The best way to see the wealth of sumptuous palaces in Venice is by water, says Sara Scarpa Images by Iain Reid The Grand Canal, Venice’s main artery, is where the most illustrious Venetian noble families lived and where the most prestigious palaces still stand. These palazzi have been the homes of artists, writers, musicians, […]
Discover how the finest treasures of Pompeii found their way to Naples with Joe Gartman Images by Patricia Gartman Let’s say you’re a well-connected citizen of Pompeii back in about 80 BC (don’t worry, it’s another century-and-a-half before Vesuvius is set to blow) and you’re invited to dinner at the most luxurious house in town. […]
The Palazzi dei Rolli are a living showcase for the wealth and power of certain 17th-century Genoese families The lavish Palaces of the Rolli were the ultimate display of familial affluence, influence and splendour during Genoa’s Renaissance and Baroque periods. To see one such building survive to this day is remarkable, yet this port city […]
Dreaming of Italy? Rachael Martin looks at how you can bring the country closer to you with online experiences, from live-streamed art history and cookery classes, wine tastings and more. There’s no doubt that the past two years have clipped our wings somewhat – and while travel appears to be opening up again, for many, […]
Learn how Jacopo Robusti made a name (or two) for himself in Venice in Joe Gartman’s feature. Images by Patricia Gartman A narrow alley, the Salizada San Rocco, squeezes between a gelateria and the apse of the Church of the Frari, and widens into a small campo, at the end of which the Church of […]
The birthplace of the Catholic friar St Francis remains a globally important site of Christian pilgrimage Assisi stands atop Mount Asio and is flanked by swathes of Umbria’s undulating green pasture and the forests of Monte Subasio. At times it seems perched heaven-like, on a carpet of clouds. It is Roman in origin, yet a […]
Ancient craft traditions are an integral part of Italy’s heritage, but today’s artisans face fierce competition from a world of mass-produced convenience and the preservation of these crafts is more important than ever, says Jenny Oldaker. From exquisite glass creations in Murano to handcrafted Florentine footwear, each part of Italy has its own unique heritage […]
The final resting place of an English eccentric who made Venice his home, writes Joe Gartman Images by Patricia Gartman The pale red brick walls and tall cypresses of San Michele Island rise from the lagoon waters less than a quarter mile from Cannaregio’s Fondamente Nove. They form a perpetual memento mori, a reminder of […]
Shakespeare may have put Verona on the map, but it’s the city’s rich history that makes it unforgettable ‘Fair Verona, where we lay our scene’ introduces William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, yet the world famous 16th-century play and its fabled locations are mere dots on the historic timeline of this impressive city nestled at the […]
Discover more about the Roman inspirations for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 19th-century Gothic novel with Joe Gartman. Long ago in Rome, wealthy families often embellished their palazzi with tall, fortified towers. This allowed them to impress rival clans or perhaps dump noxious liquids on their heads when the situation required it. The owners of one such tower […]