The Watermill at Posara

From time to time, Bill Breckon of The Watermill at Posara in Tuscany, has been writing this series of essays as a new and unique way of looking at the smaller historic towns that make up the true Italy.The idea is this: four friends with different passions and expertise arrive Just in Time for an Aperitivo. They enjoy the evening passeggiata, drinks, a dinner sampling local specialities, then a good night’s sleep in a hotel/pensione, awaking refreshed to see the cultural and scenic attractions of the town and the local area. They talk about their own enthusiasms and expertise, about people and places, music, history, art and architecture, language, culture, food.....everything that contributes to la bella vita italiana.This is not a traditional guidebook, but a series of love letters to Italy.Bill suffers from a Parkinsonism and the essays are read by his wife, Lois.

Just in Time for an Aperitivo: a series of love letters to Italy. Today, Lucca, a walled city in Tuscany.From time to time, Bill has been writing a series of essays called Just in Time for an Aperitivo, a new and unique way of looking at the smaller historic towns that make up the true Italy. If you become a Watermill Friend, you will get an exclusive preview of these essays in this podcast. We hope you enjoy them.The idea is this: four friends with different passions and expertise arrive Just in Time for an Aperitivo. They enjoy the evening passeggiata, an aperitivo, a dinner sampling local specialities, then a good night’s sleep in a hotel/pensione, awaking refreshed to see the cultural and scenic attractions of the town and the local area. They talk about their own enthusiasms and expertise, with amusing and insightful anecdotes about people and places, music, history, art and architecture, language, culture, food -- everything that contributes to la bella vita italiana. This is not a traditional guidebook, but a series of love letters to Italy. 

Just in Time for an Aperitivo: a series of love letters to Italy. Today, Mantova: home to Cinzano, Rigoletto and the bloodthirsty Gonzaga family.From time to time, Bill has been writing a series of essays called Just in Time for an Aperitivo, a new and unique way of looking at the smaller historic towns that make up the true Italy. If you become a Watermill Friend, you will get an exclusive preview of these essays in this podcast. We hope you enjoy them.The idea is this: four friends with different passions and expertise arrive Just in Time for an Aperitivo. They enjoy the evening passeggiata, an aperitivo, a dinner sampling local specialities, then a good night’s sleep in a hotel/pensione, awaking refreshed to see the cultural and scenic attractions of the town and the local area. They talk about their own enthusiasms and expertise, with amusing and insightful anecdotes about people and places, music, history, art and architecture, language, culture, food -- everything that contributes to la bella vita italiana. This is not a traditional guidebook, but a series of love letters to Italy. Bill suffers from Parkinsonism and so the essays are read by his wife, Lois.

From time to time, Bill has been writing a series of essays called Just in Time for an Aperitivo, a new and unique way of looking at the smaller historic towns that make up the true Italy. We hope you enjoy them.The idea is this: Four friends with different passions and expertise arrive Just in Time for an Aperitivo. They enjoy the evening passeggiata, an aperitivo, a dinner sampling local specialities, then a good night’s sleep in a hotel/pensione, awaking refreshed to see the cultural and scenic attractions of the town and the local area. They talk about their own enthusiasms and expertise, with amusing and insightful anecdotes about people and places, music, history, art and architecture, language, culture, food -- everything that contributes to la bella vita italiana. This is not a traditional guidebook, but a series of love letters to Italy. Bill suffers from Parkinsonism so the essays are read by me, Lois, his wife.Today it is the turn of Orvieto, a hilltop city in Umbria

From time to time, Bill has been writing a series of essays called Just in Time for an Aperitivo, a new and unique way of looking at the smaller historic towns that make up the true Italy. We hope you enjoy them.The idea is this: Four friends with different passions and expertise arrive Just in Time for an Aperitivo. They enjoy the evening passeggiata, an aperitivo, a dinner sampling local specialities, then a good night’s sleep in a hotel/pensione, awaking refreshed to see the cultural and scenic attractions of the town and the local area. They talk about their own enthusiasms and expertise, with amusing and insightful anecdotes about people and places, music, history, art and architecture, language, culture, food -- everything that contributes to la bella vita italiana. This is not a traditional guidebook, but a series of love letters to Italy.Bill suffers from Parkinsonism so the essays are read by me, Lois, his wife.Today it is the turn of Arezzo, just 75km east of Florence.

From time to time, Bill has been writing a series of essays called Just in Time for an Aperitivo, a new and unique way of looking at the smaller historic towns that make up the true Italy. We hope you enjoy them.The idea is this: Four friends with different passions and expertise arrive Just in Time for an Aperitivo. They enjoy the evening passeggiata, an aperitivo, a dinner sampling local specialities, then a good night’s sleep in a hotel/pensione, awaking refreshed to see the cultural and scenic attractions of the town and the local area. They talk about their own enthusiasms and expertise, with amusing and insightful anecdotes about people and places, music, history, art and architecture, language, culture, food -- everything that contributes to la bella vita italiana. This is not a traditional guidebook, but a series of love letters to Italy.Bill suffers from Parkinsonism so the essays are read by me, Lois, his wife.Today it is the turn of Pistoia, just 40km west of Florence.

In 1425 the great dome of Florence cathedral is still unfinished, but reaching a critical point as its shell moves inexorably upwards and inwards. Filippo Brunelleschi, an irascible genius, is in charge of the dome's construction, watched over by his patron, the powerful banker, Cosimo de' Medici.Young Assistant Building Supervisor, Luca da Posara, can't think of anywhere else in the world that he'd rather be: it's the birth of the Renaissance and the very air seems alive with fresh ideas, in science and philosophy, art and architecture.But then he finds the body of a visiting mathematician, brutally murdered. Papers on the corpse allege that Filippo Brunelleschi stole his ideas. Who had him murdered? Filippo or Cosimo? Or the hot-headed sculptor Donatello, Filippo's close friend and former apprentice? Or was it one of their bitter artistic or political rivals, to destroy Filippo and discredit Cosimo?In Renaissance Florence, passion, conflict and intrigue lead to plot and counter-plot and nothing is quite as it seems. After a second killing, of a master mason who plunges to his death from the top of the incomplete dome, Luca feels compelled to turn amateur detective - and discovers it's all a matter of perspective.The author is Bill Breckon, who made his name in the UK as a writer and broadcaster specialising in medical topics and current affairs. In 2010 Bill moved with his family to Italy, living mainly in the centre of Florence, but organising painting holidays and other creative courses with international tutors at The Watermill at Posara in the Tuscan countryside (see https://watermill.net). Bill's book is available on Amazon.Bill suffers from Parkinsonism so this podcast is read by his wife, Lois.

Luca da Posara suspects foul play by his friend Donatello, and even by his Uncle Battista, but has his judgement been clouded by unbidden childhood memories?The author is Bill Breckon, who made his name in the UK as a writer and broadcaster specialising in medical topics and current affairs. In 2010 Bill moved with his family to Italy, living mainly in the centre of Florence, but organising painting holidays and other creative courses with international tutors at The Watermill at Posara in the Tuscan countryside (see https://watermill.net). Bill's book is available on Amazon.Bill suffers from Parkinsonism so this podcast is read by his wife, Lois.