Nick Jackson, London “My photo is of the sunset over Florence from the top of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore”
Sunset over Florence from the top of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
Category: Culture
In the footsteps of Casanova
An itinerary on the tracks of the legendary 18th-century lothario, Casanova, as told by Sara Scarpa… To many, Casanova is simply the reckless Venetian lover who once upon a time escaped from a prison cell. Portrayed as such over the years in film and television productions, this tarnished account of him is etched into the […]
Altopiano di Asiago
The Altopiano di Asiago lies to the north of Vicenza, or to the south-east of Trento, depending on which direction you’re coming from. Either way, the SP349 is the closest main road – after that you’re pretty much on your own… The ‘High Plain of Asiago’ is one of the most remote areas in all […]
In the Valley of the Snakes
Each year, in a remote village in the Peligna valley, a festival takes place that dates back 3,000 years. Nadia Attura attends a celebration in the valley of the snakes. Deep in the Peligna valley, where north Italy meets south, villagers are preparing to celebrate Europe’s oldest festival: a bizarre, 3,000-year-old tradition that mixes ancient […]
Venice Carnival
Since the height of its 17th-century splendour, this seductively sensuous Carnevale has lured visitors from afar. Sadie Briggs visits Venice in search of the magic behind the masks. Being swept along tall, narrow streets in an anonymous crowd of beautifully opulent revellers with music, shouting and whoops of excitement coming from every direction, can be […]
Manarola, Liguria
Like a rainbow of painted plaster, the village of Manarola hangs onto the cliffs above the swirling seas of the Gulf of La Spezia on the coast of Liguria – the home of fine wines and a one-time haunt of Byron’s. The Gulf of La Spezia is also known as the Poet’s Gulf – and […]
St Mark’s Basilica
The smuggling of the mortal remains of St Mark to Venice from Alexandria in 828 satisfied a Divine Will – according to the Venetian version of the story, anyway… When, in the 4th Century AD, St Mark the Evangelist allegedly visited the then uninhabited lagoon, an angel appeared unto him saying: “Pax tibi Marce, Evangelistameus!” […]
Capuchin Monks of Palermo
In 1599, the Capuchin monks of Palermo made a macabre discovery: some of the corpses they had entombed in their catacombs had become naturally mummified. Then the monks decided to preserve one of their own… When the Capuchin monks of Palermo mummified Brother Silvestro of Gubbio they started a trend. From 1599 to 1880, when […]
The Colosseum
Almost 2,000 years ago, Emperor Vespasiano built the Colosseo in Rome – a giant oval stadium capable of hosting over 50,000 spectators that still stands today. No other monument says ‘Rome’ quite as much as this: the Colosseum, situated towards the south of the central area of the Eternal City (in the grounds of Nero’s […]
Sciò La Pica
Every year a festival takes place in Monterubbiano in Le Marche. We trace the history of the flight of the woodpecker. The game takes place in the afternoon, always on the Sunday of Pentecost (the seventh Sunday after Easter), and always in the small town of Monterubbiano, near the Adriatic coast. Four men, on horseback […]