The Gran Tour : for some but not for all!

Galleria of Roma Antica

Do you like to travel? Have you ever been in Italy? Do you like to go and see wonderful places without stress and rush? 

Come with me and have fun!!!!

I'm going soon!!! More details for next tours coming soon!

Ciao,

Simona

Your connection to Italy

Palazzo Davanzati in Florence - a different museum

Florence

Imagine a different day in Florence! You want to escape the crowd and the confusion of the city center, where to go? what to do? i have an idea...go and visit Palazzo Davanzati.

In the past this palace belonged to the Davizzi family, wealthy merchants in the late fourteenth century. They constructed the palace, which later was purchased by the Davanzati family in the late sixteenth century.

This palace brings you back in time, show you the structure of what the modern palaces are going to be, so don't miss this place next time you are in Florence!!!

Palazzo Davanzati
Florence

Palazzo Davanzati


Address:  Via Porta Rossa 13 – Firenze – Tel. 055 2388610

Hours: Weekdays: 8.15 am – 1.50 pm; open second and fourth Monday of the month.

Holidays: 8.15 – 1.50 pm – open first, third and fifth Sunday of the month.

Closed on: the second and fourth Sunday of the month; the first, third and fifth Monday of every month. December 25, January 1, May 1

A presto!!

Simona

Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith & Holofernes

Artemisia Gentileschi,
Judith & Holofernes

Artemisia Gentileschi was a young active artist in Naples, when she was raped by Agostino Tassi, former family friend, and worker partner of Orazio Gentileschi, father of the artist in question. After months of marriage promises without fact, the case went to court, because the accused didn’t want to keep his promise and so after trials and confrontations Tassi ended in jail for a few months and Artemisia married a painter, brother of the witness who defended her. This experience signed her life and fed her way of painting.

Judith and Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi is the classical representation, the revenge of a woman, who seduced by a man, asks for justice. The seductive and intelligent female painted by Artemisia recall the same subject matter executed by Caravaggio thirteen years before when the latter painted another resolute woman hacking off a bearded male head.

Artemisia’s work is more shocking, more resolute, and close to the scene of a woman’s kitchen, where we know everything can happen! The victim is the “animal” who caused pain and disgrace in her life and so Judith-Artemisia is symbolically decapitating, but also castrating the man, who raped her at the age of fourteen. Caravaggio’s victim, Holofernes, instead, is represented more as a heroic and absurd person in the desperate effort to live.

Museo di Capodimonte

The work by Artemisia has always followed the artist, even when she travelled around Italy in search of commission, until when in 1630 she decided to go to Naples, to stay for a short time and instead remained there until she died. Still today the work is in the National Museum of Capodimonte, where it can be admired by the art lovers!

Look down...what do you see?

Spanish Steps...back in October 2010

Do you want to know a bit more about the Spanish Steps? Have a look to the article I have published yesterday for my friend on ItalianNotebook.com.


To read the article just click down here:
Look down...what do you see?





A presto!!!

Giro d'Italia: an interesting exhibition in Palazzo Poli

The exhibition Giro d'Italia looks into the origin of the Italian Tourism. The exhibition, organized by the Italian Touring Club, already presented in Venaria(TO) and Milan, will open in Rome at the Palazzo Poli between June 15 and 22. The exhibition has been realized thanks to the valuable documentation and photographic material conserved by the Documentation Centre of the Touring in the last 100 years. 

This exhibition brings together evocative images of the first twenty years (1894-1914) of the Italian Touring Club, very important years for the Italian Tourism and also a good initiative for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. The common denominator is the bike - half a symbol generator and the adventure of the Italian Cycling Touring Club,  but also the beginnings of the car and the travel photography.

The journey through the history of the Touring continues with the story of the first Tour of Italy, the cycling conferences promoted in every corner of the country, the decisive action of the Touring for what concern the devastated Italian roads, the completion of the first mapping and the first guides who brought "the Italians to know Italy".

The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 14:00. Free admission.
For more information, visit www.touringclub.it

Have you climbed Mt Vesuvius with a bunch of students?

Have you ever thought to climb Mt Vesuvius? Yes Mt. Vesuvius!!! The famous volcano which erupted in 79 AD destroying the well familiar cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. That looming presence is always there, reminding us and to all the people who live around there how dangerous it can be, nevertheless you can't imaging how many people live around there....

The last eruption was in 1944!!!! and...for the moment the volcano is quite, keeping "his"eye over the Bay of Naples....

Well I visited the volcano last April with a group of students who had just arrived from Australia and the experience was fun!!! They were surprised by the narrow winding streets around the mountain and the amount of constructions there, even so they carried on and walked until we reached the top...

the experience was tiring but the students were really happy!!!

John Bosco College

The bus left us in the parking area and from there we had to walk to reach the top from where you have access to part of the crater. The walk can take up to 45 minutes, nevertheless the view from the top it is astonishing if you have a clear blue sky!!!

We peered over the crater and we saw it's immense power ....

....but even the iconic ritual of a Madonna image to protect everyone!!!

This was an amazing adventure!!! 

 TRY THE EXPERIENCE AND HAVE FUN!!!

Trilussa: a Roman poet

In Piazza Trilussa in Trastevere, not far from Ponte Sisto, there is the monument to Carlo Alberto Salustri, nicknamed Trilussa (1871-1950), another famous poet of Rome for his sonnets.

Trilussa


On the plaque, next his bust , one of his most famous sonnets:



Here the translation:

IN THE SHADE

While reading the usual newspaper,
snuggling in the shade of a haystack
I notice a hog, and I say: - see you, pig! -
I notice a donkey and I say: - see you, jackass! -
Maybe these animals won't understand me,
but at least I feel satisfied
with the opportunity of saying how things are for real
without the fear of landing in jail.

Next week I will see this in person on my daily walk!!!

Modigliani a Rovereto

Overview

Rovereto is 20 km south of Trento, in the southern part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy. In this community there is the Museo di arte moderna e contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, where a wonderful exhibition on the sculptor Amedeo Modigliani has been organized, therefore don't waist this occasion if you are in the area.

One of Modigliani's woman head

Umbria: a region full of surprises and legends

Map of Umbria

Umbria is one of the smallest and the only landlocked Italian regions between Lazio, Tuscany and Abruzzo.

The region beauty lies in the bond that Umbrians have always had with their rich and glorious past: museums, castles and fortresses, modern and contemporary art, artistic and historical events wait for you in Umbria.

The small cities, fortresses and castles are perfectly integrated within the landscape and the countryside,  leaving an extraordinary heritage.

Castle of Alviano

One of the most beautiful example is the Castle of Alviano, guardian of the Tiber valley. Built in the late 15th century by the condottiere Bartolomeo d’Alviano, it has maintained its majesty over the centuries. 

Rocca di Assisi

The Rocca di Assisi, destroyed in 1198, was rebuilt in the 14th century, and then underwent further modifications, without losing its austere appearance. After  the recent restoration, the Rocca has been opened to the publics hosting cultural and artistic events.

View of Spoleto with the Rocca

The huge complex of the Rocca Albornoziana, with the park that extends around it, characterises the city of Spoleto. 

Lake Trasimeno

Lake Trasimeno is the biggest lake in the central of Italy. It features the monumental Rocca del Leone that dominates Castiglione del Lago, the Rocca on Isola Polvese, and the Castle of the Knights of Malta at Magione.

Santuario della Madonna di Belvedere

Città di Castello is protected by Castello Bufalini, transformed in the 16th century into a refined noble residence decorated with paintings (including a Madonna by Pinturicchio). 

Umbertide's Rocca

At Umbertide rises the magnificent Rocca, the emblem of the city and now a lively cultural centre. 

Valnerina

The Valnerina covers the south-eastern area of Umbria, proclaimed by Unesco a World Heritage site. This area is another beautiful place to visit. 

Umbria is a beautiful place to discover and enjoy, an alternative place where to go for holiday next time you visit Italy!!!