Archive for 'Southern Italy'

Saint Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione in Pietretina, Campania in 1887. He was raised by peasant parents and at the tender age of five he knew he wanted to live a life serving god.

Choose from a villa in Campania to visit where this famous monk was born and raised or a vacation rental in Apulia where his final resting place is in San Giovanni Rotondo.

He regularly attended mass, fasted and undertook harsh penances to prove his devotion and joined the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Capuchin aged 15. By this stage he reported experiencing vivid visions and conversations with Jesus, Mary and his guardian angel and found it strange that those around him couldn’t do the same.

During his seven year study at age 17, Padre Pio became very ill, suffering terrible migraines, insomnia and extreme nausea among other symptoms. Terrible screams and noises came from his room at night and eventually due to his deteriorating health, he was sent home in the hope of recovery.

If you’re holidaying near the city of Reggio Calabria in the southern Italian region of Calabria then be sure to pay a visit to the National museum of Magna Graecia. The southern regions of Italy including Sicily was once heavily colonised by Greek settlers and the area was called Magna Graecia.

Book a stay at a luxury vacation villa in Calabria where you can explore all this scenic region has to offer at your own leisure.

This fascinating museum details the history of this influential settlement and houses the famous Bronzi di Riace. These are full size bronze statues of Greek warriors dating between 460 and 420BC.

These beautifully sculptured statues were retrieved from a shallow sea depth of eight metres in 1972 when a man called Stefano Mariottini came upon them by accident during a scuba dive at Monasterace.

Looking to escape from the stresses of modern life and head deep into the wilderness? Then a few days relaxing at a villa in Campania neighbouring the region of Basilicata would be ideal for you!

The area of Monticcio is probably best known for its two lakes, located on the slopes of Mount Vulture.

Part of a picturesque forested nature reserve; these two lakes are quite unique in comparison to other lakes of Italy in fact they are green in colour and are a higher temperature than most others.

Looking for a sun holiday to Italy with lots to do and see as well? Then come to the spectacular south-western region of Campania! Stay in a scenic villa with swimming pool in Campania close to the coast to experience a truly luxurious vacation to this spectacular country.

It’s hard to decide what to begin with when it comes to exploring Campania but why not start off with a fiery visit to the famous Mount Vesuvius? This now dormant volcano erupted violently in 79AD and buried two neighbouring towns called Pompeii and Herculaneum in a devastating sea of hot ash and stones.

Today visitors can walk through the excavated streets of these almost perfectly preserved towns and imagine what that treacherous night must have been like for its unfortunate victims. If you’re here during the month of October you can experience the mesmerising Pompeii festival. The area is beautifully lit up at night and offers tourists a romantic view of this archaeological site.

Located in the southern coastal region of Campania is the scenic Cilento area and Vallo di Diano National Park. In 1998, it was awarded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site to protect its rich natural beauty from the wrath of mass tourism and large scale building projects in the area. Stay in a stunning vacation rental in Campania where you can easily explore the treasures of this region under the hot Italian sun!

Within this vast protected area lie numerous archaeological sites including Paestum, Velia and the Certosa di Padula. Much of this coastal area’s historical evolution can be relived in great detail thanks to the many monuments and documentation left behind.