Archive for 'Central Italy'

In a city such as Rome where the classical, from ancient to Renaissance incarnations, rules supreme, the Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio (Church of the Sacred Heart of the Suffrage) on the banks of the Tiber immediately stands out.

This Gothic Revival church, built in the 20th century according to designs by the engineer, Giuseppe Gualandi, is often referred to as the “Little Milan Cathedral” due to its sumptuous gothic design and is well worth a visit in its own right.

However, hidden at the back of the building is a highly unique museum which is the show-stopper of the piece - the tiny century-old Piccolo Museo Del Purgatorio, or "Museum of the Holy Souls in Purgatory," which holds a collection gathered from all over the world of bibles, prayer books and clothing said to have been singed by the hands of souls in purgatory.

With over 3,000 years of history behind her, Rome is bound to have a complicated past, often with dark and gory moments. It seems likely, then, that if anywhere in the world might be populated by ghosts, Rome would be a strong candidate. Certainly, there are countless tales of ghost, grisly accidents, murder, magic and horror that take place in the Eternal City. Due to this ghostly heritage, there are also plenty of ghost tours of Rome, should you be interested in seeing the city in a different (or less) light. Just find a vacation rental in Rome and choose one of the following tours to learn all about the ghosts that forever haunt the Eternal City.

The ideas of Michelangelo that dominate the public imagination are of a dedicated, tireless, genius who went above and beyond for his art. While these things are all, of course, true, it paints the image of a rather serious figure. There is, however, one piece of evidence in the world that suggests he might not have been the one-dimensional character that he is often portrayed as but, rather, a more complex and enigmatic figure. This religious, hard-working and diligent man was also a street artist. In Florence, in the historic Palazzo Vecchio, a simple caricature known as the L’importuno di Michelangelo, or Michelangelo's Graffiti, remains as a clue of this other Michelangelo. It is also one extra highlight to add to your itinerary once you've found a luxury villa in Florence and are headed on a holiday there.

Dragons seem to be all the rage once more due to the immense popularity of the Game of Thrones book and television series but did you know that a cathedral in Italy claims to house a bone from the rib cage of a dragon?

It seems bizarre and unlikely but it's true, the Cathedral of Saint Leucio in Atessa in Abruzzo, Italy, has a dragon rib on display inside the church. Of course, there is a reason for this, a legend about the local area which is still told to this day. Find a villa with a swimming pool in Abruzzo and make the pilgrimmage to this unique relic and stunning cathedral for yourself.

One of the first things that comes to mind when most people think of Rome is the Colosseum and one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking of the Romans is gladiators. It is fair to say, then, that gladiatorial games are one of the city's defining heritages. Visiting the Colosseum should be done at least once in a lifetime but for something more unique and a little off the beaten track, why not enroll in Gladiator School?

If you're intrigued, find a vacation villa rental in Rome and read on to learn how you can become the next Spartacus.