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This Winter and Spring I managed to head over to Europe a few times to hang out with some of my friends.  The weather in Italy is much better in the Winter time than it is in Boston, so it is always a pleasure.

Palestrina, Italy - 5 March 2009

Palestrina is only 35 km (21,75 miles) from Roma, but is not the easiest place to get to using public transportation.  The journey to this medium sized town took me about 2 hours to arrive near the city center, but it was well worth the trip.

Palestrina has a very long history.  The town dates back to at least the 8th century BCE and was called Praeneste in ancient times.  Graves have been found dating back to at least 240 BCE, in which skeletons have been found buried with ivory, bronze and gold ornaments inside a stone coffin. 

Like many older cities and town in Italy, the town is placed high on a hill and has a protective wall surrounding it.  There are many sites famous in Christendom to visit in the town, nearly all were closed in the Winter or had special hours. 

Today’s modern Palestrina contains a palace at the very top of the hill, but was closed when I got there.  Even though the sign said it was open there was a phone number on the sign to call.  When I called a man complained that I was disturbing him and he did not want to make the trip down for 1 tourist.  I never did get to see Palazzo Barberini.

Bracciano, Italy - 6 March 2009

The small town of Bracciano is located about 30 km (18,6 miles) from Roma.  The town is on the lake Bracciano, which is a volcanic lake, and is probably more famous for its Castello Orsini-Odescalchi, which is a huge castle in the middle of the town and is used mostly for celebrations and weddings.  The owner of the castle still lives on the grounds in a separate part of the castle. 

The town is bustling, mostly generated around the town’s central square, which is extremely gorgeous.  The origins of the town are unknown but it is believed that the town arose around the 10th Century CE to defend against attacks. 

The lower part of the town is small and runs along the lake.  It was mostly deserted, as most of the tourists come for playing on the lake in the Summer time.  There are lots of restaurants and place to rent paddle boats or to take a cruise on the lake. 

Balsorano, Italy - 8 March 2009

The small town of Balsorano, known as Vallis Sorana in Latin, is based on top of a mountain in the Abruzzo region.   The first mention of the town was in the 10th century CE and never really served any great importance.  The town does have some ruins and a fortress at the very top of the mountain.  The fortress is only open for private events.  The town was completely destroyed during the earthquake of 1915 CE.   The main feature of town is its magnificent view of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Sora, Italy - 8 March 2009

The town of Sora is a medium sized town built on the banks of the Liri River in a valley on the Lazio side of the Apennine mountains.  The Volscian town dates back to at least 345 BCE  when the Romans captured the town, one of many times.

The lower part of the town is more modern, but still has a great deal of charm, especially the magnificent cathedral, which was consecrated by Pope Adrian IV in 1155 CE.   Above the city is the Rocca Sorella, which is a fortress, and the beautiful church of  Santa Maria delle Grazie.  The town does have a great deal of open spaces and piazzas that serve to take in the surrounding beautiful.

Priverno, Italy - 9 March 2009

The small town of Priverno lies about 100 km (60 miles) south of Roma.  The town was original called Privernum and was destroyed by the Romans in 4 BCE.  The modern town has little to offer, but does have a fantastic Abbey of Fossanova.  The Abbey is Cistercian monastery that dates back to the 12th century CE and is not sealed off like many others.  There are a few beautiful buildings on the site, including a Post Office.  Even monks need to send mail now and then. 

Sermoneta, Italy - 9 March 2009

The town of Sermoneta is a treasure waiting to be discovered.  It lies about 72 km (44,74 miles) to the south of Roma.  The town dates back to about 10 BCE and sits high atop a hill and has a castle it its highest point.  The old city is easily walkable, albeit all uphill.  The city is made from old stones and just about everything is connected.  The center is a small piazza with some restaurants and lots of charm.

The Castello Caetani is an extraordinary castle and fortress.  It dates back to the 12th Century CE.  It was considered the second most powerful fortress in Lazio, behind Castel Sant’Angelo, which guards The Vatican. 

Stuttgart, Germany - 11 March 2009

I was in the neighborhood so I decided to stop over in Stuttgart to see my lovely friend Tina, whom I had not seen in some time.  She was kind enough to show me around the city.

Stuttgart is a large city in the South of Germany and is the capital of the State of Baden-Württemberg.  For being a large town, the center is very walkable and contains treasures like castles, museums, large squares and an extremely large park that takes up an impressive amount of real estate.  The city mixes old and new together well, except for the horrible eye sore that is the City Hall. The actual city itself is quite sprawling, but most of the sites are in the center.  There are some to the west, which I did not get to see.  The city is clean and has a jovial atmosphere around it.  And, of course, there are lots of places to have a beer.

Laconia, NH, USA - 25 April 2009

Laconia is about 2 hours north of Boston and is mostly known for the “Laconia Motorcycle Week.”  The other interesting spot in Laconia is Funspot, which has lots and lots of classic arcade games and pinball machines.  I was going to Funspot for a Bachelor Party, but decided to arrive early and check out the sites of the small town of Laconia.

The town is located on Lake Winnipesaukee.  There is a small central downtown location, but most of the activity is situated around the lake.  There are some small beaches, water activities and some fun activity on the boardwalk.  There is train that circles the historic region during the Summer months.  The area also has a small water park and lots of biker bars.  Further along the river there are places to go kayaking or paddle boating.