A symbol of the very founding of Rome, the Capitoline Wolf – a bronze sculpture – has been housed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori since 1471. The story goes like this… It was as long ago as the mid-700s BC. Numitor, the grandfather of the twins Romulus and Remus, was usurped by his brother Amulius, […]
Category: Culture
Top 20: Rome
Italy’s capital is so full of treasures, you could spend years here and not manage to see them all. So what hope is there for the short-term visitor? Don’t panic – Fleur Kinson is here to distil the great city into its most unmissable sights… Photos by iStock For 500 years, Rome was the mighty centre of […]
Driving, Thriving and Surviving in Italy
Everyone knows the stereotypes about Italians and driving – fast, impatient, aggressive, appearing to consider red lights as advisory… But there are more specific quirks that may take you by surprise. So, to make your driving experience in Italy a bit more predictable, here’s Gordon Craigie’s Top 10 Italian Driving Habits… Illustrations by iStock 1 Wavering […]
The Po Delta
Dawn breaks over the Po Delta on a cold and grey late autumn morning, from a fisherman’s hut nets hang suspended over the water, waiting for the tides to dictate the start of the next shift… Fishing in the Po Delta is big business. Scenes like this – an isolated fisherman’s hut with nets hanging […]
Titian Sees the Light
It would take Titian the generation following Giovanni Bellini to really exploit the full potential of oil. He digested the expertise of Bellini and then took it to another level. Titian (Tiziano in Italian) was one of the greatest painters Venice ever produced – perhaps the greatest painter Venice ever produced. He was the […]
Siracusa & Taormina
James Miller travels the east coast of Sicily to discover two cities rich in ancient history and vibrant with modern life… The Roman statesman and scholar Cicero described Siracusa as “The greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all.” In ancient times Sicily was once part of Magna Graecia, or Greater Greece, and […]
The Venice Canal
Phil Bremner “Despite seeing Venice in endless movies nothing really prepares you for the exquisite timeless beauty of this astonishing city.”
South Tyrol
This picture perfect scene in the region of South Tyrol has been at the heart of territorial disputes between Italy and Austria – and who wouldn’t want to claim ownership over such beautiful land? This spectacular vista in the northeastern tip of Italy has been appreciated by residents of Tyrol Castle and the surrounding […]
48 Hours in Alghero
With its illustrious history and array of natural wonders, Alghero is certainly a place with plenty to explore. Marina Spironetti unlocks the secrets that belong to this sun-kissed Sardinian city. The light. The most special thing about Alghero, in my opinon, is the light. Especially in the evening, when the sea-facing walls seem to catch […]
Favignana Island
Captivating Favignana island in the Egadi archipelago is known as ‘the butterfly of the sea’ and boasts an array of natural wonders… Favignana is part of the Egadi Islands, located west of Sicily in the province of Trapani. In ancient times it was referred to as Aegusa, meaning ‘goat’s island’, adopting its modern name from […]