Archive for 'Central Italy'

While it might sound a bit strange or macabre, if you have found a vacation rental in Rome and are planning on spending a Valentine's break in the city, then you have to make time to go and see St. Valentine's skull...

Or, what, at least is claimed to have been the skull of St. Valentine. The tricky part is that there were two saints by that name in Italy at the same time (around the 3rd century AD) and a third in North Africa. After the creation of a feast day for St Valentine on the 14th of February by Pope Gelasius I in 496, the stories of the three seem to have merged together and by the 14th century this singular entity had become a patron saint of lovers, who (according to the newly created mythology) had helped early Christian couples marry in secret.

If you have found a vacation rental in Perugia and find yourself exploring the city, you may stumble across the fascinating Pozzo Etrusco, or Etruscan Well (also known as the Sorbello Well, named for the noble Sorbello family, whose palace was built overhead). Located just a few metres from the central landmarks of the Fontana Maggiore and Piazza IV Novembre, this imposing construction dates back to the fourth or third century BC and is 37m deep and 5.6m wide, and fully accessible by a system of stairs. It is an exceptional work of hydraulic engineering and a staggering thing to behold, especially if you remember when it was made.

Art and good food and coffee are a given if you have found a luxury villa in Italy and are planning a vacation in the country. However, if you like to combine those things, all at the same time, then a vacation rental in Rome is a good idea as there is somewhere where you can find it all under one roof: the “art restaurant” of Canova Tadolini.

Located on via del Babuino, in the heart of the city, Canova Tadolini is a museum combined with a restaurant and café. On display, all throughout the space, you will find busts, sculptural panels, sculptures and more that were created by the artist family that lived in the house until 1967: the Tadolini family.

An old factory is not where one might expect to find masterpieces from antiquity and, yet, that is exactly what you will discover with a vacation rental in Rome if you head to Centrale Montemartini, a new exhibition space for the Musei Capitolini.

Rome is home to a treasure trove of ancient monuments and architectural gems all throughout the city. However, most are buzzing tourist attractions that are steeped in modernity. Of course, you shouldn't miss out on the city's famous sights if you have found a luxury villa in Rome but, if you want to fall back in time and enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet, why not pay a visit to the Parco degli Acquedotti?

The Parco degli Acquedotti (Park of the Aqueducts) is a 240-hectare protected green space, located in the Appia Antica Regional Park, just on the outskirts of Rome. Just take a Metro line A to Lucio Sestio or Giulio Agricola and you'll find the park entrance after about a 10 minute walk. It is also a pleasant place to bring a picnic and one can rent bikes to better explore the whole park.