Archive for 'History'

Rome is dotted with the most extraordinary tourist attractions and ancient architectural gems that were so well-built in the time of the Ancient Romans that they have remained standing to this day, hundreds and hundreds of years (and even millennia) later. These lofty examples of Roman architectural and structural prowess dot the city, set among the bustling daily life of modern-day Romans, and attract endless crowds of tourists who have been coming since the 17th century to admire them and learn from them. If you have always wanted to see those famous ruins of that long-gone empire then browse our vacation rentals in Rome and start planning the trip of your dreams to finally go and make it happen.

One of the more famous examples in the city of these incredible ruins is the Baths of Caracalla. This ancient thermal complex was once the city's largest public baths, or thermae, and was likely built in the period between 211 or 212AD and 216 or 217AD, during the rule of the emperors Septimus Severus and his son, Caracalla, for whom it was named. Located in the southern area of Rome of Regio XII at the time, the site on which the Baths were built was formerly a vast garden that was known as the Horti Asiniani. In fact, the so-called Farnese Bull sculptural group that came to adorn the Baths was actually already present in the gardens and later moved into the Baths after they were built. Work on the Baths was fast-tracked, with back-breaking efforts required from the workers doing the actual manual labour, in order to get it finished in the relatively short, approximately six-year-long, period in which it was built and from then on it was in use until the 6th century with some later renovations and modifications by subsequent rulers.

As we all try and remain home as much as possible to keep ourselves and our loved ones and others safe and to try and help our struggling healthcare systems, many are in search of different activities that one can do from the comfort and safety of their own homes. We have previously written about some incredible museums in Italy that can be visited virtually online including the Uffizi, the Vatican Museums, the Capitoline Museums, Venerada Biblioteca Ambrosiana, and the Museo del Novecento but there are many more excellent examples to keep you entertained as you stay at home and look forward to a time when travel to Italy is possible once more. Here are just five more museums in Italy that you can visit virtually right now!

What comes to mind when you think of Italy? Is it the famous culinary heritage that has become so beloved that it is now also a mainstay of many other cultures and countries around the globe? Is the genius artists that filled incredible churches, palaces, town squares, public buildings, and museums all over the country with masterpieces? Is it the beautiful and diverse landscape of the country that varies from perfect white sandy beaches lapped by azure seas to the famously pastoral and lovely rolling green hills of Tuscany to the pretty seaside towns perched on craggy cliffs to the impressive snow-capped peaks of the Alps, and much more besides? Is it the relaxed and easy-going lifestyle of much of the country that is envied all over the world? Or, perhaps, is it the famously stylish citizens and beloved fashion houses and designers?

For many, it is the latter. The stylish eateries and bars, picture-perfect towns, fashionable people-watching, and excellent shopping (and window-shopping because lots of those famous brands are outside of the reach of most of our budgets) are all factors that draw the fashion set to Italy, looking for a chic getaway. If you're one of those people, interested in Italian style and learning more about it, we have put together a guide, an A-Z of fashion in Italy:

As there are incredibly lovely surroundings and views, an elegant and relaxing atmosphere, and leisure activities aplenty to choose from, Lake Garda has long been a place where the rich and famous have chosen to make their homes or to build holiday homes. Accordingly, along the shores of Lake Garda and on the islands throughout the lake, you will find some of the most impossibly beautiful estates, villas, and mansions in the entire world. If you have found a vacation rental in Lombardy or a holiday rental on Lake Garda and you are exploring the region or, better yet, if you have a particular interest in stately homes, architectural gems, and amazing gardens, then you will be very much in luck as there are lots of astounding treats to discover in and around Lake Garda. One such fascinating (albeit controversial) site is the Vittoriale degli Italiani (The Shrine of Italian Victories), a hillside estate in the town of Gardone Riviera.

The Vittoriale degli Italiani’s most famous inhabitant was the Italian poet Gabriele d'Annunzio who has left the biggest mark on the property to this day and under whom large expansion and reconstruction was undertaken. D’Annuzio is, today, a controversial figure, a talented writer and famous rogue who is considered a proto-fascist and was once a rival to Mussolini’s leadership of Fascist Italy.