Travel Spotlight

A row of colorful bicycles parked in front of a busy café scene in Lucca, Italy, with locals enjoying drinks under umbrellas near a gelateria.

Italy | Travel Spotlight | Tuscany

Photographing Lucca: Bikes, Backstreets & Tuscan Light

ByGriffin Smyth July 23, 2025July 23, 2025

Even the toes in Pietrasanta are museum-worthy. This one had daisies growing from cracks.

Travel Spotlight | Tuscany | Via Francigena

Pietrasanta Surprised Us and We’re Not Over It

ByGriffin Smyth July 18, 2025July 18, 2025

The Guang Rong cargo ship lies wrecked off the pier in Marina di Massa, still loaded with Carrara marble under stormy skies.

Italy | Liguria | Travel Spotlight

The Sea and the Shipwreck in Marina di Massa

ByGriffin Smyth July 16, 2025July 16, 2025

View of the Apuan Alps with dramatic marble quarry scars on the cliffs, seen from a roadside canal near Marina di Massa, Italy. A yellow house sits in the foreground under a cloudy sky.

Italy | Travel Spotlight | Via Francigena

A Walk to the Sea through Roman Ruins and Marble Mountains

ByGriffin Smyth July 14, 2025July 14, 2025

A quiet cobblestone alley in Marina di Massa, Italy, lit by overhead string lights and lined with plants, stone walls, and colorful buildings at night.

Italy | Liguria | Travel Spotlight

Sarzana Might Be the Prettiest Town in Italy No One Talks About

ByGriffin Smyth July 13, 2025July 14, 2025

A scenic view of the countryside near Siena, Tuscany, featuring rolling hills, olive groves, cypress trees, and a historic church tower in the distance under a dramatic blue sky.

Siena | Travel Spotlight | Tuscany

Staying in Siena, Tuscany (with Golden Hour Light & Photo-Worthy Hotels)

ByGriffin Smyth July 10, 2025July 11, 2025

Scenic view of Monteriggioni, a medieval hilltop village in Tuscany, Italy, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. The town’s intact stone walls and towers stand prominently against a dramatic sky — a perfect vantage point from the Via Francigena trail.

Travel Spotlight | Tuscany | Via Francigena

Where to Stay Near Monteriggioni, Tuscany (With Castle Views)

ByGriffin Smyth July 8, 2025July 9, 2025

A hiker carefully crosses a shallow stream on stone steps while walking the Via Francigena trail in Italy, surrounded by dense green foliage and midday sun.

Travel Spotlight | Tuscany | Via Francigena

Aulla Was Closed—Except for the Castle and the Wine

ByGriffin Smyth July 4, 2025July 12, 2025

Stone arched bridge crossing a rocky river in Pontremoli, Italy, with a bright yellow clock tower and red museum building in the background, all set against rolling green hills and a dramatic cloudy sky.

Travel Spotlight | Tuscany | Via Francigena

The Road to Filetto (and a Night at the Gingerbread House)

ByGriffin Smyth July 4, 2025July 12, 2025

A sweeping view over Pontremoli, Italy, capturing the town’s iconic green-domed church, narrow rooftops, and medieval stone towers. The Magra River curves gently through the scene with a historic bridge spanning it, while golden evening light brushes the surrounding hills and buildings with a warm glow.

Travel Spotlight | Tuscany | Via Francigena

Why a Rest Day in Pontremoli Was Exactly What We Needed

ByGriffin Smyth July 3, 2025July 12, 2025