Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

If you have found a villa rental in Padua and are exploring the city, it is unlikely that you will miss Prato della Valle, or “Prà deła Vałe” in Venetian, a 90,000sqm elliptical piazza in the city and the largest square in Italy as it is so vast and exceptionally beautiful. However, just in case, we're warning you: don't miss out on this stunning part of the city or you'll be kicking yourself later!

Before 1635, the area now occupied by Prato della Valle was actually a large and unpleasant swampy terrain, just south of the old city walls. Then, in 1636, a group of Venetian and Veneto public figures and nobles decided to finance the construction of a temporary, but lavish, theatre for mock battles on horseback on the site.

The Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara, or Temple of the Blessed Virgin of Ghiara, also known as Basilica della Madonna della Ghiara, is a stunning church located in the city of Reggio Emilia, in northern Italy. One of the many lovely architectural gems in this lesser-known and lesser-celebrated Italian cities, it is one more reason to find a holiday rental in Emilia-Romagna and head on a day trip to this charming town.

In 1596, a mute boy is said to have recovered his voice before a 14th-century representation of the Virgin painted on a gravel wall (or “ghiara” in italian) by artist Lelio Orsi and when news of the miracle spread, it began to attract lots of pilgrims. As a result, it was decided to erect a basilica on the site, into which the votive fresco was moved.

Italy is a beautiful place to holiday and the south of Italy, in, boasts hot summers and plenty of excellent beaches. For seaside and sun getaways, it's undoubtedly the best part of the country to head to.

However, if you are looking for a quasi-tropical destination in Italy, then you need to find a vacation rental in Apulia and make your way to the exceptionally beautiful town and comune of Porto Cesareo in the province of Lecce, in the heart of the Terra d’Arneo. This area has stunningly, impossibly azure crystal clear waters and powdery white beaches and feels like you somehow accidentally stumbled into the Caribbean...how magical does that sound?

The Palazzo della Pilotta is a palace and complex of structures that is located between the Piazzale della Pace and the Lungoparma in the historic centre of the lovely Italian city of Parma. Vast but incomplete, the palace was built for the Farnese family in the 16th and 17th centuries, at the order of Duke Ottavio Farnese and then under Duke Ranuccio I. Built around a preexisting Visconti stronghold and a church, it was designed as a headquarters for the court and state services – such as stables, store rooms, arms rooms, theatre, barracks and more – rather than as a residence.

The charming city of Cosenza in the region of Calabria in the south of Italy is filled with surprises around every corner. If you have found a vacation rental in Calabria and are planning a day trip to this historic city, then be sure to head to Corso Mazzini, a pedestrian area between Piazza Bilotti and Piazza dei Bruzi, which is home to Cosenza’s Bilotti Open-air Museum. This street is dotted with works by famous sculptors like Mimmo Rotella, Emilio Greco, Giacomo Manzù, Giorgio De Chirico, Pietro Consagra, Justin Peyser, Sacha Sosno, and Salvador Dalí and is a museum that you can visit for free and whenever you want.