Archive for 'Curiosities'

St Patrick conjures images of Ireland to mind, not Italy. However, a particularly fascinating monument in Orvieto, Umbria has the British saint's name attached to it. St Patrick's Well, originally called The Fortress Well – which would be a far more suitable title to use – is an exceptionally deep well which was built to provide water to Orvieto during times of siege.

Built on the edge of a cliff in the early 1500s and a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering, it is now a popular tourist site.

The structure is so ingrained into Italian mindsets that to call someone generous you can say that they have pockets as deep as St Patrick's Well. If you want to see this astounding and iconic structure for yourself, find a luxury villa in Umbria and make the descent into the depths of the earth.

When most people think of a holiday in Italy, it invariably conjures up images of eating good food, drinking good wine, taking in art and culture, strolling through medieval towns, piazzas, boutique shopping districts, enjoying the beautiful landscapes and luxuriating by the sea. These images tend to be of relaxation, of peaceful holidays of the romantic or familial variety. However, the country has much more to offer than clichés – no matter how appealing! Enjoy the things that Italy is famous for but have an adventure too! There are fantastic sites for zip-lining in the country so why not find a luxury villa in Italy and spend a day soaring through the air?

Santa Maria Novella is Florence's first great basilica and the principal Dominican church in the city. Though it may be, perhaps, somewhat overshadowed by the presence of the Duomo not that far away, it is still famous for its striking polychromatic façade by Alberti and work by Masaccio, Giambologna, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Michelangelo. Begun in the 13th century and finished in the 14th, it is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles and was commissioned by that great patron of the arts, Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai. However, it is not just the church itself or its artistic treasures that are worth visiting for. Santa Maria Novella is also home to one of the world's oldest active pharmacies.

In 1218, we are told that St Francis of Assisi planted a rose and laurel near Montegiove in Umbria. From this spot, a fountain rose up and he built a hut made of “scarza” (a marsh plant) and founded a monastery on the miraculous site. In the 1400s a church and monastic buildings were built in order to celebrate the saint and this act. However, this was abandoned in the 18th century. The buildings and site fell into a state of disrepair and sections were lost until the Milanese architect, Tomaso Buzzi bought it in 1957. He restored the monastery and then went on to build his “ideal city”.

This fantastical city and landscape is bizarre and surreal but truly unique and fascinating.

This month, coordinating with the label's 40th anniversary, Armani opened a museum and exhibition space in Milan called Armani Silos. It is dedicated to Giorgio Armani's designs of the last 40 years, displaying around 600 items of clothing and over 200 accessories. Located in the fashionable Tortona area in Milan, the building is a former granary for the Nestlé company and is comprised of exhibition space, a café, gift shop and digital archive.

Find a holiday rental in Milan and you could experience this unique museum for yourself.