Little is known about the life and work of illustrious Renaissance artist Giorgione Barbarelli, but what survives lingers in a small museum in the artist’s hometown of Castelfranco Veneto, just under 25 miles west of Venice. The painter, known as Giorgione, was born around 1477 and died from the plague in Venice in 1510. His studies with renowned artists Giovanni Bellini and Titian earned him a prestigious reputation and the museum dedicated to his work, which opened last year, is worth a visit, according to The Times (U.K.).
The artist’s early death left many of his paintings unfinished, allowing other painters to finish the works for him and resulting in difficulty attributing the paintings to Giorgione. Though the subject of his artwork is symbolic and elusive, the paintings’ originality and artistic mastery earned Giorgione a place among the most distinguished and mysterious Renaissance artists. The Tempest is thought to be the first Western landscape painting, and many of his paintings use sfumato, the technique of using color to illustrate shade and perspective.
To mark the 500th anniversary of the Giorgone’s death, Casa Giorgione is hosting “Giorgione,” an exhibition of over 120 paintings, drawings, engravings, marbles, bronzes, books and manuscripts. The New York Times recently reviewed the exhibition which runs through April 11th. – Elaine Murphy
Written by Travel News on March 10th, 2010 with no comments.
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After 52 years, Florence finally has its public tram system back, according to The Florentine. The new Tramvia debuted on Valentine’s Day, a date deliberately chosen by Florence mayor Matteo Renzi to reflect the residents’ collective love for their city. On its first day, the Tramvia carried an estimated 40,000 passengers, including a couple who rode the tram to their wedding ceremony in an effort to show their appreciation for the long-awaited public transit system.
The tram comes after much controversy and debate about the construction of a new urban railway system in Florence. While many residents are thrilled with its launch, others showed their concern by protesting and picketing outside the via Alamanni tram station.
The Tramvia Line 1 connects the city of Florence with the town Scandicci and departs every eight minutes; construction on two more tram lines will begin soon. The tram system’s Sirio trams carry riders from Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence to Villa Costanza in Scandicci in 23 minutes, stopping at 14 stations along the way.
The Florentine details how Line 1’s stops include a variety of sights that are perfect for travelers looking to wander off of the city’s beaten tourist path. Stazione Leopolda, located on the tram’s first stop, hosts year-round festivals, including a food fair in March and the Nextech festival of electronic music in September. Cascine Park is the tram’s second stop, and is a haven for outdoors enthusiasts. The park has a public swimming pool, a sports complex, stables, and lots of green space for walking and relaxing. The Cascine Market along the Arno River, the largest market in Florence, sells everything from produce to clothing to furniture, and is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday.
For a quick escape from the bustle of big-city life, ride the tram to the residential area of Scandicci. The Resistenza stop drops passengers off in the city’s center among piazzas and family-owned shops, and the next stop reaches Piazza Togliatti, home of Scandicci’s Saturday market, which operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Future tram lines 2 and 3 are expected to stop at major tourist sites, including the Duomo. – Elaine Murphy
Written by Travel News on March 9th, 2010 with no comments.
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Written by Travel News on March 5th, 2010 with no comments.
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In our February issue, Rosanne Cofoid writes about 50 great places to shop in Rome. She has compiled such a comprehensive shopping guide that we had to divide it into two parts – one covering antiques, fashion, home decor and food – and the other detailing places to buy gifts, leather goods, jewelry and paper goods. Here are a few of her recommendations:
For gifts - Antica Erboristeria Romana
Savor the warm glow of aged wood, fragrantly saturated over time with the aroma of herbs tht have been part of this place for 300 years. They have over 40 types of teas from the world over, essential oils and aromatherapy items. Worth stopping in just for the ambiance. Via di Torre Argentina, 15; (39) 06 6879493
For your home - Giroen Biancheria
This store near the Pantheon sells beautiful linens, many at very good prices. I recently purchased linen towels suitable for framing. Via della Minerva, 2; (39) 06 6789027
For fashion – Laura Urbanati
Urbanati is a lounge- and beachwear designer known for her delicate cotton prints and bikinis. The 2010 collection features many shades of yellow and pink. The shop is near Campo dei Fiori. Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 50; (39) 06 68136478
For Jewelry - Studio Gioielleria R. Quattrocolo
For spectacular 18th- and 19th-century jewelry, visit this studio, owned and operated since 1938 by the Quattrocolo family. The shop offers gold earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pins made from the finest precious stones, as well as Etruscan-style jewelry, cameos, and micro-mosaics. The micro-mosaics are the most representative of the exquisite workmanship present in every item in the shop. Via della Scrof, 54; (39) 06 68801367
Written by Travel News on March 5th, 2010 with no comments.
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This summer, spend six weeks preserving Roman history alongside professional archaeologists at an Italian excavation site. The American Institute for Roman Culture, the sole sponsor of the Villa delle Vignacce excavation site in the suburbs of Rome, offers a summer program enabling virtually anyone to participate in an archaeological dig.
Villa delle Vignacce translates to “Villa of the Vineyards” and was built in the 2nd century AD. Its ancient purpose is still unknown, but archaeologists speculate that it may have been a public bathhouse or a villa. Rome’s Park of the Aqueducts, a network of ancient aqueducts and the location of Villa delle Vignacce, provided the main water supply to the ancient settlement’s fountains and bath complex. Villa delle Vignacce is undocumented and unspoiled, allowing participants a rare opportunity to discover, preserve, and connect bits of ancient history to find out the site’s role in second-century Roman society.
The six-week program begins with a week of education and training; the remaining five weeks are spent digging on-site for nine hours a day. The program welcomes people from all ages, countries, and educational backgrounds – high school grads, college students, adult professionals, and retirees. You don’t need to speak Italian or be an archaeology or classics major to participate.
The dig requires lots of physical activity – digging all day in the hot Italian sun means taking lots of water and shade breaks – but also offers the rewards of living in Rome and unearthing nearly 2,000-year-old artifacts. Email
studyabroad@romanculture.org or visit
http://www.saverome.org/ to enroll and find out more about the program.
–Elaine Murphy
Written by Travel News on March 3rd, 2010 with no comments.
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One of the most typical of Le Marche recipes, spaghetti with mussels is simple and delicious, an authentic Italian pasta recipe.
Written by Travel News on March 1st, 2010 with no comments.
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On Sunday, cities and towns across northern Italy will be smog-free for the day, according to Italian news agency ANSA. Northern Italy faces the country’s highest concentration of smog, and to combat the industrialized region’s smog problem, 80 cities and towns have agreed to take vehicles off the road on February 28.
Turin mayor Sergio Chiamparino, backed by several other mayors of northern Italian cities, announced the anti-smog day last week. Chiamparino emphasized that the one-day traffic halt must be followed by long-term smog-reducing measures. He hopes that Italy will continue to fight its smog problem by providing incentives to consumers who buy environmentally-friendly cars and pushing for greener, more efficient energy.
Although traffic bans have previously been performed several times in Milan and other cities, the February 28 ban is the first official, organized vehicle ban in northern Italy. Cities participating in the automobile ban range from bigger cities like Bologna to small towns. – Elaine Murphy
Written by Travel News on February 27th, 2010 with no comments.
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Our lovely
16th-century stone farmhouse just outside Assisi, nestled among the foothills of St. Francis’ beloved Mount Subasio in Umbria, has been carefully remodeled into intimate apartments blending historic features and modern amenities.
We pride ourselves on our famous Italian hospitality, welcoming our guests to a relaxing and memorable stay in the breathtaking Umbrian hills.
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Written by Travel News on February 27th, 2010 with no comments.
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The most cherished of the Italian Christmas Traditions is the presepe or nativity scene. Read about the origin of these Italian holiday traditions.
Written by Travel News on February 23rd, 2010 with no comments.
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These two calamari recipes were given to me by Ileana. She is an accomplished cook and an expert of traditional Le Marche recipes. These seafood pasta recipes, are easy and make a meal on their own.
Written by Travel News on February 19th, 2010 with no comments.
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Little is known about the life and work of illustrious Renaissance artist Giorgione Barbarelli, but what survives lingers in a small museum in the artist’s hometown of Castelfranco Veneto, just under 25 miles west of Venice. The painter, known as Giorgione, was born around 1477 and died from the plague in Venice in 1510. His studies with renowned artists Giovanni Bellini and Titian earned him a prestigious reputation and the museum dedicated to his work, which opened last year, is worth a visit, according to The Times (U.K.).
