In July and August of 2002, Heather and I took a twelve day trip of a lifetime to Italy.  We began with a small tour group (eleven, including the guide and driver) in Rome.  From there, we headed to Pompeii and Naples, then by ferry to Palermo on the island of Sicily.  We spent four nights in Sicily, touring the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Il Mosaici in Piazza Armerina, and the coastal towns of Syracusa, Naxos and Taormina, along with a great view of Mount Etna.  Back on the mainland, we traveled through the most beautiful mountain scenery to the town of Sorrento on the Bay of Naples, for two nights.   After a visit to Capri, we left our group and set out on our own, spending another night in Sorrento, and visiting Positano and Amalfi further down the coast.  Next, we went by Eurostar to Florence for two days, and Rome for two more.  Finally, after twelve days, tired, but full of memories for a lifetime, we returned home.  Here is a selection of images from this trip.  They don't come close to doing justice to the true beauty of this country.

A note to users of Internet Explorer.   There are several pages that follow that allow you to link to a much more detailed photograph (such as the shots of the Vatican Museum, Hadrian's Tomb and the front face of the Duomo.)   Explorer will display these images in their proper resolution while downloading them, but will often immediately shrink them to fit the screen.   If this happens, place the mouse over the lower right corner of the image, and you should be given the option of clicking to enlarge it to its proper size.

Pompeii and Vesuvius

Sicily

The Amalfi Coast and Capri

Florence

Rome