Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

Ischia Island, off the coast of Naples, has been a resort destination since Roman times due to its thermal waters.

Since then it has played host to film stars, like Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, and films themselves, such as Anthony Minghella's “The Talented Mr Ripley” and “Cleopatra”, starring Taylor.

Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, this volcanic island is comprised of dramatic rock formations and lush vegetation. Not only is it a visual treat, there is also lots to do on this island.

Find a villa with pool in the Campania region or on Ischia Island and come discover it for yourself.

Rome does not lack in famous and astounding monuments. If you visit, you will never be stuck for something to do. However, you might be interested in visiting something uniquely tied into Italian history that is just a little off the beaten track of most tourists, a little less obvious. That something is the Altare dell Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II).

The Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro, or the Metrolpolitan Cathedral of Saint Peter, is the cathedral of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The present structure largely dates to the sixteenth century but the history of the building stretches back much further than that. The massive emphatically baroque interior is complimented by a stunning red exterior made from brick covered in a pink-toned plaster and accented with marble ornaments. If you have an interest in Baroque architecture or the history of Italy, this is sure to be fascinating to you. Why not find a holiday rental in Emilia-Romagna and spend a few days exploring Bologna's historic centre?

The great painter, Titian, sadly left us very few frescoes by his hand after his death. One of these few examples is a rather well-preserved group in the Scuola del Santo (or “Scoletta”) in Padua which comes from 1511, very early on in his career as an artist. Padua, in Veneto, is actually a city with an extremely rich tradition and heritage of fresco painting.

It is here that we find Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel which cemented the enormous importance of fresco painting as decoration, the tradition of grand fresco cycles and the standard by which all others would come to be measured.

St George's Oratory is a Roman Catholic church built in the 14th century as a family chapel by Marquis Soragna Raimondino Lupi. It is one of the many buildings that make up the rich architectural, artistic and cultural heritage of the historic city of Padua in the Veneto region. Not far from the more famous jewel that is Venice, it is a similarly rewarding place to visit if you are a lover of the arts. Maybe it's time to find a villa with a pool in Veneto and explore it for yourself.

The oratory has a small brick facade and is built on a simple plan of a single nave basilica, topped by a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The interior is like a jewellery box, adorned by frescoes on the walls and ceiling.