Good Things From Italy - Le Cose Buone d'Italia

Here is the mystery. ... there was a dramatic discovery in 1492 made while workers were repairing mosaics inside the church [of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme]. What they found was a brick inscribed with the words Titulus Crucis, meaning Title of the Cross. This refers to the wooden title nailed above the cross of Christ. [...]

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Sophia Loren
Feeling like on a secret-mission, Me, a non-Italian with a normal metabolism have been analysing the Italian diet for more than 4 years and finding out why obesity and over-weight are not major problems in this amazing country. If you take a quick look at the Italian population everybody seems very close to their perfect weight and very healthy (if you need numbers: just 9% of people in Italy are heavy enough to be considered obese, compared to 32% of Americans). A total metabolism-mystery for us foreigner food-lovers; how come “Pizzerie” are always fully booked and everyone has a Spritz in their hand by 7pm? I have resumed Italian diet secrets for you in 10 easy rules…

Via Italian Summers (Lisa van de Pol)

More than 2,000 satisfied Romans, the majority lawyers working at the nearby legal offices and courts, make a daily stop at the historic Sciascia Caffe 1919 in the Prati neighborhood.
It is a Roman institution, but it is rarely mentioned on lists of “musts” for visitors, and one could pass by without even noticing the entrance....Rome’s best cappuccino is served in delicate Richard Ginori porcelain cups...

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Where

There are many parks in Rome that birds frequent: Villa Ada, Villa Doria Pamphili, Parco degli Acquedotti. There is even a Nature Reserve Valle dei Casali in Rome where you can observe the Barn owl. Paul Milne says that his favourite birding places in the Italian capital are the Maccarese Ponds and the Pineto di Castel Fusano on the coast as well as the Parco dell’Appia Antica.

When

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for admiring Roman birds. “Try to get out for dawn as most birds get active between dawn and mid-morning”, recommends Paul. “Evening can also be good but there is usually a lot more people around so the birds get disturbed”.

What

There are many species to be seen but it is the Mediterranean species that hold most interest such as Black Kite, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Italian Sparrow, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Pallid Swift and Penduline Tit.    [...]

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Valentine was a Catholic priest who practiced in the city of Rome during the period of Christian persecution under the reign of Claudius II (213-270). When Claudius came to power in 268 AD the Roman Empire was under attack on many fronts from the Northern tribes, the biggest threat being that posed by the Goths. Many long, hard months away from family along with the threat of disease and battle meant that a career in the Roman army in those times was not such an attractive proposition. Claudius sought to remedy the situation by outlawing marriage, thereby ensuring the population of young Roman men had less reason to stay home with their loves.
Valentine ignored the edict and decided to marry couples in secret, a practice that soon saw him hauled before the Emperor and incarcerated. A beguiling and charming man was the priest and he captured the interest of the Emperor, but he made a tactical error in trying to convert Claudius to Christianity who had him beaten with clubs, stoned and beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14th 267.
Today Saint Valentine is revered as the patron Saint of love and lovers. [...]

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Non è una buona idea andare a fare un week end a Roma, magari con il treno? Con le nuove velocità Le Frecce vi ci portano col massimo del comfort, a prezzi competitivi e in poche ore. Visitare la capitale con un pretesto in più è l’ideale in questo periodo di minore afflusso turistico, anche perché una miriade di appuntamenti culturali e musei sbocciano come la primavera. Il Museo Nazionale d’Arte Orientale Giuseppe Tucci, al Palazzo Brancaccio di Roma, che raccoglie dal 1958 oggetti artistici e archeologici provenienti dai Paesi asiatici, promuove la conoscenza delle culture orientali, al fine di conservare e non disperdere collezioni pubbliche o private, per far conoscere meglio culture così diverse da noi, ma che si rivelano profondamente affini. [...]

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One can always spot an emperor by his haircut

Brand recognition is nothing new; the use of image as an immediately identifiable expression of the power of the state was one perfected by the Roman emperors.

Today heads of state have a standard image: identical portraits of Queen Elizabeth II look down on courtrooms and public offices from Canada to the Cook Islands, from Australia to Antigua; of the President of the United States from Alaska to Hawaii. Similarly at the peak of the Roman Empire, citizens and slaves alike would recognise the same portrait of the emperor from Spain to Syria, from Scotland to the Sahara. Like so much which is unmistakably Roman (gladiators, wine, the Colosseum) it was an idea borrowed from the Greek world. [...]

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Sculptor Lazzaro Morelli was born on this day in 1608 in Ascoli Piceno. After training with his father in Florence, Lazzaro moved to Rome to join the studio of sculptor Francois Duquesnoy. He later became assistant to Gianlorenzo Bernini, working for him until Bernini’s death in 1680. Bernini entrusted a number of important projects to Morelli, including the Chair of St. Peter, the majority of the travertine statues carved for Piazza San Pietro,  the statue of Truth and the shroud on the tomb of Alexander VII, and the angel holding a scourge on the Ponte Sant’Angelo.  [...]

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Aymo Maggi, Franco Mazzotti, Giovanni Canestrini and Renzo Castagneto, are the four musketeers that originated The Most Beautiful Race in the World that shines with its 31st  edition in 85 years. 

In a long weekend of May, over 375 vehicles selected exclusively from the models which ran the historical race are part of this spectacular event. They depart from Brescia on Thursday evening, May 16th, arriving to Rome the following day. On Saturday morning all depart from Rome, arriving to Brescia in the evening. On Sunday the day will be filled by parties and awards.

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The Seven Hills of Rome: What Are They and What Can You See?

The Seven Hills of Rome mark the traditional boundaries of the city. It was on these seven hills – Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal – that the first settlements of Rome began and these seven hills were the ones protected within the Servian Walls. The foundations, gates, and ruins of these 4th century-BC walls can still be seen in some parts of the city. Subsequent builds of fortifications in Rome, such as the Aurelian Walls (3rd century AD) and the Leonine City (9th century AD) included other hills (Janiculum, Vatican, Pincian), but the original Seven Hills are the ones in bold above and included within the red border in the map to the right.
Now that you’ve had a short history lesson, you may be wondering what you can see today on Rome’s Seven Hills. Rather than tell you, I thought I would use the power of Google’s Street View to show you.

Aventine Hill - This is the place to see the famous view of “St. Peter’s through the keyhole” at the Knights of Malta headquarters. More on the Aventine Hill.Caelian Hill - The Baths of Caracalla are one of the highlights of the Caelian (pronounced “Chellian”) Hill, which is largely a wealthy residential area. The Villa Cellimontana (Caelian Mountain Villa), is a 16th century villa and gardens that many Romans frequent in warmer weather for its nature and tranquility. The villa grounds also serve as the site for an annual jazz festival.Capitoline Hill - The Capitoline Museums and the seat of the Roman government live here. On the higher ridge of the hill stands the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.Esquiline Hill - The Esquiline Hill was where Nero built his “Golden House” (Domus Aurea). Today, much of the Esquiline is crowded with shops and apartment blocks. And, oh hey, on the southwestern spur of the Esquiline is the Colle Oppio (the smaller Oppian Hill) where you can admire the Colosseum.Palatine Hill - The Palatine, where Romulus and Remus were supposedly born, is the original hill of all of Rome’s hills. Rome’s main archeological area is here.Quirinal Hill - The Quirinal Palace, where the President of Italy resides, is the main landmark of this hill. Though, winding staircases and alleys from the pinnacle lead down to the Trevi Fountain [directions].Viminal Hill - The smallest of Rome’s Seven Hills is the site of the Baths of Diocletian, now part of the National Roman Museum. It’s all a short walk from Termini, Rome’s main train station.

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August 19 marks the 2,000th anniversary of the death of Rome’s first emperor Augustus, who ruled from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.

To commemorate the date, a series of special events and openings will be launched in the Italian capital [...]

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One of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic: the Ancient Appian Way

Rightly called the Regina Viarum, or queen of roads, it was constructed towards the end of the 4th century B.C. in order to set up a fast communication between Rome and Capua. In my opinion, a visit on this road is one of the best ways of how to reminisce the roman past. I like to imagine the Roman empress riding their horses on this path to arrive at their summer abode on the hills around Rome. [...]

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Castel Sant'Angelo (or The Mausoleum of Hadrian), reigning over the banks of the river Tiber, is a familiar and majestic monument on the Rome city skyline. Today it’s a national museum and famed attraction but its history is far from serene. As a Roman tomb, a Renaissance prison and key military fortress for the Vatican, Castel Sant’Angelo is like a layer cake containing over 1,800 years of bloody, turbulent history. [...]

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There's something hallowed about visiting a place of legend. To think that thousands of people over dozens of centuries have kissed the same stone, or climbed the same bell tower, or petted the same bronze boar-turned-pig as you, hoping for their own wishes to come true, brings a deeper meaning to travel.
Invite a little luck -- and a lot of superstition -- into your trip at these places where myth meets mystery.

1. Thousands of tourists throw coins (with their right hands, over their left shoulders) into the Trevi Fountain every day with the hope of returning to Rome. Their tosses totaled over $3,000 per day in 2012... 
2. Il Porcellino -- aka "the piglet" -- is a bronze boar that lives in Florence's open-air market. Feed him a coin for good luck, and then rub his snout to ensure a return to Florence. 
3. Casa di Giulietta is supposedly the Shakespeare-inspired courtyard home to Romeo's Juliet. If you write a letter to the star-crossed lover and post it on the wall beneath her balcony, she'll help you in love (an official response, though, might come from a club of secretaries who read and personally respond to as many letters as they can).
4. The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin, a little church in Rome, is home to the Mouth of Truth. If you tell a lie with your hand in his mouth, this stone creature will bite your hand off...
5. Want love that lasts forever? Secure a lock to Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence and throw the key into the river below.

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Ever since the 1770s when William Hamilton collected and exported Greek vases found in the excavations of Pompeii , ancient artifacts and tomb robbers ( tombaroli ) have been part of the Italian scene.
According to the Carabinieri, the theft of Italy’s art and archeological patrimony is fourth on the list of crime in Italy, after arms, drugs and financial crime.
Many of these objects have been looted from tombs and necropoli in Etruria, in central Italy or from the Puglia region.
On show until mid-March I Tesori : La Memoria Ritrovata at Palazzo Qurinale in Rome, an exhibit of over 100 objects found and returned to Italy by the Carabinieri. [...]

read more, click on the photo.

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What:

AmericanoSgroppinoBelliniSpritzNegroniNegroni Sbagliato

Where:

PierluigiBarnum CafèMisceliamoJK PlaceStravinskij BarBar at Hotel LocarnoEtablìBaccanoMassimo Riccioli Bistrot
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Christmas markets in Italy are one of our favorite parts of, well, Christmas in Italy! Not only are they beautiful and atmospheric (and a great place to get that holiday shopping done), but they make for an especially fun way to get to know an area’s local traditions, delicacies and artisans. Since we love sustainable and immersive travel, we think that’s always a plus!

Here are our 10 favorite Christmas markets in Italy, from Naples on up to the Dolomites!

Christkindlmarkt in Bolzano (Dolomites)Traditional South Tyrolese market in Lagundo (Dolomites)Weihnachtsmarkt German Market in FlorenceChristmas nativity market in NaplesMedieval candle market in Candelara (Le Marche)Fabbrica di Babbo Natale in Pisa (Tuscany)Piazza Navona market in RomeChristmas Market Piazza NavonaCampo San Polo market, VeniceO Bej, O Bej market in MilanChristmas market in Turin
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Italy is a country that is jammed packed with famous art. Here are 10 masterpieces you should see.

 

Michelangelo’s David - Accademia Gallery, Florence

Sistine Chapel - Vatican City

Capitoline Wolf - Musei Capitolini in Rome

Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel - Padua

Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper - refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan.

Mantegna’s Dead Christ - Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan

Raphael’s Rooms - Vatican

Madonna di Ca’ Pesaro by Titian - Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice.

The Birth of Venus by Botticelli - Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Flagellation of Christ by Piero della Francesca - Galleria Nazionale delle Marche in Urbino

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The temple built by Romulus to celebrate the hand of Jupiter giving Roman troops their unstoppable force has been found at the foot of the Palatine Hill, Italian archaeologists say.
The ruins of the temple identified by Italian archaeologists as the one built by Romulus in 750 BC, after winning the battle against the Sabines [Credit: Archeologia Viva]
The ruins of the shrine to Jupiter Stator (Jupiter the Stayer), believed to date to 750 BC, were found by a Rome University team led by Andrea Carandini.
In the article in Archeologia Viva, Carandini's team said they might also have discovered the ruins of the last Palatine house Julius Caesar lived in - the one he left on the Ides of March, 44BC, on his way to death in the Senate.

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Italian fascist architecture are constructions built to impress. And the intimidating buildings and monuments can still be seen all over the country.
A walk around most Italian towns and cities will take you past buildings made lifeless and intimidating by their sheer size and symmetry. These monstrosities are the still visible remnants of Mussolini’s fascist regime.
I often walk by the Palazzo Governo in Taranto and every time I avert my eyes. The building is so frightfully brutal it overshadows the natural attractions of the Lungomare promenade in spite of starlings, palm trees and a panoramic view of the sea. A similar violent clash between massive man-made structures and the natural and historical surroundings can be experienced in most other Italian cities and often we are not just talking about single buildings but entire villages.
The Mussolini countered the Great Depression with ambitious public works, such as draining the Pontine Marshes, reclaiming land and creating about 45 new homesteads of varying sizes.
The most striking example of fascist architecture in Italy is perhaps the EUR in Rome. The buildings in this district were erected in connection with the 1942 World Fair as a celebration to twenty years of fascism, with the Square Colosseum or the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana as its monumental centerpiece. The concrete building which looks exactly the same from all angles with 9 colonnades in 6 tiers now belongs to the Ministry of Culture and it is used for exhibitions.

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