Archive for 'Curiosities'

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.

If you have found a private villa in Venice, you'll likely have imagined traversing the canals, visiting beautiful churches, sipping coffee in a picturesque piazza, and more but lack in specific attractions to visit beyond St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace. There are plenty of wonderful museums to visit in the city but one of the best and easiest to visit if you have already made your way to St. Mark's is the Correr Museum, or Museo Civico Correr.

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.

Cervara di Roma is a tiny village in the province of Rome, in the region of Latium, Italy. As of 2017, it had a population of just 444 people. However, despite its small size and number of inhabitants, the town has a lot to offer. Perched dramatically, high up on a cliff in the Monti Simbruini Regional Park, it is picturesque in the way that such mountain villages in Italy tend to be but it is also unique in that it has become an open-air gallery that has attracted painters, sculptors, poets, and other artists over the centuries. If you have found a luxury villa in Rome and are exploring the wider region, seeking out interesting and unusual attractions, well off the beaten tourist path, hidden gems, and singularly intriguing places, then look no further than Cervara di Roma.

Matera is an incredible city in the south of Italy that we have discussed on many an occasion. Carved into cliff-sides in the region of Basilicata, the town is eight thousand years old and is an utterly unique and picturesque gem. If you find a vacation rental in Basilicata, it truly is a must-see.

This beautiful and ancient place will be more relevant than ever in the next couple of years as the European Capital of Culture 2019 (alongside Bulgaria's Plovdiv). Planning for the year began in 2014 and a whole calendar of events will take place next year, making the must-see UNESCO World Heritage Site even more fascinating and even richer in things to see and do.