Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

The Rocchetta Mattei is a magnificent castle that emerges as an extraordinary sight, soaring up from the northern part of the Tosco-Emiliano Apennines, in the comune of Grizzana Morandi in the province of Bologna. It is a rather eccentric building that speaks to its former owner, a similarly strange character. The earl Cesare Mattei, who had the castle built in the 19th century, was the inventor of "electrohomeopathy," a medical practice said to cure cancer. It was a method that combined the use of herbs with electric bio-energy from plants and homeopathy to harness the “life energy” (electricity) of plants to heal all illnesses. He even studied biology, anatomy, physiology, pathology and botany in order to found the medical movement. While it is still used in some parts of the world today, it was largely debunked. Other elements of the earl's lifestyle make it even more apparent that he was an eccentric, including the fact that he had a room built specifically for celebrations for his 90th birthday (which, sadly, never came) and that his home was like a real Medieval court with even a court jester.

Our last article looked at the museum culture of Italy that is so important for tourism, is a big reason why many people visit the country and is, certainly, something people expect to experience when they visit.

However, the downside is that museums, galleries and cultural attractions can often have long lines and be extremely busy. So, for those who want to take in Italian culture but can't deal with the tourist crowds, we have compiled a list of some amazing museums around the country that have lots to offer without the madness.

The last post discussed Mantua's archaeological museum and a very special exhibition there and the Canova Museum in Possagno and this article will give you some more examples of lesser-known, but special, museums in Italy.

Our last article discussed some of the amazing spa destinations and glamorous getaways that Italy has to offer but any single post on this topic could only dip a toe into the vast thermal waters of the unending list of amazing spa towns that the country has to offer.

While Ischia Island has beautiful scenery and popularity with celebrities to recommend it and Salsomaggiore Terme is home to one of the greatest architectural gems any spa destination in the world can boast and a history of being the spa town of choice of emperors, there are many others to be discovered.

Read on for some more relaxing, beautiful and fascinating spa towns in Italy.

Art, architecture, culture, history, the finer things in life, these are all on offer in Italy in abundance. There is no shortage of museums, art galleries, architectural gems, castles, palaces, churches and other attractions all over the country and many are incredibly famous worldwide. These are things that make it onto bucket lists and can be the single motivating factor for people when deciding to visit Italy. However, for every Uffizi Gallery, Sistine Chapel and Medici palace there are also plenty of outstanding museums that you have probably never heard of. We thought these lesser-known heroes deserved a mention so we compiled a list of museums and galleries where you'll avoid the crazy lines and floods of tourists and will get to experience wonderful highlights of Italian art, architecture, history and culture.

One of the best things about visiting Italy is the difference in the pace of life. Things tend to be a little more relaxed and laid-back than in other parts of the world and, if you're willing to embrace this, it makes for the perfect atmosphere to have a perfectly revitalising holiday where you forget all your worries and enjoy yourself.

Ignore the fact that the grocery store and post office in the town have just closed for three hours at lunch and forget about emails and the office for the duration of your stay in Italy.

Instead, choose one of the beautiful spa towns around the country and soak in natural hot springs, go for a massage and a facial – there is no better way to fully experience the relaxation that can only be found in Italy.