Giorgio Armani
Posted in: Curiosities Localities Lombardy Milan Museums & Galleries Northwest Italy Tourist Attractions
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.
Entrance of Sirmione's historic centre
Posted in: Castles & Palaces Lombardy Northwest Italy Tourist Attractions
In the lovely little town of Sirmione, right on Lake Garda, there stands a rather unique building. A rare example of medieval port fortification, Scaliger Castle, or Castello Scaligero, was begun in 1277 by Mastino della Scala and work was continued in three phases into the fifteenth century.

Why not find a vacation villa rental on the Garda lake and spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the grounds of this magnificent structure before descending into the historic centre of Sirmione below and grabbing something to eat in a local restaurant?
Sunset in Sirmione
Posted in: Castles & Palaces Lakes Localities Lombardy Northwest Italy Tourist Attractions
Sirmione is a small town with a population of less than 9,000 which is located on Lake Garda. However, despite its relatively small size, it is jam-packed with things to see and do, history and architectural gems. The area has been settled since the Stone Age when it was probably home to fishermen who lived in houses on stilts on the banks of the lake.

One such settlement found nearby at Lugana Vecchia is part of the collection of such sites across a variety of countries in the vicinity of the Alps, including Slovenia, Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland and is now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Auditorium, Teatro Regio, Turin
Posted in: Architectural Gems Northwest Italy Piedmont Tourist Attractions
Located in the stunning Piazza Castello in the historic centre of Turin, Italy, the Teatro Regio is both a beautiful building, worth visiting for its architecture alone, and home to a prominent opera company.

Operas were held in multiple venues across the city up until the 18th century, when it was decided to build a dedicated opera house for Turin. Planning for the building began in the first quarter of the century under the architect Juvarra but work was not actually begun until after his death. The inauguration was in 1740 after just two years of building.
Positive and Negative photos of the Turin Shroud
Posted in: April Curiosities Events June May Northwest Italy Piedmont
The Shroud of Turin is a mysterious object which has been drawing pilgrims to Turin, Italy for centuries. Much debate has always surrounded the Shroud with people wondering where it came from, how the markings on it were made, if it is Jesus Christ who is depicted and how old it is. We will, perhaps, never know the answers to some of these questions. The Shroud, however, is still fascinating for those interested in history, faith, religion and science alike. If you want to see it for yourself you could find a vacation rental nearby and make a trip to view it this year. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime trip as the Shroud is being shown in a rare exposition.