Archive for 'Lombardy'

  

Villa del Balbianello facade
Villa del Balbianello is an 18th century villa which is perched precariously and picturesquely over Lake Como. It is now owned by Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (FAI), private, non-profit trust which receives sites of historic, artistic and naturalist value and restores and opens them to the public so that everyone can enjoy them. A popular spot for weddings and tourists, it was built for Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini at the end of the 1700s. The décor which exists today, however, comes from its last owner, the explorer Guido Monzino. It has a rich collection of Chinese, African and pre-Colombian art, precious English and French furniture of the 1700s and a small museum with documents and mementoes of his expeditions.     Read More

  

Isola del Garda
The Island of Garda – also known as the Isola del Garda, Isola di Garda or Isola Borghese – is the largest island on Lake Garda. It has been inhabited for thousands of years, going back to Roman times. After being used by pirates for years, it came under the control of the monks of St Zeno of Verona. It then shifted hands many times over the years. The current villa, the Villa Borghese-Cavazza, which occupies the island was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is occupied by the Cavazza Counts who inherited the island in 1927 and still live there today.     Read More

  

Graffiti by Blu in Milan, Piazza Monte Titano
The walls and streets of Milan are home to the work of many famous and unknown Italian and International street artists. You need only know where to look in order to explore the biggest art gallery in the world. Even then, surprises will often await you around corners and hidden almost out of sight. One of the greatest pleasures that the city has to offer is the experience of leisurely strolling her streets while always having something to look at.     Read More

  

Street art in Milan
Milan is known internationally as an important industrial centre and the fashion capital of Italy. Of course, as it is an Italian city, it is known for its art but doesn't have quite the reputation and glorious past of other cities. However, it does have a rather exceptionally rich tradition in street art.

So much so, in fact, that you can take a specific guided tour around the city in which you will be informed of the history of street art in Milan and be shown some of the most important works.

Even if you don't take the tour, there's something to see around every corner so merely wandering around with an ice-cream or coffee in hand becomes a fantastic activity in its own right.

Find a holiday rental in Milan and discover the art of its streets.     Read More

  

Bosco Verticale, Milan
If you're interested at all in contemporary architecture or design or you're just fond of seeing the most unique and unusual things that a city has to offer while on holidays, then Milan has the perfect thing for you. The Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest, is a highly unique building in Milan which was only finished and opened last year. It is a pair of high-rise buildings which are made up of 27 storeys with cantilevered balconies planted with 900 trees and more than 2,000 shrubs and bushes. The effect is astonishing, two lush structures emerging from the earth and towering (the taller being 112 metres in height) over the surrounding buildings.     Read More