From a unique Italian art exhibition and ancient maps to a gourmet ski trip, giant chocolate bars, jumbo hampers and last-minute gifts in this month’s round-up… All wrapped up Take a look at the stunning hampers from La Vialla in Tuscany which come in varying sizes. The bountiful Grande Famiglia Natale hamper costs £253.73. Order […]
The Pope commissioned Michelangelo to build a new burial chamber for his family on the San Lorenzo church The Medici Chapels in Florence is a fascinating complex. It is entirely planned both architecturally and sculpturally by Michelangelo, whose own life was so intertwined with the Medici family. When he was commissioned the project by Pope […]
There’s no better way of buying authentic Italian produce than by rubbing shoulders with the locals at one of Italy’s many bustling markets. Here are our favourites… The Rialto Markets/ Pescheria Venice, Veneto Among the multitude of architectural, historical and scenic ‘must-sees’ and ‘must-dos’ in this iconic city, here is a gastronomic imperative to add […]
Time to revisit Fra Angelico to Leonardo’ awe-inspiring exhibition from 2010 featuring Italian Renaissance drawings, but as Amanda Robinson finds out, there’s more to it than meets the eye… With 100 works from the collections of both the British Museum and the Gabinetto Disengi e Stampi Uffizi in Florence, ‘Fra Angelico to Leonardo’ is the most […]
Looking upstream into a Florence sunrise almost the colour of the city’s beloved football club’s shirt, we are, in one very real sense, looking towards the source of the Renaissance itself… The River Arno divides Florence between the north side, where most of the famous bits are, and the Oltrarno, the ‘other side’, where most […]
Bring a dash of Italian style to the festive season with our gift ideas for the whole family Prosecco Soap For a truly indulgent cleanse, this prosecco soap is enriched with linden flower extract and infused with the sparkling aroma of Italian bubbly. £4.99, Oak Room Shop Lime Di Sicilia Handbag Travel Set Take your […]
Choosing from Italy’s long list of Renaissance artists is not an easy task. Here are five old masters whose exquisite, timeless works of art continue to amaze… 1 – Michelangelo (1475-1564) Near Arezzo, Caprese, Tuscany Born Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, the legendary artist’s masterpieces are too numerous to mention, although his Statue of David, […]
They are double-sided portraits, painted by Piero della Francesca, who was the court painter at the court of Urbino These portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino are amongst the most famous portraits in 15th century Italian art. Why? Because they are revolutionary in their depiction and fascinating in their symbolism. They are double-sided […]
Embrace the urban whirl! Italian cities are small, beautiful and eminently liveable. A city apartment has strong rental potential, and offers many advantages for your own holidaymaking. Here are the top ten cities for apartments in Italy… #1 – Rome (Population 2,850,000) Italy’s brash, loud, vibrant capital is a confident, thick-skinned place, secure in its achievements […]
There is in Italy a new initiative to encourage people to share cars. Tom Alberto Bull wonders how long it will be before we see something along the same lines introduced in the UK? On a recent trip to Italy I was made aware of a mobile app taking parts of the country by storm. […]