Autore: Jose

10 things to do and see in Capri

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 14 Novembre 2016

Capri, the blue island in the Gulf of Naples, has always represented chic and expensive holidays. In these pages, instead, you will find the most beautiful things to do and see in Capri without spending a lot.

Close to Naples and Sorrento, Capri is an ideal destination for a holiday hit-and-run, maybe in one day. From the mythical Faraglioni to the Blue Grotto, from the Piazzetta to the villa of the Emperor Tiberius, you will discover how enjoy the beauty of Capri.

If you are looking for a hotel in Capri, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Faraglioni in Capri

Faraglioni are one of the symbols of Capri. These are three big rocks close to the coast of Capri, immersed in the blue sea , and can be reached by boat.

The highest is 109 meters high, while the middle one has a natural cave that you can visit by boat. The name “Faraglioni” comes from the greek “Pharos”, and is due to the fact that here big fires were light to mark the route to sailors.

Did you know that each Faraglione has a name? The closest to the mainland is called Saetta (Lightning), the middle Stella (Star) and the outer Scopolo. Scopolo, the most external Faraglione , houses at the top of Mount Solaro, the only examples in the world of the Blue Lizard, that thanks to isolation and camouflage tooks on the colors of the sea and sky of Capri.

The Blue Grotto in Capri

The famous Grotto of Capri has been known since the Emperor Tiberius, who ordered the construction of a passage from his villa to the cave to swim.

The fame and name derived from the incredible blue of the water inside: when the weather is fine, the sea seems illuminated by an underwater light and you can see many silvery fish swimming under the water.

The entrance of the Blue Grotto is only one meter high and for this you have to lie down on the bottom of the boat while entering. Moreover it is for small boats that accommodate up to four people. During high season you could wait more than one hour to visit the Grotto, we suggest you hat, sunscreen and water. The tour lasts about 5 minutes and it is forbidden to enter by swimming and diving.

Where: The boats for the entrance to the cave can be reached on foot through the stairs from the center of Anacapri, or by boat from the sea.
When – Hours: Every day of the year from 9 am to 5 pm, but only with good weather conditions.
Tickets: € 3 full price, € 9 for people over 65, 11 € for children between 18 and 25 years.

Monte Solaro in Capri

Monte Solaro (589 meters high) is the “mountain” of Capri and the ideal place to have a wonderful view from the island to Naples and Salerno, enjoying the endless blue of the sea.

Here nest many bird species, including the peregrine falcon, and you can admire the typical flora and fauna of the Mediterranean.

The best time for an excursion to Monte Solaro is during the spring, when the flavour of freesia and wisteria guide you along the paths. We suggest you to visit the Hermitage of Santa Maria a Cetrella, in the past a place of spiritual retreat for monks, and the remains of Barbarossa Castle, built around the eleventh century, and in 1535, by the fearsome Barbarossa.

Where: Monte Solaro is reached by chair lift from the bus stop in Piazza Vittoria in Anacapri (ticket 10 € round-trip or 7 € one way) or by feet through a hike that takes about an hour and thirty minutes from the center of Anacapri.
When: Every day of the year, but the best time for walking is from April to September.
Tickets: Free by feet . 7 € or 10 € by chair lift.

Villa Jovis in Capri

Villa Jovis, dedicated to Jupiter by the Roman Emperor Tiberius, is one of the best preserved examples of Roman architecture in the Mediterranean. It is not the only Emperor’s residence in Capri, but it certainly represents one of the most great villas: it is a building that extends for 7 km square on the extreme promontory of Capri.

From here you can see Ischia and Procida, the Gulf of Salerno and the Cilento coast in a dreamy atmosphere. The villa was built in the 1st century. B.C. and here the Emperor spent 12 years, from the island managing the Roman Empire.

Today you can visit its remains: in the middle there are some large tanks for rain water and all around a series of rooms that were divided between those reserved to the emperor and those for employees, the slaves and the hall of throne. The remains of the Villa were raided during the Bourbon period, but the villa was restored in 1932 thanks to Amedeo Maiuri, director of the Archaeological Museum of Naples.

The small square – La Piazzetta in Capri

Piazza Umberto I, the fashion heart of Capri, is known worldwide as ” La Piazzetta”.

You can go there for a coffee, chat, enjoy the view from the terrace and maybe do a little bit of VIP watching .

Until the last century, the small square of Capri housed market stalls, while today it is the symbol of the sweet life of Capri and at the tables of the coffee bars, there are personalities of jet set and simple tourists.

From the square start two main streets to explore Capri and go into the famous Via Camerelle, the shopping street of Capri, where you can find the best international fashion label boutiques. Take advantage of a break in the square for a drink and maybe a visit to the Ignazio Cerio Capri Centre, a small museum, which is located nearby and preserves 20,000 archaeological and natural artifacts of its history.

Anacapri

On the slopes of Monte Solaro, just 15 minutes by bus from the “little square”, there is Anacapri, the largest municipality of the island. Made by narrow streets and colourful alleys that reveal many squares, beaches and historical places to discover.

In fact, here there is the chair lift to the summit of Monte Solaro, or along Via Pagliaro you can reach by land the famous Blue Grotto, or if you love wildlife and want to enjoy the sun over the sea, you can reach Punta Carena and its imposing lighthouse, the largest in Italy after Genoa.

Anacapri also houses one of the most beautiful and representative Neapolitan Baroque churches: the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, with its magnificent majolica floor depicting the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. Another attraction not to be missed is the Red House, former home of the American Colonel John Clay Mackowen. It now houses a permanent exhibition of paintings depicting Capri and Anacapri realized between the nineteenth and the twentieth century, and a large collection of archaeological finds from the Blue Grotto.

The beaches of Capri

Capri is a rock island : you will not find large sandy beaches , but rocky coves and platforms from which you can dive. But the water is wonderful: the water is clear and the sea bottom blue-green . In Capri there are free beaches and private beaches with umbrellas, showers, coffee bars and restaurants.

In the Port area, in Marina Grande, you can find the largest beach of the island: it is a rocky cove facing the blue. It is a few minutes far from the hydrofoil terminal and houses both a free area than one with loungers and umbrellas, bar and restaurants. On the opposite side of the island there are also the beaches of Marina Piccola, which is reachable by feet through the center or by bus. Here too you can find two beaches and several establishments: small coves of pebbles, the most frequented by islanders and tourists.

Those who enjoy the breath-taking sunsets cannot miss to swim in the Faro area: here the sun goes into the sea in a unique scenario. There are free areas and private beaches that can be reached by bus or by walking for about an hour from the center of Anacapri.

The Tour of the Capri island

The best way to enjoy Capri from the sea around the island is by boat. At the Marina Grande harbour, there are many companies that offer tours of the island in shared boat.

Departures are very frequent and you can choose between tours of one or two hours. Most of the island tours also includes a stop at the Blue Grotto for those who want to visit it (you will pay separately the ticket for the grotto).

The tour of the island starts from Marina Grande and coasts the island touching the most beautiful jagged coastline, as Villa Jovis and the Faraglioni. Then it continues to Marina Piccola: here the coast has many coves and hidden bays such as the Green Grotto, which takes its name from its emerald color. The tour continues with the lighthouse and the hidden side of Capri. In this area there is the Blue Grotto.

Where : from the harbour
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 5 pm , with good weather conditions.
Tickets: € 17, discounts for groups

Things to eat in Capri

We cannot talk about Capri and forget the Caprese: mozzarella and tomato, olive oil, salt, oregano, basil.

A simple and unique dish, famous throughout the world. The secret is in the simplicity and above all in the ingredients, fragrant and tasty as the rest of its cuisine. Caprese is perfect as an appetizer or as a main dish, while among the first courses you can taste the Capri ravioli, homemade with Caciotta of Capri and marjoram, and ravioli made of fish, such as linguine with sauce redfish. Among the second courses there are fish, shellfish and seafood: do not miss the lamb with potatoes and soup of mussels. You can finish the meal with the Caprese cake, delicious paste made of almonds and cocoa, and the Limoncello made with lemons of Capri, served in an icy glass.

Where to sleep in Capri

Certainly Capri is not known as a cheap island but finding a place to sleep is less expensive and difficult than you think.

Especially out of season, the island offers accommodation in small hotels, bed & breakfasts and apartments affordable to all. Obviously during the high season in the big luxury hotels, the prices are shockingly high. The price is influenced by the position and the proximity to the most chic places of the island (square, shopping streets). There are many offers with prices starting from about 90 euro per night in double room, breakfast included.

capitals Warsaw

10 things to do and see in Warsaw

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

The first thing that you’ll see once in Warsaw is the Palace of Culture and Science build during the Socialist period. It’s not representative of the beauty of the Polish city, luckily, and it’s no coincidence that the capital’s residents call it “The Monster.” Before Second World War this city was called “Paris of the North” but then the war destroyed it. The old town center, fully reconstructed, is a little jewel of colorful façades, streets, hidden squares. There are two main squares downtown: the Market Square, with the Little Mermaid symbol of the city and Castle Square. Just outside the city center, along the ancient “Royal Road”, you can reach two parks-palace Wilanow and Lazienki, legacy of kings, nobles and wealthy merchants. But these are just some few steps of Warsaw: discover with us the 10 things to do and see during a visit to Warsaw.

If you are looking for a hotel in Warsaw, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 550 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Old Town in Warsaw

Completely destroyed during the bombings of World War II, Warsaw’s Old Town (Stare Miasto) was entirely and perfectly rebuilt. The work was done so well that, basically, “copies” are not different from the original and so UNESCO has given to this area a World Heritage protection.

This tangled maze of narrow streets, squares, noble buildings with colorful façades, will surprise you during the (few) days of sun and will show you its romantic side during the night. The main points of interest of the Old Town are the Market Square (see point 2),the Castle Square (See point 4), the Barbican, the churches of St. John and St. Martin.

Market Square in Warsaw

The Market Square (Rynek Starego Miasta) has been for centuries the center of Warsaw: market, trade shows, public ceremonies, the city life took place in this great square.

Today is just a meeting point for tourists, attracted by the tables of cafés and restaurants, the gift shops in the alleys. On the four sides of the square there are the colorful houses, entirely rebuilt after the bombings of World War II, and designed by the Italian painter Bellotti. Following the best tradition of the East countries, the houses have strange names: the Basilisk, the Lion, Golden. At the center of the square there’s the statue of the Little Mermaid, considered the sister of the most famous one in Copenhagen. According to legend, this mermaid lived in the Vistula (river Warsaw) and annoyed the fishermen. Captured, but later released, by that time she watches over the Polish capital.

Castle Square in Warsaw

Castle Square was a meeting point between the Old Town and the New one. The first castle was built by the Dukes of Mazovia, and over the centuries it was enlarged, plundered, burned, until the total destruction made by the Nazis.

The ruins were left in the square until 1971 when the reconstruction began and ended in 1984. Don’t miss the collection of paintings with two works by Rembrandt. At the center of the square there’s the column of Sigismund, erected in 1644 in honour of the king who moved the capital from Krakow to Warsaw. From the Square starts the Royal Route that, with a route of 4 km, brought to the old palace of Wilanow (see point 4). The Royal Route is actually made up of three pieces of the road with different names in which there are Baroque and Renaissance palaces, churches, several monuments, cafés, luxury restaurants and souvenir shops.

Where: Old town
How to get there: by feet
Hours: Every day from 10 am to 6 pm (until 8 pm in the summer on Wednesday). Never: 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 1 November, 24, 25 and 26 December.
Ticket: 22 zl | 5,35 €. Free entrance on Sunday

Wilanow Palace in Warsaw

At the end of the “Royal Route”, just outside the old town, there is the Wilanow Palace or Villa Nova, beautiful palace called the “Polish Versailles”. Along with the park it’s one of the most beautiful architectural complexes of Poland, also because it wasn’t destroyed by Nazis

It was built for the Polish king Jan III Sobieski at the end of 1600 and over the centuries there have been many owners such as kings, nobles and wealthy magnates. The sumptuousness is still evident, with frescoes, antique furniture and a nice gallery of pictures (with a Pietà by Cima da Conegliano). Magnificent the outdoor park with ponds, Italian and English gardens, fountains, statues. Surely the perfect stop during your visit to the several monuments.

Where: Down town centre
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: 27 January to 27 April and from 29 September to 19 December: 9.30 am – 4 pm . April 28 to September 28 9.30 am – 6 pm
Ticket 20 zl (5 €). Free entrance on Sunday

The Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw

Before the Nazi occupation, 400,000 Jews lived in Warsaw and they represented the second largest community in the world after New York. Since 1940, the area where the Jews were concentrated was divided into “small” and “big ghetto”.

Among deaths from starvation, disease, deportations, an indefinite number of Jews died. Inside the Jewish area, almost everything was destroyed. Along the border, where there was the wall built by german people, there are writings in cast iron on the sidewalk. To commemorate the Warsaw of Jews, and to remember what it was, it has been created a Remembrance Street marked by 16 granite blocks and the Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto representing men, women and children struggling in the flames and a row of Jews going to the concentration camp. In the old ghetto there are just few palaces in Via Prozna: left in ruins, as they were reduced by the Germans, and on the façades there are big pictures of Jews living in the ghetto, and killed by the Nazis.

Łazienki Park in Warsaw

Łazienki Park is with Wilanow the best building with park in Warsaw. Also this place is located along the “Royal Route” and it have been for centuries the summer residence.

Łazienki today is a museum, a place for events of all kinds and a place for walks. Wandering through the park you can meet the Palace on the Water, Myślewicki, the White House, the Orangery, temples, statues. A point of the park loved by Warsaw is the Monument to Fryderyk Chopin, born in the Polish capital, widely considered the prince of romantic music. Under this monument every Saturday and Sunday, there are also concerts of famous pianists. If you visit Warsaw in the spring or summer, don’t miss Łazienki: you will not regret.

Where: Ujazdów
How to get there: by feet
Hours: Every day from sunrise to sunset. The timetables of the buildings may vary with the seasons.
Ticket: Free Entrance to the park. Palace on the Water: 20 zl (5 €). Other palaces 6-10 zl.

The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw

Drawn by Stalin himself, this huge building called “The Monster” by the citizens, is a “gift of the Soviet Union to the Polish people.”

Actually we think that the Polish people could do without it, but now that the communist regime is far away, it can be appreciated for what it is: a 42 floors tower (the highest in Poland), with 3,000 rooms, offices, museums, swimming pool, cinema. The attraction for tourists is a terrace (trzydziestka) at the 30th floor where they can enjoy a unique view over the rooftops of Warsaw and beyond.

Where: plac Defilad 1
How to get there: by feet or by tram
Hours: Every day. Never: 1st January, Easter Sunday, December 25
Ticket: 5 € to reach the terrace

Praga district in Warsaw

Many people think that Prague (the Czech capital) has influenced the name of this district, but it’s not true. The word has its origin from the Polish word prażyć, which means burning or roasting.

To build Praga, in fact, it was burned an entire forest. It was a really dangerous place until a few years ago, but today Praga district is the trendy district of Warsaw (but be careful). It wasn’t destroyed by the bombings of World War II but became a bad place for many decades. It regained importance when Roman Polanski chose to shoot the film “The Pianist” in 2002. The Jewish Ghetto, where the story takes place, no longer existed and the rest of Warsaw was too new. So he chose the Praga district . Today it’s the favorite destination for artists, designers, architects and photographers.

Things to eat in Warsaw

The best way to enjoy the cuisine of Warsaw is to eat in a Jadłodajnia, a kind of restaurant that offers traditional cuisine with very low prices or Mlecny Bar, famous during the old communist regime where the food is self-service and cheap. They are scattered all over the town.

We have to say that Poland is not famous for its gastronomy but Warsaw, fortunately, is an exception: surely there are no many dishes, and after a few days you might not want to eat meat and potatoes for some months. However, you should taste Piroghi (ravioli stuffed with cheese, meat or other) barszcz (beetroot soup and ravioli) the chlodnik (a cold soup of sour milk) and bigos, meat stew. All this, of course, accompanied by the excellent Polish beer.

Where to sleep in Warsaw

Warsaw has many hotels, hostels and apartments with accessible prices.

With the success of the city with tourists the prices are growing a little bit, but they are still affordable.

For a double in the down town center in a 3-star hotel prices vary from 40 to 80 Euros per night. Hotels are numerous, over 500, but many are in the suburbs. If you have limited time we recommend a hotel in the Old City which will cost a little bit more, but you will save your time.

If you are looking for a hotel in Warsaw, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 550 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

capitals Vilnius

10 things to do and see in Vilnius

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Vilnuis has one of the best preserved old town centre in Europe and can be considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Unfortunately it’s still not considered one of the must see places in Europe and it’s a pity. The Old Town is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Cathedral Square and the Town Hall, the Jewish Quarter and the “independent republic” of Uzupis. To see all at once the small but perfect city center, you can climb up to the Hill of Three Crosses or Gedeminas Tower, two symbols of national history. In Vilnius there are many churches and religious places of all worship: don’t miss the Cathedral, the Church of St. Anne and the Synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. In this page we suggest 10 things to do and see during a holiday or a weekend in Vilnius.

If you are looking for a hotel in Vilnius, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 200 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Old Town in Vilnius

About 80 districts, 70 streets and 1.487 buildings concentrated in a little more than 3 square kilometers, make the Old Town (Senamiestis) one of the most beautiful historic centers in Europe.

That’s why it’s protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also characterized by different architectural styles such as Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance and Neoclassical.

The heart of the Old Town is made by two squares: Cathedral Square (see point 2) and the one of the City Hall, both in the neoclassical style. You’ll admire beautiful views, but Pilies street, that from 1530 bring to the Castle of Vilnius, offers the most beautiful one. Once it was crossed by the king’s cortège, nowadays there are tourists looking for souvenirs or some restaurants. In the old town you can admire also the Jewish and Uzupis District (see points 5 and 7).

The Vilnius Cathedral

The Cathedral was built where once there was a temple dedicated to the god of thunder Perkunas. People says that it was the first place of worship consecrated to Catholicism and the point from which began the Christianization of Lithuania.

The cathedral, dedicated to Saints Stanislaus and Ladislaus, was built between 1779 and 1793 in Neoclassical style with a portico composed by 6 columns and a pediment on which is represented the scene of Noah’s sacrifice back from the flood. The interior is simple, with three naves with vaulted ceilings and the beautiful Baroque chapel dedicated to St. Casimir. Very unique is the bell tower. Between the Cathedral and the Bell Tower there is the Stebuklas (miracle), a stone that according to legend grants the wishes if you turn 3 times around it…

Where: old town centre
How to get there: by feet

Gediminas Tower and the Vilnius Castle

We suggest you to take the cable railway and then to climb up to the Gediminas Tower, the remains of the ancient Castle of Vilnius.

The castle, built in the IX century, was the house of the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1323 but, above all, the fundamental construction of the defensive system of the city. Destroyed by fire in 1400, the remains were devastated. The Tower that you will see now is a reconstruction of 1960 and hosts a museum. The national flag on the roof of the tower has a great symbolic importance for all Lithuanians. Over the centuries, before the Poles, then the Nazis, then the Russians tore it off but the Lithuanians have always raised their flag. From the tower you can admire a wonderful panorama of Vilnius and its surroundings.

Museum

Where: Behind the Cathedral.
How to get there: by the cable railway from the river (3 Litas, 1 €)
When – Hours: 10 am -7 pm from May to September and 10 am -5 pm October to April
Tickets: 5 Litas (about 1,5 €)

The Hill of Three Crosses in Vilnius

According to the legend, the Three Crosses in Vilnius are located in the place where a group of French monks were martyred.

According to the folk tale, 7 were killed and other 7 were tied to wooden crosses and thrown into the river, with the recommendation to go back where they came.

The crosses that today are on the hill, are not those of 1400 because they have been destroyed or removed several times, the last time in 1950 by the Soviet regime. These crosses have been carved in 1989, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Three Crosses Hill is one of the most beautiful places in Vilnius, not because of the view of the city but because it’s a place of secular devotion turned into a symbol of freedom during and after Communism. The climb to the hill is hard and can be difficult when it snows or rains.

Where: from Gediminas Tower, across the river and then the forest.
When – Hours: always
Tickets: for free

The Jewish District of Vilnius

When in 1941 the Nazis came to Vilnius in the city there were about 40,000 Jews. During that time the city was also called the “Jerusalem of Lithuania” for the big number of Jewish .

When in 1945 the Nazis were sent away by the Red Army, in Vilnius remained a few hundred Jews, almost all survived because they run away into the woods outside the town.

Until the time of the Nazi invasion, Jews had lived freely in the city, in their own neighbourhood but had not known the ghetto experience. The Nazis, however, built two ghettos to control them better: the Great Ghetto (29,000 Jews) and the Small Ghetto (11,000 Jews). From that moment violence and abuse happened every day until the final solution of extermination. Most Jews were killed in Paneriai, a forest, about ten kilometres from Vilnius. A large part of the Jewish Quarter palaces, now house some institution that remind that period: the Jewish Community of Lithuania, the museum dedicated to Vilna Gaon (the famous jew essay around the world) and the monument dedicated to Tsemakh Shabad , the legendary doctor in the ghetto. The Great Synagogue was completely destroyed first by war and then by the Soviets, so you can only visit the beautiful Choral Synagogue in Moorish style.

Church of St. Anne in Vilnius

The Church of St. Anne, perhaps the most beautiful one of Vilnius, is the gift that the King Vytautas gave to his wife Anna.

The first building dates back to 1394 but the present church is the result of changes made in 1582 and then in 1900. A fine example of gothic style, the Church of St. Anne is now one of the photographic postcards of Vilnius. The red brick, the two towers, and the façade are an irresistible tourist attraction.

The beauty of the church is the result of an innovative use of architectural elements: those typically Gothic are contained in rectangular frames that give an overall sense of dynamism and order. Built using 33 different types of painted brick, the Church has a baroque interior with a single nave. It seems that Napoleon, during the Russian Military Campaign expressed a desire to “Bring it in France on the palm of his hand”.

Where: At 600 meters from the Cathedral toward Uzupis
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: From May to September 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. From October to April 5:00 to 7:00 pm
Tickets: free entrance

Uzupis District in Vilnius

Like Cristhiania in Copenhagen, and (once) Montmartre in Paris, Uzupis is a “Republic” apart, a city within a city. Here live mainly artists and intellectuals and they organize festivals, exhibitions, cultural events, concerts, performances and exhibitions of all types.

Uzupis district is the most fashionable and expensive in Vilnius but until a few years ago it was the most dangerous place in the Lithuanian capital. It was precisely the low prices of homes (no one wanted) to attract poor artists in search of accommodation. Since then it has become a separate place and has even its own constitution, its President and a coin. The Constitution, which you can see posted at the beginning of Paupio Street, contains extraordinary “banalities” that could be an inspiration to many constitutions of other states.

The name Užupis means “place near the river” and, in fact, the district is directly placed on the Vilnia. One of the two symbolic characters of Uzupis is a bronze mermaid created by sculptor Romas Vilčiauskas. If you want to see it, you have to walk along the riverbank and look for the niche in which it is housed. Always the same sculptor is the author of the statue of the Archangel Gabriel, who plays the trumpet (angel of Uzupis) located in the main square of the district

Museum of Genocide Victims in Vilnius

For those who believe that trips are useful for their personal discovery and growth, a visit to the Museum of Genocide Victims (Genocido Auku Muziejus) is shocking but an inevitable experience.

In the former headquarters of the KGB, the notorious secret police of the Soviet regime, was set up this path that tells the dark years of persecution lived by the Lithuanian people. About one million people were deportee in Siberia and never came back.

In the ground floor and the first floor there’s an historical journey through the repression suffered by the Lithuanians with pictures, documents, videos, uniforms. The underground is the most shocking place, with prisons, torture and executions chambers.

Where: Auku G2a
When – Hours: From Wednesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm.
Tickets: 6 Litas (about 2 euro)

Things to eat in Vilnius

The Vilnius kitchen is a successful response to the terrible Baltic climate: potatoes, meat, cheese and vegetables are the basic components of the main dishes of Vilnius.

There will never miss from the menu cepelinai : big potato dumplings stuffed with meat and spices. They are also called Zeppelin to the size and shape, similar to that of the old blimp. To make things even less digestible, the cepelinai are sauteed with bacon, onion and sour cream. Potatoes are the protagonists (kugelis) of potato sausages (vėdarai) and also of the šakotis cake.

The Polish domination over Lithuania is clear even at the table, with koldūnai, dumplings stuffed with meat, cranberries, cheese or vegetables. Don’t miss the soups, among which the most famous is the unpronounceable šaltibarščiai, made with chard, eggs and cheese. They drink mostly beer produced locally, almost very light.

Where to sleep in Vilnius

Vilnius is still a very economical destination with a good range of hotels, B&Bs and apartments for tourists. It’s not difficult to find a room in the Old City for less than 40 euro per night.

You can sleep in an excellent 3 star hotel spending a little more, while with about 100 Euros you can enjoy super-luxury hotels or 5 star. Of course on weekends and during the high season (from spring to early autumn) there is more demand then we recommend you to book in advance.

capitals Vienna

10 things to do and see in Vienna

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Vienna is actually warm, comfortable and friendly even if it’s often described as a cold and boring city. It has a rich cultural life, thanks to some big international museums placed in the residences of the Hapsburg dynasty. The Belvedere, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Albertina, the Schonbrunn Castle, worth a visit even if you are not art lovers. You’ll find some of the most famous works of art in the world, including the Kiss by Klimt. The Royal Palace, the Hofburg, is the “home” in which the kings used to lived and ruled for 600 years the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Cathedral is the religious place where they were crowned, the Crypt their resting place, the Chamber Wonder where they kept their symbols of power. But this is just the beginning: so here are 10 things to do and see during a vacation or a weekend in Vienna.

If you are looking for a hotel in Vienna, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 200 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Hofburg Palace in Vienna

It’s one of the largest palaces in Vienna, the imperial one, where the Hapsburg family used to live.

This majestic palace, symbol of elegance and soul royalty, has been the political center of the Austrian Empire. Today it is the residence of the Austrian Federal President. The Imperial Palace is formed by a complex of buildings of different ages and it extends to an area of about 240,000 square meters (18 wings, 19 courtyards and 2,600 rooms). It houses important historical collections and many cultural institutions such as the Spanish Riding School and the Austrian National Library.

During the visit you’ll discover 18 rooms of the Royal Apartments, which are the former private apartments of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth with the original furnishings ( the large audience hall , the emperor’s study, the toilet room , the gym room and bathroom of the Empress, the imperial dining room and frescoed rooms by Bergl).

Moreover there’s the Museum of Silverware of the Court with its sumptuous tableware, precious collections of oriental porcelain, Sevres and Meissen, the solid silver table; the Museum dedicated to Sissi tells the story of the Empress of Austria, one of the most beautiful women of her time, by her youth in Bavaria until her death in 1898.

Inside the Hofburg (the entrance is from the courtyard of the Swiss), there is the Schatzkammer, ie the Chamber of Imperial Treasury that collects the sacred and the profane treasure of the Hapsburgs. The museum contains objects of inestimable value such as: the imperial crown of Rudolf II in gold and sapphires (1602), the mantle and the sword in gold, pearls and rubies (XVIII sec.), the crown of the holy Roman Empire in gold, (962), the coronation mantle of Roger II of Sicily. You can admire also: the Holy Carolingian Lance (XVIII sec.) with a nail of the Passion, the “Bag of St. Stephen”, a Carolingian reliquary and crucifixes.

Royal Apartments, the Museum of Silverware, Sisi Museum

Where: old town centre
How to get there: MU3 stop Herrengasse; Tram: 1, 2, D, J, stop Burgring; Bus: 2A o 3A, stop Hofburg.
When – Hours: Every day including public holidays from September to June from 9 am to 5:30 pm ; July and August from 9 am to 6 pm
Tickets: € 12.50; Children (6-18 years) € 7.50; students (19-25 years) € 11.50; with Vienna Card € 11.50

Treasure Room

Address: old town centre
How to get there: by feet in the old town centre or MU3 stop Herrengasse; Tram: 1, 2, D, J, stop Burgring; Bus: 2A o 3A, stop Hofburg.
Hours: Wednesday – Monday 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
Tickets: Adults € 12.00; children up to 19 years free entrance

St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna

Each year almost three millions of people visit this immense cathedral, masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It’s so high and majestic that you have to raise your eyes up to the sky in order to see it all.

It has a magnificent roof made by 250,000 colored tiles that form the Austrian emblem, and the elegant bell tower, called Steffl (Stefanino) with its tapering spire. A Renaissance dome covers the north tower (unfinished), and it’s known for hosting the Pummerein, the bell obtained from the fusion of cannons taken from the Turks during the siege of the city in 1683.

Passing through the Giants Portal (Riesentor) with the twin towers of the Pagans, you enter into the cathedral. Inside the nave, there’s the stone pulpit in Gothic – Flemish style on which are depicted the four Fathers of the Church. Noteworthy: the Chorus of Women with the XV century altarpiece altar of Wiener Neustadt decorated with scenes from the life of Mary; the Choir of the Apostles with the tomb of Emperor Frederick III in red marble; the statue at the base of the organ (1513) by Anton Pilgram.

There are interesting legends related to some statues: Our Lady of Servants, donated by a noblewoman after wrongly accused her maid of stealing; Our Lady of Pécs capable, they say, to pour tears of sorrow; the crucified Christ with a beard that seems to be true and that, apparently, continues to grow.

Where: old town centre
How to get there: by feet in the old town centre or by MU1,U3 – stop Stephansplatz
When – Hours: Monday – Saturday 6:00 am to 10:00 pm ; Sunday and holidays 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
Tickets: the entrance is for free, but during religious services people can’t go beyond the initial part of the Cathedral. There are several options for guided tours, rates vary depending on the choice, age and number of participants. Guided tour 5 €

Art History Museum in Vienna

The museum is one of the most important in the world for the value of his works. It was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph to house the vast and rich collections of the House of Hapsburg.

The building has a neo-Renaissance style and houses a remarkable picture gallery, as well as interesting collections, such as the Egyptian and Eastern one, Ancient Art, Sculpture, Decorative Arts, and the Numismatics collection. In particular, on the raised floor there are the Egyptian, Greek and Roman, as well as a collection of plastic and decorative art (crafted sculptures, valuable bronze statues, amazing works of jewelry). The first floor of the museum houses the Gemäldegalerie with many masterpieces of painting, including the ” Allegory of Vermeer painting,” “Lady in Green” by Raphael, Infants paintings of Velasquez, the “Madonna of the Rosary ” by Caravaggio,”Elena Fourment ” by Rubens, several works by Rembrandt, Tintoretto, Tiziano, Dürer, Jacques-Louis David. There is also the collection of works by Bruegel the Elder, among which “the tower of Babel” , “Meeting of Carnival and Lent”, “Return of the Hunters.”

Where: old town centre
How to get there: MU2 stop Museums Quartier, MU3 stop Volkstheater. Tram D, 1.2; 2A bus, 57A.
When – Hours: From June to August every day from 10 am to 6 pm (on Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm); from September to May from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm (on Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm)
Tickets: € 14.00; students under 27 years and over 65 € 11.00; children under 19 years free

Albertina Museum in Vienna

This museum houses one of the most complete and prestigious collections in the world of the graphic art from the XIV century until today, the Graphische Sammlung.

The collection counts 50,000 drawings and watercolors and more than a million prints of ancient and modern artists, including Michelangelo, Raffaello, Leonardo, Cranach, Dürer, Rubens, Klimt, Picasso, Goya, Chagall, Monet, Cézanne, Miro, Kokoschka , Rothko, Warhol, Rauschenberg, Richter, Katz, displayed on rotation (if you’re lucky maybe you can admire the famous “Hare” by Dürer, considered the jewel of the museum). The Albertina periodically organizes exhibitions dedicated to one or more famous artists. In addition to the graphic art collection, the museum also houses a collection of architecture and pictures. Another interesting aspect of the Albertina are the Hapsburg room : 21 beautiful rooms, renovated and furnished, located on two floors of the building that bring the visitor back in time, during the age of Neoclassicism, to admire the private and ceremonial life of Hapsburg family who lived in the palace.

Where: old town centre
How to get there: MU1, U2, U4 Karlsplatz stop; MU3 stop Stephansplatz
When – Hours: Every day from 10 am to 6 pm (on Wednesdays from 10 am to 9 pm). Christmas: December 24, from 10 am to 2 pm ; 25, 26, December 31, January 1 from 10 am to 6 pm
Tickets: Adults € 12.90, over 65 € 9.90; students (under 26) € 8.50; children up to 19 years free

The Prater in Vienna

After the visit to museums and monuments of the city, no one would ever deny a nice ride in the Prater to anyone! The famous park in the city center is considered one of the ten most beautiful city parks of world.

Once it was an imperial hunting ground, today is the ideal place to have a walk, to do jogging, cycling or go back and forth with the small train Liliputbahn.

The initial part is occupied by Volksprater also called “Wurstelprater” (named after a popular Viennese mask), the largest amusement park with over 250 attractions (ranging from nostalgic rollercoaster to the modern flight simulator), and the famous Riesenrad, the Giant Ferris wheel, opened in 1897 (and rearranged in 2008). It’s one of the symbols of Vienna, which allows you to enjoy a beautiful view of the city from a height of nearly 65 meters. You can’t say you’ve been to Vienna if you miss the Big Wheel! Near the wheel there’s the Planetarium which give to people a travel in the starry sky.

Where: Prater Pak
How to get there: MU1 stop Praterstern; bus 80A
When – Hours: Prater park – Every day 24 /7 – Volksprater (Amusement Park) – from 15 March to 31 October from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Tickets: Free entrance . You pay only the attractions .
Ferris wheel: adults € 9.50; with Vienna Card € 8.50; children 3 to 14 years € 4.00; Children under 3 years free entrance

Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna

Schönbrunn Palace is the most famous among the Austrian imperial palaces and one of the most beautiful baroque complexes in Europe. The sumptuous summer residence of the Hapsburgs, whose name apparently derives from a “beautiful fountain” (Schöner Brunnen), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The imposing building with a characteristic yellow color (the so-called yellow Schönbrunn) built by Empress Maria Theresa is surrounded by a large park (120 hectares), designed in the French style and open to the public in 1779. The castle complex houses the royal apartments , the castle Theatre, the oldest theater in Vienna (open only during concerts) and the carriage Museum. The Imperial Tour gives you the chance to visit 22 rooms all furnished in style rococo, while the Grand Tour includes the views of 40 rooms (including the sumptuous apartments once inhabited by Maria Teresa) . The park has many statues, fountains (impressive the one of Neptune), false ruins of Romanesque style (Roman Ruin), and it’s rich in attractions including the labyrinth, the greenhouse Palm (building of iron and glass) , the largest of its kind in Europe, and the Tiergarten, the oldest zoo in Europe (1752). To enjoy a beautiful view of the park and Vienna we suggest you to climb on the roof terrace of the portico of the Gloriette built on top of the hill to commemorate the victory over the Prussians in 1757.

Where: outside the old town centre
How to get there: Subway: U4 – Schoenbrunn; Tram: 10, 58 – Schönbrunn; Bus: 10A – Schönbrunn.
When – Hours: Every day (including holidays) from 1 April to 30 June from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm ; from 1 July to 31 August from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm ; from 1 September to 31 October from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm ; from November 1 to March 31 from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm
Tickets: Imperial Tour (with audio guide): adults € 12.90; Children (6-18 years) € 9.50; students (19-25 years) € 11.90.
Grand Tour (with audio guide): adults € 15.90; Children (6-18 years) € 10.50; students (19-25 years) € 14.60

The Belvedere Palace in Vienna

The Belvedere Palace was built between 1714 and 1722 by Prince Eugene of Savoy, the victorious imperial army commander and great art lover. The complex consists of two buildings connected by a beautiful garden on three levels with statues, fountains, baths and stairways: the Lower Belvedere was used as the summer residence of the Prince, and the Upper Belvedere (Oberes Belvedere), was used for parties and events.

Purchased by the Hapsburgs, the Belvedere was used both as a residence and as imperial gallery. Nowadays it houses the Austrian Art Gallery divided into three sections: the Museum of Baroque Art (Lower Belvedere), with the works of the most important Austrian Baroque artists such as the statues of the fountain of Providence, the “Apotheosis of Prince Eugene” of Permoser commissioned by the prince himself (golden Cabinet), and the mysterious physiognomic busts of Messerschmidt (Hall of Grotesques).

The Museum of Medieval Societies (Orangerie) which holds numerous masterpieces: late – Gothic paintings and sculptures, including the Znaimer Altar, a splendid altarpiece of 1440-50.

The Art Gallery of the XIX and XX century, with the most important national collection of paintings of the XIX and early XX century, among which there are works by Monet, Renoir, Makart, Romako, Waldmüller, Wotruba and masterpieces by Schiele ( “Death and the Maiden”), Kokoschka ( “Mother and Child”), and the famous “Kiss” by Gustav Klimt

Where: outside the old town centre
Hot to get there: By Train: Belvedere Station; S-Bahn: Quartier Belvedere Station; Tram: D (stop Schloss Belvedere), 18 OR (stop Quartier Belvedere); Bus: 69A (stop Quartier Belvedere); Underground: U1 (Südtirolerplatz stop)

When – Hours:
Upper Belvedere: Every day from 10 am to 6 pm
Lower Belvedere and Orangerie + Scuderie
Every day from 10 am to 6 pm; Wednesday from 10 am to 9 pm
Stables daily from 10 am to 12 pm

Tickets:

Upper Belvedere
Adults € 14.00; over 65 and students under 26 years € 11.50; children under 18 years free; for owners of Vienna Card € 12.50.

Lower Belvedere and Orangerie + Scuderie
Adults € 11.00; over 65 and students under 26 years € 8.50; children under 18 years free; for owners of Vienna Card € 9.50.

Klimt Ticket (+ Upper Belvedere Lower Belvedere)

Adults € 20.00; over 65 and students under 26 years € 17.00; children under 18 years free; for owners of Vienna Card € 16.50

The world of Hundertwasser in Vienna

Who was Hundertwasser? Frederick Hundertwasser was a sculptor, a painter and an architect. Hunndertwasser is not common, he’s not trivial neither predictable.

The genius of this great Austrian man has built some of the most eccentric and bizarre constructions throughout Europe. In Landstrasse neighborhood, to give value to a run-down area, Hundertwasser has created asymmetrical and colorful houses. Once in the microcosm of Hundertwasser, made of bumps, dizzying spiral staircases and fountains, you’d better to abandon your conventional knowledge of the world because here buildings are not shaped according to rigid models of man, butthey follow the irregular and sinuous lines of nature.

Where: city center.
How to get there: from city center by feet
When – Hours: from November to February: from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and from 1.30 to 4.00 pm on weekdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on holidays. from March to October: from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays, from 1.00 to 5.30 pm on holidays.
Tickets: free entrance

Things to eat in Vienna

The Austrians eat sausages and drink beer in large quantity, but not only that! In Vienna you’ll find many stalls with sausages of all kinds and topped with any sauce, but to taste the typical Viennese cuisine you need to go to other places.

We suggest you a series of keywords that will help you to understand the world of Vienna’s specialties: if you want to taste excellent wine and typical dishes you have to look for the signs “Heurigen”. If you want to drink beer, you have to look for a “bierkolake” while if you want to experience the traditional flavors of the region you have to go in a “kekkerkolake”. The soups here are cooked very well: try the Frittatensuppe with omelet strips, and Griessnockerlsuppe with semolina dumplings. Famous goulash, beef or veal stew slightly spicy, usually accompanied by peppers. To end your meal you have to taste a piece of the famous sacher torte!

Where to sleep in Vienna

Where will you sleep once in Vienna? No problem: hotels, B&Bs and apartments are located at any point of the city with moderate prices.

The hotels in Vienna have similar prices and services: a 2 star hotel will not be very different from one to four stars. This feature is one of the main advantages of accommodation in Vienna and is due to the fact that all the accommodations are clean, cozy, comfortable and equipped with many amenities. If you prefer to sleep in a different solution we suggest you B&Bs where you’ll feel at home, or an apartment, if you want more independence and privacy. The costs are high: for a 3 star hotel in the center the price starts from € 80 and it will be higher if you choose high class facilities.

cities of art Verona

10 things to do and see in Verona

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Verona is for everyone the tragic scenario of the love history between Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s play has made the fortune of Verona for sure: a good part of the city’s economy is based on this “romantic tourism,” which finds its perfect ending below the famous balcony of Juliet. Identifying Verona as the city of Romeo and Juliet, however, has prevented people to enjoy the other beauties of this city. It’s called the “Gateway to Italy“, because it anticipates, to those coming from the north, the characteristics, the beauty, the essence of our country.

Verona is a mix of artistic, historical and cultural testimonies, dived in a suggestive atmosphere made of alleys, squares and traditional food. If you would like to look beyond the balcony, we suggest you an itinerary among its famous places, its typical flavors and its lovely entertainments. You’ll be seduced by the charm of this city. In this page we suggest 10 things to do and see during a holiday or a weekend in Verona.

If you are looking for a hotel in Verona, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 127 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Verona Arena

The Roman amphitheater (better known as Arena) is, with Romeo and Juliet, the symbol of this city all over the world. It was probably built in the first century and like all the amphitheaters hosted the gladiator’s shows. It was the fourth amphitheater after the Colosseum in Rome, the ones of Capua and Milan.

It has a solid and impressive structure made by an the exterior face covered of bricks and Veronese marble which create a particular chromatic effect. The interior with its terraces concentric movement give an effect of grandeur. It takes its name from “rena” (the Italian noun for sand) placed in the central part where shows took place . The Arena could host 30.000 spectators and gladiators who had wide room for their shows. Nowadays the Arena is an important stage for musical events and it continues to preserve its ancient function, although with less bloody shows!

Where: Piazza bra, old town centre.
How to get there: from city centre by feet
Hours: from Tuesday to Sunday 8.30 am -7.30 pm – closing time 6.30 pm reduced time during the shows
During July, August and September, open to the public also on Monday morning, 8:30 am to 7:30 pm no lunch break
Ticket: € 10

Romeo and Juliet’s home in Verona

Verona was the theater where the tragic love story between Romeo and Juliet, made famous by Shakespeare’s tragedy, took place. In a building of the XIII century, placed in the city centre, people of Verona recognized the Capuleti’s house: the legend merges with reality, finding some reference points.

A beautiful façade covered by bricks and a Gothic front door: in the courtyard there’s a bronze statue representing Juliet and the famous balcony protagonist of their love birth. Juliet’s house is an obliged stop, even if a touristic one, for people who want to discover the places that inspired the love story par excellence

Less fortunate was the Romeo’s house, now a private one, close to the Arche Scaligere (point 8). On the gothic façade you can read an inscription “Oh! Where is Romeo? … I’m not myself. I’m not here. This isn’t Romeo – he’s somewhere else.“(Act 1, Scene 1). Juliet’s tomb is located in an ancient monastery of the Capuchin friars of the XIII century in Via del Pontiere, 35.

It can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm – On Monday from 1.30 to 7.30 pm. Ticket € 4.50.

Where: Via Cappello n° 23, city centre.
How to get there: city centre by feet
Hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm – on Monday from 1.30 to 7.30 pm
Tickets: full price € 6.00 . Reduced price € 4,50

The Church of San Zeno Maggiore in Verona

The legend says that, during the Adige inundation in 589, the water stopped on the doorway of this church built on the site of burial of Bishop Zeno. Saint Zeno, with its African origins, was the eighth bishop of Verona (about 362-380) and converted the city to Christianity.

This church is one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy and its actual appearance seems to date back to the XII century. San Zeno keeps the body of the Saint and it’s rich of paintings and sculptures from the XII to the XVI century. A particular attention deserves the Altarpiece of San Zeno painted by Andrea Mantegna, which is the first example of Sacred Conversation with the Madonna and Child at the center. From left you can see St. Peter with the keys, St Paul with the sword, St. John the Evangelist with roseate dress, San Zeno in Bishop’s dresses, Saint Benedict with the monk’s dress, San Lorenzo with a gridiron, St. Gregory the Great dressed like the Pope and San John the Baptist with the typical dress as a hermit in the desert. You can understand that this is a conversation because the direction and gestures give the impression that the saints are talking to each other.

Where: city centre
How to get there: city centre by feet
Hours: Nov- Feb weekday 10.00 am – 1.00 pm / 1.30 -5.00 pm
Nov- Feb weekend and religious holidays 12.30 – 5.00 pm
Mar – Oct weekday 8.30 am – 6.00 pm
Mar – Oct weekend and religious day 12.30 – 6.00 pm
Ticket: € 2,50

Piazza delle Erbe in Verona

Piazza delle Erbe is a colored fruit and vegetable market with its group of sun umbrellas, surrounded by historic buildings and monuments. It’s the principal characteristic of the most ancient square in Verona where the medieval buildings took place of the Romans ones step by step. Here you can see the most popular and energetic side of the city, even if you won’t forget the cultural side of your holiday.

During the market, on Saturdays and Sundays, this square can be considered the living room of the city, where people of Verona meet to do the shopping or for the evening aperitif ritual. In this square you can find the Town Hall, Torre dei Lamberti, Casa dei Giudici and Mazzanti’s houses. On the smaller side there is the baroque Palazzo Maffei adorned with several statues of the Greeks gods : Jupiter, Hercules, Minerva, Venus, Mercury and Apollo. Beautiful the house of Mercanti (or Domus Mercatorum), that nowadays hosts the Banca Popolare of Verona. In the center of the square there is the famous fountain called “Madonna Verona” and an ancient Capital too, also called “Tribuna” or (wrongly) “pillory”. It dates back to the XIII century, when under this capital used to sit “podestà” during the ceremony for their assignment.

Where: city centre
How to get there: from city centre by feet

Verona Bridges

The Adige river flows through and bisects Verona: bridges, therefore, have always played an essential role in the city. Today there are seven that have shared the fate of being destroyed by retreating Nazis and then constructed in the following years.

The oldest of all is the Stone Bridge, the so called “Ponte Pietra” , made during Roman era that still today links the Roman Theatre to the city centre. Luckily the stone blocks and bricks, thrown into the river by the explosion, were recovered and used trying to reconstruct the original features of the bridge . The other representative one is the Ponte Scaligero, in front of Castelvecchio. Built in the second half of the XIV century, with three unequal arches, it had the same fate of Ponte Pietra and like this, it was rebuilt in 1951 with stone and original bricks recovered on the bottom of the Adige.

Piazza dei Signori and Arche Scaligere in Verona

The administrative power of Verona has always been focused on this beautiful square surrounded by monumental buildings linked each other by arcades and arches. At the centre of the square you can see the large statue of Dante who found a refuge in Verona after his exile from Florence.

You enter in the square from the Arch of Costa and immediately on the left you can find the Domus Nova façade. If you continue to walk you can find the Loggia del Consiglio and the Palazzo degli Scaligeri, Lords of Verona from 1260 to 1387. There is also Capitano’s Palace with the corner tower that overlooks the square, linked to the Palazzo della Ragione by an arch. From the arch you can access to the courtyard of the Old Market with the splendid Scala della Ragione. From Torre dei Lamberti there is a splendid view over the square and the rooftops of Verona. The Church of Santa Maria Antica is located in a small square in whose courtyard rises the Scaliger arches . The impressive funerary complex is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture in Italy. Arches were built to host the remains of some of the representatives of the Scala family. Stand out for their monumentality and decorations those of Cangrande I, Mastino II and Cansignorio.

Piazza Bra in Verona

Piazza Bra is one of the largest squares in Europe, dominated by the Arena and made precious by some historical buildings. The square takes its name from the German word breit, which means wide

In Piazza Bra there is the liston, the pavement in pink marble of Valpolicella, the same one used to build the Roman Amphitheatre. On the liston, people love to meet, walk and chat, before to sit down at a bar for a coffee or an aperitif.

A tradition that goes back in the past because already Goethe, in his Italian Journey essay, wrote “..on the pavement of the Bra a multitudeof people used to walk.” In addition to the Arena, in the square you can find the Gran Guardia Palace place for exhibitions and events and Palazzo Barbieri town hall.

Where: city center
How to get there: city center by feet
Hours: From November to February: from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and from 1.30 to 4.00 pm on weekdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on holidays. From March to October: from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays, from 1.00 to 5.30 pm on holidays.

Castelvecchio in Verona

Cangrande II della Scala wanted the construction of this fortress in order to have a protection from exterior dangers, but also from popular riots after internal struggles of Scaligera family. The Scaligero bridge to which it is linked, in fact, is a door beyond the river providing an escape to the countryside

As the bridge, also the Castle has had alternate fortunes. After the fall of the Scaligeri family it was used by the Venetians as a weapons depot and then became barracks during French and Austrian dominion. The restoration of 1926 removed the military elements and inserted late Gothic and Renaissance ones. Castelvecchio has two parts: on the right there are the main courtyard and the parade ground; on the left the Scaligera mansion where the lords used to live with a narrow courtyard and a double wall. At the center, the high Mastio Tower which gives access to the Ponte Scaligero over the Adige. It now hosts a museum with works of medieval, renaissance and modern art. The museum is not very big but there were at least 20 masterpieces until 21^st of November (until someone stoled them), including Mantegna’s Holy Family, with the Child with Caroto puppet, Female Portrait of Rubens, The Madonna of the Quail attributed to Pisanello, San Girolamo penitent of Bellini and many others.

Where: city center
How to get there: from city center by feet
Hours: from November to February: from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and from 1.30 to 4.00 pm on weekdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on holidays. from March to October: from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays, from 1.00 to 5.30 pm on holidays.
Ticket: free entrance

Things to eat in Verona

The ancient food tradition of Verona continues nowadays in restaurants with typical dishes. Rice and polenta are the principal ingredients, but there are also some less known specialties that you cannot miss: the “pearà” for example, boiled beef with a peppered cheese sauce, or “pastisada de caval” stew made of horse meat, or “paparele”, homemade

pasta with peas and beans. We suggest you to taste also the Renga de Parona of Verona made with anchovies. Among the desserts, the Pandoro, known all over the world, the Nadalìn (eight tips star) and the Mandorlato (nut brittle) of Cologna Veneta. Verona is also known for its production of DOC wines, then taste the Bardolino or the Valpolicella.

Where to sleep in Verona

Charming and romantic, Verona is the second city of its Region for national and international tourism. Its territory, with the surroundings and the Garda Lake , hosts a big number of tourists each year.

The city provides to their accommodation with a lot of B&Bs, hotels, comfortable hostels and agritourism. Prices have an high average, and it could be difficult to find a cheap room rate during the Spring, especially during national holidays, Christmas time and musical events at the Arena. We suggest you to book in advances during these kind of period. Prices of a three star hotel at the city center start from € 70 but they can be higher in luxury structures and monumental areas

cities of art Venice

10 things to do and see in Venice

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

There are two ways to visit Venice: you can follow the hurried tourists and an established tour chosen by about 20 million people every year, or you can leave this path and try to discover a less touristic Venice. We think that you can do both: you can go to St. Mark’s Square, so often seen in the pictures, or on the Rialto Bridge to admire the Grand Canal and fight with the crowd in order to take a picture. You can, otherwise, forget any stereotype of Venice and find out that there are extraordinary places to visit. So it happens to go to the Accademy Art Galleries, St Rocco Scuola Grande, or the Frari Church and discover magnificent works and fine buildings. Those monuments will tell you the true story of Venice, the one too often overshadowed by a standard tourism. In this page we suggest you 10 things to do in Venice during a weekend or a longer holiday.

If you are looking for a hotel in Venice, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 450 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

St. Mark's square in Venice

St. Mark’s square is the first place that people use to think about Venice. The great square of the Basilica, with the pigeons waiting for some crumbs, it’s perhaps the most famous image of Venice.

Before the arrival of the relics of St. Mark and the construction of the Basilica, this was simply a large vegetable garden, crossed by the Rio Batario, then buried by order of the Doge Vitale Michiel II. St. Mark’s square is the only open space in Venice who has the privilege of being called “square”, while all other areas with this feature are called “fields”. During the years of the Venetian Republic it was the place for exhibitions, tournaments, processions, and the hunt for bulls, while today it is surrounded by very expensive cafés, where you can sit and watch the passage of thrilled tourists from all over the world.

Doge’s Palace in Venice

Venetians take care of this building because it’s the protagonist of important events happened in Venice. Doge’s Palace was exactly where it is now during the period of the Republic, was there with the other dominations and also when Venice became part of Italian state . This palace is a constant presence, always loyal to the city.

It has been subject of many changes, because of a long series of terrible fires. The political importance of this palace, once seat of the Doge of Venice, was underlined by Napoleon too, who wanted this palace to become the centre of his administration in 1797, when he conquered Venice. The historical importance of the Doge’s Palace is testified also from the great sum of money that the newborn Italian republic gave to Venice to remodel this building. In spite of the loss budget of the new unified Italy, it spared no expenses to one of the most important symbols of this city.

The Grand Canal in Venice

Venetians use to call it “canalazzo”, but it’s not derogatory name, it’s just their way to identify the biggest canal of their city. This canal cross the city and it’s 4 kilometers long, dividing the city centre in two parts. The Grand Canal is even older than Venice, it has a S reverse shape and it’s 5 meters deep in some points and in some others can be 70 meters width.

If you want to admire the city from a different point of view you can make a boat tour on the Grand Canal that starts from Santa Lucia Station and arrives to Saint Mark square, offering a wonderful view of the city. During the tour you’ll have the chance to admire buildings that seem to compete in beauty. Observing buildings, the harmony of the constructions and the narrow alleys, that you can see while the ferry boat slowly goes in direction of Saint Mark square, you’ll understand why Venice is one of the most loved cities of the world.

Venice's bridges

It’s not easy to count Venice’s bridge: they’re 354! This city has an important relation with its bridges because people need them to go in different directions linked by bridges. Venetians transformed their necessity into the main feature of their city: Venice is so characteristic thanks to all these “half-moons” (bridges) that you can see on its canals.

The most known bridge it’s the Bridge of Sighs, but only few people knows that this name doesn’t come from the languid sights of the lovers that swear eternal love to each other under this bridge. The bridge takes its name from the sights of the condemned people to death, that were brought to the near prison passing through this bridge, and looking for the last time the city, they sadly sighted. On the Gran Canal you can see the Rialto bridge too.

In 1593, the Rialto Bridge replaced the old bridge made with wooden boats that allowed the passage towards populated Rialto market. Today the bridge, covered by arches, is crowded with tourists and vendors, one of the most famous photographic points of the world.

The newest bridge of Venice, the spectacular Bridge of the Constitution, has been projected and built by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The Bridge, commissioned in 1997, after a long time due to some mistakes in its design, has been opened to the public in 2008 and only after one year he received the definitive technical approbation.

The Accademy Art Galleries

The Accademy Art Galleries hosts the richest collection of Venetian paintings, from the Byzantine and Gothic style to Renaissance artists.

Some names can immediately clarify the quantity and quality of the works housed in a complex that link the church of St. Mary of Charity, the monastery of the Lateran Canons and the Great School of St. Mary of Charity: Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto and Titian, Tiepolo and the great eighteenth-century landscape painters Canaletto, Guardi, Bellotto, Longhi.

There are also works by Mantegna, a Piero della Francesca, Crivelli, Luca Giordano, Memling and others. The museum also hosts one of the highlights of Leonardo da Vinci, the Vitruvian Man, but is very rarely exhibited because the light ink could lose its original color.

Where: Venier dei Leoni Palace , Dorsoduro 701
How to get there: From Piazzale Roma or train station: ferry line 2, direction Lido, the Accademia stop; Boat No. 1, direction Lido, Accademia or Salute stop.
From St. Mark’s Square: waterbus line 2, towards P. Roma, the Accademia stop; Boat No. 1, towards P. Roma, stop or Health Academy.
Hours:
The Museum of the Accademy Art Galleries is open at the following times:
Monday from 8.15 am to 2.00 pm (last entry 1.00 pm )
Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 am to 7.15 pm (last entry at 6.15 pm)
Full closing days: Monday afternoon, January 1st, May 1st, December 25^th
Ticket: Single ticket Galleries + Grimani Building:
Single ticket Full price: € 15.00 (+ € 1.50 reservation fee)
Reduced Single ticket: € 12.00 (+ € 1.50 reservation fee)
U.E. boys 18-25 years old with identification card, teachers without their school group.

Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice

The Peggy Guggenheim collection is the most prestigious Italian collection dedicated to the European and American contemporary art of the first half of 1900. In this Museum you can find the masterpieces of the greatest artists: Pollock, de Chirico, Picasso, Kandinsky, Brancusi and Duchamp.

One of the most interesting collection is the Gianni Mattioli’s, one of the greatest collectors of ‘900, in which you can find the best Italian Futurism art: Sironi, Carrà, Soffici, Rosai, some paintings of Morandi and a beautiful portrait of Amedeo Clemente Modigliani. The Museum is placed in the only incomplete palace of Venice: the Venier House of Lions bought by Peggy Guggenheim to realize the biggest modern art museum of the 50’s. She spent all her life with the only purpose to realize a museum which could enhance the vanguards of all the world. Her passion wasn’t stopped by the second world war. During those years she continued travelling all around Europe, mindless of dangers, looking for the works she wanted in her prestigious collection. The strong personality of Peggy Guggenheim allowed artists to become the most representative of the American Abstract Expressionism.

The Frari Church in Venice

The Church of the Frari is one of the places in Venice that the hurried tourists miss out .

Monumental basilica 102 meters long, has 17 monumental altars and a collection of works worthy of the best museums in the world.

Here are buried Antonio Canova and Tiziano, many doges, generals, the composer Monteverdi and many other Venetian personalities. In the Apse you’ll be astonished by the Assumption by Tiziano, the most important work of the church together with the Pesaro Altarpiece, always by the same painter. But are no less so the works of Bellini (Frari Triptych and Madonna Enthroned), the Deposition of Frangipane. Don’t miss a visit to the beautiful wooden choir. Beyond the works, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari light will amaze you: the arrangement of the works like in a museum, the monumental power gives an overall feeling of grandeur.

Where: Campo ai Frari
How to get there: Line 1, stop San Tomà
Hours: From Mon to Sat 9:00 am to 6:00 pm – Sunday: 1.00-6.00 pm
Closed December 25, January 1, Easter and August 15.
Ticket: € 3

Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice

Tintoretto has put all his skills in the Sala Albergo of the Scuola di San Rocco. And he succeeded, because this cycle of works is considered by all the Sistine Chapel of Venice.

The Scuola Grande di San Rocco was the seat of a brotherhood of rich Venetian people devoted to charitable works and takes its name from the San Rocco body, guarded here.

In 1564 the Brotherhood entrusted Tintoretto the task of decorating the school. In 24 years, the artist and his students realized a cycle of large canvases in the Ground and in the Sala Albergo. The works tell biblical stories and the life of Christ in an exceptional artistic path, which almost stuns for the size and the number of painted works.

Where: Piazza San Marco
How to get there: From the boat station, Line 41, stop San Zaccaria; Line 2, Line 1, stop Vallaresso or San Zaccaria.
Hours: April 1 – November 1, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm ; 2 November to 31 March 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Never: December 25, January 1.
Ticket: full ticket € 13, reduced € 7.50. A single ticket allows entrance to: Doge’s Palace, Correr Museum, National Archaeological Museum, Monumental Halls of Marciana National Library.

Things to eat in Venice

Venice gastronomy has particular tasty dishes. You can begin with the appetizers, the masterpieces of Venetian menu. The “bacari” (the typical taverns) offers to their customers the “cicchetti”, typical Venetian appetizers that must be served with a “ombra de vin” (a little wine). You just have to choose among groceries or fried crab, the “soppressa” (a sort of salami) with polenta or half egg with anchovies.

Among the first courses, the most know dish is “risi e bisi”, also known as rice with peas, that the Doge’s ate in honor of the Saint Patron of the city on 25th April.

In Venice you can also eat seafood: spaghetti with clams or cooked with sepia. In this place another dish really appreciated is the pasta with beans. To conclude your meal you have to choose a second course: inevitable (for people who has a strong stomach…) the liver cooked in the Venetian way, its characteristic is to be cooked with a lot of onion, served with “castrature”, the typical artichokes farmed on the little islands of the Laguna.

Where to sleep in Venice

Every year about 20 million tourists visit Venice. The majority doesn’t stop to sleep but take a flight after a few hours walking around.

Despite this tourism that does not occupy rooms in Venice it can be very difficult to find a place to sleep, especially during the spring and Carnival. Even if you find it, you’ll to spend too much and don’t expect extra luxury rooms.

Local hoteliers know that you are willing to pay a lot and get little in order to visit the lagoon city. A normal 3 star hotel can cost 150 Euros per night, while the more luxurious can get to cost you very much. Hotels and the cheaper B&Bs are located on the mainland in Mestre, which is perfectly connected to Venice, and allows you to reach the main monuments of the lagoon city in just a few minutes. Maybe this is the solution less romantic but certainly more convenient.

cities of art Valencia

10 things to do and see in Valencia

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

10 things to do and see in Umbria — 10 things to do and see in Valencia

Valencia is the third largest city in Spain and one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean sea. Until a few years ago the place was visited only by curious travellers, but, after the America’s Cup, Valencia has become famous around the world, with obvious influences on architecture, the organization of the city, the number of tourists and the cost of hotels. As happened for the Olympics in Barcelona, this event has given new life in Valencia, creating a mix of creativity and energy that contributed to the Valencia explosión. There are several things to do : the Cathedral (it seems that contains the Holy Grail), the City of Science and Arts (a must), the Barrio del Carmen with its student nightlife and a good paella , (the one true paella, you will not find it in any other part of Spain). Read the next page to find out 10 things to do and see during a weekend or a holiday in Valencia.

If you are looking for a hotel in Valencia, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 200 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Cathedral of Valencia

The Baroque Puerta del Los Hierros, the Romanesque Puerta del Palau and the Gothic Puerta de los Apostoles are the three portals of access to the Cathedral of Valencia: a synthesis of the entire architectural history of the city.

Built in the XIII century, the Cathedral is in a place considered ” sacred ‘in which already had risen before a Roman temple and a Muslim mosque after. The visit should start from the Miguelete, the tower dominating the cathedral and offering a panoramic view of the historic center. But what attracts tourists is the Holy Grail: the chalice that Jesus is said to have used at the Last Supper and kept inside the Cathedral.

Where: Plaça de l’Almoina
Hot to get there: The nearest metro stop is Colón.
When – Hours: From 20 March to 31 October: from Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am to 6.30 pm ; Sundays and holidays from 2.00 to 6.30 pm . From November 1 to March 19: Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am to 5.30 pm ; Sunday and holidays the Cathedral is closed from 2.00 to 5.00 pm
Tickets: 3 Euros with the access to the Cathedral, the Chapel of the Holy Grail and the Miguelete tower

The City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia

The project of this huge complex, example of modern architecture, was made by the architect Santiago Calatrava.

The City of Arts and Sciences encloses five spectacular sights inside: the Oceanogràfic, the Umbracle, the Palace of Arts, the Science Museum and the Hemisfèric. There’s a predominance of white and every element of the City of Sciences is built in a different style creating, however, a perfect harmony of the complex. It will be impossible to visit all of the complex in a single day, but it deserves the chance to spend a few more days.

Where: Av. del Professor López Piñero
How to get there: Metro lines 3 and 5, Alameda stop; or by bus No. 19, 35, 40 and 95.
Hours: Every day from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm. From 1 July to 15 December until 9.00 pm. 24, 25 and 31 December, the time is reduced to half a day.
Tickets: The cost of one ticket for all the attractions is 30,60 €

The Barrio del Carmen in Valencia

The Barrio del Carmen, during its long history, has had various roles: from refuge to barracks to a place of prostitution to medieval center of the aristocracy until being working-class neighbourhood in 1900.

Today it’s one of the most crowded places in the city, both day and night. During the morning is the shopping place, with different shops and ateliers of the famous brands, while during the night it’s the favourite place by the young people who come to relax after a day of work or study.

The Lonja de la Seda in Valencia

The Lonja de la Seda (Silk Market) was founded as the golden age emblem of Valencia and has been the center of commercial and cultural activities during the early sixteenth XVI century.

In 1996 it was declared World Heritage by UNESCO as one of the finest and best preserved examples of late Gothic architecture in Europe. This construction can intimidate everybody because it’s a huge structure, but can also seduce with the elegance of its ornaments. Today the Lonja houses the Cultural Accademy of Valencia.

Where: Carrer de la Llotja
How to get there: The nearest metro stop Àngel Guimerà
When – Hours: Winter time – Tuesday to Saturday from 9:15 am to 2:00 pm and from 4:30 to 8:00 pm – Summer time – Tuesday to Saturday from 9:15 am to 2:00 pm and from 5:30 to 9:00 pm . Sunday (all year) from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm – Never on Monday.
Tickets: Full ticket € 2, reduced € 1

The Central Market of Valencia

In front of the magnificent building of the Lonja there is a structure made of steel with stained-glass windows and hand-painted ceramics on the façade: it’s the Central Market, with its 959 stalls of fresh products

A mix of colors, smells and flavors in a modern jewel. The market is divided into two parts: on one side there are fruit and vegetables from the Valencian huerta (agricultural land area in the south of Valencia); on the other side there are meats, for example the Salamanca ham, and fish, with benches that offer real ‘cascades’ of shellfish: a pleasure not only for the palate.

Where: Plaza Ciudad de Brujas
How to get there: The nearest metro stop Àngel Guimerà
When – Hours: Monday to Thursday from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm; on Fridays from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm, on Saturdays from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
Never on Sunday.

The Turia Gardens in Valencia

Valencia is an example of a city built on the banks of a river. The Turia river, on the one hand, favoured the urban development, on the other hand, it was the cause of many overflowing

After the last flood in 1957, the authorities decided to redirect the river’s flow, and where at the first there was his bed, now there are the Turia Gardens: an oasis of green and peace in the city centre. Among pine trees, oleanders and palms you can spend your free time here, taking a walk along the paths or enjoying one of the sports facilities of the Gardens. The main attraction of the park is a monumental sculpture of Gulliver, 70 meters long, inspired the character of Jonathan Swift. Ramps, slides and stairs allow to “Lilliputians” (ie you), to walk on the giant’s body.

Where: Avenida Manuel de Falla
How to get there by subway: Túria stop

The Bioparc in Valencia

The Biopark in Valencia is much more than a traditional zoo. It’s an innovative project in which the animal live in open spaces and the species are not separated, just like in nature.

The park is divided into three big areas: the African Savannah, the equatorial forests of Africa and Madagascar and the African wetlands. You can walk in these areas, observing animals in the wild but safely. Lions, leopards, giraffes, gorillas, rhinos, hippos, elephants, lemurs and many other animals are guests of the park which will add soon other animals of Asia and South America.

Where: Avenida Pío Baroja, 3
How to get there:
By Bus: lines 7, 17, 29, 61, 81, 95.
By Metro: lines 3 and 5, stop Nou d’Octubre
When – Hours:
The Bioparc is open 365 days a year and timetable depends on the sunlight at any time of year. The ticket office will be open from 9:30 am until one hour before the closing time of the Bioparc.
January and February:
– Daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm , except on January 1 in which the opening hours will be from 11.00 am to 6.00 pm.
March:
– From Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
– Weekends and Friday , from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
April, May and June:
– Every day from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm
July and August:
– Every day from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm
September:
– Every day from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
October:
– From Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, except on 11 and 12, where the opening hours will be from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
– Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, except on 30 and 31, where the opening hours will be from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
November and December:
– Daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, except on 24 and 31 December, in which the opening hours will be from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm , and on December 25, when it will be from 11.00 am to 6.00 pm
Tickets: Adults € 23,80; Children and youngs € 18

The Harbor, the beaches and the Reserve in Valencia

After some decades during which the port and industrial activities had created disasters, Valencia has recovered the sea and beaches. The port area, now called Marina Real Juan Carlos I, has been redeveloped.

From the building “Veles e Vents” you can admire a beautiful view of the sea and enjoy the sun in total relax. From here you can start a nice walk on the seafront arriving to the beaches Les Arenas and Malvarrosa with clear water awarded by the European Blue Flag. If you love nature, in a short distance there is the Albufera reserve, the largest lake in Spain. You can get there with the line 25 of the city bus, in less than an hour and for only € 1.50 per trip. There is also the Albufera Bus Turistic which allows you to explore the park in great detail, including a boat trip.

Things to eat in Valencia

The paella is a typical dish of Valencia, and it’s better in street kiosks, like the one outside the Central Market.

The Valencian paella is made with chicken or rabbit, not seafood, although it’s easy to find the version with seafood and shellfish. The Valencian cuisine is typically Mediterranean, and abound with fish. If you move inland, you can also enjoy excellent meats, while the Valencian huerta offers an abundance of fruit and vegetables. Almonds and honey are the base of the most typical dessert: nougat. A typical drink that you can find anywhere, especially in summer, is the horchata de chufo. Do not be fooled by the name: it is not the barley water we use to drink in Italy, but the powdery juice of a river tuber.

Where to sleep in Valencia

From America’s Cup in 2007, the city is equipped to accommodate a large amount of tourists. You can choose among hotels, camping, hostels and apartments.

You just need to choose according to the budget that you have: from the ultra-luxury facilities to more modest hostels, there is something for all prices. The tourism in Valencia has increased during last years so you should book in time to get good accommodations at a great price. The cost of a 3 star hotel start from 50 EUR per night, in the historic downtown area. You can find luxury hotel for less than 70 Euros, especially in the port area and neighbourhoods outside the center.

cities of art Urbino

10 things to do and see in Urbino

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

The National Gallery of the Marche preserves a painting that is the symbol of Italian art: it’s the “Ideal City” attributed, according to the critics, to Piero della Francesca, Leon Battista Alberti, Luciano Laurana, Francesco di Giorgio Martini and other artists. If you want to know what is Urbino for the Italian and world art, you have to admire that painting. It embodies the dream of Federico da Montefeltro, shared by the artists around him, to build the ideal city of the Renaissance. Wandering through the narrow streets, palaces and squares, you can realize that the Duke is not gone so far from his goal. The historic center of Urbino, in fact, is also included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In a few hundred square meters there’s a heritage that marked the art and architecture of Europe for many decades. On this page we suggest you 10 things to do and see in Urbino.

If you are looking for a hotel in Urbino, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 20 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Palazzo Ducale in Urbino

Palazzo Ducale is not just a “palace”: it is a small fortified city built by Federico da Montefeltro starting from 1444.

Federico was a cultured and refined man and he wanted the Ducal Palace in Urbino to be more beautiful than other princely residences of Italy. It was not just a way to show his power: he wanted to transform Urbino in the “ideal city” and the palace was supposed to be its highest expression.

Moreover he loved the artists and wanted a place to house them and let them work . Several architects were engaged for more than 30 years to build that place. Maso di Bartolomeo (Palace of the Jole, apartment of Melaranci and part of the yard), Luciano Laurana (arcaded courtyard, the staircase of honor, the Library, the Hall of Angels, the Audience Hall, the Soprallogge , the sacred area with the small study) and Francesco di Giorgio Martini who completed the pending work. The two finest examples of this work are the “Façade of the turrets”, perhaps the most photographed point of Urbino and “The small office” rightly defined a ‘treasure chest of beauty, refinement, of perspective … “. Today the Palazzo Ducale houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche with works by Raffaello, Tiziano and Piero della Francesca.

Where: down town centre
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours:
Friday: 8:30 am to 2:00 pm (ticket office closes at 12:30 pm)
Tuesday to Sunday: 8:30 am to 7:15 pm (ticket office closes at 6:00 pm)
Never: Christmas, New Year.

National Gallery of Marche in Urbino

About 80 rooms of Palazzo Ducale are used as museum and house the works of the National Gallery of Marche.

The collection contains works from 1300 to 1600, mostly paintings but also furniture, sculptures, tapestries and drawings. The main works are located on the first floor, divided among the apartments where the Duke and his family lived. In the apartment of the Duke there are two masterpieces by Piero della Francesca: The Flagellation of Christ and the Madonna of Senigallia.

There also several boardrooms where are exhibited the “Ideal City”, the Communion of the Apostles of Justus of Gand and the Host desecration by Paolo Uccello. There is also a work by Raffaello (Portrait of a Gentlewoman) next to the Resurrection and the Last Supper by Tiziano. On the second floor there are works of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries of Barocci, Gentileschi, Guerrieri.

Where: Palazzo Ducale, city centre of Urbino
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours:
Friday: 8:30 am to 2:00 pm (ticket office closes at 12:30 pm)
Tuesday to Sunday: 8:30 am to 7:15 pm (ticket office closes at 6:00 pm)
Never: Christmas, New Year.

Raffaelo’ House in Urbino

Raffaelo’s house has only a few original works of the great painter from Urbino, almost all of them were painted when he was young, but they worth a visit because the history started there. Located in the artisan district, in this house Raffaello Sanzio was born March 28, 1483 and spent his childhood being formed in the workshop of his father, an artist at the court of Federico da Montefeltro.

After ups and downs, in 1873 the house was purchased by the Academy Raffaello and since then it houses works related to the life of Raffaelo and his time. On the ground floor there is the shop of his father Giovanni Santi, used today for temporary exhibitions. On the first floor there are copies of paintings by Raffaello and tributes to other artists to the great painter from Urbino. In the Bedroom of Raffaello there is a fresco depicting a “Madonna and Child” considered an early work made together with his father. On the first floor there is also a small courtyard with the well and the basin where the colors were grinded for the works.

Where: Via Raffaello Sanzio 57
How to get there: by feet in the old town centre
When – Hours:
During summer (March to October): 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 to 7:00 pm , Sunday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
During winter (November to February): 9:00 am to 2:00 pm , Sunday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Holidays 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. after phone verification at 0722/320105
Never: New Year and Christmas.

Oratorio San Giovanni in Urbino

Don’t be fooled by the banal gothic façade of the early 1900. The Oratory’s masterpiece is well hidden beyond the front door and is painted on the walls: it’s the cycle of frescoes of brothers Lorenzo and Jacopo Salimbeni from San Severino (1400 approximately), the most important interpreters of the late Gothic style in Marche region.

It immediately struck by the “Crucifixion” that covers the entire wall of the apse: the eyes go to the three crosses following the classic iconography rules. Jesus at the center and the two thieves to the side, but little by little you look at the details, you realize how much humanity turns around the Passion of Christ. Despair and indifference, enliven the scene, carrying the religious reality to the earthly one. The oratory takes its name from the frescoes on the right wall in the two orders, down and up, illustrating the life of St. John the Baptist. On the left wall is painted a Madonna of Humility.

Where: Via Federico Barocci
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: 10 am – 12.30 pm and 3-5.30 pm Monday to Saturday, 10 am -12.30 pm Sunday, Sunday afternoon on request.
Never: Christmas and New Year
Tickets: € 2,50

The Cathedral of Urbino

The Cathedral of Urbino is the most important church in the city but certainly not the most beautiful one. The story was not generous with churches that have been built in this place: the first construction dates back to 1021, replaced by a new church built by Francesco di Giorgi Martini, the architect of Federico da Montefeltro, who worked for many years also at the Doge’s Palace.

After the earthquake of January 12, the Roman architect Giuseppe Valadier built the current cathedral in neoclassic style. Inside there are two beautiful paintings by Federico Barocci: The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian and the Last Supper. The most interesting part of the cathedral are the caves that over the centuries have hosted a Brotherhood. During World War II, to protect some works from the bombs and the Germans, the caves hosted the works of the Treasury of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. In the caves there are several chapels and of Forgiveness Corridor: according to an ancient tradition of Urbino you could have forgiveness from sins walking in this corridor during the Easter Monday.

Where: old town centre
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours:
Weekdays and holidays: 7:30 am to 1:00 pm / 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Never: Christmas and New Year
Grotte del Duomo
When: Saturday and Sunday 9:30 am to 1:00 pm 2:30 to 6:30 pm
Tickets: Museum + Grotte del Duomo € 3,50

Church of San Bernardino in Urbino

Two kilometers from the historic center, in the countryside, there is the Church of San Bernardino. The church, also known as the Mausoleo dei Duchi (mausoleum), was built by Federico da Montefeltro to house his remains after death.

Historians believe that the construction is the result of a collaboration between Francesco di Giorgio Martini, the architect of Federico da Montefeltro and the Bramante expressed by the simple style of the interior. Today the church doesn’t have any works but for many centuries the altar was embellished by the extraordinary ” Votive Altarpiece”, painted by Piero della Francesca between 1472 and 1474. The altarpiece is now known as “Pala di Brera” because it has been preserved since 1811 at the Milan Gallery

Where: 2 km far from the city centre
How to get there: by car in the direction of “Cesane sul colle” of San Donato.
When – Hours: weekdays and holidays 8 am – 6 pm
Tickets: free entrance

Helical ramps and Teatro Raffaello in Urbino

Urbino is a vertical city with narrow streets. In 1400 it was therefore the ideal place for those who wished to organize an ambush to the power people. The danger was clear to Federico da Montefeltro who commissioned, at the foot of the Palazzo Ducale Torricini, a bastion and inside some helical ramps.

Thanks to this masterpiece of engineering, the Duke could get to the ducal stables directly from the Palace. In order not to miss anything, at the bastion were added some guns that allowed to check the area under the Mercatale. In 1800 at the bastion was superimposed the Theatre Raffaello Sanzio, a choice that provoked controversy because it was considered a foreign element. Restructured in the 70s, nowdays the ramps are a slow and hard way to reach the old town

Urbino surroundings: Gradara

People who didn’t study the Divine Comedy at school won’t remember the name of Gradara. In the castle of this medieval village happened the story of Paolo and Francesca told by Dante. “Love, that exempts no one beloved from loving, he took delight in him so strong, that, as you see, it does not leave me.” He was Paolo Malatesta and she was Francesca da Polenta.

These two lovers were killed for Gianciotto Malatesta. Dante necessarily places them in the group of lustful, with a kind of compassion and understanding for her that tells the unfortunate story. Beyond the legend of the two lovers, maybe true maybe not, Gradara worth a visit because it’s a perfectly preserved village, almost unreal in its perfection and tranquillity, even though today is a bit too crowded especially in spring and summer.

Where: 32 km far from Urbino
How to get there: by car from Urbino: About 32 km towards Gabicce Mare

Things to eat in Urbino

Along with Ascoli, Urbino is the most important tourist destination of the Marche and one of the most visited cities of art in Italy.

Unfortunately it doesn’t have a very large capacity, especially in the historic center: there are fewer than 20 hotels, and some more rooms are just a few kilometers from the center. During high season (spring and autumn) can become difficult to find a cheap room. So we suggest you to book a bit in advance. As for prices, a room in a 3-star hotel in the old town starts from 50 euro per night.

Where to sleep in Urbino

The products of the earth are the undisputed protagonists of the cuisine of Urbino. Halfway between the sea and the Apennines, with Tuscany and Emilia a few steps, no wonder that you often find mushrooms and truffles.

Seasonings are good for local fresh pasta like passatelli and perfect complement for game dishes. A typical product of Urbino is the Crescia, a kind of flat bread that goes with Salame di Montefeltro, the Prosciutto di Carpegna, the pecorino cheese and, above all, with Casciotta, a pecorino D.O.P. of ancient origins also loved by Michelangelo. Among the second triumph beef, especially the Marchigiana, the local breed that provides outstanding steaks.

itineraries Umbria

10 things to do and see in Umbria

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Umbria is a historic and cultural melting-pot. It’s one of the smallest regions of Italy and keeps clear traces of its past. The Umbria of “saints”, of “warriors” and of “green”: all these words describe this place, but it’s not enough. Perugia and all other cities and towns of Umbria can offer to visitors an artistic and cultural patrimony, and ancient landscapes. This is a region where the traditions, the fairs and the celebrations have a very important meaning: they preserve diversity, local costumes and traditions that the globalisation try to pull down. We suggest you 10 towns to visit in Umbria to discover art and culture of this little but big region

If you are looking for a hotel in the Umbria, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 720 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Perugia in Umbria

Perugia is a little jewel that visitors discover slowly. This town has artistic and monumental treasures of a rich past.

It looks like a small fortified medieval village, but Perugia has a very busy city life. There is one of oldest University of the Studies of Italy (founded in 1308), as well as the biggest University for foreigners in Italy.

So it’s not a city full of tourists during the day and empty at night. There are a lot of monuments to visit: from the National Gallery to the Etruscan Well (Pozzo Etrusco), the Oratory of San Bernardino to Corso Vannucci. The remain is a surprise you’ll discover by yourself.

Assisi in Umbria

Assisi is one of the most visited cities of Umbria. Here were born two important Saints of Italian history: Saint Francis (San Francesco) and Saint Clare (Santa Chiara). That’s why this is one of the main destination of pilgrims every year. The modern city was built without damaging the structure of the old one: some little streets connect the squares which are disposed on different levels of the city .

The St. Francis’ Basilica and Saint Clare’s church deserve a visit, but you should also visit: The Minerva ‘s Temple, or the Palace “Capitano del popolo” and the huge “Rocca Maggiore”, that is just outside the old walls of the city. We suggest you to visit also Regional Park of the Mount Subasio, you’ll enjoy a beautiful landscape and the wonderful natural heritage of this region.

Gubbio in Umbria

Gubbio was built on calcareous stones, that’s why it is called “grey city”. It’s the most ancient centre of the region and both the buildings and the streets have their medieval appearances. Gubbio has a uniform and sublime panorama. As for Assisi, Gubbio’s history is linked to St. Francis: the legend tells that in this city the Saint met a ferocious wolf which took shelter in St. Francis church.

Piazza Grande (“The Big Square”) is the centre of this town, you can begin from here your tour of Gubbio. The principal monuments are Palazzo dei Consoli , Palazzo del Capitolo, the Cathedral and the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi… they will tell you the history and the legends of Gubbio.

Todi in Umbria

Todi is an elegant medieval town, one of the most charming cities in Umbria. It rises, austere and melancholic, on the top of a hill overlooking the Tiber valley. Walking through the streets of Todi you’ll breathe an atmosphere of past.

In Piazza del Popolo, which was the ancient seat of the Roman forum, you could visit the Cathedral, the Palazzo dei Priori, the Palazzo del Capitano and Palazzo del Popolo. They’re all symbols of the powerful past of this town. In this square you could alternate cultural visits to lovely pauses in the beautiful cafés or give a look to the typical workshops to buy the beautiful hand-made cloths. And don’t forget to taste the wine, Todi has a glorious wine tradition. Outside the city walls, at the bottom, there is the Temple of Our Lady of Consolation (Santa Maria della Consolazione). It’s famous all around the world and considered one of the symbolic buildings of the Italian Renaissance.

Orvieto in Umbria

Spoleto is a medieval small village but has Roman origin . The Roman theatre, Druso’s Arch and the pre-Christian Basilica of San Salvatore have the most ancient origins.

The main monument of this city is the fortress built by the cardinal Albornoz during the second half of 1300. The Eroli’s Chapel and the Relic’s Chapel are two attractions that you should not miss: in the first one you could admire the beautiful frescoes made by the Pinturicchio, while the latter keeps a beautiful statue of the Virgin with child of the XIV century.

In the centre of the city there’s the majestic Cathedral and near it the Palazzo Arroni and the church of Santa Maria della Manna d’Oro. Spoleto is also the city of an important cultural festival: the “Festival dei due mondi”: a show made of movies, theatre, art, music and ballet.

Spello in Umbria

Spello is located on a rocky spur of the Mount Subasio. The pink stone of the Mount Subasio gives to the town a wonderful colour. As for Spoleto, Spello keeps the marks of its Roman origins, but its medieval structure is still visible too.

The remains of the Amphitheatre and of the Theatre are visible inside the ancient walls of the town. The Porta Consolare and the Porta Urbica are in a perfect state of preservation. Walking through the little streets of the centre you can also admire the ancient buildings and the castles, even if they have been modified during the centuries. Spello is an important town of the past, but it’s known also for its “infiorata”: a festival that takes place every year, during the religious festivity of Corpus Domini. In those days the artists crowd the streets of Spello showing their works made with flowers’ petal and inspired by religious events.

Terni, Marmore waterfall in Umbria

Terni is placed in a big valley, where the river Serra and the river Nera meet. It’s a city opened to the future but it doesn’t forget its glorious past. You can find ancient monuments such as San Salvatore church and the Romanesque Cathedral and you can see also the futuristic tower that rise over the Palazzo Comunale Vecchio.

You can’t miss the Marmore Waterfall: few kilometres from Terni you could see one of the most spectacular sights of this area. The Marmore Waterfall , which is an artificial waterfall created by the Romans, was made to drain the river Velino. Its total height is 165 meters and you’ll love the foaming waters and their games of light

Clitunno Springs in Umbria

These springs are the main attraction of the landscape in Umbria. They are underneath springs that run from Spoleto to Foligno for 60 km ending into a tributary of the Tiber.

Their aspect is very suggestive thanks to the nature that reflects into the river. This place has been inspiration for many writers and artists. In the past people believed that in these waters the god Clitunno lived.

Nowadays you can find also a temple with ancient frescoes . The emperor Caligula used to come here for oracle’s prophecies, and it seems that ancient religious rites took place here.

Spoleto in Umbria

Spoleto is a medieval small village but has Roman origin . The Roman theatre, Druso’s Arch and the pre-Christian Basilica of San Salvatore have the most ancient origins. The main monument of this city is the fortress built by the cardinal Albornoz during the second half of 1300.

The Eroli’s Chapel and the Relic’s Chapel are two attractions that you should not miss: in the first one you could admire the beautiful frescoes made by the Pinturicchio, while the latter keeps a beautiful statue of the Virgin with child of the XIV century.

Norcia in Umbria

Norcia is famous for two main reasons: San Benedetto and the gastronomy. San Benedetto was the first monk of the Christianity, he founded the Benedictine ordination; the Basilica, dedicated to him, is dated back to XIV century, but it has been restored many times. The gastronomy has the typical flavours of the mountains products, this is another good reason to visit the city.

Food makes Norcia famous in all the world: truffle, spelt, lentils and cheeses. In a word: this jewel offers to its visitor the chance to enjoy beautiful historical visits with tasty gastronomic experiences. Inside the ancient walls of this city you can also visit the Cathedral, the Castellina and the Civic Museum.

If you are looking for a hotel in the Umbria, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 720 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

cities of art Turin

10 things to do and see in Turin

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Turin is the many aspects city. Ancient capital of Savoy, the cradle of Renaissance, industrial capital, city of art and culture, innovation pole. It offers to visitors a perfect combination of architectural and monumental jewels, museums (over 40), art galleries, entertainment, good food, international events such as the “Salone del Libro” – the Book Fair, the “Salone del Gusto” – the Taste fair and the Torino Film Festival. The Mole Antonelliana, the Egyptian Museum, the royal residences, the Holy Shroud, the gianduiotti are just some of the treasures of the city on the banks of the Po. A trip destination for those who want to know the glories of its splendid past, discovering his masterpieces, participating in its vibrant cultural life of art exhibitions and festival, without forgetting the pleasure to wander among its markets or historical cafés.

If you are looking for a hotel in Turin, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Mole Antonelliana in Turin

Symbol of the city of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana’s construction begun in 1863 and was designed by Alessandro Antonelli to be a synagogue. In 1878 it was sold to the city who wanted to make a monument dedicated to the king of Italy Vittorio Emanuele II.

This unique building, 167 meters high, has a square base surmounted by the famous dome and spire. It was inaugurated in 1889 with the statue on the spire of the winged genius. In 1905 a five-pointed star replaced the statue of the winged genius that a lightning destroyed the year before. You can reach the “Tempietto” – little temple (85 m. high) through a lift made of glass inside the Mole. From the tempietto you can admire a truly amazing view of Turin. The Antonelli’s building is currently home of the National Museum of Cinema, the only one of its kind in Italy. Museum collections offer to visitors a journey through the history of cinema through a path on five levels: the Archaeology of Cinema, the Film Machine, the collection of posters, the video installations and the great Temple Hall surrounded by 13 chapels that tell about some great themes of the seventh art (Fantastic and Horror, Animated Film, Fiction, Love and Death, Western, etc …).

Where: Via Montebello
How to get there:
Bus: n. 13, 15, 55, 56, 61 (Via Po stop)
n. 16 (Corso San Maurizio stop)
n. 68 (Via Rossini stop)
When – Hours: Tuesday – Friday and Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm – Saturday 9 am to 11 pm
Lift: Tuesday – Friday and Sunday 10 am to 8 pm – Saturday 10 am to 11 pm
Never: Monday
Tickets:
Museum: full price € 9.00; reduced € 7.00; Youth (6 to 18 years) € 2.50; free for children up to 5 years, disable people and Torino + Piemonte Card.
Panoramic lift: full € 6.00; reduced € 4,00; free for children up to 5 years, disable people and Torino + Piemonte Card + Lift Museum: full € 12.00; reduced € 9.00; Youth (6 to 18 years) € 5.00; free for children up to 5 years, disable peple and Torino + Piemonte Card.

Piazza Castello in Turin

The square is the real fulcrum of Turin: this has always been the central point this city, from the Roman age to Renaissance. Piazza Castello, as it appears today, was designed by Ascanio Vitozzi in 1584 thanks to the Duke Carlo Emanuele I.

The square, surrounded on three sides by elegant arcades built in different periods, is the setting for important historic town buildings: the austere Royal Palace, residence of the King of Sardinia until 1659, and then of Vittorio Emanuele II King of Italy, until to 1865; the Teatro Regio; the Palace of the Regional Council; the Government’s Palace (now the office of the Prefecture); the Secretariats; the Armory and the Royal Library, containing the famous red chalk Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. The heart of the square is the imposing Palazzo Madama, the ancient castle from which it takes its name, surrounded by three monuments: the sculpture dedicated to the Flag – Beare, monument to the Sardinian Army, an equestrian monument that celebrates the Knights of Italy and the statue of Emanuele Filiberto Duke of Savoy. Piazza Castello is also the meeting point of the four major streets of Turin: Via Roma, Via Pietro Micca, Via Po and Via Garibaldi, one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe.

Palazzo Madama and the Museum of Ancient Art in Turin

The Civic Museum of Ancient Art is settled in Palazzo Madama, but this beautiful building has been a fortress castle. It has been also the residence of two “Madame Reali” – Royal Madams – Maria Cristina of France and Giovanna of Savoy-Nemours, under whose reign the building was enlarged and embellished. In particular, in 1718 Filippo Juvarra, architect of the Savoy house, designed and built the great western façade and the imposing staircase, undisputed masterpiece of the Baroque.

The thousands objects, preserved in the beautiful setting of the palace show ten centuries of the history of Italian and European artistic production (from the Middle Ages to the Baroque). The visit is organized on four levels: in the underground floor there is the Medieval Lapidary with stone sculptures and jewelery (XII-XIII century); The ground floor houses Gothic sculptures, paintings and precious objects (XIII-XVI century); the first floor is devoted to the arts of the XVII and XVIII century with paintings, furnishings and decor of the rooms; the second floor, dedicated to decorative arts from all periods, contains ceramics, ivories, textiles, glass. Among the masterpieces of the Museum don’t miss the “Portrait of a Man” by Antonello da Messina, kept in the Tower of Treasures and the Heures de Turin-Milan, the only code in the world illuminated by the Flemish artist Jan van Eyck.

Where: Piazza Castello
How to get here: Bus: 11, 12, 51, 55, 56, 61, 68. Tram: 4, 13, 15, 18
When – Hours: from Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 10 am to 7 pm. Never: Monday
Tickets: 10 €, reduced ticket 8 €. Free of charge or people under 18 and disable people. The entrance is free every first Tuesday of every month.

Saint John’s Cathedral and The Chapel of the Holy Shroud in Turin

The Cathedral of Turin is dedicated to the Saint Patron of the city: St John. It was built between the 1491 and 1498 thanks to Cardinal della Rovere. It has a Renaissance style façade with white marble on which there are three portals decorated with reliefs, and a bell tower in red brick with Juvarra crowning element. Inside there’s a latin cross base and three naves with Gothic elements.

In XVII century the Cathedral was enlarged and it was added a chapel in which keeping the Holy Shroud, Baroque masterpiece made by Guarino Guarini. The Chapel hosted for long time the famous relic: the holy shroud should be the linen cloth with which the body of Jesus Christ was covered after the crucifixion and on which is bared the image of the Christ, but 1997 due to a fire it has been seriously damaged. The Holy Shroud is currently exposed in a lying position inside a watertight shrine, in the absence of air and in the presence of an inert gas. During expositions the Shroud is shown in another shrine.

Where: Via XX Settembre
When – Hours: Chapel all days of the week from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm
Tickets: Free of charge

Castle and Park of Valentino in Turin

Close to the city center there is the beautiful river park of Valentino redesigned in ‘800 from French landscape architect Barrillet-Dechamps. The origin of the name is uncertain (for someone can be traced back to the saint of lovers whose remains are preserved in a church not far away from the park), but the park is well known by jogging and cycling lovers

In the heart of the city park stands the magnificent Castello del Valentino, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other Piedmontese Savoy residences. With Maria Cristina of France, the Royal Lady who made it her favorite residence, the palace had its best time. Used for different purposes in the following centuries, today the castle is the headquarter of the Polytechnic Architecture Faculty. Other buildings too are inside the park. One of the most unique is definitely the medieval village, which is a reproduction of a village of ‘400 with fortified houses, shops, streets, drawbridge and Rocca (ie the castle of Borgo). It was built for the International Italian Exhibition of 1884 in Turin as the Hall of Ancient Art and at the end of the event, the complex was kept as a pleasant and attractive place for recreation.

Where: Corso Massimo D’Azeglio
How to get there: Bus: 9 – 16 – 42 – 45 – 45.
When – Hours:
Castle: Saturday from 9:30 to 12 am
Borgo: Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm (from November to March); from 9 am to 8 pm (from April to October).
Rocca: Tuesday to Sunday 10 am – 5.15 pm (last entry), closed Mondays
Tickets
Castle: Free admission. Reservations required.
Borgo: Free admission.
Rocca: full admission € 6, reduced € 5.

Egyptian Museum in Turin

This museum, dedicated exclusively to the art and culture of ancient Egypt, is in Turin since two centuries. The foundation of the Museum is dated back in 1826, year in which Carlo Felice, King of Sardinia, bought the collection of a French consul in Egypt: Bernardino Drovetti.

The collection, successively enriched by purchases and excavations, nowadays is made by more than 30,000 pieces, including statues of pharaohs, sarcophagi, funerary steles, jewelry, everyday objects (there are “only” 6,500 exposed ). This make the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Turin one of the richest Egyptian museums in the world. Among archaeological finds there are : the Statue of Ramesse II and the intact tombs of Kha and Merit, the Mensa Isiaca, the rock temple of Thutmosi III transported from Elessiya, 200 km at the south of Assuan, and here composed to save it from the artificial lake Nasser after the construction of Assuan’s dike

Where: Via Accademia delle Scienze
How to get there: By train: Porta Nuova station; Porta Susa station ( + bus 55,56 or tram 13 up to Piazza Castello) ; by bus: n. 13, 55, 56, 72. Metro Porta Nuova stop
When – Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 8.30 am – 7.30 pm (last entry 6.30 am) closed Monday and 25^th December
Tickets: 7,50 €, reduce ticket 3,50 , free for under 18, disable people, and Piedmont + Turin card possessor

The Venaria Reale in Turin

Carlo Emanuele II wanted the construction of the Venaria Reale as a hunting and pleasure lodge, and it’s one of the magnificent ducal residences in Piedmont. It was built to create a “Crown of Delights” around the capital to testify the power of the Savoy. Built between 1659 and 1679 on a design of Castellamonte, the imposing complex of the Reggia di Venaria developped along a 2 km axis that linked the village, the Royal Palace with the beautiful Hall of Diana and the Gardens.

After the destructions of some parts operated by the French in 1693, it was started a renovation and extension project by Garove. After him, Juvarra, built the decorated big gallery (known as Diana), the solemn chapel dedicated to Saint Uberto (the saint of hunters), and the building called “Big Stable or ” Citroniera “, magnificent examples of Baroque architecture.

The works of the Royal Palace were completed in the late XVIII century by Alfieri. In 800 it began the long period of decline of the palace (transformed into military barracks) completely ruined a century later. Fortunately a European restoration project has restored the splendor of that place of delight as it was in the past. Since its opening to the public in 2007, the Venaria Reale was declare UNESCO World Heritage Site and nowadays is among the top five most visited cultural sites in Italy.

Where: Repubblica square 4, Venaria Reale (TO), 10 km far from Turin’s centre
How to get there:
Auto: Turin ring road North, exit Venaria or Savonera / Reale;
Dedicated shuttle bus: GTT Venaria Express, GTT Bus: lines 72, 11;
Train: line Torino Dora-Ceres (Venaria stop, Viale Roma).
When Hours:
Tuesday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9 am to 8 pm. Closed Mondays (except public holidays, Christmas, who have the same opening times as Sunday), 24 and 25 December. The Palace is open (at the same times on Sunday) in the holidays: New Year (from 11 am ), Epiphany, Easter and Easter Monday, Liberation Day, Labor Day, Republic Day, Assumption, All Saints, and the Feast Saint Stephen
Tickets: € 20

GAM Museum of Turin

Considered one of the main European capitals of contemporary art, Turin was the first Italian city to promote a public collection of modern art. Founded in 1863, the Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art (GAM) has a collection of over 45,000 works including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, drawings and engravings from the XVIII century to the present, as well as one of the most important European collections of movie and video artist.

The rich museum collection documents especially the Italian art, especially from Piedmont, but there are spaces dedicated to international historical avant-garde and foreign art. The collection includes works by great masters such as Fontanesi, Balla, Boccioni, De Chirico, Ernst, Klee. Since 2009 the works are exhibited according to four thematic paths which change over time to allow the visitor to discover continually the collections. Within the GAM are also present, a video library, the Wunderkammer (chamber of wonders), a comfortable space where you can admire the works that from time to time are displayed and the Underground Project, exhibition area in the basement to study the contemporary art in relation to the culture of the past century.

Where: Via Magenta
How to get there: Subway line 1: Vinzaglio stops and King Umberto; Bus: 5 /, 14, 14 /, 33, 33 /, 52, 64, 68; Tram: 9, 15.
When – Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 18.
Never: Monday
Tickets: Adults € 10; reduced € 8.

Things to eat in Turin

Gourmets don’t have to be worried once in Turin. Here the cuisine is full of dishes and flavors. Excellent products, specialties, succulent preparations make Turin the heart of Piedmont cuisine. From the starters (salami, veal with tuna sauce, vegetables with the famous breadsticks), continuing with the first courses: agnolotti (stuffed pasta with meat) served with braised cooking sauce or butter and sage, and tajarin, fresh pasta long, thin, topped with white truffle sauce or meat offal.

Second courses: meat (boiled, braised in Barolo accompanied by various sauces), cheese (robiole, tome) and the famous bagna caôda, the oil-based sauce, garlic and anchovies in which you dip raw or cooked vegetables . Great desserts made with chocolate as the bonèt, hazelnut cakes and Gianduja chocolate. All with great red wines (Barolo, Dolcetto, Barbera just to name a few), white wine(Arneis, Moscato) and sweet and dry sparkling wines. And finally liqueurs and digestives: Vermouth (wine mixed with herbs and spices) and grappa made by many grapes, especially that of Barolo.

Where to sleep in Turin

Turin will never leave you without a place to sleep because it’s full of accommodation facilities: hotels, B&Bs and hostels. The elegant and refined hotels or the prestigious historical houses, where you can transform your holiday in an unforgettable experience. The recent openings of great chains in Turin, as Holiday Inn and Best Western enriched the choice and the variety of solutions. The proposals go from luxury hotels with 5 stars to lower categories with two or three stars, all comfortable and settled in the city center

The hostels are very beautiful and really suitable for young people who don’t want to spend too much. The greatest part of hostels are in the centre of the city.

Cinque Terre Italian burgs itineraries sea and Islands

10 things to do and see in the Cinque Terre

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

The Cinque Terre (Five Lands) is a portion of the Ligurian cliffs along Italy’s western coast. It consists of five villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Monterosso and Vernazza. They are the most uncontaminated and charming part of the region . The Cinque Terre have been a natural reserve since 1997 and they are included on the UNESCO’s world heritage list.

The coast could appear hostile because of the rugged and steep cliffs, but it is rich of charming bays, beaches and panoramic paths. The hinterland is made of beautiful medieval villages, sanctuaries, workshops and typical dishes. We want to suggest you 10 things to see and do in this beautiful coastline, in order to have an unforgettable holiday.

If you are looking for a hotel in the Cinque Terre, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 150 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Riomaggiore - The Cinque Terre

The village of Riomaggiore rises between two steep cliffs. It looks like a nativity scene with all its little colored houses built in a vertical way. It’s suggestive to have a walk in these alleys, where lights and shadows create very particular effects.

The originality of Riomaggiore’s houses is due to the fact that each one has two entries: the front door on the alley and the back door on the upper street. The houses had this particular structure since 1500 to allow a fast escape in case of Saracen raids. In Riomaggiore starts the famous Via dell’Amore (Love Path): a paved path, dug into the rock, that ends in Manarola. The path is wonderful, you can walk into the wild and hear the sound of waves breaking on the rocks. Riomaggiore is a shy town, you’ll slowly discover the village, the Castello in Cerricò with its great sea view, and the church of San Giovanni Battista.

Manarola - The Cinque Terre

Manarola is a colorful painting and the reign of the olive trees. Its houses look like the natural prosecution of the narrow and long cliff. The name of this town probably comes from “Magna Rota”, literally “big wheel” of a water mill. In the lower city you can still see the old mill or oil mill, that was recently restored.

In the high part of the town there’s the church of San Lorenzo, built in 1338 in Gothic style, with three beautiful naves and baroque interiors. You can’t miss the Campanile Bianco, an ancient watchtower, the ancient San Rocco’s hospital and the Oratorio dei Disciplinati della Santissima Annunziata (oratory) dated back to 1400. The sea lovers definitely won’t be disappointed: going down into the beach direction you’ll find a lot of corner from which you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view.

Corniglia - The Cinque Terre

The ancient Roman village of Corniglia is placed on an impressive cliff about 100 meters high. It’s the only town in the Cinque Terre that can’t be reached by sea.

Therefore to reach Corniglia is necessary to climb the “Lardarina”, an exhausting brick stairway (the flight are 33 and the steps 377), or, if you prefer, you can follow the road that, from the station, leads to the village. The name of the town “Corniglia” comes from the name of a Latin farmer “Corneliu” who produced the white wine, already famous at Romans time. In the delightful village you could visit the Gothic church of San Pietro and the XVIII century square “Largo Taragio” with the Oratory of Santa Caterina. Corniglia is a precious jewel, made of alleys and little streets dug into the rock. It has also a beautiful beach called “Spiaggione” and a transparent and crystalline sea that you can’t miss.

Vernazza - The Cinque Terre

Vernazza is situated on an impressive cliff, nowadays is a calm seaside village but, in the past, it was the harbor of the boats in charge to protect the coasts from the Saracens.

The magical atmosphere of this village will seduce you: mysterious alleys, among the little red, yellow and pink houses in the summertime are crowded of tourists. Vernazza is considered one of the 100 most beautiful villages of Italy with its maritime vocation. We suggest you to reach this town by sea to see at once the beautiful harbor. You can visit also the church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia and the remains of the ancient fortress: the towers of the XI century and the Doria’s castle, the Monastery’s tower of Padri Riformati di San Francesco and the tower Belforte. The astonishing Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Reggio isn’t easy to reach, you’ll have to walk through a wild road. Maybe it will be hard but it’s really worth it.

Monterosso - Cinque Terre

Monterosso al Mare is the place loved by Eugenio Montale: here the Italian writer, who won the Nobel prize in 1975, used to spend his summers.

Monterosso inspired some of its verses as: “Rocky stern town, asylum for fishermen and farmers.” This village maintains its maritime tradition and it still has signs of the past sea battles: the medieval tower that now is the bell tower of San Giovanni Church, the castle with its three round towers, and the Aurora tower, the only one survived of thirteen towers that protected the village. You can spend your time in the old town centre visiting the church of San Giovanni Battista, or you can stay in the modern Fegina with its beach . Moreover Monterosso’s beach is the biggest of the Cinque Terre.

The Via dell'Amore - The Love path - Cinque Terre

There are several natural paths in the Cinque Terre. One of the most famous in the world is the path that links Riomaggiore to Manarola.

The Via dell’Amore – Love Path – is part of the Blue Path that links all the villages of the Cinque Terre. In particular, this path of about 1 km is very charming, romantic, the easiest to pass through. It takes its name from the inscription that an anonymous resident wrote on a wall, at the beginning of the path on the side of Riomaggiore. He wrote that the path was the favorite place of lovers. So the municipalities decided to formalize the name, installing benches and works of art that evoke the theme of love. You have to pay to access to this path, but it’s always a crowded path. We suggest you to visit it in the early morning or in the evening.

The Sanctuaries path - Cinque Terre

Each town of the Cinque Terre has its own shrine suspended among the sea and the sky. These shrines form a kind of natural Via Crucis visited during sacred rites.

The main Sanctuaries of the Cinque Terre are five: Nostra Signora di Montenero in Riomaggiore, Nostra Signora delle Grazie in San Bernardino, in Corniglia, Nostra Signora della Salute in Manarola, Nostra Signora di Soviore, in Monterosso and Nostra Signora di Reggio, in Vernazza. The sanctuaries of Vernazza, Monterosso and Volastra are the most ancient ones, while the sanctuaries of Riomaggiore and Corniglia are the most recent ones. The street that brings in these places of worship it’s perfect for trekking lovers, with its tortuous streets, its beauty corners and its incredible panorama. From there, on a clear day, you can even see Corsica.

How to get to Cinque Terre

Reaching the Cinque Terre is quite simple in the summer, but a little less simple during winter: you can use boats, trains and buses to move from one village to another.

If you prefer the train, there are many routes on the line Pisa – Genova that allow you to reach all the towns of the Cinque Terre, but there are also several intercity trains with stops in Monterosso and Riomaggiore. Then there are some trains that leave from La Spezia and stop in all villages. Trains, especially in summer, are very frequent and they are quite cheap. If you prefer to enjoy the Cinque Terre by sea, during the spring and summer there are boats every day that leave from La Spezia, Porto Venere, Portofino and Lerici arriving in Monterosso, Riomaggiore, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. If you buy the Cinque Terre Card Battello you can enjoy not only the boats for travel, but you will also be able to access to all paths and the services offered by the Park. Even the buses are very useful to move among the many villages of the Cinque Terre and they are powered by natural gas. Bus schedules can vary from season to season and you have to request them at the reception centers of the towns of the Cinque Terre and La Spezia. If you can, you should avoid the car because parking in Cinque Terre is pretty much impossible.

Things to eat in Cinque Terre

The typical dishes of the Cinque Terre are very essential and simple. Cinque Terre main course is seafood: breams, anchovy, squids, anchovies, squid, sea bass, octopus and cuttlefish that you can it grilled, fried or roasted. They’re always delicious.

All the specialties are often enriched with aromatics herbs, such as: marjoram, oregano and thyme and olive oil. Cinque Terre’s important ingredients are vegetables too. For example you can eat a delicious minestrone soup prepared with Swiss chards, artichokes, cabbages, leeks and potatoes. We suggest you to drink the white wine, that is another typical product of the area, and at the end of your meal you should drink a glass of Sciachetrà, (it’s a wine “passito”, strong sweet wine made with raisins)

Where to sleep in Cinque Terre

It is not easy to find a place to sleep in the Cinque Terre. The big hotels don’t exist, there are mostly small hotels, apartments, guest houses and B&Bs.

You have to book in advance, of course, to find a place with the right price. In high season, ie during the spring and summer, if you don’t book in advance, you’ll find bad places with high prices

If you are looking for a hotel in the Cinque Terre, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 150 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Amalfi Coast Italian burgs itineraries sea and Islands

10 things to do and see in the Amalfi Coast

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Breathless! The first time you visit the Amalfi Coast, you’ll be breathless.

The Amalfi Coast is famous for its natural landscapes: a wild and uncontaminated nature that welcomes many tourists throughout the year. A breathtaking landscape with centuries of art, history and culture. This part of the Campania region is included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Amalfi is the nucleus of the Coast and around it there are a lot of little towns with theirs characteristics and traditions: Positano, Maiori, Ravello. These are just some names of the beautiful places you can visit and explore, diving yourself in a unique and unforgettable place.

If you are looking for a hotel in the Amalfi Coast, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 250 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Amalfi

Amalfi’s origins date back on Romans wars against barbaric populations. The legend tells that Hercules, son of Jupiter, created Amalfi as a present to a girl with beautiful blue eyes, the same colour of the sea. This city, thanks to the sea and its geographical position, had a great development with the maritime activity.

The glorious past and the beauty of the landscape made this city an important centre of attraction for tourists from all Europe. After a visit to the Cathedral you should have a walk in the alleys of the town where you can find interesting workshops and taste local gastronomy.

Ravello on the Amalfi Coast

The most famous travellers elected Ravello as “Spirit homeland”. Its landscapes, the quality of its monuments and villas charmed a lot of European artists who came here to find inspiration. The history of Ravello is directly linked to Amalfi’s one.

When Amalfi was one of the four powerful Maritime Republics, Ravello reached its splendour with commercial activities. It was devastated by some wars, but in XIX century, Ravello began its rise as a touristic place. Artists and intellectuals, from all over the world, used to choose this town and made it an exclusive tourist destination. Ravello has not only a fantastic landscape, we suggest you to visit : Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone and the Cathedral. All the little churches in the city deserve a visit too.

Vietri sul mare on the Amalfi Coast

Vietri sul mare is called the “first pearl” of the Amalfi Coast as well as the ceramic city. The tradition of the master ceramists is jealously kept and passed down to new generations. The masterpieces of this art can be admired in the Museum of ceramic of Villa Guariglia in Raito or in the Museum Cargaleiro.

The ceramic is very important for Vietri sul mare, and you’ll understand it while walking in the alleys of the city. On the external houses walls there are set beautiful tiles and the church of San Giovanni Battista has a fabulous majolica tiled dome.

If you want to bring home a piece of this ceramic art you’ll just have to choose in which workshop you want to stop

Where: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
How to get there: by feet
When Hours: The Ethno-anthropological museum is open to the public every day, except Monday, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 to 8:00 pm
Ticket: € 2,60

Positano on the Amalfi Coast

The Cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicola, with its austere stone façade, the crenelation and the huge bell tower that make it looks like a fortress, is situated in the charming Piazza del Duomo.

It was built around 1400 and it had several renovations, as you can see by the main portal of 1636 and the two side portals dating back to the XV century (the one on the left side) and XVI century (the one on the right side). The interior has a Latin cross with three naves and three apses. Six monolithic columns (three on each side), in pink marble surmounted by decorated capitals, support the central nave. The external façade is decorated by a small rose window and two single-light windows. In front of the Cathedral you can admire the XVII century baroque fountain built on circular terraces surrounded by four pretty fountains.

Atrani on the Amalfi Coast

Atrani has preserved its “fishing village appearance” during the centuries

It is the second smallest village of Italy. Its centre is the little square with the church of San Salvatore and the stone fountain. The square overlooks the sea and the houses are nestled in the mountain. On the top of the village you can enjoy the spectacular view of all the Amalfi Coast.

Atrani is an example of equilibrate tourist development. You can breathe a young atmosphere and the respect of the nature. This is the ideal place to spend some time far from the traffic noise and to enjoy a natural masterpiece.

Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast

Conca dei Marini is another jewel of the Amalfi coast. It was the destination of many famous people and here you can admire the Grotta dello Smeraldo. This cave is a cove of the coast with the most spectacular colours of the nature. It seems to be made just to astonish the people who watch it.

Conca dei Marini has an interesting architectural patrimony too. The celebrated Convento di Santa Rosa where the famous “sfogliatelle” were invented, the church of Sant’Antonio da Padova, with its beautiful tiled dome and the Torre Costiera also called “The silent tower” because it was a cemetery

Furore on the Amalfi Coast

Furore is placed among mountains and it’s an hidden little town. This place is divided between the austerity of the stone and the fluidity of the water. On one side the fjord and on the other side the Tyrrhenian Sea. Furore has a crystalline sea and its houses seem to jump down the sea.

The name Terra Furoris (Furore means literally “fury”) comes probably from the noise caused by the waves crashing on the rocks and creep voraciously in the magnificent fjord.

The quiet streets of Furore will give you a dreamy atmosphere: rocks with vegetation, the sound of waves, the houses nestled into the mountain.

Maiori and Minori on the Amalfi Coast

Walking on the streets it’s possible to see all the principals monuments: the Collegiata of S. Maria a Mare or the castle of S. Nicola de Thoro-Plano. If you prefer the seaside you can swim in a deep-blue sea or visit the caves. Among the caves of Maiori the most known are the Grotta Sulfurea and the Grotta di Pandora. Don’t forget to taste the gastronomical specialities.

The main attraction of Minori is probably The Roman Maritime villa. It was built around the first century A.D. to accommodate a Roman nobleman and his family during the summer holidays. Among the colorful streets, the scent of citrus and the beautiful sea, you will experience moments of relax. We suggest you to visit also the Basilica of Santa Trofimena and the remains of the patron saint of the city. The remarkable artistic and cultural heritage, the beautiful scenery and gastronomic specialties attract many tourists . Among the two town there’s Erchie, one of the most beautiful beaches of the Amalfi Coast.

Cetara on the Amalfi Coast

Cetara is famous all around the world for the production of anchovies. Here you can find the beauty of the Amalfi Coast villages and an exceptional gastronomic tradition.

The anchovy Sauce is one of the specialties of Cetara’s gastronomy: the amber liquid comes out naturally from the process of salting anchovies and it’s a tasty dressing for pasta. Anchovies, in Cetara, are the protagonists of all the dishes: they are the starter, the second and the quick snack, along with “fishing boat” products or the most noble tuna. The village has two beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and small houses. You can visit it by feet but it is quite difficult to find parking during the high season.

Where to sleep in the Amalfi Coast

In the Amalfi Coast you can find hotels, apartments, B&Bs and small hotels . Some of the most beautiful hotels in the world are on this coast. It is difficult, howeve,r to find a place with a good price during holidays, spring and summer

We suggest you to book in advance in order to find 3 star hotel at 80 EUR per night. The real great difficulty are the parking lots, so if you travel by car you should check that the hotel has parking lots

If you are looking for a hotel in the Amalfi Coast, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 250 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

cities of art sea and Islands Taormina

10 things to do and see in Taormina

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Taormina is one of the most famous resorts of Sicily thanks to its charming seaside location, its beautiful landscapes, and its historical, cultural and archaeological heritage. The beautiful Sicilian town has seduced poets and writers, has attracted famous travellers, has welcomed world-famous celebrities. Visitors come from all over the world in this “corner of paradise on the earth” (Goethe, Italian Journey 1787), to see its greek-roman theater, to take a walk through its medieval streets, to admire its breathtaking landscapes, to enjoy its excellent gastronomy, to relax on its wonderful beaches. Moreover, as said the French writer Guy de Maupassant, in Taormina “everythings seems to be created to seduce the eyes, the mind and the imagination.” Who have been in Taormina knows it’s true. On this page we suggest you 10 things to see and do in Taormina.

If you are looking for a hotel in Taormina, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 80 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Greek theatre in Taormina

The Greek Theater is the most famous monument of Taormina, and the second largest theatre of the island (after the one of Syracuse). It was built by the Greeks (III century BC) who chose the scenic promontory as spectacular setting for their dramatic and musical performances.

The theatre in the second century AD was modified by the Romans, who transformed the scene and the orchestra in an arena where took place the fight between gladiators and hunting shows

From the top of the large auditorium, made by the steps carved into the rock that follow the natural concavity of the hill, you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Calabrian coast with Mount Etna in the background. Suspended between sea and sky, this wonderful architectural work with perfect acoustics, hosts since many years concerts and cultural events. The most important is the Taormina Arte, the International Festival of the Arts, known and appreciated for its full calendar of music, theatre, dance and cinema.

Where: Via del Teatro Greco
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: everyday 9 am – 7 pm
Tickets: Full € 8,00 – Reduced 4,00

Villa Comunale in Taormina

Villa Comunale is a lovely and peaceful oasis in the city center. It’s rich of floral and arboreal beauties.

The beautiful public gardens named after the Duke of Cesaró, were originally a private park created by lady Florence Trevelyan Cacciola, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in Taormina in 1884 who married the mayor. Built as a typical English garden, the park was filled with a great variety of flowers and plants from all over the world but also of singular buildings with exotic style used by Lady Florence for bird watching. The most characteristic building is the so called “The Beehives”, a pavilion that seems like, as the name implies, a beehive. Ideal for walking and enjoying the fresh, the Villa Comunale gardens also offer a wonderful view of Mount Etna and the coastline.

Where: Via Bagnoli Croce
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: Summer 9 am to 12 am
Winter 9 am – 8 pm
Tickets: Free entrance

Palazzo Corvaja in Taormina

Palazzo Corvaja is characterized by different architectural styles, which are a sign of the different dominations over the centuries. This palace is located in the center of Taormina, in the square that once was the ancient Roman forum and before the agora of the Greek Tauromenion .

The original nucleus of the palace was the cubic tower built by the Arabs for military purposes between 902 and 1079. Then it were added the left side wing and the staircase. During the early XV century was built the right side wing to house the assemblies of the Sicilian Parliament.

The battlements of the tower are Arabian style, the mullioned windows and the portal have Catalan-Gothic elements . The room where the Parliament used to meet, instead, has Norman style. It was the residence of the noble family of the Corvaja from 1538 to 1945, but later the Palace had a long period of decay and neglect. Restored thanks to the City will, the beautiful complex is now the seat of the Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno e Turismo and in the halls of the first floor it houses an interesting museum of arts and popular traditions of Sicily.

Where: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: The Ethno-anthropological museum is open to the public every day, except Monday, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 to 8:00 pm
Tickets: € 2,60

Cathedral of Taormina

The Cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicola, with its austere stone façade, the crenelation and the huge bell tower that make it looks like a fortress, is situated in the charming Piazza del Duomo.

Where: Piazza Duomo
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: everyday 9 am – 8 pm
Tickets: free entrance

Corso Umberto I in Taormina

Corso Umberto I is the main street of Taormina. This ancient road cross the old town centre and on the north side there is Porta Messina and on the south side Porta Catania.

In this street there are a lot of shops, fashion boutiques and gift shops, delis and cafés, and it’s a lively pedestrian street where each day will take a walk thousands of visitors from around the world . Besides being an elegant shopping street, the Corso is rich of architectural and artistic treasures from different eras. There are many picturesque streets that open up here and there on either side, in which you can, if necessary, “run away” from the crowd; there are three squares bordering the path (Piazza IX Aprile, Piazza Duomo and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele) in which to get lost among beautiful landscapes, medieval churches and ancient ruins.

Where: city centre
How to get there: by feet

Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina

Piazza IX Aprile is a panoramic terrace on the sea, a delicious meeting place, and the city centre. It’s the most famous square in Taormina with its many open-air cafés, its religious and historical buildings, and the tourists enchanted by the spectacular view of the bay and Mount Etna.

In the square you’ll admire the baroque church of St. Joseph (XVII century), the Gothic church of Sant’Agostino and the Clock Tower, or Porta di Mezzo. The tower was destroyed during the French invasion and rebuilt in 1679 and on that occasion the clock was placed on it. Originally the square was dedicated to St. Augustine, but on April 9, 1860 was spread the news that Garibaldi was just arrived in Marsala to set Sicily free from Bourbons. Even if the news was false (Garibaldi would have come just a month after) the citizens of Taormina still wanted to remember that date dedicating to it the most beautiful square.

Palazzo di Santo Stefano in Taormina

The palace of the Dukes of Santo Stefano (XIII century) is considered a masterpiece of Gothic – Sicilian style with a mixture of Arab and Norman elements.

The huge structure looks like a fortress and it was the residence of Spuches, a noble family of Spanish origin, the Dukes of Santo Stefano di Brifa and Galati. You can notice some arab elements such as the decorative diamond shape strip and the mullioned windows with arches. Norman elements can be noticed into the squared tower with crenellations. There is also a lovely garden that still has the well to collect rainwater. Purchased in the 60s by the city of Taormina, the Palace now houses the Mazzullo Foundation, with a permanent exhibition of the works of sculpture and graphic artist from Messina.

Where: Via del Ghetto I (close to Porta Catania)
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: 9.30 am 12.30 pm and 3 – 6 pm
Tickets: free entrance

Isola Bella in Taormina

Isola Bella is a large island with a rich vegetation and linked to the mainland by a thin strip of sand, which sometimes, with the sequence of the tides, can be covered by crystal-clear waters of the bay.

This island is located in the charming bay after the promontory of St. Andrew, at the south of Taormina. Nature reserve since 1998, the beautiful “Pearl of the Mediterranean”, celebrated by Goethe, Byron, Dillon and many others, is divided into small terraces connected by stairs and walkways in the Mediterranean vegetation and fascinating exotic shrubs. Donated by Ferdinand I of Bourbon to the city of Taormina in 1806, the island was declared in 1984 an asset of great historical and artistic interest.

How to get there: The beach of Isola Bella can be reached from Taormina with the cable – car : Taormina – Mazzaro
When – Hours: The island can be visited every day, except Monday, from 9am until one hour before sunset . Groups of 15 people at time
Tickets: € 4

Things to eat in Taormina

Taormina ‘s cuisine is made of contrasts of flavours and brave combinations because the several dominations rule also in the culinary arts.

In traditional dishes, characterized by intense flavour and spices, you can find Arab, Spanish, French and Norman influences. There are the famous rice balls, dishes made with cod, ‘mpanata di pesce spada (rustic pie stuffed). The fish is the star of the table: tuna, mackerel, anchovies but especially grilled swordfish seasoned with “sammurigghiu”, ie vinaigrette of olive oil, oregano, salt, garlic, pepper and lemon juice. Don’t forget the desserts: a triumph of sugar, cinnamon, honey, pistachios, almonds, ricotta cheese. Ingredients used in the preparation of delicious cannoli, the famous cassata, the marzipan fruits, the colourful marzipan sweets with fruit shapes. There are also excellent sorbets and granitas. Fruit, coffee, almond, the granita is still made by hand and it’s a Sicilian specialty. In summer, people use to have breakfast with granita ca panna e ca brioscia (granite with cream and brioche). We suggest you to have this sweet experience that will make your day!

Where to sleep in Taormina

The small Taormina is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world.

From every nation, every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Sicily to visit the small pearl. Taormina has an excellent accommodation service: there are about 80 hotels, to which we have to add the accommodations in neighbouring areas. During high season (spring, summer and early autumn) it can be difficult to find a cheap room. We suggest you to book in advance. As for prices: the cost of room in a hotel or B&B with 3 stars in the city center starts from 45 EUR per night.

If you are looking for a hotel in Taormina, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 80 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

capitals Tallinn

10 things to do and see in Tallinn

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Imagine a city with a medieval village, the red roofs and the old fortified walls, palaces, narrow streets with craft shops, some big basilica, a castle. This is Tallinn, capital of Estonia, touristic, open and relaxed destination. It’s small (you can visit it in a few hours) but it has many things to see, that’s why is the ideal destination for a different weekend.

Enjoy the Old City starting from the Town Hall Square, the must see of any visit in Tallinn. Discover the history of the city through the Vene and Pikk Tänav streets, with the palaces of the ancient guilds and St. Catherine’s Passage, extraordinary work. You can stop to meditate a few minutes in the three churches in the city: the Holy Spirit, S.Olav and Orthodox Cathedral. If you get hungry, you can test the Estonian cuisine with its meat dishes, sauerkraut and potatoes.

And if in a few hours you have seen everything, you can start again or admire the clear and frozen waters of the Baltic Sea. This scenery will give you the chance to reconcile yourself with nature.

In this page we show you the 10 things to do and see during a visit in Tallinn.

If you are looking for a hotel in Tallin, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 1600 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Tallinn Town Hall

The Tallinn Town Hall (Raedoka) with the square Raekoja Plats is the heart of the Old Town of the Estonian capital.

It’s not only the oldest civil building in Tallinn but also the only one in Gothic style in the whole Northern Europe. Built in 1248, the octagonal tower was added in 1627, on the top of which is proudly shown Vana Toomas (Old Thomas), guardian of the City Hall and the city. Today, the Tallinn Town Hall plays no political-administrative role but hosts events, ceremonies and a museum which tells the story of the city.

Where: Raekoja Plats
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: City Hall: from July 1 to August 31, from 10 am to 4 pm . Sundays excluded. Closed on 14/07 and 24/08.
Ttower: from May 1 to September 15, daily from 11 am to 6 pm . Closed on 23 and 24/06
Tickets own Hall: € 4 ; Tower: € 3 . Free entrance with Tallinn Card

The Old Town in Tallinn

From 1200 to 1500 Tallinn was a thriving commercial center and the proof in in its Old City. Churches, palaces, the brotherhoods locations, street names, are the same of the past. It’s a must see the Town hall, the most beautiful and important building in Tallinn located in the square

Nearby there’s the Church of the Holy Spirit (Pühavaimu kirik) of the XIV century with an octagonal tower which houses a bell of the 1433, the oldest one in Estonia. Don’t miss, inside, the triptych altar by Bernt Notke. The Old Town is surrounded by almost 2 km of walls with 16 of the 46 towers that defended the city. Today many of these have been transformed into hotels, cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy a beautiful view over the rooftops of the capital.

The Kadriorg in Tallinn

The Zar “Peter the Great” loved his wife Catherine so much and he gave her the Kadriorg (“Valley of Catherine” in Estonian), a magnificent park with a building just outside the Old Town of Tallinn. His wife used to spend her summer in the elegant red and white residence, inspired by the Italian villas of the ‘700, after Estonia’s conquest by the Russians.

During the centuries it had different function, it was also closed and renovated several times, but nowadays the Kadriorg houses two museums: that of Foreign Art (Italian paintings, Russians, Germans, Dutch and Flemish) and KUMU, National Art Museum, which houses the largest collection of Estonian art of the country.

The visit of the museums allows you to go through the magnificent rooms of the palace such as the Great Hall with the ceiling decorated entirely around the theme of Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Where: A. Weizenbergi
How to get there: by feet in the old town
When – Hours: From May to September: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm ; Wednesday 10: 00 am -8: 00 pm . From October to April: Wed 10: 00 am -8: 00 pm ; Thu-Sun 10:00 am -5:00 pm
Tickets: adults € 4.50; reduced € 2.50. Mikkel Museum: adults € 2.50; reduced € 1.50.
Kadriorg Palace + Mikkel Museum: adults € 4.80; reduced € 2.90. Free entrance with Tallinn Card

The Basilica of St. Nicholas in Tallinn

Not far from the Old Town Square there’s one of the oldest places of worship in Tallinn, the Basilica dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari. Nowadays the church in Orthodox style is known much more as a museum of religious art and an auditorium with perfect acoustics where you can enjoy concerts of classical music.

Inside the museum don’t miss the main altarpiece (XV century) by the Lübeck master, the late Gothic altarpiece dedicated to St Mary, and, above all, the “Danse Macabre” by Bernt Notke: one of the masterpieces of Estonia’s art, even though you might not like to see some skeletons dancing with the Pope, the Emperor King, the Bishop and a young woman!

Where: Niguliste
How to get there: by feet in the old town
When – Hours: From Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Tickets: Adults € 3.50; children € 2.00. Free entrance with Tallinn Card

The Orthodox Church in Tallinn

This church is definitely one thing to see during your visit in Tallin, but you have to know that the inhabitants of the Estonian capital don’t like this cathedral dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky Yaroslav.

From the top of Toompea Hill ,this church overlooks Tallinn, and that was the will of the Russian : a church close to the statue of Martin Luther. There were many symbolic reasons to place it: it meant that the Russian Orthodox Church was more powerful than the Lutheran one; that the Russians had conquered Estonia and controlled them from the above. So this beautiful Orthodox Cathedral is deeply hated for many reasons, and for years the residents of Tallinn have asked (in vain) to demolish it. If you are lucky to go there just before a Mass, you can hear the 11 bells ringing together in a perfect way.

Where: of Toompea Hill
How to get there: by feet from the old town or by public transport
When – Hours: everyday 8 am – 7 pm
Tickets: free entrance

Vene and Pikk Tänav street in Tallinn

Tallinn has a small historic center and you’ll pass throught the two most famous streets of the capital more than one time : the Pikk Tänav and Vene. In the Pikk Tänav street there are the buildings that housed the guilds, corporations of merchants citizens.

Don’t miss the big Guild (No. 17) and that of St. Olaf (No. 24), the oldest in the city, and the Renaissance building of the House of Blackheads, which takes its name from its patron San Maurizio, who converted to Christianity and for this was persecuted. At number 71 there is the most beautiful building, a Gothic complex known as the Three Sisters. You should visit the St. Olav’s Church too , at the crossroad with the Lai. The other most famous street is the street Vene, with the passage of St Catherine, a small street with arcades with ancient buildings and craft shops.

The Toompea Hill in Tallinn

If you want to enjoy a beautiful view of the rooftops in Tallinn you have to a climb towards the hill of Toompea, Estonia’s mythical place. According to legend it was built stone by stone by princess Linda to bury his heroic commander Kalev. You can get there in two ways: the Jalg Pikk (Long Leg), a ramp protected by walls and defended by a fortified gate or the stone stairs of Luhike Jalg (Short Leg).

Once on top you can visit the remains of the Castle, the Orthodox Cathedral Alexander Nevsky and Toomkirik, the oldest church in Estonia which gives its name to the hill. It has always been the political center of the Baltic country, and today the hill houses the Parliament building and the government.

Defensive Towers in Tallinn

The names will seem strange to you, but as always, everything has an explanation. The defensive walls (almost intact) were built to defend Tallinn during the centuries more dangerous than ours.

Nowadays there are just twenty towers, almost all used as restaurants, hotels, and museums. The two most famous are “the Fat Margaret” (Paks Margareeta) and “Peek in the Kitchen” (Kiek in de kök).

The first is named after the squat shape due to the thickness of the walls of almost 5 meters. The second is called in this way for its height that allowed the guards to peek into the homes of the people. A place of honor has also “Pikk Hermann”, which from the top of Toompea Hill has the task and the honor to wave the Estonian flag.

Things to eat in Tallin

We have to be honest: from an aesthetic point of view, the Estonian cuisine may not be very inviting. Normally it’s difficult to identify at first what you have on the table, so before you choose it, you’d better to know what you are ordering.

On the menu you will find almost always these words:

Marineeritud angerjas: marinated eel in pieces

Keel hernestega: ox tongue

Sült: Boiled pork gelatin. For pigs they means bones, legs and head.

Verivorst: black pudding sausage and berry jam

Mulgikapsad: sauerkraut stew and pork served with boiled potatoes.

Silgusoust: sprat (fish) of the Baltic with bacon.

Karask: sweet with barley bread.

Kali: Estonia coke non alcoholic.

Vana Tallinn liqueur that local put it everywhere with the excuse that it’s cold.

After that, head isu! that is, Bon appetit as the Estonians use to say.

Where to sleep in Tallinn

Tallinn offers a good choice of hotels in all categories even if it’s a small capital

Prices start from 60 Euros for a double room in a 2 or 3 star hotel, but if you choose well you could find great opportunities for the hotel in the center at the same price. Our advice is to choose a hotel in the Old Town, so you can move by feet and without using bus or taxi.

cities of art itineraries sea and Islands Sorrento

10 things to do and see in Sorrento

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Sorrento is the most famous coastal town of Sorrento Coast and is located on a tuff terrace overlooking the Gulf of Naples. This city attracts many tourists with its breathtaking views, the landscapes, the sea, the charming old town, an interesting historical and religious architecture, the ancient tradition of marquetry and laces.

Celebrated by poets, songs and paintings, the beautiful land of the sirens is famous around the world and is the favorite destination of international tourism. Sorrento, hospitable and cheerful, welcomes visitors looking for sun, history, art, culture and entertainment. There are many churches and historic buildings, amazing sights, alleys with small shops and craft shops. There are many restaurants and cafés where you can spend your free time, festivals and cultural events for your evenings and, of course, many beach resorts where you can relax under the sun. Discover with us the 10 things to see and do absolutely during your tour in Sorrento.

If you are looking for a hotel in Sorrento, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Valley of the Mills in Sorrento

It’s a place of great suggestion, the deep cleft in the rock dates back to about 35,000 years ago.

The valley was made by the most violent eruption in the history of the Campi Flegrei and some following erosions by water that progressively carved the tuff base. This valley is one of the best preserved in the Peninsula (there are other four), although today, unfortunately, you can see just the central part Piazza Tasso to Villa La Rupe and from there to the Porta degli Anastasi. The Valley owes its name to the presence of a mill, whose ruins are still visible, used until the early ‘900 to grind grain. The construction of Piazza Tasso (1866) marked the end of the valley activities. Thanks to its special microclimate there is a luxuriant vegetation

Correale Museum in Sorrento

“The most beautiful provincial museum of Italy”, it was called in this way the Correale Museum with its interesting collection of minor arts of the XVII and XVIII century.

The museum is located in the ancient residence of Correale family, the Terranova’s counts, with the family collections of paintings and decorative art. Opened in 1924, the museum is divided into 24 rooms with Greek, Roman and medieval artifacts. You can find also furnitures of XVII and XVIII, porcelain and ceramics of Capodimonte and other manufactures. Don’t miss the beautiful collection of furnitures and local crafts, the nucleus of the Neapolitan and foreign paintings (XVII-XVIII century) and those of the landscape architects of the so-called “School of Posillipo” (Giacinto Gigante, Anton Plitoo, Teodoro Duclère ).

Where: Via Correale, 50
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours:
From 1/ 04 to 31/10: from Tuesday to saturday 9:30 am to 6:30 pm; Sunday and holidays 9:30 am – 1. 30 pm ; Monday closed.
From 1/11 to 31/03: from Tuesday to saturday 9:30 to 1:30 pm; Sunday and holidays 9:30 am – 1.30 pm Monday closed.
Tickets: € 7

Church of St. Francesco in Sorrento

A few meters from the Villa Comunale, there is the complex of St. Francesco of Assisi formed by the church, the cloister and the monastery. In the XIV century the Franciscans erected, on the site of the ancient oratory founded by St. Anthonino, a church later modified in Baroque style.

Completely rebuilt in the early XVIII century, it preserves the architecture of that era except for the white marble façade dating back to 1926, and the inlaid door of the XVI century. The interior has a single nave with rich stucco decorations, a wooden statue of St. Francesco and, on the high altar, the painting of St Francesco receiving the stigmata (1735) by Antonio Gamba, a pupil of Solimena. Near the church there is the Benedictine monastery founded in the XIV century. Don’t miss the cloister with its arched structure, harmonious fusion of different styles due to the restoration of the various eras, with picturesque placement of plants and flowers. Besides its beauty, the cloister is famous for hosting art shows, exhibitions and musical events of Sorrento’s summer.

Where: Piazza Francesco Saverio Gargiulo
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: everyday 8 am – 1 pm and 2 -8 pm

Piazza Tasso in Sorrento

Crossed by Corso Italia, Piazza Tasso is the main square of Sorrento, the heart of city life, the emblem of a tourist reality of international fame.

Originally, the square was called Largo del Castello under the castle built by Ferdinand of Aragon in the XV century. In the XIX century the urban transformation marked the disappearance of the castle, the ancient city wall and the ancient Porta del Piano. Named after the most famous citizen of Sorrento,Torquato Tasso, the square is adorned by the statue of St. Antonino Abate, saint patron of the city. Among the buildings surrounding the square, you can admire the Correale house with a beautiful tiled courtyard , the Carmelite church of Santa Maria with its rich baroque façade and the elegant Grand Hotel Vittoria , famous for having hosted in 1921 the great Enrico Caruso.

Basilica of St. Antonino in Sorrento

Sant’Antonino is “Patron, Lawyer and Father” of Sorrento and the peninsula. To the saint who protects the city from disasters, epidemics and to whom are attributed many miracles, is dedicated the church in the square.

Probably built around the year one thousand, in the following centuries the church has been restored many times. At the entrance of the basilica two cetacean bones recall the most famous miracle performed by St. Antonino, which is to have saved a child who was swallowed by a whale. The interior has three naves divided by twelve columns (6 per side), partly from the Roman villas. The ceiling of the nave is decorated with three paintings by Giambattista Lama (1734). At the center of the crypt there is the altar with the statue of St. Antonino. Under the altar are preserved the remains of the saint patron; on the walls there is a rich collection of votive offerings, a gift of the sailors who survived shipwrecks, and paintings of miraculous rescues.

Where: Piazza St. Antonino
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: every day from 7 am to 7.30 pm

Cathedral of Sorrento

Rebuilt in the XV century in Romanesque style on an old place of worship, the cathedral dedicated to Saints Filippo and Giacomo had several restorations that changed the entire look, until the reconstruction of the façade in 1924.

The only original element is the portal marble side (1479) showing in the architrave the coat of arms of Sixtus IV, of the house of Aragon, and of Archbishop De Angelis. The Latin cross interior with three aisles, has decorated ceilings with baroque paintings by Oronzo and Nicola Malinconio and Giacomo del Po, and preserves works of great value. In the first chapel there’s a marble relief of the Redeemer of 1522 framed by twelve tiles of XIV century. In the central nave you can admire the archbishop’s throne and a pulpit adorned with a “Madonna with Child and the two San Giovanni” by Silvestro Buono (1580), both of XVI century; in the presbytery, the wooden choir is a remarkable example of the Sorrento inlay of the early XX century. Moreover in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, there is a fine wooden crucifix of ‘400 overlooking the altar with cherubs by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. A few meters from the Duomo, on Corso Italia, there’s the red bell of five floors. The basement and the first three floors date back probably to the XI century, the upper part with the ceramic clock instead, was made in the XVIII century.

Where: Corso Italia – Largo Arcivescovado
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: Monday – Sunday 8 am 12 pm and 4 – 8 pm

Sedile Dominova in Sorrento

Built in the XIV century as Domus Novae (hence Dominova), the small square building in the historic center of Sorrento, is the only evidence in Campania of the ancient aristocratic seats, a medieval institution responsible for the administration of res publica (public affairs).

The Dominova seat , reflecting an architecture of Renaissance style, looks like an arched loggia enclosed on two sides by balustrades while scenic frescoes decorate the walls of other two. Inside you can admire some frescoes, one of which reproduces the emblem of Sorrento surrounded by angels. The loggia is surmounted by a XVII century dome with green and yellow tiles. In the vault of the dome are depicted the heraldic emblems of the noble families that were part of the seat. The room next to the loggia, used by the noble families of the time for private meetings, is headquarters of the Workers Society for Mutual Aid since 1895.

Marina Grande and Marina Piccola in Sorrento

Marina Grande is a picturesque fishing village with colorful houses, boats and nets on the shore.

The village, made famous by the film with Sophia Loren and Vittorio De Sica “Bread, Love, and …”, offers typical cafés, restaurants and beach clubs. On July the 26^th is celebrated St. Anna, the patron of the village, to whom the church is dedicated.

Marina Piccola is the harbor of Sorrento, an important landing place for ferries and hydrofoils, located not far from Piazza Tasso. The port, located in a beautiful cove, was once called Marina di Capo Cervo from the promontory that dominates it. Beside the harbor there are the beach resorts that often, because of the small size of the beach, are made on stilts over the water.

Things to eat in Sorrento

In Sorrento the cuisine is a kind of art. The Sorrento gastronomy has an ancient tradition inspired by the quality of its ingredients

Natural ingredients, local products (olive oil, wine, vegetables, nuts, cheese, lemon) and varieties of food are at the base of the most popular specialties of Sorrento cuisine. Among the most famous dishes, you can’t miss the legendary “gnocchi alla sorrentina” with tomato, basil and fiordilatte cheese, cannelloni with ricotta, the boiled lobster or cooked in tomato, parmigiana, fried shrimps with a light breading. Simple dishes but with a great taste. Last but not least, the local bakery, which is enriched by the scent of citrus: lemon sorbet, delizia al limone (cake covered and filled with a soft lemon cream), baba with the taste of limoncello. It’s excellent also hot ice cream (the local semifreddo), zeppole (fried puffs filled with cream), the sfogliatella and the “follovielli”, dumplings stuffed with raisins cooked in a wood oven. To aid digestion, there’s nothing better than a good limoncello liqueur, served cold in small glasses.

Where to sleep in Sorrento

Since almost two centuries Sorrento is tourist destination of nobles, artists and ordinary people, so it has a wide tourist accommodation and good prices for all budgets.

There are many hotels and guest houses, and a large number of B&Bs in the old town centre. Sorrento is small so is not necessary to use the car to move. The town is a destination for international tourists all year, and during high season (Easter, Christmas, long weekends and summer holidays), it’s not easy to find a place at a good price. A good alternative are hotels and, B&Bs along the Amalfi Coast. In all cases we recommend to book a little bit in advance.

itineraries sea and Islands Sorrento Coast

10 Things to do and see in Sorrento Coast

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

It’s so easy to fall in love with the panorama of Sorrento coast. The irregular and indented coastline seems to protect the little coloured houses and the streets of the internal areas. Sorrento coast will welcome you as a real Eden. The scent of lemons, the fragrances of flowers and fruits and little towns on this coast are the real richness of this part of Campania.

The best painters tried to reproduce the colours of this beautiful place, which is going to charm you too, during the summer and the winter. Every year in Sorrento and its surroundings there is an overcrowding of tourists in hotels, streets and bars. It’s enough to choose the best period to visit the most beautiful places of the Sorrento Coast: Sorrento, Massa Lubrense, Vico Equense, Sant’Agata sui due Golfi .

Spring is the best period for an holiday, when the sun becomes warmer and the flowers begin to bloom. We suggest you 10 places to visit in the Sorrento Coast, that will make you want to come here again and again.

If you are looking for a hotel in Sorrento Coast, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Sorrento

Sorrento is the pearl of the Sorrento Coast and it has all that nature can offers: green hills filled of scented flowers near a stupendous sea. That’s the reason why many famous writers, painters and artists like Goethe, Dickens, Nietzsche and D’Annunzio, chose Sorrento as destination for their holidays.

The Vesuvius seems to protect and to watch over the beauty of this town and its monuments: the Cathedral, the Basilica of San Francesco and the Sedile Dominova. The fulcrum of Sorrento is Piazza Tasso, dedicated to the writer who was born in this area. Near the square there’s the Villa Comunale, often subject of the postcards, from which you can admire a breathtaking view.

Massa Lubrense on Sorrento Coast

The first name of this town was Sirenusion. Why? Because an old legend tells that it was the town where lived the mermaids (sirene in Italian) that charmed Ulysses with their sweet singing. The geographical position influenced its history: the sea helped the development of the town but it was exposed to the incursions of the enemies too. That’s why Massa Lubrense has on its coast a series of sighting towers that are still there and has a very particular charm. At the sunset, when the streets and the houses of Massa Lubrense become red, you should give a look to the sea and you could see a mermaid vanishing into the water, because in this city reality and fantasy are often mixed together.

Sant'Agata sui due Golfi on Sorrento Coast

The name of this town comes from its particular geographical position, among the Gulf of Naples and the Gulf of Salerno (the name of the town translated is: “Sant’Agata on two gulfs”). The name comes also from the little church of Sant’Agata (a Saint original of Catania, in Sicily). The particular catholic vocation of this town is evident in two places, both deserving a visit: the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which is still the centre of all the social and cultural activities of the town, and the Monastery, built on the hill called “Deserto”, which offers a wonderful view. In Sant’Agata you can have a walk in the streets, among the shop windows and the seaside, and when you’ll be tired you can sit in a restaurant and taste the “caprese salad” (a salad made with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella) prepared with the typical and delicious tomatoes produced in this zone. We suggest you to stop in the famous restaurant “Don Alfonso”: antique furniture, chandeliers made of Murano glass, hand-painted majolica and, of course, delicious dishes. Just one tip: if you want to eat at Don Alfonso’s is better to reserve a table, the biggest part of tourist want to taste his famous cuisine. So we suggest you to call before you go.

Vico Equense on Sorrento Coast

The bends that characterized the Sorrento Coast seems to take a pause in Vico Equense, where they are sweeter and less stressing. In the past Vico Equense was the point where Roman, Greek and Italic populations had commercial exchanges.

The old town centre maintains its appearances of medieval village. Walking through the streets of Vico Equense means to walk into history, in an open museum, where you could notice the historical evolution of the town. In the old town you can admire the Cattedrale dell’ Annunziata, the unique example of Gothic architecture in all the Sorrento Coast. Moving a little from there, you can visit the Mountain Faito of the Lattai’s chain. If you leave the centre you’ll have a walk among the Casali (rustic farmhouses). They are organized as little towns and each one has its Saint Patron. During the week-end Vico Equense is full of people coming from the surroundings, the reason of such crowd of people is the restaurant “da Giggino”, famous for its pizza!

Punta Campanella on Sorrento Coast

Punta Campanella is so beautiful and uncontaminated that in 1997 has been declared a protected area, in order to preserve its characteristics. The name Punta Campanella (Literally: “Little bell point”) comes from an ancient structure on the top of the highest area of the territory. It was a tower used as alarm when the enemies boats were sighted. The best way to discover Punta Campanella is to have a walk at the sunset and with the fresh air. Took the street that from Nerano goes to Marina del Cantone: you’ll suddenly see the islands of “Li galli” and the Cantone beach.

Walking through the mediterranea maquis you’ll find on one side the view of Punta Campanella, on the other side Punta Penna and at the centre the view of Capri with its Faraglioni. But this isn’t the only way to arrive in Punta Campanella: you can start from Termini and walk through the Monte San Costanzo. Before you arrive to the tower of Punta Campanella and to the lighthouse, you’ll pass through paths completely surrounded by nature. If you continue walking you’ll see the Leranto Bay, a paradise beach with crystalline water. After 40 minutes of walking maybe you’ll be a little tired but, we’re sure, you’ll you reach the old temple dedicated to Athena-Minerva that has a surprising beauty.

Marina di Equa on Sorrento Coast

Marina di Equa also known as Marina di Seiano, is a pretty fishing village. The tower of Capo Rivo in the past protected the town from the enemies and nowadays it watches over the little seaport. Nearby the seaport there’s a stones beach known as “spiaggia delle calcare” that deserves to be visited for its particular structure. The very protagonist of the village is the Church of Sant’Antonio, that can be found in the principal square: every 13th June (in the Catholic calendar this is the day dedicated to this Saint) all the fishermen bring the statue of Sant’ Antonio in the sea and they made a procession on the boats. Marina di Equa is the ideal destination for people who love the sea and nature and for people who love good food too: there’s a lot of little restaurants where you can eat seafood and pizza.

Things to buy on the Sorrento Coast

You’ll feel like a child in a candy shop looking at all the shops you can find here. But take it easy because actually the prices are not cheap. The objects, the dresses and the handicraft has an excellent quality but they are expensive.

In Sorrento you can have a walk in Corso Italia where you can find a lot of fashion shop selling unique “pieces”. The little towns are full of workshops and bazaars where you can find a lot of particular and typical things. You can also take a look at the gastronomical shops where you find all kinds of citrus fruits, lemons and tangerines too, wines and liquors. During your shopping don’t forget to taste the handmade ice cream, that in this part of the Campania is delicious, and will help you during the hot hours of the day.

Going out on the Sorrento Coast

Maiori is another characteristic village of the Amalfi Coast even if there are many doubts about its origins. It has the longest beach of this part of the peninsula and you have the chance to dive yourself into its natural beauties, religious and gastronomy paths. Walking on the streets it’s possible to see all the principals monuments: the Collegiata of S. Maria a Mare or the castle of S. Nicola de Thoro-Plano. If you prefer the seaside you can swim in a deep-blue sea or visit the caves. Among the caves of Maiori the most known are the Grotta Sulfurea and the Grotta di Pandora. Don’t forget to taste the gastronomical specialties.

Things to eat in Sorrento Coast

The ingredients are very simple and genuine, that’s the strong point of the Sorrento Coast food. Basil, mozzarella, oil and tomatoes give life to delicious recipes such as: gnocchi alla sorrentina or cannelloni ripieni but also simple second courses as caprese (little fresh pieces of tomatoes with mozzarella). At this point who cares of etiquette? Put away the good manners and try the “scarpetta” (in Italy is the habit to dip slices of bread in the sauce in the plate) with the tasty bread. You can continue with a delicious babà, a bigné or the sciù which are filled with lemon cream. Or, if you prefer, you can taste the Delizia al limone (sponge cake filled with lemon flavoured cream and whipped cream). After all this delights maybe you’ll feel like you’re in a food coma, so you can have a limoncello (lemon liqueur) or a nocillo (nut liqueur), that will help you to digest.

Where to sleep in Sorrento Coast

The Sorrento Coast is full of tourist facilities so you can choose where to sleep: hotels and B&Bs are always ready to host you in every period of the year. In summertime prices are very expensive so we suggest you to book in advance or to take a last minute. It’s even better, if you can, to change period and planning a visit in Spring when the weather is warm, the prices cheaper and the Coast isn’t crowded as in Summer.

In Sorrento, the most chosen destination, prices in one to three stars hotels can be from 60 € to 140 €, while in a five-stars hotels can arrive to 345 € a night. The less known Massa Lubrense is cheaper, a three-stars hotel can cost you 90 € and a four-stars 240 €. Sant’Agata sui due golfi is affordable too with rooms that go from 70 € to 240 € a night. If you prefer to choose a B&Bs prices are even cheaper (everywhere), because the prices are from 44 € to 140 €

If you are looking for a hotel in Sorrento Coast, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

cities of art Italian burgs itineraries Siena Surroundings

10 things to do and see in Siena Surroundings

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Among Siena’s hills you’ll see little medieval villages as an unexpected vision. A sequence of intact jewels of art and architecture. San Gimignano, Pienza, Montepulciano, Bagno Vignoni, Montalcino, Monteriggioni, San Galgano and more. Each village will be for you the most beautiful and perfect village ever seen. A trip in Siena surroundings is the ideal travel for people who love to drive gently, without traffic, enjoying the landscape. Also because you’ll need all your car boot to bring home all the gastronomical souvenirs that this beautiful part of Italy offers: Pienza’s pecorino (ripe cheese), the Nobile of Montepulciano, the Brunello di Montalcino, oil and boar ham, sausages and salami. Every village has something to offer even if it’s often the landscape the real protagonist of this charming places. So, come with us discovering 10 villages in Siena surroundings you can’t miss

If you are looking for a hotel in Siena Surroundings, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 500 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

San Gimignano, Siena surroundings

The 15 towers of San Gimignano look like a mirage in Siena countryside. They appear in the landscape offering the same view that could had a medieval traveller, with one difference, in the Middle age the towers were 72.

You can enter in the town passing through one of the two doors and you go back immediately in a Medieval atmosphere, in spite of all the tourist that walk into the village. One main road goes up to of the square of San Gimignano and then go back down, where the ancient medieval workshops has been replaced by the more modern souvenirs shops. That’s the tribute we have to pay to the modernity… but at the same time you can enjoy the wonderful frescoes of the Cathedral and of St Agostino Church, the civic museum of the town hall. An interesting break would be the Medieval torture museum in order to discover the human ability to invent pain and death methods.

Pienza, Siena surroundings

The Pope Pius II asked to Leon Battista Alberti to transform an ancient village called Corsignano into the current town.

Pienza was built in three years, it’s an example of beauty and harmony and it’s symbol of the will of Pius II to build a different and more beautiful town of Siena, from which he and his family were chased away. As in the greatest part of this kind of medieval villages the town has one big principal street (Corso Rossellino) that cross all the town and arrives in the big square. In Pienza there’s Piazza Pio II with its particular trapezoidal shape and the characteristic herringbone pavement. In this square you can visit also the Cathedral, Piccolomini’s Palace and the Town Hall, at the centre there’s a well. The three monuments deserve a visit and all along the street you’ll be tempted by all the typical products, such as the pecorino of Pienza.

Monteriggioni, Siena surroundings

The best way to have a prefect view of Monteriggioni is a walk on its old medieval walls. You can see them while arriving in town.

Nothing has changed from to the past to nowadays, they are the same walls that impressed Dante, who mentioned Monteriggioni in the “Divine Comedy” in the Canto XXXI of the Hell, when he wrote: “As with circling round Of turrets, Montereggion crowns his walls” . He used the majesty of this town to describe the huge giants Nebrotto, Fialte e Anteo into the abyss of Malebolge.

The 14 towers built to protect the city are still intact. Today this town welcomes tourists, artists and writers, who are attracted by the quiet atmosphere in Piazza Roma (the principal square of the village) where you can visit the church Santa Maria della Pieve and where you can find a lot of typical restaurants.

Montepulciano, Siena surroundings

Montepulciano repeats the scenography of all the others small town of Siena surroundings: you enter from the principal door of the city and begin a time travel between Middle age and Renaissance which ends at the top of the village in Piazza Grande.

The square is the heart of Montepulciano where tourists and poliziani (this is the name of Montepulciano’s people) meet each others. You can find beautiful buildings: the Town hall, which is dated around 1300 and reminds in its forms the Palazzo della Signoria in Florence; the Contucci Palace and the Nobili-Tarugi covered with travertine. The nearby Palace is Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo and in front of this one there’s the well dè Grifi e dei Leoni with its beautiful Renaissance design. In the Cathedral you can admire the triptych which represent the Assumption painted by Taddeo di Bartolo and the Virgin with the Baby painted by Sano di Pietro. There are many streets with aristocratic buildings and workshops that sells typical wines such as the noble of Montepulciano and local gastronomic products.

San Galgano Abbey, in Siena

The San Galgano Abbey will leave you breathless. Try to imagine a Basilica with Latin cross plan, three naves, 72 meters in length and 21 meters wide, with the intact external walls but…without roof.

During the centuries this Abbey lost its cover. It was built in 1218 and during the XIV century it reached its splendour thanks to the immunity and the royal privilege. After the richness came the decadence, and the Abbey was abandoned, even if it remained majestic. Near the Abbey, on the hill of Montesiepi, there’s the sword stuck in the stone by Galgano Guidotti. He was violent and arrogant nobleman who had a suddenly religious conversion and left his sword there as a symbolic renounce to the violence . There are a lot of analogies between San Galgano and Gawain, one of King Arthur’s knights. Maybe San Galgano was one of the knights… and maybe this is the famous sword in the stone…

Bagno Vignoni, Siena surrondings

Bagno Vignoni has one of the most charming squares of the world: which other city of the world has a square filled of thermal water that flows at the temperature of 52°C? The town developed around the big pool filled with hot water.

The village is quite small, you can visit it in few minutes and then dedicate yourself to the favorite activity of the tourists that go to Bagno Vignoni: put hands and feet in the streams of hot water that start from the square and cross all the town. Those little rivers used to fuel the mills of Bagno Vignoni (today the mills has been renovated and they can be visited) but today they are the best way to relax after visiting all the villages of Siena surroundings. At the end of the town there’s a thermal pool in which you can have a bath like Lorenzo the Magnificent and Santa Caterina da Siena used to do, the loggia on the square, in fact, is dedicated to Santa Caterina.

Colle Val D'Elsa, Siena surroundings

Montalcino is placed on the top of the hill where it dominates, with its beautiful XII century fortress, the Asso and Ombrone valleys below.

In its history there have been struggle periods and peace times, but the fortune of this town is due to the area where it rise, a prestigious zone of the grapevine cultivation. Therefore thanks to its wines like the Rosso of Montalcino, the Sant’Antimo and the celebrated Brunello of Montalcino, this town is famous all over the world.

The village is still surrounded by the walls of the XIII century and walking through its streets you can admire, among its workshops and little cafés, the town hall and the bishop palace. It’s the seat of Montalcino’s museums where you can see important works of Siena’s artists from the XII to the XIX century. There are also the churches of Sant’Agostino, Sant’Egidio and San Fracesco. If you move a little outside the town there’s Castelnuovo dell’Abbate where you can find the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, with its magical atmosphere, this abbey was founded by Charlemagne in 781.

Montalcino, Siena surroundings

Montalcino is placed on the top of the hill where it dominates, with its beautiful XII century fortress, the Asso and Ombrone valleys below.

Chiusi, Siena surroundings

Chiusi descends from the ancient Etruscan city Chamars that reached its maximum splendor under the reign of the king Porsenna, between the VII and the VI century b. C. Its huge historical and cultural asset make this town an archaeological site of great importance.

From the main door of the city starts via Porsenna where you can see Medieval and Renaissance buildings. This street arrives in Piazza del Duomo. In the square you can admire the Episcopal Palace, the bell tower and the Cathedral with the nearby Museum in which there are guarded important works coming from the Cathedral and the diocese. Just outside the church there’s the civic museum with Greek, Latin and Etruscan potteries. Since the XVIII century the town began to search the traces of its glorious past. There is also a fascinating underground path in which there are collected about 300 sarcophagi and funerary inscriptions. The real jewels of Chiusi, however, are located outside the center, in the Siena countryside: extraordinary Etruscan tombs with frescoes will let you discover the richness and culture of a still mysterious people as the Etruscans. Don’t miss the Tomb of the Monkey, the Lion and that of the Pilgrim. Unfortunately they are not always open: for information contact the Archaeological Museum of Chiusi at 057820177.

Monte Oliveto Abbey, Siena surroundings

It was founded in 1313 by San Bernardo Tolomei, the exponent of one of the most powerful families of Siena and a strict observer of the Benedictine rule (ora et labora).

Monte Oliveto Abbey is placed on a hill and it’s defended on three sides by insurmountable cliffs. Nowadays the Abbey is the seat of the Benedictine congregation and houses the Institute of books restoration. Crossing the big cloister, frescoed with the “San Benedetto’s stories”, you can arrive in the church built in XV century renovated with baroques forms. Among the great number of works , there’s a wooden choir made by Frate Giovanni da Verona. In the middle cloister there’s the beautiful fresco representing the Coronation of the Virgin by Sodoma and The deposition by an unknown artist. Then you’ll enter in the monastic library and in the pharmacy in which are conserved numerous pots of the XVII century and numerous medical herbs.

If you are looking for a hotel in Siena Surroundings , we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 500 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

cities of art Siena

10 things to do and see in Siena

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

You can appreciate the beauty of Siena only after some days you left the city. When you are there, you are too busy to see as much as possible, so you don’t immediately realize the beauty that surrounds you. Memories come after some days: the first thing that you’ll remember is Piazza del Campo, then the Public Palace and the Torre del Mangia, the black and white of the Cathedral and the Baptistery

But, maybe, the thing that you are going to remember better is the colour of the façades and of the roofs. The famous colour Sienna, that makes the city landscape coherent, harmonious and lovely to watch. Siena it’s not changed in appearances from the middle age to nowadays and walking through its streets it’s a kind of time travel, the search of a golden age, very common for some Italian cities.

If you are looking for a hotel in Siena, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 100 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Piazza del Campo in Siena

Piazza del Campo in Siena is considered one of the most beautiful squares of the world.

It has a characteristic shell-shape divided in 9 slices, that you can admire from the top of Torre del Mangia. From the 1300 this square is the centre of Siena and it has the function of market place, of meeting point for all people during important political moments or celebrations, for example twice a year in occasion of the famous palio. Today Piazza del Campo is the tourist place par excellence, a must see of the city, full of souvenirs markets (which doesn’t damage the beauty of the place). Public Palace – Palazzo Pubblico – with Torre del Mangia is very impressive while all the square is surrounded by beautiful and impressive nobility houses. The tourist ritual in this square wants the people to sit or lie down on the ground to admire the sky in a very original position. Actually it’s a way to rest after all the ups and downs in the city’s alleys. On the top of the square there’s the “Fonte Gaia” one of the most beautiful fountains of Siena. It was carved by Jacopo della Quercia between the 1409 and the 1419, the one you can admire in the place today is a copy of the original.

The Public Palace of Siena

The Public Palace of Siena is the place of the political power of the city. Since the “government of 9” (that in 1300 made Siena a beautiful city) to nowadays all Siena’s governors lived there.

If only nine politics thought and realized these wonders, we would expect something better from the thousand politics that nowadays crowd the city halls…
The Public palace of Siena is considered one of the most beautiful civil palaces in Italy. It has always been admired for its harmony and majestic. A beauty already perceived during the construction of the palace, so much that the city government, during the works, passed a precise edict. It obligated the owners of the buildings in Piazza del Campo to build their houses observing rules of stylistic coherence, but, at the same time, they couldn’t be more beautiful or bigger than the Palace. In the Palace there’s the Civic Museum of Siena too, decorated with the famous frescoes of Ambrogio Lorenzetti which represent the allegories of good and bad government.

Where: Piazza del Campo
How to get there: by feet from the city centre
When – Hours: From 1.11. to 15.03: 10 am – 6 pm; From 16.03 to 31.10: 10 am – 7 pm; New year: 12 – 6 pm ; never: Christmas
Tickets: Full price: € 9.00 without booking – € 8.00 reservation
Reduced: € 8.00 without booking – € 7.50 reservation (boys aged 11 to 19 years, over 65, university student not members of the Siena university institutions)

Torre del Mangia in Siena

You shouldn’t go on the top of this tower, which is 88 meters high, if you suffer from dizziness , but we warn you: you’d lose an exceptional view.

Up there the spectacle is breathtaking, you can see all the city: the square, the Cathedral and all the hills surronding the city. The tower takes its name from Giovanni Duccio, first keeper of the tower, also known as “Mangiaguadagni” (Litterally: “Money eater”). He spent all his money eating in all Siena’s taverns. That’s why the tower is called “Torre del Mangia” (Litterally: Mangia’s Tower). The legend tells that, during the construction, at the foot of the tower were hidden some lucky coins. Moreover at the 4 corners of the tower there are stones on which are engraved Latin and Hebraic phrases with the task of keeping away thunders and storms from the tower.

Where: Piazza del Campo
How to get here: By feet, 400 steps to go on the top
When – Hours: From the 16th October to the end of February, every day from 10 am to 4 pm (the ticket office closes at 3.15 pm).
From the 1st March to the 16th October, every day from 10 am to 7 pm (the ticket office closes at 6,15 pm)
Tickets: 7 € – 12 € the ticket comprehends the visit to the Civic Museum too.

The civic museum in Siena

The civic museum in Siena hosts one of the most known allegories of the world: the allegory of the good and bad government, painted on the walls by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.

In 1337 the “Government of the 9” asked Lorenzetti to decorate the room where the guests were received, with a fresco that represented the ideals of the city and its governors. For the first time an allegoric fresco cycle had a civil subject and not a religious one. This allegory expresses how a good or a bad government can decide the wellness or the decadence of the society. The other great protagonist of the Museum is the “Majesty” painted by Simone Martini, the Nine asked this work to testify the great devotion of Siena’s people to the Virgin.

Where: Piazza del Campo
How to get there: by feet in the city centre
Tickets: Full ticket 7,50 €, with reservation 6,50 €. Reduced ticket 4,50 €, with reservation 3,50 € (students, over 65, military and invalids)
When – Hours: 1st November – 15th March 10 am – 6.30 pm
16 March – 31 October 10 am – 7 pm

The Cathedral of Siena

Tourists usually arrive at the Cathedral after Piazza del Campo, so they don’t expect to remain surprised again.

Nobody thinks that in Siena there is something bigger and more beautiful. Well, they wrong. There’s still the Cathedral with its black and white façade. This impressive church is dedicated to Maria Assunta. The richest jewels are inside: the floor full of esoteric symbols and religious stories: the sibyls of the history, the slaughter of the innocents, king David, Hermes Trismegist, the life of Moses and the Sacrifice of Iefte. In the left aisle, just before the transept, there’s the Piccolomini Library, frescoed by Pinturicchio, that, in spite of the name it never hosted the books of the Pope Pio II.
Just beyond the library there’s the Piccolomini Chapel, in which there are 4 statues made by Michelangelo (he worked there from 1501 to the 1504). The statues ornate the 4 inferior niches of the Chapel. The pulpit deserves attention too: there are represented scenes taken from the Bible and Jesus life, it was made by Nicola Pisano.

Where: Piazza del Duomo
How to get there: by feet in the square
When – Hours:
Cathedral, Piccolomini Library, Museum, Panorama dal Facciatone, Crypt, Baptistery
From 01.03 – 02.11 – 10.30 am – 7,30 pm Cathedral Public holiday 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm
From 03.11 to 28.02: 10.30 am – 5.30 pm Cathedral Public holiday 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm
From 26.12 to 06.01: 10.30 am – 6.00 pm Cathedral Public holiday 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm
Period Uncovering Floor Cathedral Holidays 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
Opening Sunday Cathedral just for the month of March 1:30 to 5:30 pm
From July 1 to 31 Cathedral on holidays close at 7.00 pm
Last entry one half hour before the closing time of Museums.
Tickets:
Cathedral + Piccolomini Library € 4.00
from 01/11 to 24/12 and from 07/01 to 28/02 free Cathedral and Piccolomini Library € 2.00
Cathedral floor uncovering period + Piccolomini Library € 7.00
Museo dell’Opera and Panorama dal Facciatone € 7.00
Crypt € 6,00 (€ 8.00 in the event of extraordinary events)
Baptistery € 4.00
Opa si Pass all inclusive (not including the path Gate of Heaven)
€ 12.00 from 01/03 to 31/10, € 8.00 from 01/11 to 24/12 and from 07/01 to 28/02, € 10,00 from 26/12 to 06/01.

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Siena

From the right of the cathedral you can access to the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (or Metropolitana), which collects the works coming from the Cathedral and the Diocese of Siena.

Impossible to list the complete set of masterpieces, but a few will be enough to convince you to visit this museum: the Tondo of Donatello depicting a Virgin and Child, Enthroned Virgin and Child and Cardinal Casini, work by Jacopo della Quercia, the Majesty of Duccio da Buoninsegna, the ten statues of saints by Giovanni Pisano which once were exhibited in the Cathedral, the Nativity of the Virgin by Pietro Lorenzetti the Dead Jesus of Sodom (great) and much more.

Where: Piazza del duomo
When – Hours: see info to access at the Cathedral

The Baptistery of Siena

The Baptistery is placed just at the back of the Cathedral. From 1325 it competes with the Cathedral for the role of the most important religious building in Siena.

For many centuries people of Siena used to be baptised under the ogival arch of the Baptistery. On the three naves you can find the frescoes by Benvenuto di Giovanni ( “The miracles of Saint Anthony of Padova” – 1460) Pietro degli Orioli (“The washing of the feet”) and Lorenzo di Pietro known as “il Vecchietta” (vault frescoes representing “the Articles of Faith”, 1447 – 1450). But the protagonist of the baptistery is the baptismal font made of bronze and marble and placed at the centre of the church. It has been created by the great artists of that period: Jacopo della Quercia, Giovanni di Turino, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Donatello. The latter realized two of the six bronzed angels which decorate the ciborium

Where: Piazza San Giovanni
When – Hours: see info to access at the Cathedral

The Nation Art Gallery in Siena

A visit to Siena would not be complete without visiting the masterpieces preserved in the National Art Gallery.

The arrangement of the works of the ‘400 and’ 500 of Siena artists is on the first floor, but the masterpieces are located on the second floor, where the works are arranged chronologically from the origins of Siena paintings until the second half of the XV century: Duccio (Madonna Franciscan), Simone Martini, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti (“the Little Majesty”) (fourteenth century), Sano di Pietro, Giovanni di Paolo, Sassetta, Matteo di Giovanni and Francesco di Giorgio Martini (fifteenth). On the third floor are collected the works of Spannocchi-Piccolomini Collection (rich Sienese family) with a St. Jerome by Albrecht Durer and a Nativity by Lorenzo Lotto.

Where: Via di San Pietro
How to get there: by feet in the city centre
When – Hours:
Monday: 09:00 am to 1:00 pm
Tuesday through Saturday: 08:15 am to 7:15 pm
Sunday and holidays: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
St. Ansano (Patron) 1^st December : 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Never: 1 January – 1 May – 25 December
Tickets: Full price: 4 EUR
Reduced price: € 2 (European Union citizens between 18 and 25 years and state school teachers)

Things to eat in Siena

You cannot talk (and taste) the cuisine of Siena without speaking of the territory in which its products are born. The hills around the city offer oil, wine, meat and vegetables. Thanks to the farmers’ wisdom, these ingredients are transformed into a genuinely popular kitchen

The boar (especially the Cinta Senese) and the hare are the principal ingredient of crostini (slices of grilled bread),pappardelle (homemade pasta) and dishes of grilled meat. Always with the crostini (served as appetizer) you can taste various kind of boar ham and salami, pecorino (ripe cheese), honey and fegatelli (small pieces of pig’s liver). Among the soups the “ribollita” is the one that helps better to face the cold winter. Always on the table the wines of Tuscany: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Montepulciano and the Vernaccia di San Gimignano. People who loves dessert can enjoy: cantucci (biscuits with toasted almonds), ricciarelli , panforte , and cavallucci generally served with Vin Santo(dessert wine).

Where to sleep in Siena

Visited every day of the year by thousands of tourists, Siena is one of the crowded destinations in Italy.

Luckily, the city has a great tourist organization and also a large number of hotels, rooms, bed and breakfasts and guest houses. Sleeping in a hotel in the centre can be expensive and it requires reservations in advance.

A much better chance to find a cheap room can be offered by agritourisms in the surrounding hills and villages around Siena. The price for a double room in a 3 star hotel in the centre from 90 EUR per night while in the agritourisms outside the city centre there are good rooms from 50 euro per night.

If you are looking for a hotel in Siena, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 100 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

capitals Reykjavík

10 things to do and see in Reykjavík

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

When you think about Reykjavík what is the first thing that pops in your mind? The elves, the singer Bjork, the mischievous volcanoes? Right, but it’s not enough.

Reykjavík, the “smoking bay” founded by the Vikings, is a small, cosmopolitan capital, hot and cold at the same time. On one side you’ll find the energy of theatres, galleries and events, on the other one the calm of warm pools used like cafés : the Icelanders use to meet there to relax and to gossip happily soaking in hot water after a workday.

Reykjavík is surrounded by white snow-covered plateaus as a crown, but its spirit is not cold. It offers many things to do and see and it’s surprisingly crowded along the streets of downtown in the evening.

But it’s true that it’s cold, and therefore houses, shops and hotels are warm and welcoming, with large windows from which you can see the Icelandic design: essential, natural and irresistibly cool. So here’s our 10 things to do and see in Reykjavík.

If you are looking for a hotel in Reykjavík, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 170 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík

Oliafus Eliasson designed and built in 2011, this futuristic glass building overlooking the bay of Reykjavík which is visible from a distance and during the night, thanks to the multi-colored lights reflected on the water and the surrounding landscape.

The particular shape of the Harpa remembers basalt columns so common in Iceland and the tribute to the land is also reflected in its function: the Harpa Concert Hall hosts Symphony Orchestra and Icelandic Opera, artistic events and small concerts. You can follow a guided tour or enter for free: inside you will find two restaurants with Icelandic dishes, and three stores in which look for the best music and the Icelandic literature.

Where: Reykjavík harbour
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: Guided tours from May 15 to August: daily at 09:00 am ; 11:00 am ; 1:30 pm ; 3:30 pm
From September to May 15: daily at 3:30 pm ; on weekends at 11:00 am and 3:30 pm
Tickets: 1.750 Kr

Blue Lagoon in Reykjavík

The famous Blue Lagoon, or Bláa Lónið in Icelandic, is a must for anyone visiting Reykjavík. Nestled in a unique setting, the lava expanse of Svartseng, the Blue Lagoon is located about 45 minutes from Reykjavík. It’s named after the incredible blue color of the water, caused by microorganisms that reflect light in this unique ecosystem. Relaxing in these waters restores the body and spirit: it’s cold outside, but the water temperature is around 38 degrees, and the you’ll see nothing than smokes and black rocks.

The geothermal water in the lagoon is good for your skin and is curative: its virtues depend on the minerals dissolved in the water, in particular silicon, which applied on the body like mud makes the skin smooth and fresh. In addition to the lagoon, the complex includes a spa area with sauna and turkish bath, beauty and spa treatments, a snack bar, locker rooms, a relaxation area with solarium indoor and an Icelandic specialty restaurant

Where: 45-minute from Reykjavík
How to get there: By car or bus from Reykjavík and from Keflavik Airport with Bus Travel companies, Iceland Excursions, Reykjavík Excursions.
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 9 pm , July and August until 11 pm
Tickets: adult ticket 40 Euros, children 13-19 years 50%, children free. The ticket includes the use of the lagoon, sauna and turkish bath, thermal mud, locker room with showers and hairdryers, access to the solarium

The Geysir in Reykjavík

Did you know that the word “geyser” derived from Icelandic geysir? It’s an experience to do at least once in life, and Reykjavík is the place. Imagine a barren and rocky land, nestled among mountains and volcanoes, covered with icy lichens. At the center, scattered in fairly small area, round puddles of water gurgling rhythmically, like waves on the shoreline.

Suddenly in a pool water there’s a bubble, and a moment later a vapor high column explodes into the sky, and then returns quietly underground. The eruption of a geyser is the power of nature in its primary elements. The geyser area is located about 100 km from Reykjavík, in the valley of Haukadalur, and is part of the “golden circle”, a tourist route that includes waterfalls Gullfoss and Thingvellir Park.

The geyser area is fenced because of the boiling water that flows from pools before and after eruption: we advise you to walk with caution.

Where: 100 km from Reykjavík
How to get there: by car or bus
When – Hours: Every day from sunrise to sunset

Whales Watching in Reykjavík

Whale watching in Reykjavík is a must – do; first of all because the chances of sighting are very high, especially in the summer with 90% of success, then it’s the best way to protect these animals from extinction, and finally because it’s a great experience.

Among the whales that inhabit the area there are the killer whale, the minke whale, the humpback whale and several species of dolphins.

The boats depart from the old harbor of Reykjavík and stop in the whale watching points. The tour lasts about 4 hours and we suggest you to bring binoculars and / or camera and cover you well both in summer and winter: on board you will find waterproof suits to wear to enjoy the view of the bay or (if you are lucky) of the whales, without suffering too much the cold.

But which company to choose? Simple: choose a Icewhale certified operator, which guarantees responsible conduct, the least impact on the natural habitat. Often on board there are one or more marine biologists who take advantage of the “transition” to analyse the human impact on the habitat of the whales. And if you see nothing? The company gives you a tribute ticket valid for two years for another excursion

Where: Reykjavík’s Old Harbour
How to get there: Boats from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour
When – Hours: All the year at least two trips per day, from June 15 to July 31, night excursions too.
Tickets: Adults (12 +) 60 Euros approximately, children: for free under 12 years.

The valley of Laugardalur in Reykjavík

The Laugardalur Valley is located a few km from the center of Reykjavík and is a true entertainment and sports complex, which also includes public pools and family park with aquarium and zoo, botanical garden, hostel and camping.

The Laugardalur valley is the perfect destination for young people, children and families: you’ll find many geothermal pools, indoor and outdoor saunas, water slides, children’s area and a big zoo with lots of activities for the little ones. And not far away there is a building that houses some of the monumental sculptures of Ásmundur Sveinsson, one of the pioneers of Icelandic sculpture. The center also hosts concerts, events and exhibitions, and includes ice rink and sports arena.

Where: few km far from Reykjavík
How to get there: Bus from Reykjavík station: lines 12 and 14
When – Hours: public pools: Monday to Friday from 6.30 am to 10 pm ; Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 10 pm .
Family park: August 18 to May 30 every day from 10 am to 5 pm ; May 31 to August 18 daily from 10 am to 6 pm
Tickets public pools: adults (18+) about 4 euro; children under 18 years 1 euro. The ticket includes access to all pools.
Family Park: about 5 € adults, children 5-12 years about 4 €, children under 4 years old, retired and disabled free entrance

Þingvellir Park

The Þingvellir Park is located about 45 km from the Icelandic capital and is a beloved place by Icelanders, as here, around 930 AD, was founded the oldest parliament in the world and always here on July 17, 1944, Icelanders celebrated independence from Denmark.

The park is on the UNESCO national heritage list and today and is one of the most visited destinations for the beauty of the area, the silence and the total absence of light pollution, which makes it an ideal stop for the famous Northern lights. The park offers various activities, including camping, diving, walking and horse, and a multimedia exhibition. The park can be reached by car or bus and is a perfect destination for a day trip.

Where: In the southwestern part of the island, about 50 km from Reykjavík.
How to get there: On the circular Highway 1, take the road 36 (Þingvallavegur)
When – Hours: June – August
Tickets: free entrance

National Museum in Reykjavík

The National Museum in Reykjavík preserves the history of Iceland from the so-called Age of Settlement, 800 A.D. approximately, to the present day, through a permanent collection divided into several themes: work and lifestyle, housing, crafts and language and social life.

In addition, the museum houses a photo exhibition, events and festivals throughout the year. The permanent collection includes about 2,000 objects from the late ninth century to the present and about 1,000 photographs of the last century, and it’s structured as a journey through time: starting from Viking ships that sailed the seas and arriving at the airport.

Don’t miss a bronze statue dating back to the year 1000 A.D. and that could depict Thor or Christ : the doubt arises from the object that has in his hands, which seems to be both the hammer of Thor and the Christian cross.

Where: The museum is located near the university and is within close to the center of Reykjavík
How to get there: A few minutes by feet from the center of Reykjavík, or by bus: lines 1,3, 6, 11, 12 and 14.
When – Hours: 1 May to 15 September every day from 10 am to 5 pm.
From September 16 to April 30 every day, except Mondays, from 11 am to 5 pm.
Tickets: Adults (18 +) about 10 euro; children under 18 years old, adults over 67, students, disabled, and groups from 10 people about 5 euro.

Things to eat in Reykjavík

The special taste of traditional Icelandic food is influenced by the centuries – old struggle to preserve food as long as possible throughout the winter. Meat and fish were dried, salted, smoked or preserved in serum also for 3 or 4 months. They pretty much used all parts, and that’s why among the Icelandic delikatessen you can find shark meat, liver pudding, smoked lamb and even mutton testicles.

But if you want to try something more soft we recommend you the lamb soup, seasoned with vegetables and paprika, the flatkaka, tasty oatmeal pancakes with butter and hangikjot, meat of smoked lamb and served in thin slices, or one snacks based on fish: lax (salmon) and bread. For the rest, like all European capital Reykjavík it offers a wide choice of ethnic cuisine, from sushi to pizza, vegan dishes, in every corner you will find a restaurant which suits your budget and your imagination.

Reykjavík nightlife

Reykjavík is a vibrant and very busy night capital. Along the streets of downtown there are cafés, clubs with live music, and the evening doesn’t start before midnight. After midnight, then, you will see young and old people in the streets. The cost of alcohol is higher than in other cities, but in most clubs there’s free entrance and you can book a table and receive a free bottle. The musical and cultural tradition is vibrant also during the night: you will find concerts and live music of every kind. Generally the kitchen closes around 23. Reykjavík’s places are soundproofed, crowded and often on two floors, with windows overlooking the street. Here is the guarantee that the people of elves and Vikings know how to enjoy life.

Where to sleep in Reykjavík

Reykjavík is a very cheap destination: the hotel cost about 80 Euros in the high season, and you can barely get a room with shared bathroom in a 2 star hotel.

The equivalent of a 3 star Italian will start from 120 euro. There is also a wide range of hostels, apartments and guesthouse but always with high prices. You can save a lot in May and September and by booking in advance for the high season

cities of art Ravenna

10 things to do and see in Ravenna

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Ravenna is actually an unknown treasure for Italian people. Even if it’s not as famous as Rome, Naples, Florence and Venice, it’s an extraordinary little city which attracts tourists and art lovers from all over the world. Few people know that it has been capital for three times of three different empires: the Western Roman Empire, the kingdom of Theodoric, king of the Goth, and of the Byzantine Empire in Europe. This glorious past is also preserved in its basilicas and baptisteries where there is the richest patrimony of mosaics of the 5th and 6th centuries. Ravenna has eight monuments included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List and in this city there are the remains of Dante Alighieri (and not in Florence as many people think…). Ravenna has a rich cuisine too and in the summertime, if you like the seaside, you’ll be few steps away from a 35 kilometres beach. To the ones who loves nature in a few kilometres there’s the Po delta, the Comacchio Valleys, the Classe and Saint Vitale’s pinewoods, and the Oasis of Punte Alberete.

If you’ve never been in Ravenna, after reading this you’ll have no more excuses. Discover with us 10 things to do and to see in Ravenna.

If you are looking for a hotel in Ravenna, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 30 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna

Looking at its simple exterior you probably won’t even imagine that in a such little space you’re going to find wonderful mosaics, the most ancient of Ravenna.

The atmosphere you breathe inside the Mausoleum is magic. The emperor Onorio (who transferred the capital of his empire from Milan to Ravenna) wanted this monument for his sister Galla Placidia. The theme represented with the technique of the mosaic is the victory of life over death according with the future use of the monument. The starry sky represented on the vaulted ceiling is the real protagonist and makes this place unforgettable. It seems that Cole Porter had the same sensation when he went to Ravenna, during his honeymoon, in the 20’s. The story tells that was this starry sky that inspired the famous song “Night and day”.

Where: Via Giuliano Argentario
How to get here: By feet from the centre of Ravenna
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 7 pm
Never: 25th December
Tickets: 9,50 € The ticket allows you to visit: Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, San Vitale and Mausoleum of Gallia Placidia, Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel.

Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna

This temple has an octagonal shape (eight symbolizes the resurrection because it’s the result of seven, the time, plus one, the number of God) and it’s one of the most important monuments of the paleo- Christian age.

You can admire splendid mosaics and the oriental art style: there are no nave and aisles in this basilica but just a central frescoed dome with octagonal base. If you will be able to stare not only at the mosaic, in particular Teodora’s face, you’ll notice on the floor some concentric circles: it’s a labyrinth, that can be found in many Christian churches. The labyrinth symbolizes the path of salvation from the sin to the purification. If you want to try to go out from that labyrinth we give you a clue: you have to start from the centre. The rest is up to you.

Where: Via San Vitale
How to get here: By feet from the centre of Ravenna
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 7 pm (the ticket office closes at 6.45 pm)
Never: 25th December
Tickets: 9,50 € The ticket allows you to visit: Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, San Vitale and Mausoleum of Gallia Placidia, Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna

This church has the greatest cycle of mosaics in the world. The walls of the nave are divided into three distinct strips of mosaics:

the high one represents the life of Christ, the central one represents Saints and Prophets, and the lower one portrays the famous Palace of Theodoric.
The cancellation of the figure of the Emperor and other characters, covered with white drapes, happened when the basilica passed from Arian cult (for which it was built) to Catholic worship. On the opposite wall there is a portrait of port of Classe, one of the most important in the Mediterranean sea during the Roman Empire.

Where: Via Roma
How to get here: by feet in the city centre
When – Hours: Every day from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm. The ticket office closes at 7 pm
Never: 01.01 and 25.12
Tickets: 9,50 € The ticket allows you to visit: Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, San Vitale and Mausoleum of Gallia Placidia, Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel.

The Mausoleum of Theodoric

According to the legend, the red porphyry tub, on the top floor of the Mausoleum, is the same where the barbarian Emperor died.

Since he was afraid of lightings , in a thunderstorm day he took shelter in his mausoleum, but a lightning hit him just as he was taking a bath. Then a black horse would have arrived and would have thrown him in the Etna Volcano!

There are many legends about the death of this barbarian king who ruled in Italy for 33 years bringing tolerance, peace and wealth and who built this mausoleum in Istrian stone. The two floor structure in decagonal shape and the massive roof ,made with a single block of stone, makes it a unique monument, completely different than the other buildings of Ravenna.

Where: Via delle Industrie
How to get there: Outside Rocca Brancaleone. Bus line n. 2-5
When – Hours: Every day 8.30 am – 7.30 pm Ticket office close at 6.30 pm
Tickets: € 4
National Museum of Ravenna and Mausoleum of Theodoric € 8 (reduced ticket € 4 ) National Museum of Ravenna and Mausoleum of Theodoric and The Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna

This church is one of the most impressive churches in Ravenna. The mosaics here are beautiful, the subject of the mosaics is Jesus Christ surrounded by the 4 evangelists and by sheeps, symbolizing the apostles.

Jesus face is in the middle of a cross, in a circle decorated with 99 stars. This representation is included in a paradise landscape among the sky, green grass, stones, trees, flowers and coloured birds. Today the basilica is 8 kilometres far from the centre of the city and some kilometres far from the seaside, but when it was built it was situated on the sea shore. Near the basilica there are the excavations of the archaeological site of the ancient city of Classe, seat of the Roman fleet on the Adriatic sea.

Where: 8 km from the city centre
How to get here: From the station of Ravenna by bus n° 4 or by train 5 minutes by feet.
When – Hours: Every day from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm. The ticket office closes at 7 pm
Tickets: 5 €, or the ticket that includes the National Museum and the Teodoric Mausoleum. 6 €, or 8 € the ticket that includes National Museum, the Teodoric Mausoleum and the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe.

Dante’s Tomb - Mausoleum in Ravenna

Dante’s tomb is here in Ravenna and not in Florence. Dante died in Ravenna during his exile and his body is still in Ravenna.

The Franciscans stole his mortal spoils and jealously kept them for several centuries, opposing to the will of kings and popes who tried to bring back the body in Florence. Thanks to the Franciscans the spoils of the writer has been saved from the bombardments of the second world war. There’s one thing which remembers Florence near this grave: a votive lamp of the XVIII century made up from the oil produced on the Apennines of Tuscany. This oil is donated every year, the second Sunday of September, from the city of Florence.

Where: Via Dante Alighieri
How to get here: By feet from the centre of Ravenna
When – Hours: Every day from 10 am to 6.30 pm
Never: 1st November, 25th December, 1st January
Tickets: Free entrance

Arian Baptistery in Ravenna

The Arian baptistery was built during the kingdom of Theodoric, when Ravenna was the Capital of his reign and the Arianism was the official religion of his court.

Arianism was considered from the Catholic church as heresy because one of this religion convictions was that Jesus Christ was son of God but he was considered human until the moment of baptism. The mosaics on the vault represent and celebrate the baptism. Unlike the Orthodox Baptistery, the representation here shows a Christ not coming from the East (as “Light from Light, real God from real God…”) but going in direction of the East, becoming divine only during the baptism moment. Jesus Christ is considered as a man, so his nudity it’s not censored, while he’s immersed in the Jordan’s waters and John the Baptist is baptising him. From the sky the divine dove is coming down and brings with her the light, symbolizing the spirit, on the Jesus head.

Where: Piazzetta degli Ariani
How to get here: By feet from the centre of Ravenna
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 7.30 pm
Tickets: Free entrance

Neonian Baptistery in Ravenna

The Neonian Baptistery was the Catholic answer ( of the bishop Neone) to the Arian heresy which has its splendour under the reign of Theodoric.

This contrast is evident if you compare the mosaic of the vault of this baptistery with the one you can find in the Arian Bapstery. The Christ here comes from the East and he’s divine before the baptism. While in the Arian one is the contrary.
Karl Gustav Jung (the famous psychologist) during his stay in Ravenna, in the 30’s, visited this baptistery and he saw a mosaic which represented Jesus Christ holding his hand to Saint Peter who was drowning. He debated long time with his partner about this image and he concluded that it was a symbolic representation of the death and of the rebirth. Only after some time, when he was looking for a photo of that image, he understood that it didn’t exist and that it was just an invention of his mind. Jung took as example that episode to write beautiful pages about unconscious and conscious and about how the imagination can change our perception of reality.

Where: Via Gioacchino Rasponi
How to get here: By feet from the centre of Ravenna
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 7 pm
Tickets: 9,50 € The ticket allows you to visit: Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, San Vitale and Mausoleum of Gallia Placidia, Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel.

Things to eat in Ravenna

Once in Ravenna you won’t resist to the abundant and tasty Romagna gastronomy.

Menu usually starts with mixed cold cuts and squacquerone (an Italian fresh cream cheese with a tangy taste), continues with cappelletti and tagliatelle with meat sauce, meat, fish and seafood or eels and frogs. It ends with a sweet mascarpone and good wines such as Albana, Sangiovese, Trebbiano or Pagadebit. We suggest you two good places to taste the local cuisine : Cà de Ven and the Locanda del Melarancio in the city centre. To taste a good piadina you can go to Piadina of Melarancio always in the centre

ade wooden toys, which are in the shops of Malà Strana and the Golden Lane in the Castle. Among food products, there are the Spa Wafers, some good home – made beer (great Czech tradition). The gift par excellence, however, is a bottle of slivovitz or Becherovka, herbal liqueurs and plum with which you can finish any meal in Prague and throughout the Czech Republic.

Where to sleep in Ravenna

During the spring Ravenna is full of students, scholars and tourists , but it has excellent tourist services organized in hotels, B&Bs, guest houses and apartments.

Hotels in the city centre are numerous and they don’t have high costs, even if you have to book a little in advance, especially during spring and autumn. Many other chances come from the hotel just outside the centre and in the suburbs. Also, not far away there is the Adriatic coast with its unique hospitality. The average price of a 3 star hotel for a night starts from 50 €.

capitals Prague

10 things to do and see in Prague

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Prague is a “magic city” at the center of Europe. The whole history of Prague can be told through legends: the same name (Praha) “threshold” recalls the foundation of the city wanted by Princess Libuse, a wise woman of great beauty with mysterious magical powers. So begins the magical story of Prague, with big and small legends, including the most famous of Rabbi Loew and his golem, terrible monster created to defend the Jews of Prague from persecution.

In addition to these legendary and magic tales (for those who believe), Prague offers much more reasons to visit it: it’s a welcoming capital, secure, well preserved, with monuments, history and beauty, and a nightlife with no limits. The prices of the hotels in Prague are still accessible. For this reason we suggest you to plan your trip with our guide and discover the 10 things to do and see during a weekend or a holiday in Prague.

If you are looking for a hotel in Prague, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 400 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Prague Castle

Anyone who has read Kafka, will recognize in the Castle the disturbing presence of almost all the novels of the great writer. A symbol of power, the Prague Castle seems to be threatening and inaccessible

Long steep roads, including the beautiful and hard Nerudova Street, will let you discover this place where since many centuries mingle history and legend, sacred and profane things. St. Vitus Cathedral, the symbol of the Czech religiosity, coexists with the Golden Alley, where alchemists wanted by Rudolf II were looking for the elixir of life and the magic formula to turn base metals into gold.

How to get there: Tram 22 and then walk or Nerudova Street
When – Hours: From April 1 to 31 October from 5 am until midnight.
Tickets: 350 CZK , about 12 euro. The visit to the gardens is for free

Malá Strana in Prague

Malá Strana in Czech means “Little section” and is the name which, since the ‘300 is identified this part of Prague toward Nove Mesto, the New Town. Destroyed in 1541 by a great fire, it was rebuilt by Italian artists and architects, who gave it its current Baroque and Renaissance appearance.

Still intact, Malá Strana is a small gem with small squares, beautiful buildings and romantic corners. The Church of St. Nicolas (in Prague there are two) divided into two sides Malá Strana and on the whole district there is the imposing Castle, which can be reached by climbing beautiful (and steep) panoramic stairs.

The Old Town of Prague

After Malá Strana, the other great historic neighborhood is Stare Mesto, which in Czech means Old Town. The center of the district is the Old Town Square, which has always been the place of important events in Prague: from coronations of kings to the executions of the condemned people.

This troubled history is found mainly in the many architectural styles that you can find in the square, although the appearance is always balanced. Today the main attraction is the astronomical clock of the Town Hall that every hour gives “life” to the statues that move and chase each other in an ancient ritual. Another great monument not to be missed is Church Týn and its the gothic spiers.

The St. Vits Cathedral in Prague

Among the walls of Prague Castle stands this beautiful Gothic cathedral, one of the largest in Europe:

it’s 124 meters long, 60 wide and 33 meters high. Arriving at the castle after visiting Malá Strana, the first thing you’ll notice is the contrast between the Baroque of the lower quarter and the typical pointy spiers of the Cathedral. The interior is beautiful and uniform, although the constructions lasted six centuries. We suggest you to visit the Chapel of St. Wenceslas, the underground crypt with tombs of Bohemian kings and the treasure with jewels for the coronation of kings.

Where: Prague’s Castel
When – Hours: From March to October, from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 5 pm . Sunday from 12 to 5 pm . From November to February from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 4 pm . Sunday from 12 to 4 pm.
Tickets: 350 CZK, about 12 euro. Cumulative ticket for all monuments of the Castle.

The Josefov, the Jewish Ghetto of Prague

The disordered tombs of the Jewish cemetery are perhaps the most exciting show in Prague. They tell the story of Josefov, Prague’s Jewish ghetto, close to the Old Town Square, where the city’s Jews have lived from 900 to 1708.

Forced to live within a few square kilometers, the Jews have learned to use every little space, creating a kind of labyrinth in which private houses, shops and workshops were confused.

Here lived rabbi Low and his legendary Golem, Franz Kafka and 77,279 Czech Jews and Moldovans massacred by the Nazis. Don’t miss the Jewish ghetto, even if you have little time to visit Prague.

Dancing House in Prague

One of the things you have to see during a visit to Prague is the Dancing House, an extraordinary building dedicated to the great dancing couple formed by Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

Fred and Ginger, in fact, is one of the names that were given to this palace on the bank of the Vltava built from 1992 to 1996. Designed and built by architect F.O Gehry (the same as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao) is formed by two palaces that look like a dancing couple. One of the buildings stretches out towards the other, which is waiting for the other’s embrace. On the top floor there is a French restaurant which offers great views of the Moldava.

Where: Jiráskovo nám. 1981/6

Things to eat in Prague

The long walking tours to visit Prague is a good excuse to justify to yourself the calories of typical Prague cuisine. You won’t be able to resist to restaurants (Restaurace), taverns (hostinec) and bars (pivnice) on the tourist routes of the old town.

Try the pork (vepřové) served roast (Vepřová vecene) and accompanied by dumplings leavened (knedliky), potatoes (brambory) or sauerkraut (kysele Zeli). The most popular dessert, for sale on every corner, it’s the crepe (palačinky) with jam (džem), chocolate or strawberry (jahody). The final blow usually comes with a shot of slivovitz (plum liqueur) or Becherovka, a herb liqueur.

Prague Nightlife

In the center of Prague, within a few hundred meters, there’s an extraordinary selection of pubs, restaurants, and some of the biggest and beautiful clubs in Europe.

If in the Malà Strana district there’s more private and relaxed atmosphere, in the Charles Bridge in the Old Town area life is chaotic in discotheques and clubs.

People use to go in the 4 most important nightclubs: the Duplex in Wenceslas Square; The Karlovy Lazne, the largest disco in Central Europe, a few steps from Charles Bridge; The Klub Lávkam in Old Town Square and Lucerna Music Bar, popular with young people of Prague.

These are the most famous nightclubs, but on the street you’ll notice all kind of entertainments including some great jazz clubs and several erotic clubs.

Things to buy in Prague

If you are looking for a typical Czech souvenir, Prague is the best place to find it. The most expensive gift you can do is definitely the Bohemian crystal, which has a centuries-old tradition and an appropriate cost to reputation. They come in all shapes and colors, from those that reproduce the glass from the time of Rudolf IV in much more modern forms.

Much more accessible are the puppets and the handmade wooden toys, which are in the shops of Malà Strana and the Golden Lane in the Castle. Among food products, there are the Spa Wafers, some good home – made beer (great Czech tradition). The gift par excellence, however, is a bottle of slivovitz or Becherovka, herbal liqueurs and plum with which you can finish any meal in Prague and throughout the Czech Republic.

Where to sleep in Prague

Prague has an excellent range of hotels, apartments, B&Bs, hostels, with still low prices compared to the average of other European capitals. The best area in which to sleep in Prague is called Zone 1 which includes all the central part of the city: Malá Strana, the area of the Castle and the Old Town.

Here, hotels cost a little more than suburban areas but they have the advantage of being safe and quiet. With a few euro more per night you will avoid to move to the suburbs. The costs for a 3 star hotel in Prague ranging from 35 to 120 Euros per night. Very affordable hostels and shared rooms, but without privacy.

If you are looking for a hotel in Prague, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 400 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

cities of art Pompeii

10 things to do and see in Pompeii

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Pompeii was one of the largest and most shining cities built during the roman era, as you can see how) the ruins are everywhere. Thanks to its large production and export of oil and wines, Pompeii became a very rich city and tourist destination for the Roman patricians. You never know what Pompeii would have become. In ’79 AD, Vesuvius, which no one knew was a volcano yet because it looked like a common mountain, destroyed the town with a violent eruption.

Pompeii archeological site is a chilling testimony of the city’s lifestyle at the time, since it seems peacefully asleep under the volcanic dust. The city attracts millions of tourists every year also for the presence of the Shrine of Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary, a Basilica that collects thousands of ex – voto. It is venerated by Catholics all over the world. On the days prayers to Virgin Mary are performed (8th of May and the first Sunday of October), the city hosts about six million pilgrims who reach Pompeii by private vehicles and organized buses. Between the excavations and the Sanctuary, Pompeii hides other beauties that deserve to be seen. Below we will tell you the 10 things to see in Pompeii without missing anything about its millenary history.

The Shrine of Pompeii

The Shrine of Pompeii’s history is a dream that involved thousands of believers. The initiative had been promoted by Bartolo Longo as a fundraiser for the Basilica’s construction, which was built thanks to donations received all over the world.

On May the 8th, in 1876, the construction began under the direction of Antonio Cua, who offered his work for free to start the building of the Sanctuary. Over the centuries, it was necessary to expand the sanctuary because the original structure was no longer able to contain the numerous believers who came to venerate the icon of the Virgin. Today, the Basilica looks as it was designed by the architect priest Monsignor Spirito Maria Chiapetta, with three naves. The two minor naves have three altars on each side, and are connected behind the apse, where there are four semicircular chapels. On May 8th and the first Sunday, days during which there is prayer to Virgin Mary of Pompeii, the Basilica cannot contain the pilgrims arriving from all over the world to attend. This important prayer is transmitted by radio and television around the world.

The Forum of Pompeii

The Forum located in the archaeological site of Pompeii was the economic, political and religious city center. It was the place where all public debates and religious events were carried out, and it was the real heart of the city.

At the beginning, it was a not a very large area, and there were few shops showing their merchandise. During the second century BC, people of Pompeii decided to give a more appropriate structure to the Forum on the basis of the task it held. The area was enlarged, some coverings were added for the shops, arcades were added to protect walking people from the rain, and public buildings were built along the sides of the square. The decoration of the Forum of Pompeii was completed with the replacement of the old tuff flooring with a more beautiful one made of travertine, the remains of which are still visible today. Once at the center of the square, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo attracts the eye. It is the most important ancient religious site of Pompeii. The statues of the goddess found close to the Temple of Apollo, were transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Naples.

The Lupanar of Pompeii

People of Pompeii, as good pagans, loved the pleasures of the flesh and didn’t have any problem showing off their passions. Many houses of Pompeii, had a secret room in which slaves of rich masters whored themselves. You could buy a little bit of company by paying from two to eight “assi” (currency of Pompeii at that time), an accessible amount for almost everyone, considering that the average price for a glass of wine was of one “asse”.

The Lupanar (from Lupo meaning wolf, because “wolf” in Latin means “prostitute”) is the only building in Pompeii built specifically for this purpose. The brothel, located in the ruins of Pompeii, was distributed on two floors, each one reserved for a certain type of customer. The ground floor made by five bedrooms, a hallway and a bathroom, was for lower class customers. The first floor, however, was reserved for the upper class customers. Its own entrance and balcony roof gave access to the rooms, and it was also decorated with a refined taste. On the walls, you can still see the little pictures drawning voracious lovers in different erotic positions, ideal for lazy lovers looking for some inspiration. At the entrance of the Lupanare, as in most modern coffee shops, there was the chance to buy condoms to use with charming slaves of the brothel.

House of the Faun in Pompeii

The owner of the “House of the Faun”, inside the archaeological site of Pompeii, would definitely have been one of the most envied men in the city. The ruins of the house suggest a huge complex, with rooms, environments, and areas dedicated to different tasks. The property owner’s identity could not be traced back by remains. The structure has been called the “House of the Faun” for the bronze statue of the dancing faun, who was at the center of one of the main halls.

The “House of the Faun” was a sort of a modern residence, in which there was also a kind of mall. The structure, in fact, consists of two large connected areas, each one with a separated entrance, connected by a series of shops rented to traders. In addition to the shops, the “House of the Faun” also had a good number of rooms, but nobody knows if they were for private use, or rented. The structure was built with very modern construction techniques: some lead plates were placed under the walls plaster to protect the environment from moisture. In Rome, there is no trace of such majestic houses, while in the archeological site of Pompeii there are facilities such as “The Villa of the Mysteries,”, “The House of Pansa”, and “House of the Labyrinth”. They are all smaller than the “House of the Faun” but just as important in order to understand the richness and greatness of the Roman ruling class of Pompeii.

The Pompeii Amphitheatre

The Amphitheater, located at the end of Via dell’Abbondanza, in the archeological site of Pompeii, is the oldest stone building of its kind that has ever been discovered. In fact, its construction dates back to 80 BC, while the first amphitheater of Rome, the one of Statilio Tauro, was built in 29 BC. One peculiarity of the amphitheater found in the excavations of Pompeii is that the structure had no basement under the floor of the arena, as the same construction of the imperial age used to have. At the top of the Amphitheatre you can see the large holes used to shore up the roof of the arena, in order to protect the spectators from the sun beating, wind, and rain.

In this way, the shows could take place at any time of the year, without having to worry about the seasons. The terraces of the Amphitheatre of the archaeological excavations of Pompeii were divided into three orders, and one of these was reserved, with no doubt, for women. This timeless place has been the scene of one of the most exciting rock history concerts. In 1971, in fact, Pink Floyd recorded their “Live at Pompeii” concert without an audience, which became one of the most memorable moments in the music history.

The Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii

The Villa of the Mysteries, in Pompeii, is an ancient roman house, located slightly outside the city and the archaeological site. It is not possible to verify the owner of this great building, also in this case, but some ruins suggest that the owners could have been some rich Roman patrician. Some people argue that the villa belonged to Livia, the wife of Emperor Augustus, since there was a statue found in the ruins representing her. The Villa of the Mysteries takes its name from a series of paintings discovered in a room of the house, which some experts are still trying to determine the meaning.

All schools of thought agree that the frescoes represent a young woman who is initiated into a cult. The dispute is about the kind of ritual that was initiated on the woman. Some argue that it is a Dionysian rite, while others simply believe that the woman is prepared for marriage. Whatever ritual to which the frescos of the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii refer , these images instil into visitors a strong subjection . The villa had many rooms, all decorated with great elegance and many of which were for dinners and social events. Even in the Villa of the Mysteries, bodies were found of people who were doing normal daily activities ,when they were blown over by the violence of the Vesuvius lava.

Cave Canem Mosaic

Maybe you have seen it at the entrance of some villas in Italy or in the world? The Cave Canem (Beware of the Dog in Latin) is one of the world’s most famous mosaics, and it’s right here, in the House of the Tragic Poet.

It has been recently restored in order to bring back its ancient splendour, after years of neglect, with a device that protects it from rain and wind, but does not prevent the view. The House of the Tragic Poet is a typical house with atrium and takes its name from a mosaic placed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. E. Bulwer – Lytton used this house, which had just been dug (1824-1825) as a model to describe the abode of Glaukos in his novel , The Last Days of Pompeii (1834).

The Garden of fugitives of Pompeii

It is the most heartbreaking testimony of the end of Pompeii, for sure, with the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. During the excavations of 1961-62 and 1973-74, the bodies were found of 13 victims of the eruption, surprised by lava and lapillus while they were running away towards Porta Nocera. Men, women, and children, of one or more family groups, were asphyxiated by the gases and then slowly covered with ashes.

The ones you see today in the Garden of the fugitives are perfect reproductions in plaster, which enable us to understand the last moments of life of these inhabitants of Pompeii.

What to eat in Pompeii

Pompeii does not have a typical culinary tradition, and its cuisine collects the main recipes of Campania’s gastronomy. Restaurants and trattorias are scattered everywhere, but the best are in the area of the archaeological excavations and close to the Shrine of Blessed Virgin of Pompeii. Before the Vesuvius exploded and buried the city under a thick cover of ash, Pompeii was a city that produced and exported large quantities of wine and oil. In many of the villas of the Roman nobles, found in archaeological excavations, machines were found for pressing grapes and olives. The tradition, however, is a bit old school and nowadays Pompeii’s gastronomy is based more on international customers’ satisfaction, than the use of local products. In some places that are located close to major tourist attraction centers of Pompeii, you can find people from all over the world. In the days of greatest affluence, It is very difficult to find a quiet place to take a break” and have lunch , so it is better to start eating before, or eating in the early afternoon. In Pompeii, then, you will not find sophisticated dishes and recipes coming directly from Ancient Rome, but good and cheap tourist menus are offered everywhere.

Where to stay in Pompeii

In Pompeii, you can find hotels, agritourism, and room rental for all budgets, since the city is perfectly equipped to host the large tourists flow. The main hotels are located at the city center, along Via Lepanto, Via Roma, and Via Piave. The hotels are located in a short distance from the archaeological site, very close to the Shrine of Blessed Virgin of the Rosary and the Circumvesuviana station. The cheapest B&Bs are slightly far away from the main attraction centers, but for those who don’t want to give up on the comfort of being one step away from the ancient ruins, you can find also some B&Bs in the center. Prices range from a minimum of € 45 up to € 100, but if you do a good research, it is not difficult to find some very advantageous promotions.

cities of art Perugia

10 Things to do and see in Perugia

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Perugia is a little jewel that visitors discover slowly. This town has artistic and monumental treasures of a rich past. It looks like a small fortified medieval village, but Perugia has a very busy city life. There is one of oldest University of the Studies of Italy (founded in 1308), as well as the biggest University for foreigners in Italy. So it’s not a city full of tourists during the day and empty at night. There are a lot of monuments to visit: from the National Gallery to the Etruscan Well (Pozzo Etrusco) , the Oratory of San Bernardino to Corso Vannucci. Below we suggest you 10 things to do and see in Perugia, the remain is a surprise you’ll discover by yourself.

If you are looking for a hotel in Turin, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 130 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Fontana Maggiore in Perugia

The Fontana Maggiore is a medieval fountain located in Piazza IV Novembre. This gorgeous fountain is one of the most celebrated in Italy and a real symbol of Perugia. The Fontana Maggiore (Main Fountain) was built between 1275 and 1278, by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano.

It was supposed to receive the waters from the Mount Pacciano aqueduct and it was built on a round stairway, composed by two basins of pink and white stone. Over the upper basin there is a bronze round vessel and three nymphs with an amphora from which the water spread out.

On the upper basin there are statues representing the mythic characters linked to the foundation of the city; the lower basin is decorated with fifty bas-relieves representing the agriculture works, and some Byble episodes, the two symbols of the city (the gryphon), of the guelf party (the lion) and of the Empire (the eagle). You can admire also two bas-relieves representing images from the Esopo’s tales (the crane and the wolf; the wolf and the lamb). The fountain has been recently restored, and now you can admire it in all its splendor.

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo in Perugia

The Cathedral, titled to San Lorenzo, one of the saint patrons of the city, was built between 1345 and 1490. Both the lateral part and the principal façade are still incomplete.

The side wall has some geometric twine of pink and white marble rhombus. The main façade is characterized by a baroque style main door, dated back in 1729.

The interior, with a late Gothic style, has three naves of the same height, divided by big columns.

The decorations were finished in XVIII century and, among these, the most important are : the “Deposition” by Federico Barocci, the polychrome window dated back in XVI century, by Arrigo Fiammingo, and the Funerary Monument in honour of the bishop Andrea Baglioni by Urbano da Cortona. In the cloister you can admire the Museo Capitolare, with important art works.

Where: Piazza 4 Novembre
How to get there: by feet
When – Hours: The holy mass is celebrated from Monday to Saturday at 7.20 am, 8 am, 9.30 am, 11 am and 6 pm. In the public holidays at 8 am, 10 am, 11.30 am and 6 pm
Tickets: free entrance. Museum + archeological path: full ticket € 8 – reduced ticket € 6

The National Gallery of Umbria in Perugia

The National Gallery of Umbria is located in Palazzo dei Priori, Corso Vannucci. Its foundation is dated back in 1878 and it has the richest and the most complete artistic patrimony of all the region.

The works are from XIII to the XIX century and they are organized under a chronological path: at the third floor there are the works dated back from the XIII to the XV century, and at the second floor the works dated back from XVI to the XIX century.

The National Gallery of Umbria in Perugia

The big difference from other museums is that in this gallery the works are in a little space, so they follow one another without breaks. You can admire, in one sight, all the Virgins and the polyptych represented by the Florentine painting of 1400, the masterpiece of the Renaissance and the unique pieces of Umbria goldsmiths art. Among all these works stand out the Duccio Buoninsegna, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Pinturicchio and Perugino ones. Furthermore there are some collections dedicated to the goldsmiths art, to the ancient graphic, to the topography and to the Umbria fabrics.

Where: Palazzo dei Priori, in Corso Vannucci
How to get there: by feet in the city centre
When – Hours: From Tuesday to Sunday, 8.30 am – 7.30 pm
Never: Monday, 1st January, 1st May and 25th December
Tickets: 6,50 €, reduced tickets 3,25 €

Rocca Paolina in Perugia

Pope Paolo III commissioned Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to build Rocca Paolina (Paolina stronghold) The Pope wanted to make the city safe and to create an efficient refuge as it was Castel Sant’Angelo. To build this fortified tower more than one hundred houses, monasteries and churches were destroyed, especially the ones which were properties of the Baglioni family. This family was very hated by Paolo III.

The Rocca was symbol of pope authority until 1860, then it was pulled down after the annexation of the region with the Reign of Italy. There are still visible some parts of the walls of this tower and the bastion of Porta Marzia (Marzia door). But the most interesting part of this Rocca are the undergrounds, in particular the escalator that from the parking, situated in Piazza Partigiani, run through the Rocca under the lateral door of the Palazzo del Governo (from 1870 it’s the seat of the Region government) up to Piazza Italia. In this unique scenario there are shops, boutiques, bookshops and take place some cultural events.

Oratorio di San Bernardino in Perugia

Franciscan friars wanted this Oratory in honor of San Bernardino da Siena. The beautiful polychromatic façade was made by Agostino di Duccio, who used various materials and was able to create a real colour symphony which explodes in a charming reflex game. Agostino di Duccio used an elegant stone and marble embroidery to glorify the Saint. This work is the highest expression of the Perugia’s Renaissance.

A double door is the entrance of this church which has a beautiful Gothic interior and the altar is a pre-Christian sarcophagus dated back to the IV century. It has the mortal remains of the Blessed Egidio, friend of San Francesco. Behind the altar there is another door which leads into the Saint Andrew Oratory, which has a painted ceiling coffer dated back between the XVIII and XIX century.

Where: Piazza San Francesco al Prato
How to get there: by feet in the city centre
When – Hours: The mass is celebrated from Monday to Saturday at 5.30 pm; Public holidays 12 am and 5.30 pm
Tickets: Free entrance

Etruscan Well in Perugia

This well is a great work of hydraulic engineering and it belonged to the family Corbello. It’s the result of the technical knowledge and civic level of the Etruscan population 300 years before Christ.

Its construction is dated back in IV or III century BC, but even if the date is uncertain, the dimensions of this well are sure: 37 meters deep and 5 meters of diameter. A huge construction used as water tank: here flowed waters of three aquifers of Perugia. You can visit the well thanks to some stairs which allow the visitor to reach its deepest point. The bottom of the well is covered of travertine, the same material has been used also for the covering of the well. If you pass in Piazza Danti, don’t forget to visit this incredible work of hydraulic engineering.

Where: Piazza Danti
How to get there: by feet in the city centre
When – Hours: every day 10 am to 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm 6.30 pm.
Tickets: Unique ticket to visit the Etruscan Well, Chapel of San Severo and Museum of the doors and walls: 2,50 €, reduced tickets: 2€ and 1€.

Perugina Chocolate Factory

Baci Perugina (the famous Italian chocolate “kisses” filled with hazelnut and wrapped in a multilingual love note) take their name from the city of Perugia . Originally called “punches” have become a symbol in the world.

The Perugina factory is located just outside the historic center and you can visit it. You’ll have the chance to discover the company history and, above all, to observe the production of kisses and other products (Rossana candies, Ore Liete cookies). The visit to Perugina Chocolate Factory lasts about 1h 15min and allows you to discover the historical museum, the visit to the production lines of chocolate, a beautiful and rich tasting of Perugina products, and finally to access to the internal sales point.

Where: Chocolate Factory is located 5 Km from Perugia Train Station , stop: San Sisto.
How to get there: By bus, line A
When – Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 am / 1:00 – 2:00 pm / 5.30 Saturday 10:00 am / 4:00 pm (saturday closed during January, February, June, September)
Tickets: Full € 9, reduced € 7 (13 to 17 years, groups of 10 people upwards, helper for the disable people and people over 65).
Reduced 4 € from 6 to 12 years.
Free until to 5 years old and disable people.
School groups: 0-5 years free, primary and secondary € 3, € 5 high schools

Volumni Hypogeum in Perugia

Just outside the historical centre of Perugia, in Ponte San Giovanni area, there is an extraordinary place: it’s the Volumni Hypogeum, the oldest and most preserved funerary monument of Etruscan era.

The tomb of the III century. BC, discovered in 1840, is part of the big necropolis, known as the “Palazzone”. It’s a necropolis with more than 200 tombs but only one side can be visited. The Hypogeum takes its name from the Volumni family, a rich and noble Etruscan family, of which it contains the remains. The beauty of the building is that it looks like an Etruscan-Roman period house and consists of a atrium and seven rooms.

Where: Via Assisna, 53 – Ponte S. Giovanni – Phone number 07 5393329
How to get there: By bus, line 4, 92, 93, then by feet or taxi
When – Hours: September – June 9 am – 6.30 pm / July – August 9 am – 7 pm
Tickets: € 3

Things to eat in Perugia

Perugia’s cuisine is linked to the traditional Umbrian one, and is simple, genuine and tasty. Hams, salami, cheeses and meats are the real stars of the tables.

Among the traditional dishes, you can taste the “Guinea fowl in dripping pan” (topped with a sauce made of chicken livers, herbs and white wine), the “torta al testo” (a cake of flour, water and olive oil) and many recipes whose main flavor is the truffle. Another specialty is the humpbacks parmigiana: a dish made of thistles, mozzarella, beef and parmesan sauce. You can taste also sea flavors: the tegamaccio (a flavored fish soup) is one of the most famous dishes of fish but also crabs, trout, pike and carp cooked with tasty recipes. The desserts: pinoccate, made with pine nuts, and the winepress, a donut with raisins and candied fruit, are the most famous.

Where to sleep in Perugia

Perugia is a touristic city with business people, many students and professors. There are, then, hotels, apartments, hostels and B&Bs and agritourism in the surrounding areas.

In some periods it could be difficult to find a place at a good price, so it’s better to move from the old town center the suburbs, perfectly connected to the centre by bus and towns escalators.

At events such as the Umbria Jazz or Eurochocolate, there are many tourists; so if your vacation will be during these periods, we suggest you to book some time before. The prices of a 3 star hotel in the center start from 70 Euros per night, breakfast included. In the agritourisms you can save money with prices starting at 50 Euros per night.

capitals Paris

10 things to do and see in Paris

Autore articolo Di Jose
Data dell'articolo 15 Settembre 2016

Is there anything new to say about Paris? Some people consider it beautiful, others an ordinary city. Some people believe it’s the capital of lovers, others think there’s something more interesting to do, than a romantic kiss on the Seine. Sure, there are romantic places in Paris: Montmartre view from a loft; the soft lights of the cafes of the Latin Quarter, squares and corners of the Marais district. Paris is more than a romantic city, it has museums, monuments, churches and characteristic areas. If you can escape from the tourist traps and select well the places where you can eat, Paris will make you discover the best of French cuisine, which fortunately it’s not just croissants and cheeses. Read our 10 things to do and see during your visit to Paris.

If you are looking for a hotel in Paris, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 1800 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

Montmartre in Paris

In 1800, Montmartre was the damned neighbourhood where you could find only penniless artists in search of fortune and the bored bourgeois looking for prostitutes and the Moulin Rouge shows.

An irreverent district, a city in the city, where Picasso, Van Gogh and Modigliani used to live. The Paris Commune was born because the people of Montmartre in 1871, after the surrender of France to the Prussians, didn’t hand over the cannon that was guarding the hill and killed the generals. Today Montmartre is no longer the irreverent district of Paris, it’s rather a “tourist trap” that you have to visit. Although the great artists are not there anymore (replaced by invasive caricatures illustrators) and there are a lot of tourists, Montmartre still has a special charm to be experienced.

How to get there: Subway Line 12: Jules Joffrin o Abesses; Line 2: Anvers o Pigalle
When: always

Musée d’Orsay in Paris

The place of the Musée d’Orsay can be called the first “masterpiece” of its collections, because it was built in the old Orsay railway station for the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1900.

In the heart of Paris, along the Seine, the Musée d’Orsay has an ancient and precious charm: the architecture of the Museum is absolutely modern, but looking at the complex you’ll end up surprised to see the structure of the old station. The artworks will enchant your eyes: Manet’s meadows and Monet’s poppies, Van Gogh’s self-portrait and the beautiful Tahitian girls of Gauguin. If you have ever heard of one of these paintings, you’ll will find it here, along with thousands of other works of art.

When – Hours: every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 9.30 am to 6 pm; Thursdays from 9:30 am to 9:45pm
Never: Every Monday, 1st January and 25^th December.
Tickets: free entrance the first Sunday of each month. 7.5 EUR other days.

Louvre Museum in Paris

We give you a suggestion: if you are lucky enough to get to the Louvre, once in your life, don’t fight with Japanese people to take a picture of the Mona Lisa.

It might be a good idea to start your visit from the Mona Lisa, so then you’ll be more interested to all the other works that deserve your attention. In the Louvre there is everything and you can’t see hundreds of masterpieces in a single day: if you can’t plan a visit of several days, our suggestion is to choose in advance which works to see.

How to get there: subway stop Palais-Royal/musée du Louvre
When – Hours: Every day from 9 am to 6 pm . Wednesday and Friday until 22
Never: All Tuesday, 1^st January, 1^st May 1 and 25^th December
Tickets: € 9 , free entrance the first Sunday of each month
You can find tickets in every FNAC in Paris or at the Louvre ticket office

The Eiffel Tower in Paris

This large iron structure, whose point seems to touch the clouds, is the symbol of Paris.

The Eiffel Tower, made by 18,038 pieces of metal, was completed March 31, 1889 and it had to be demolished after only two years, but it’s still there despite all the humiliations received. Some people called it “a skeleton tower,” others “a tragic chandelier ” or “a plastic chimney”. However 2 million people visited it, and now with its 6 million visitors a year, is the most visited monument of the world. A visit with picture under the Tower is a must for anyone visiting Paris, as well as waiting for the play of lights that start the first 10 minutes of every hour during the night.

The Latin Quarter in Paris

The name seems to suggest an exotic neighborhood, full of Brazilian, Spanish and Portuguese cafés, however in this part of Paris there’s definitely a lively air , but it doesn’t come from faraway countries.