History and Art

• Sicilia History and Art ( 13 Articles )
  

  One trip to Sicily and you will understand why the island was a land of conquest, sought-after and loved by various civilizations from the remotest ages. Harsh and gentle panoramas alternate and follow one another, looking onto the crystalline sea with coasts and islands, sometimes with tall precipices at the foot of which there are long, deep strips of sand; then there are the colours, the scents, and the passionate nature of its peoples. Everything is strong and deeply involving in this splendid land that was Phoenician, Greek, and Roman; Byzantine, Arab, and Norman; French, Spanish, and Italian. The traveller may choose what footsteps to follow and each time, with the memory, run through millennia of history, amidst the remains of splendid cultures, guided by the images and stories of the famous sons of this land.

• Calabria History and Art ( 6 Articles )
  

  It is precisely in Calabria that, according to Aristotle, the name “Italic” originates: from Italòs, the founder of the kingdom that has been called Italy ever since. The ancient Calabrian cities, where Ulysses’ companions landed, are told of in the Odyssey, so this land of a contrasting and rough landscape, stretching out between the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian, has its roots in myth. Various civilizations have succeeded one another here, leaving behind archaeological and architectural treasures that still bring to mind the fascination of an ancient world thousands of years old.

   

• Puglia History and Art ( 9 Articles )
  In Apulia, an invisible thread links pre-history to the present day, and every historical event has left a trace that the next has never completely concealed: from the Altamura man, who lived 200,000 years ago, to the Dauni, who occupied that province of Foggia in the first millennium B.C.; from the inhabitants of Magna Graecia to the Roman conquerors, between Canne della Battaglia, Egnazia and Brindisi; and then again, the Romanesque cathedrals, the Hohenstaufen castles, the Aragonese fortresses, up to the 17th century and the Baroque buildings of Lecce, Gallipoli and Nardò. The rock civilization of the area of Murge deserves a chapter to itself to describe the deep ravines and fissures in the limestone rock that from the 6th century onward were the home of cropgrowers and oriental monks, who have left houses and crypts hewn in the rock.
• Campania History and Art ( 3 Articles )
  

  When describing Naples and its bay or its twin, Salerno, it is indeed truly difficult to avoid the trite or hackneyed phrase. As we stand open-mouthed before its infinity of enchanting views and sights, we are tempted by the postcard vision, the colour and folklore of thousands of grotesque souvenirs. Yet, we should not forget that without such intensity of feeling no portrait can properly evoke Naples. Its vast heritage is everywhere around us, and, going back two millennia, Herculaneum and Pompeii reveal two cities immortalised by layers of ash. The islands offer not only splendid natural beauty but also enchanting villages and impressive historical remains. The Amalfi Coast, once home to the great Maritime Republic, is dotted with proud towers bearing witness to its past glory as ruler of the sea, as well as to the need to defend itself from the attacks of Saracens and pirates.

• Lazio History and Art ( 3 Articles )
  

  

  Rome, the "eternal city", has accumulated so many monuments and so much history since its foundation as to astound the visitor, drunk on the wealth of its artistic, religious and civic heritage. After admiring the grandeur of Rome, we can take a break around the rest of the region of Latium, away from the bustle of the capital but still marked by the history of some of the most important religious orders: the Benedictines between Subiaco and Montecassino - sites of the first monasteries founded by St. Benedict; the Cistercians at Fossanova and Casamari - where the monks imported the Gothic style from over the Alps; the Franciscans at Greccio - where the poor saint from Assisi built the first crèche.

• Marche History and Art ( 2 Articles )
  

  The two united provinces of Pesaro and Urbino, the first all beaches and pleasures of society, the second emblem of art and architecture, illustrate the two faces of the land of the Marches, where each stone has a history and each bend of the road offers a view. Urbino alone, triumph of Renaissance beauty, would be enough to give glory to this region. For not only does it offer us the Cathedral and magnificent Ducal Palace, but the whole urban fabric stands intact on its hill, a miracle of beauty, inviting us to lose ourselves in the unique atmosphere of the alleyways before visiting the monuments. This seamless fusion of past and present is evident everywhere in Montefeltro, where all is castle: from the castle of San Leo perched above a steep drop, to Rocca di Gradara, romantic site of the legend of Paolo and Francesca.

• Toscana History and Art ( 3 Articles )
  

  From archaeological remains to masterpieces of Renaissance art, our visit takes us to two of Tuscany’s most important cities, Pisa and Lucca, as well as small towns like Montepulciano and Chianciano. In Pisa, the Campo dei Miracoli is where the most important religious buildings of this maritime republic are located, such as the Cathedral, the Leaning Tower, the Baptistery and the Campo Santo (cemetery). In Lucca, surrounded by its ancient city walls, the form of the old Roman amphitheatre can still be seen in the picturesque Piazza del Mercato (market square) and the streets in the historical centre lead us towards the Romanesque cathedral, the Puccini Museum in the house where the composer was born, and Villa Guinigi. Outside the walls, the gentle countryside is home to the elegant villas of the Mansi and Torrigiani families. Our tour will also take us on the Island of Elba, with its enchanting natural beauties, faithful guardian of memories and mementoes of Napoleon.

• Liguria History and Art ( 2 Articles )
  Throughout the ages, art and history have always found scope for expression in the narrow crescent of Liguria, creating a land rich in culture. Despite the hustle and bustle of its ports, the muddle of Genoa’s alleyways, the intricate network of roads dipping and climbing in an attempt to penetrate this land of obstacles, Liguria continues to display a quiet and shy elegance. Its sense of style is revealed, almost absent-mindedly, by its sumptuous, frescoed 16th-century palaces, theatrical stage for the power and wealth of the Republic of Genoa and its noble families, and is then unveiled with refined discretion in the gardens of its rococo country villas and with simple grace by the slate roofs and Romanesque churches of the ancient villages of the Eastern Riviera.
• Sardegna History and Art ( 3 Articles )
  An extremely ancient heart beats in Sardinia; it is that of the hinterland, which has kept alive the time of its origins, even before history started to be written. The origins manifest themselves with their questions through the nuraghi, enigmatic stone guardians of the territory, and the Neolithic villages, such as that of Barumini, or through the prehistoric caves of Ozieri. The coasts and the harbour towns, on the other hand, show the sign of the foreign dominations which came from the sea and succeeded one another down through the centuries: the Phoenician-Punic one in the necropolis of Tuvixeddu or in the ruins of Tharros, the Roman one in the amphitheatre of Cagliari, and the Catalan-Aragonese one, which impressed the Spanish chrism on Sardinian painting and the monuments of Alghero and the capital city of Sardinia. Among the many vicissitudes, a single continuity: the tradition tied to shepherding, whose voice tells us of the island’s most rooted identity.