Lago Orta's Isola di San Giulio Like a dream, ocher lights illuminate this island amidst a golden hazed sunset. Alpine born breezes carry the scent of jasmine and lemon blossoms. As if the lakes of Northern Italy could hold no more surprises, you discover Lago Orta. With more than 150 miles of shoreline, better-known Lago [...]
The swallows arrive above the tall cypress trees surrounding the ancient Greek amphitheater in Siracusa. I take my seat among the hundreds who enter the Teatro Greco quietly, almost reverently. We have gathered here to watch a modern production of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. Teatro Greco, Siracusa The stones of this performance venue [...]
A Puglian Gem A few cats laze in the shadow of a warm Fall sun. During this visit to Gallipoli, I have yet to encounter an American tourist. This is one of the wonderful benefits to visiting Gallipoli, and Puglia, during the off season. Riviera Armando Diaz at sunsetIt is a lovely October evening. After [...]
As I prepared for my first visit to Puglia’s village of Alberobello, I learned two very distinct stories associated with the creation of the legendary round structures called trulli. These lovely and unique, conically-topped structures form the heart of this very popular tourist site. Trulli and Taxes The first story concerns the shepherds who once [...]
Cucinelli Family Roots Solomeo, Italy On the rise of a low hill, not far from Lago Trasimeno—a heart shaped lake in the heart of the province of Umbria—rests the home village of Federica Cucinelli, wife of Brunello Cucinelli. For those unfamiliar with Signor Cucinelli, his family founded what became a world-wide clothing empire. [...]
Venice to Piegaro: A Daring Escape In 1292, the rulers of Venice decreed all glass blowing would move to the island of Murano to protect the city from fires created by the furnaces in the glass workshops. Subsequently, the artists became virtual prisoners to their craft as the Venetians attempted to keep a monopoly on [...]
A Region Less Traveled Basilicata. The provinces of Campagna to the north, Puglia to the east and Calabria to the southwest frame this province. The Gulf of Taranto forms what many refer to as the “arch” of the boot to the south. Between those political and geographic boundaries lies this large and little-known province of [...]
Ah, Caravaggio. Some have called him “Baroque’s Bad Boy”, but regardless of the nickname anyone gives this extraordinary painter, those words will forever fall flat when in the presence of his work. You will find numerous works by Caravaggio in Rome, but when you walk through a museum anywhere in the world, you can instantly [...]
Poggio Bracciolini Poggio Bracciolini You should place this name foremost in your memory regarding Italian history. Why might we need to remember this name? An epic poem and one of the most important texts of Western civilization. Poggio's discovery, De Rerum Natura, quite literally changed the world. Historians know little about Poggio’s early [...]
Lecce and Florence Florence dominates my childhood memories of living in Tuscany. The city of the Renaissance beckoned then, as it does now, with its world-famous museums, incredible writers, and history. Few cities can match it. When I began exploring the region of Puglia, imagine my surprise to learn that Italians call Lecce “The Florence [...]