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 […]
A glorious day of exploration among the flora of 3,500 species of plants awaits in this botanical oasis in Padua Established in 1545 as a medicinal plants teaching garden, and considered to be the origin of botanical gardens, the Orto Botanico Padua has evolved into a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a leading authority on […]
Discover Lake Como and you’ll see why Michelle Jackson, The Novel Traveller, felt like a celebrity when exploring one of the most popular destinations in Italy with Travel Department. Before we start… Now that Covid vaccinations are progressing well the world is slowly starting to open again for some well-deserved travel experiences. Italia! have partnered […]
Few countries in the world have such a variable, diverse and colourful history as Italy. Every time we visit, we learn new facts about Italy’s wonderful past. We’ve put together 10 Interesting Facts about Italian history for those History Buffs out there from all the destinations that our friends Travel Department offer. Before we start… […]
How does a Roman Emperor create the ultimate symbol of power? By building an ‘ideal city’ that still stands to this day. Unenthused by existing villas yet keen to follow in the tradition of Roman emperors’ having a rural retreat, Emperor Hadrian constructed his vast residential complex at the foot of the Tiburtine Hills in […]
Zoey Goto visited Naples on a dapper mini-break, after receiving a rare invitation to take a look behind the scenes at two of the world’s most exclusive and historic tailoring houses. Until recently, the tailoring and fashion scene in Naples has been shrouded in an elegant cloak of mystery. But now the capital of Campania […]
Adrian Mourby ventures deep into San Marco, Venice’s oldest sestiere, which is known the world over for its piazza and yet is otherwise relatively rarely explored. Images by Kate Tadman-Mourby unless otherwise stated Of course we all know San Marco. This area of Venice has the best of the Grand Canal, the Rialto and Accademia […]
The 16th-century Villa d’Este at Tivoli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site sits just outside Rome. The palace and gardens were created from a desire for status, yet a legacy that spans centuries has been left… How does a newly declared governor of Tivoli ensure that an old monastic building befits his new political status? He […]
This once great Roman city fell to barbarians but, though much of Aquileia was razed, a freshly lain colourful mosaic floor was left perfectly intact… This 4th-century mosaic floor, spreading over 760 square metres within the pillared nave of the Patriarchal Basilica di Aquileia, could easily have been lost to the ravages of time. The […]
Adrian Mourby takes a road trip along the awe-inspiring Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Salerno… Images by Kate Tadman-Mourby unless otherwise stated There was a seagull on our balcony, a very large one, enjoying what was left of the pre-prandial grissini. The Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento 1 stands on top of a cliff outside the […]