Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

If you have found a luxury villa in Umbria and are spending time exploring the rich cultural and historical heritage of the region, tasting its delicious cuisine and seeking out adventures, make sure to set some time aside to enjoy the great natural beauty of the region as well. In particular, there is one lake that may not have the brand appeal of Lake Como or Lake Garda but it well worth checking out: Lake Piediluco. With its own charms, great natural beauty, wonderful location and impeccable boating facilities, the lake assures more than one or two good days out for those who go in search of it.

Cemeteries always seem like strange things to recommend as tourist attractions and, yet, many of the world's most famous tourist destinations are tombs, graveyards and catacombs of some description. From the pyramids of Egypt to the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, there are a great number of iconic burial places around the world. One of the most unique cemeteries in the world, however, is probably not as familiar; the San Cataldo Cemetery in Modena, or rather the fascinating ossuary built there. Its striking appearance is truly incredible and is sure to remain in the memory forevermore. Once you have found a villa with pool in Emilia-Romagna and are exploring the city, make time to see this extraordinary structure for yourself.

Though never completed, construction was begun in 1972 under Italian architect and theorist Aldo Rossi with the focal point of the structure being the central square building, which was created to illustrate a number of abstract concepts Rossi had previously written about.

Continuing on from our last post, in which we discussed the proliferation of incredibly picturesque ghost towns in Italy and the reasons behind their considerable number, here are some more of our picks of the most beautiful among them. If you are a fan of such things, of exploring abandoned buildings and taking in the sight of nature reclaiming land and buildings decaying beautifully, keep these extraordinary towns in mind during your next trip to Italy.

Fabbriche di Careggine is a town in the area of Lago di Vagli, or Lake Vagli, in Lucca. Although it would be more correct to say that it is beneath the lake. The medieval town, a long-time home to talented metal-working artisans, was flooded in 1953 in order to create the artificial lake, a hydroelectric basin and every decade it makes a ghostly reappearance when the lake is drained for maintenance work. Hundreds of thousands attend every time to watch as it slowly rises out of the lake but the town is often still visible underneath the water, with the top of the church poking out on days that the level is low.

While it may seem a little strange, Italy is actually a bit of a hot-spot for ghost towns. The internet is filled with endless websites dedicated to pictures of beautifully and poetically decaying buildings and ghost towns and recording and visiting such places is increasingly popular.

If you are among the many obsessed by such things or merely among the great number of us somewhat intrigued by such things, Italy is a dream destination. Due to emigration, natural disasters and accidents there are many ghost towns all over the country that are just waiting to be explored. Here are just a selection of our favourites.

Craco in Basilicata is a town that was built perched on a very high summit, for defensive reasons. It is a particularly attractive medieval hilltown and, since the 20th century, has been abandoned.

Troubled, gifted and dramatic, Caravaggio is as intriguing as his groundbreaking work. The great Baroque artist was lost to history for a while but was incredibly famous in his own lifetime and is now considered one of the greatest artists of his age once more. While he was born in Milan and spent his relatively short life all over the country (a portion of it on the run), Rome remains one of the best places to see his work. Despite his controversial life, the Church was a big supporter and important patron throughout his career and, as such, much of his work still exists in Rome. Just find a holiday rental in Rome and seek out these examples.

1. Boy with a Basket of Fruit, c.1593

Located in in the Galleria Borghese, this work dates to when Caravaggio was newly arrived in Rome. The model was his friend, the Sicilian painter Mario Minniti, who was around 16 years old at the time. A kind of genre painting, it displays Caravaggio's ability to paint everything from flesh and hair to fabric and fruit.