This lesser-know region in idyllic central Puglia is fast becoming a foodie paradise, as Rachel Beckwith discovers as she visits the producers… Just a light lunch, they said. The heaving table in front of me suggests otherwise – it gives an audible creak every time our hostess balances yet another plate of food at the […]
If you’re looking for panoramic views of Etna’s landscape and would like to visit the window ‘kissed by lava’, then you might find yourself heading for the Crateri Silvestri – the Silvestri Craters… The Crateri Silvestri of Mount Etna were created by the volcanic eruption of 1892 and are, compared to the 459 square-mile volcano, […]
James Miller is granted an audience with the heir to what would have been the Italian throne, a man who grew up in exile and is now an Italian personality. Read the full interview with the Crown Prince of Italy here… We are sitting and waiting in the grand lobby of the Hotel Regina Baglioni, […]
The use of gold in mosaic art was introduced in a big way during the early Christian period of the late Roman Empire. Mosaics dazzle in Christian buildings due to the luxurious splendour created by the gold tiles and the brilliance from the rich colour glass. The individual square shaped tiles are called tessarae (pl.) from […]
Botticelli’s Birth of Venus is the beautiful depiction of an idea – the image of Renaissance beauty, where the ancient world merged with the Christian immortal soul… Why is Botticelli’s Birth of Venus one of the most famous paintings from the Renaissance? It depicts the birth of the goddess of love and beauty as a fully […]
Mark Nicholls visits the Dolomites and discovers an oft-forgotten aspect of World War One history… The peaks are sharp and jagged, forming a ruggedly stunning backdrop across the Dolomites. This is a landscape considered so impressive that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With 18 peaks rising to above 3,000 metres and […]
James Miller met the Strictly Come Dancing star while she was preparing for Dance ‘Til Dawn and asked her about the essence of la bella figura and la dolce vita… Flavia Cacace is now one of the UK’s best known Brits of Italian descent. Performing on the hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing, she has […]
Any visit to Naples is enhanced by a trip to the islands. Robin Crews finds that it’s easy to hop over the water to Ischia… We all know that passion runs through the veins of Italians right throughout the peninsula, but in the Mezzogiorno there is something else coursing through the locals’ bodies. As you […]
ITALIA! presents a special, in-depth Past Italia! as Freya Middleton explores the long-lasting influence of the Medici family… The Medici family is one of the most extraordinary families in Italian history. They wielded economic and political power in Florence and in Europe for three hundred years. They were one of the wealthiest families in Europe in […]
Ghiberti’s doors are a splendid masterpiece of what would become the characteristic of Renaissance art – spatial realism with people and buildings shown proportionately. The bronze, gold-covered doors of the Florentine Baptistery opposite the entrance to the Cathedral are one of the masterpieces of the early Renaissance period. They were 25 years in the making […]