Monthly Archives: June 2014

Sigh…Bridging A Palace And A Prison

Bridge of Sighs in Venice was designed by Antonio Contino and was built at the beginning of the 17th century. Spanning the Rio di Palazzo (Palace River), the bridge was intended to connect the Old Prison and interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to the New Prison, which was situated directly across the river. There […]

Pirellone – A Stand-alone Wonder In Milan

Pirelli Tower was the first building in Milan to surpass the height of the cathedral. The innovative skyscraper, nicknamed Pirellone, was instantly recognized as an international landmark when it was completed in 1959 as the headquarters of Pirelli. The construction of the tower started in 1955 at the site where the company’s first factory stood […]

Souvenirs To Carry Back Home – Deruta’s Majolica

Deruta is a tiny hill-town in Italy’s central region of Umbria. Deruta and ceramics (majolica, to be exact) have been living in symbiosis for at least five hundred years. Though production dates to the beginning of the Middle Ages, Deruta’s characteristic patterns still painstakingly painted and fired by hand today reached their height during the […]

The Grand Canal And A Gondola Ride

Venice is a beautiful place and a pleasure trip to Italy wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Venice and a gondola ride. A gondola is a traditional, flat bottomed Venetian rowing boat, especially used to venture through the Venetian canals. Gondolas were once the chief form of transportation through the canals of Venice. Today, […]

Catacombs of the Capuchins – An Eerie Affair!

The Catacombs of the Capuchins in Palermo, Sicily, is one tourist attraction that is entirely unique. People were originally laid to rest here in the late 16th century and when it was observed that these bodies remained in a remarkable state of preservation, the catacombs became utilized as a burial place for nobles, clerics and […]

Mesmerized in Milan – Brera Picture Gallery

One of the most sought after tourist attractions in Milan, the Brera Gallery is considered as one of the major art collections in the world. It started with only a small collection of paintings and sculptures. This art gallery has gone on to mesmerize art critics, and is also of immense importance to general visitors […]

A Lacy Affair – Museo del Merletto

The Venetian Lagoon is famous for its prestigious glass but less known is its historic association with lace making, which is celebrated at the Museo del Merletto (Lace Museum) on the island of Burano. Lace making became a pastime for women on Burano in the 16th century, but took off as an industry locally when […]

Sandy Beaches of Ischia

Ischia is a beautiful island that lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, around 30 km from the city of Naples. Sandy beaches and natural hot springs make the island a popular travel destination. Most of the island is mountainous, dominated by the tall volcanic mountain, Mount Epomeo. Ischia has many attractions […]

Festa della Repubblica

Festa della Repubblica or the Festival of the Republic in Italian falls on the second day of June every year and is a national holiday in Italy. This festival commemorates the day when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in 1946 so their country could become a republic. Each year, a wreath is laid at […]