rome, tuscany and london - spring 2013 Spring Tulip Pots in Pienza

We really loved walking and wandering in Pienza. It's a little town with an wonderful history. Pienza was actually rebuilt from a village called Corsignano, which was the birthplace (in 1405) of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, a Renaissance humanist born into an exiled Sienese family, who later became Pope Pius II. The rebuilding, designed by Florentine architect Bernardo Gambarelli (known as Bernardo Rossellino) which began in 1459 was based almost entirely on the then-new humanist style, and was the first town design of its kind. To this day, the town sparkles with life, it's easy to get around, and there's a sense of freshness and vigour everywhere you look. Pienza is a world heritage site. Rows of tulip pots like the one pictured, can be found on every stone wall throughout the town in Spring. Those are grapevines in the background. Everybody makes their own wine here, and it's all very, very good.