Archive for 'Architectural Gems'

Liguria is home to the Italian Riviera, a stretch of the coast that boasts some of Italy's most beautiful beaches and, as a result, it is an especially popular holiday destination. However, in addition to having lots of options for days of fun and sun at the beach, a villa in Liguria also means enjoying incredible fresh seafood and plenty of delicious local specialties including mushroom pie and mussels stuffed with cheese and herbs; visits to exclusive holiday resorts such as the luxurious and star-studded Portofino; wonderful walks and hiking routes along the coast where you can enjoy the scent of the sea and endless lemon groves that permeates the air or in the Ligurian Alps where you'll take in some of the most extraordinary views in the world; wandering the picturesque towns of the famous Cinque Terre; trips to villages famous for witch trials, inspiring Monet, annual carnival celebrations, and more; and, of course, time exploring the stunning and elegant capital of the region, Genoa. Genoa is an incredibly beautiful gem with an old town full of pretty winding little streets among tall old buildings, palaces, museums, and architectural feats. Among all of the wonderful things to see and do in the city, however, if you have found a villa in Liguria and are spending the day in Genoa, then a visit to the Palazzo Reale is a must.

If you are a serious culture vulture who likes to admire the greatest works made by human hands, then one of your bucket list destinations has to be Rome. With a villa in Rome, you can discover the ancient ruins of the Colosseum, Michelangelo's painted glories on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the unbelievable scale and architectural splendor of St Peter's, and much more besides. However, beyond the most famous attractions of the city, there is also an impossible wealth of other incredible attractions, buildings, works of art, examples of stunning city planning, gorgeous gardens, collections of incredible artefacts, and more to be explored. In fact, there is more to see in Rome than one could get to if they had full lifetimes to wander the beautiful streets and amazing attractions of the city. However, if you're looking for something that is a famous must-see but still slightly off the beaten track for many international tourists in Rome to pencil into your next vacation in Rome, then we suggest a visit to the glorious Palazzo Colonna.

The Palazzo Colonna is a block of palatial buildings that is located in the centre of Rome, at the base of the Quirinal Hill and which is built on a site that has housed buildings and homes since before the year 1000AD, including an ancient Roman Serapeum, a 12th century castle, and palaces of twenty generations of the powerful and noble Colonna family of Rome. Today, the palace can be visited and explored and is home to the Colonna Gallery, an incredible museum of Baroque art in the surrounds of frescoed walls and ceilings, gilded corridors, and antique furnishings. The largest noble residence in Rome, this stunning palace is akin to any of the great palatial buildings of Europe and is home to works of art by some of the most famous names in the history of art, making it an absolute must-see if you were thinking about finding a villa in Rome and spending time in the city.

Those who are interested in the history of art and architecture and in Italy as a key cultural centre in the West that inspired so much of what we see around us every day right up to the present, will probably already have a desire to find a vacation rental in Rome to come and see the Eternal City. However, while the famous monuments known all over the globe such as St Peters and the Colosseum, the Ancient Roman ruins, and the great Renaissance works of art, are all definitely worth seeking out and seeing for yourself, there are newer, lesser-known gems in this impossibly renowned and beloved city that one should definitely take note of. One such example of this is the MAXXI (the Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo or National Museum of 21st-century Arts), a wonderful museum of contemporary art and architecture that is, in its own right, an incredible architectural gem.

MAXXI is located in the Flaminio Quarter of Rome, on the site of a former Caserma Montello military barracks and incorporates parts of this earlier structure. The building was designed by lauded architect Zaha Hadid after an international competition was held to find a suitable design. Built over a period of ten years, the building went on to win the Stirling Prize of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2010. Considered an important contemporary gem in the city, it has been described by the Guardian as, "Hadid's finest built work to date," and, "a masterpiece fit to sit alongside Rome's ancient wonders." Opened to the public in 2010, the museum was the first national institution in Italy that was dedicated to contemporary art and architecture and was conceived of as a broad cultural campus. MAXXI is managed by a Foundation that was established in 2009 by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and headed by Giovanna Melandri and this sleek contemporary museum is a key hub of creativity and a place for experimentation and innovation.

Many people throughout the world are fascinated by abandoned places, by ruins, by underground passages and caverns as there is just something inherently intriguing about these empty, ancient, and no longer used spaces. Seemingly untouched by the outside world, though no longer as they once were and once looked, they are both steeped in history and removed from the passing of time. Furthermore, these places manage to be both eerie and beautiful at the same time.

Such places are often made more appealing by the contrast with the bustling of the busy cities above or around them in which they are located. Take, for example, the hauntingly lovely and truly impressive Piscina Mirabilis, a giant ancient Roman cistern that is located on the north-west side of the Gulf of Naples, not far from the daily hustle and bustle of daily life in the electric city of Naples. For those who are interested in such things and those who simply enjoy getting off the regular beaten path for tourists and taking in truly remarkable sights, this is a must-see if you have found a vacation rental in Campania and are exploring the region.

Apulia's Alberobello is a town that is famous for her distinctive and evocative local architecture, characterised by the presence of trulli, a kind of traditional limestone building from the area that features cone-shaped or domed roofs that are made of corbelled slabs of stone. Designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, these unique buildings developed out of necessity in the 14th century when peasant workers were moved to the area by Count Acquaviva, a feudal lord, to help clear the surrounding woods and cultivate the land. Trulli became the housing structure of choice for inhabitants of Alberobello as they wanted it to continue not to be classified as an inhabited settlement and to continue to avoid the taxes and laws to which towns in the area were beholden at the time. Trulli could be quickly dismantled, if necessary, and as there were no permanent structures that could characterise Alberobello as a town, they could continue to live there without having to pay the local taxes or adhere to local laws as a result. In fact, it wasn't actually until over a couple of centuries later, in 1797, that Alberobello was first officially classified as a town! A remarkable origin tale and a rather ingenious way to avoid taxes, if you want to come and see the distinct and fascinating architecture of this gorgeous town for yourself, then be sure to go ahead and browse our vacation rentals in Alberobello.