our hotel.

Choosing tapestries

Florence is renowned for its leathergoods

Rome (5 nights)

We spend 6 nights in the crazy and fascinating city of Rome. Our hotel sits above the remains of Pompey's Theatre where Julius Caesar was assassinated.

We are immediately impressed by the age and monumentality of our surrounds.

Our newly renovated hotel is set in a quiet narrow street amidst specialty shops, the shops of artisans and a trattoria frequented by locals. There is a secluded roof terrace where one can eat a picnic lunch.

We walk to the Pantheon

Campo dei Fiori market, Rome

Plaiting garlic for sale at Campo dei Fiori

Around the corner is the lively Piazza Campo dei Fiori whose morning food and flower market begs to be sketched and photographed.

Neptune by Bernini in Piazza Navona

Just beyond is Piazza Farnese adorned with fountains and dominated by the grand Palazzo Farnese designed by Michelangelo

Across the main Corso is Piazza Navona and within walking distance are the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican and churches brimming with works by the likes of Caravaggio, Bernini and Michelangelo.

Trevi fountain, so seductive at night

There are three Caravaggios in a chapel near our hotel

To open our eyes to all of this is our delightful Adriana, a highly qualified historian and professional guide, whose informative walking tours of our vicinity are enriched with the passion of a true Roman.

Adriana also takes us on a tour of the Capitoline Museum. The Museum incorporates Roman and Renaissance buildings, gives an expansive view of the Forum and also of Rome as far as St Peter's dome. It includes a wonderful collection of antiquities all made so much easier to find and understand through Adriana's guidance.

View of the Forum from the Capitoline Museum

Dying Gaul, Capitoline Museum (guided tour)

We also arrange a visit to the Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica.

Near the Colosseum, lookers have the opportunity to visit the several levels (extending to 60 feet below current street level) under the church of St Clementine.

The third level includes a Mithraic temple which was built on the ruins following the fire of Nero in 64 AD.

The fun of historic centre locations in Rome

Inside the Colosseum

Bronze of Aurelius newly restored

Besides painting and sight seeing close to our hotel, we use vantage points such as the Pincio at the edge of the Villa Borghese, which overlooks a spectacular panorama of Rome.

We paint in the ancient quarter of Trastevere, characterised by its rich volcanic colours and creeper-draped lanes.

Our hotel and streetscape

Courtyard of the 'vinegar makers', Rome

Further photographs taken by one of our travellers in 2006 can be seen at www.susanbevanimages.com – a demonstration that we provide a fabulous opportunity for camera enthusiasts (and that we attract superb photographers).