Archive for 'Northwest Italy'

America has Salem and Italy has Triora in Liguria.

This charming town's appearance does not belie its troubled and bloody past and will forever be interconnected with witches and witchcraft.

It all goes back to 1587, when bad weather and a bad harvest lead locals from the town to speculate as to what was causing all of their misfortune. They came to the logical conclusion: it had to be the fault of witches. The rest, as they say, is history.

Find a holiday rental in Liguria and you can uncover this disturbing and fascinating history for yourself, all while enjoying the delightful town that Triora is today.

Continuing on from our last article, this piece will discuss some more of our picks for the Seven Wonders of Italy.

The Cathedral of St. Ambrose is a building in Lombardy with roots going as far back as the tenth century, though the present structure dates to the sixteenth. It is the seat of the Bishop of Vigevano and the current building was commissioned by Duke Francesco II Sforza in 1530.

Dedicated to St. Ambrose, it was designed by Antonio da Lonate and thought it was begun shortly afterwards, work was not completed until 1612.

With beautiful painted interiors, a newer Baroque façade and a famous treasury and museum inside, it is a typical Italian cathedral in many ways.

Pavia is an antiquated town in Lombardy that is over 2000 years old, located not far from Milan that evokes fairytales, particularly the likes of Rapunzel, as it is populated by several medieval towers that reach towards the sky and look down upon modern buildings.

These thin, seemingly purposeless towers, once overwhelmed the town with their quantity and numbered a hundred. Today, far fewer exist but the town remains known as the “City of 100 Towers.”

In spite of their dwindling numbers, there are still plenty of other things to see and do in the town nowadays so why not find a vacation rental in Lombardy and pay a visit to beautiful Pavia?

Lake Iseo is located in Lombardy, northern Italy, between two larger and much more famous bodies of water: Lake Garda and Lake Como. While tourist guides might point you towards spending time in the latter two destinations, it is wise not to look past the lovely Lake Iseo, which remains a bit of a relatively hidden gem. Just find a vacation rental in Lombardy and explore this beauty.

You'll not only find a lack of tourist crowds and long queues but also a lake as stunning and with as many activities and sights to offer any visitor.

First of all, be sure to try and enjoy the wonderful local cuisine. As you might imagine, there are plenty of fish to be had and, as a result, delicious aquatic delicacies to try. There are also plenty of small vineyards, olive groves and chestnut groves in the area. All of this fresh local produce means that the food of the area is particularly rich, comforting and tasty.

Continuing on from our previous article, here are the rest of the things you should know about Christmas in Italy.

3. The Original Live Crib Is In Greccio

Nativity scenes and, particularly, those featuring actors and live animals, have a long tradition and are said to have been created in Italy. As a result, there are many live Nativities all over the country that are rather famous. One of the most famous, arguably is the one at Greccio in Lazio, which is said to be the very first. To visit this charming event for yourself, just find a vacation rental in Lazio. It is said that the tradition was born as early as the 5th century but gained traction when St. Francis came back from visiting the Holy Land and wanted to reproduce the scene of the Nativity on Christmas Eve in Greccio. He prepared a manger with hay, had an ox and a donkey brought there, and then had a Holy Mass celebrated in front of it, before a large crowd of people who had come from all over the region, it is even said that a vision of the Child appeared on the hay.