Archive for 'Churches & Religious Buildings'

Most of us don't buy guidebooks anymore. Instead, when we plan to visit a place, we search hashtags on Instagram and have a quick google. Compiling data from lots of places, as they are wont to do, Google can actually plan your itineraries for you. In fact, if you search destinations, they will suggest a variety of itineraries, based on the length of time you have in a given place. If you have found a vacation rental in Veneto and are wondering where to start and what to do, here's what Google suggests if you have just 24 hours in the city.


1. Head to Murano (Estimated time to be spent here: 40 minutes)

Murano Island in Venice is a connected archipelago of seven islands with narrow channels networking through them and bridges linking them together. Murano is famous the world over for its stunning glassworks, particularly the glass lamps made there.

The beautiful town of Tropea is often called the “Pearl of the Tyrrhenian” and a mere glance at the town is enough to see why. Perched on a cliff that picturesquely overlooks the bluer than blue sea, beneath endless clear skies, it was a traditionally prosperous town.

St Peter's in Rome is already a must-see. It is an extraordinary, massive building that is steeped in history and incredibly photogenic. However, many visitors skip out on, arguably, the best part of a visit to the building: the view from the top.

Once you have found a vacation rental in Rome, have gone through security, entered the building and wandered around the awe-inspiring interior, be sure to follow the sign that reads “cupola”. This will take you to a ticket office and then a staircase and elevator that lead up to the famous dome of the church.

The dome is one of the greatest architectural feats of the era and one of Michelangelo's great works. Begun in 1546, during the papacy of Paul III, work paused at the height of the work with Michelangelo’s death but was continued 15 years later under Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana.

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.

Here are some more of the architectural gems that Rome has to offer, just find a holiday rental in Rome and begin exploring!

3. Pantheon

The magnificent Pantheon is a beautifully preserved temple dating back to 117AD. Built under Emperor Hadrian in honour of the ancient Roman pagan gods, it was given to Pope Boniface in 608 AD by the Byzantine emperor Phocas and was used as a church thereafter. It is a building of ingenious design and construction that was far ahead of its time. The soaring Dome, in particular, is immensely impressive. Inside, the church is richly decorated with paintings, stone carvings, statues and frescoes. Located in the Piazza della Rotonda in Rome, it is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6.30pm and Sun 9am to 1pm.