48 Hours in Elba

With thousands of tourists paying for the privilege of a stay on this beautiful island, Sarah Lane ponders why the exiled Napoleon gave Elba the elbow Elba, Italy’s third largest island, is probably best known by English speakers for the palindrome credited to Napoleon: Able was I, ere I saw Elba. But there is much […]

Viewpoint: Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily

The dramatic view out to the Castellammare del Golfo from Segesta in Sicily is only matched by its dramatic history. Both must have outdone the spectacles played out in its theatre.   As background scenery goes it would be hard to beat the awe-inspiring panorama of the Hellenistic amphitheatre at Segesta in western Sicily. Segesta […]

Great Italian Films: Roman Holiday

We present to you the first in a series of eight of the most memorable starring roles, we begin with Roman Holiday starring style icon Audrey Hepburn… Roman Holiday (1953, Rome, directed by William Wyler. Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck) Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck star in this timeless 50s classic, a worthy tribute to the Eternal […]

Christian Mosaics

The use of gold in mosaic art was introduced in a big way during the early Christian period of the late Roman Empire. Mosaics dazzle in Christian buildings due to the luxurious splendour created by the gold tiles and the brilliance from the rich colour glass. The individual square shaped tiles are called tessarae (pl.) from […]