Top Five: Old masters

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, […]

Fast Art: The Duke and the Duchess

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 […]

Eat, drink and Biella!

There’s more than a morsel to enjoy in beautiful Biella, as Hannah Bellis discovers as she samples the nature, history and flavours of this spectacular province I’m sure every traveller puts on a few pounds during a trip to Italy, such is the delicious array of cheese, wines and local specialities that are on offer […]

Touring Italy’s Ceramics Workshops with Emma Hart

Artist Emma Hart is not a fan of the perfected visions of life offered by social media… Though she has a background in photography, Hart has hold-ups about the intention to make subjects look “good and smooth,” and much prefers to make things look grubby and real. Her artworks draw on the vexations of modern life […]

Top Ten Cities for Apartments in Italy

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 […]

WIN the new Il Volo CD!

Was it really 26 years ago when the Three Tenors, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti sang together in Rome for the first time? As their homage, opera trio Il Volo, have just released a 22-track CD Notte Magica – A Tribute to the Three Tenors, a special live recording of their one-off concert […]