Archive for 'Curiosities'

  

Hepburn
Continuing on from our last post, in which we discussed the iconic Hollywood classic, “Roman Holiday” and how it was filmed and set in Rome, here are some more of the key locations in the film in order for you to create you very own Roman romance, a la Hepburn and Peck. Just find a holiday rental in Rome and begin exploring the Eternal City in style!

You probably would have had the Pantheon on your must-see list if visiting Rome anyway but it is also part of the Roman Holiday itinerary. In the film, the two characters enjoy coffee and champagne in a cafe in the Piazza della Rotonda, in front of the Pantheon. While the cafe in question is not longer there, you can still easily grab a similar treat to cool down and relax on your travels at another cafe in the piazza. Then, once you're done, be sure to stop by the building itself and, if you happen to be looking for mementos from the movie, there are a series of souvenir stands selling all of the classic prints from the film on Via delle Murate.     Read More

  

Hepburn in "Roman Holiday"
For many, a big factor in constructing their notions and expectations of Rome is the classic 1950s Hollywood romance, “Roman Holiday”. Starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck as a European princess and an American journalist who shows her around Rome before the two ultimately fall in love, it is the movie that launched Hepburn's career, won her an Oscar and made millions fall for the city.

If you, too are a fan of the movie and have always wanted to recreate your own Roman Holiday, just find a holiday rental in Rome and check out these locations that were featured in the film.

One of the first sights on your list should be the Spanish Steps, the beautiful 18th century Baroque steps between the Piazza di Spagna (at the base) and Piazza Trinità dei Monti. These 135 steps were built by French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s, linking the Bourbon Spanish Embass, and the Trinità dei Monti church and was designed by architects Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi.     Read More

  

Piazza San Marco
In the first half of this article, we began looking at Google's suggestions for what to do if you only have one day in Venice. However, it has become apparent that they plan on your day being busy as we only got through half of the list! Here are the rest of their suggestions.

5. Piazza San Marco (Journey from previous location: Less than 5 minutes by foot. Estimated time to be spent here: 60 minutes.)

While you are in the Piazza San Marco to see the Cathedral, why not spend some time in the square itself? It is the principal public space in the city, surrounded by beautiful buildings – including the Cathedral – and filled with the sounds of the bustling crowds and music. It is a great spot to grab coffee and people watch while taking in the atmosphere of the city.     Read More

  

"Support" by Lorenzo Quinn
If you are headed to Venice before November 26th this year, be sure to check out the historic Ca' Sagredo Hotel – not just for the charming hotel itself but for a temporary sculpture that adorns the exterior and has been capturing the attention of the press and the public worldwide over the past few days.

Lorenzo Quinn's “Support” is an outdoor installation that features two giant hands reaching out of the Grand Canal and looking as though they are supporting the structure of the hotel. Unveiled on May 13, in time for the 57th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, the piece was created in conjunction with London's Halcyon Gallery and the city of Venice. If you want to see this work of art, the Biennale or any of the millions of beautiful sights and artworks that this great city has to offer, just browse our holiday rentals in Venice and get planning a trip.     Read More

  

Though Italy is famous for a great many of things, one famous attribute that you are less likely to have heard of or associate with the country is its incredible number of caves. In fact, it is one of the countries that has the most caves in the entire world – more than 35,000 in number – and, among them, the largest tourist cave on Earth: the Grotta Gigante. Officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, the main underground chamber of the Grotta Gigante measures 98.5m in height, 76.30m in width and is 167.6m long.

Located near Borgo Grotta Gigante, in the municipality of Sgonico in the lesser-known Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, it has been a popular tourist attraction since it opened to the public in 1908. Seeming like something plucked from the beautifully illustrated pages of a fantasy novel, it makes for an extraordinary sight. Just find a vacation rental in Friuli Venezia Giulia and set a day aside to go explore this underworld kingdom.     Read More