Archive for 'Books and Movies'

For fashion lovers and fans of the first movie, the release of the Devil Wears Prada 2 this month loomed large in calendars as a major film event of the year. With a good portion of the plot taking place in Milan, one of the oldest and most celebrated fashion capitals in the world, those planning their summer stay at a villa in Lombardy or a vacation rental in Milan might want to take note of some key locations to add to their travel itinerary.

Set two decades after the original film, this sequel sees Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs return to Runway as their new features editor after every member of staff at her former newspaper is laid off. In need of a job and recently having gone viral for a speech on the continued importance of journalism in the current era, she takes the new role and must once again dive into the world of fashion and face off against Meryl Streep’s formidable Miranda Priestly. 

Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein released late last year caused great debate over how well it brought Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s beloved classic novel to life. This, in turn, inspired many to look once more at the life of the great author, her writer friends, and the travels during which the novel was born. For serious fans of these romantic poets, their work, and their tumultuous, soap opera lives, it might be a good time to plan a pilgrimage to some of the incredible spots that inspired the great pieces of writing. Book your villa in Italy and come see some of the scenery and cities that birthed Romantic literature...

The mysterious and beloved Italian pseudonymous writer Elena Ferrante’s releases are met with wild fervour and excitement but she remains best-known for her four Neapolitan Novels, starting off with My Brilliant Friend (L’amica geniale), which was adapted into a highly successful television series with four seasons following the plots of each of the novels. While we know very little about the real person behind Ferrante, we do know that she herself is a Naples native and was raised there by a seamstress mother alongside her four sisters. Naples, of course, has much to see and do and discover but for massive Ferrante fans it is somewhat of a pilgrimage site. Book one of our vacation rentals in Campania today and you can come see the city that made Ferrante and that features so prominently in her work.

Are you a book worm about to plan a holiday in Florence? Well, we’re sure you’ll pack some great books to bring with you – there’ll probably be room for little else in your suitcase! – but there is nothing quite like the thrill of browsing new bookshops in a new place. 

As the birthplace of the Renaissance and a great city of culture that has attracted some of the world’s leading artists of all art forms throughout the centuries, Florence is just the kind of dreamy location in which you might find your new favourite book and a magical bookshop where you can get lost for hours…

So, we have decided to put together a little guide to some of the city’s best and most beloved bookshops to help you get started on your literary adventure once you have booked your vacation rental in Florence and are on your way…

Thinking about booking a villa in Italy this year but dreaming of coinciding with one of the famous events in the calendar year in Italy? Well, read on and find out when you should secure your vacation rental in Italy!

Italy is famous for many events from the fashionable to the tasty to the unusual so if you love jumping into it and being part of it all or you have particular interests, you’re sure to find something special to enjoy during an amazing holiday in Italy…