Few churches in Rome hide their masterpiece quite so unassumingly. San Pietro in Vincoli sits on the Esquiline Hill, its simple brick facade giving no hint of the artistic treasure waiting inside. Visitors come for one thing: Michelangelo’s Moses, carved from a single block of Carrara marble. The prophet sits with horns on his head, […]
Categories: Cities, Italy, Religious Monuments, Rome, Sights, Sights, Virtual Travel
Spoleto rises from the Umbrian hills like a stone secret waiting to be discovered. Narrow medieval alleys twist past Roman arches and Renaissance palaces, each corner revealing a fresh vista of olive groves and distant mountains. The air carries the scent of wild herbs and sun-warmed stone. Come summer, the entire city transforms into a […]
Walk where Caesar walked. The Roman Forum was the beating heart of an empire, a crowded valley of temples, courthouses, and market stalls where senators plotted and citizens argued. Today its broken columns and shattered arches lie open to the sky, scattered among weeds and wildflowers. The Via Sacra still runs its ancient course, worn […]
Vatican City is the smallest country in the world and yet its influence stretches across the globe. You cross the border simply by stepping into St Peter Square where Bernini colonnades embrace visitors like open arms. The basilica rises before you in a triumph of Renaissance architecture and the marble floors inside reflect centuries of […]
Siracusa was once the most powerful city in the ancient Greek world, greater even than Athens. Its Greek Theatre is one of the largest and best preserved anywhere. The Ear of Dionysius, a limestone cave with incredible acoustics, still echoes with whispered words. On the island of Ortigia, the old city core, layers of history […]
Categories: Cities, Islands, Italy, Nature, Sicily, Sights, Sights
Pastel coloured houses climb the hillside, their facades reflected in the calm waters of the harbour. Portofino is the jewel of the Italian Riviera, a fishing village turned glamorous resort that has attracted the world’s elite since the 1950s. The Piazzetta, a tiny square at the water’s edge, buzzes with conversation as diners sip wine […]
The Spanish Steps cascade down the Pincian Hill in a waterfall of travertine and blooming azaleas, each landing filled with Romans and travellers alike sitting shoulder to shoulder in the late afternoon sun. At the foot, the Fontana della Barca sinks into the piazza, a boat half submerged in clear water, a reminder that the […]
Categories: Cities, Italy, Rome, Sights, Sights, Virtual Travel, Wellness, Relax & Sports
Venice transforms into a theatre of masks and mystery once each year. The Carnival of Venice is one of the most famous celebrations in the world. For two weeks, the city fills with elaborate costumes, masquerade balls, and street performances. The origins of the festival go back centuries, to a time when Venetians hid their […]
Categories: Amusement and Theme Parks, Cities, Italy, Sights
Portoferraio curves around a natural harbour on the northern coast of Elba. White buildings climb the hillsides beneath the gaze of ancient fortresses. Napoleon spent his first exile here, and his presence lingers in the Villa dei Mulini and the Villa San Martino. Ferries from the mainland arrive daily, disgorging travellers eager to explore the […]
Categories: Cities, Islands, Italy, Nature, Nature, Sights, Sights
Twenty minutes from the Colosseum lies a Roman city frozen in its final day. Ostia Antica was the harbour of ancient Rome, a bustling port where grain from Egypt and wine from Gaul entered the empire. Today you can walk its streets and step inside taverns, apartments, baths, and temples that still stand with their […]