Bella Italia 2018

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Bella Italia 2018
Santuario Madonna di Frasassi, Genga
September 28, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Next stop was to find the temple in a cave that I had seen online. I had read it was near the entrance of the Frasassi Caves but in actual fact we could not walk to it from the caves and had to catch the bus back to the car park and drive, in the hopes it would be easy to find. Considering how windy and narrow the roads were we were a bit concerned we wouldn't be able to park anywhere but thankfully the Sanctuary was properly signed and there was parking, a bit of a surprise considering how hard it has been to find other sites in Italy.

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria infra Saxa and the Tempietto Valadier are two sanctuaries and chapels located at the entrance of the Frasassi Caves, but not the main entrance. The sign said that it was only a 700m walk to the sanctuary and the temple, but it failed to say that the walk was straight up. I really earned my piece of pizza today. The walk was exhausting and Brad was not impressed so I was crossing my fingers it was worth it. I'm not sure Brad throught so but I was pretty impressed when we rounded the final corner and there in the entrance to a cave was the temple.

The Tempietto is a small octagonal temple commissioned in 1828 by Pope Leo XII, who was originally from Genga. The white marble structure once housed a marble statue of the Madonna and Child by the studio of Antonio Canova, but has since been substituted with a copy, with the original now on display in the civic museum of Genga.

Behind the temple, the cave continued back in tiers, with steps leading up to the insides of the caves. On the tiers were hundred of cairns, human-made stacks of stone built as a memorial or landmark, and it was pretty cool.

The hermitage of Santa Maria Infra Saxa, Sanctuary of Madonna di Frasassi,
is located not far from the temple, on a ledge at the entrance to the cave. The sanctuary is ancient; it is cited in documents from 1029. It is a simple stone structure built by Benedictine monks to house a burned image of the Madonna. The one room of the sanctuary was formed by being carved into the rock and it isn't until you go into the sanctuary that you grasp how it was actually built. Once again I am amazed of the history of this place. I think it was worth the long walk up and thankfully the walk down was a bit easier.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Il Bivacco Frasassi, Genga
September 28, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Getting to our accommodation after our day of sight-seeing was quite an adventure. It wasn't in the main town of Genga but off a road beforehand in a little commune. The road to our B&B was in fact a laneway and we had to manoeuvre a maze of very tight laneways to get there. It was an experience but Brad mastered the driving very well and at the very top of the hill was our very cute accommodation for the night.

Our hosts weren't onsite when we arrived but had made sure the fire was burning and our apartment was ready. It had actually started to cool down after the heat we had been experiencing and it was very nice. Our apartment had a real homely feel and it had everything we needed for our night's stay. We quickly dumped our bags and headed out to explore this little piece of heaven we had found ourselves in.

The quaint houses were made of stone and as we stepped out of our accommodation we came face to face with the local church. We wandered down the stone lanes, admired the breathtaking views, visited the Piazza Coriolano Bruffa and the remains of a tower, and fell in love with the area. This is what I imagined country Italy to be.

We decided to try the local restaurant for dinner, being quite surprised there even was a restaurant in this area due to the lack of homes and customers surrounding it. We also
discovered Italian time, with the restaurant sign stating it opens at 7pm when that really means it opens when they feel like it. Thankfully they finally did open and we enjoyed a delicious dinner and bottle of wine before making the steep walk back up to our B&B. I must say it was one of the most authentic Italian restaurants we have been in with every wall covered with photos and art, and every surface covered with knick-knacks, a stuffed animal or two, and lots of lace curtains. It has a real Italian charm and the staff were fabulous. It was the perfect way to end a very enjoyable day.

The next morning our lovely hostess brought us down a breakfast tray with everything we could need to start the day. The love heart coffee mugs were another cute touch. We were sad to be leaving this beautiful area and we would recommend this place to anyone visiting the region.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Calamita Cosmica, Foligno
September 29, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
We hit the road this morning after a fabulous stay in our B&B, Il Bivacco Frasassi, and made our way to Foligno. After a couple of wrong turns as there are heaps of road works going on and we can’t read the road signs, we finally arrived to check out the Calamita Cosmica. This is a contemporary sculpture made in secret in 1988 and preserved in the former church of the Holy Trinity in Annunziata. It is a 24m long human skeleton, precise in anatomy, with the addition of a large nose or birds beak, and a huge pencil piercing a finger. Very random.

It originally toured the country appearing in town squares overnight. The size of it is unbelievable and it was the only thing in the church as it took up the whole ground floor.

I loved it for its whackiness and thought it was a cool pitstop on our way to our next location.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Castello Di Belforte B & B
September 29, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
I have to say we are getting a little bit better at this driving and navigating business, although it is stressful. We somehow mananged to find our accommodation for the next few nights, and it is a beauty. Bed & Breakfast Castello Di Belforte is located on a small hill in the Umbria countryside, 3 km from Todi and it is the remains of a castle built in 1444. It is also a working farm with an extended Italian family living on site, one that does not speak any English.

This was truly an amazing, funny and unique experience. After driving down a tree lined drive we were greeted by our lovely non-English speaking hostess with a tray of delicious Italian coffee and cake to enjoy while sat under the grapevine covered arbour. Very Italian and what a great first impression. Whilst the castle isn’t fully intact it still has a great amount of charm and the fact we are staying in a building built in 1444 is just hard to believe. We are staying in a building more than 300 years older than our country.

While I was expecting to see fields of grapevines and lush green hills, we have come at the end of the season and most of the fields have been ploughed and the dirt has been tilled, so there is more of a sea of brown than green in the fields beyond. I was a little bit disappointed by that. However, the gardens around the castle, the hedges, pots overflowing with flowers, all add to the charm of the castle, along with the cats of the castle. Seeing them made me miss Pip.

The biggest surprise is our room. With the original curved stone walls but modern touches, it is a fabulous room and bathroom. Probably our biggest bathroom so far on this trip and a great shower. The only downside is the thickness of the stone walls means that wifi does not work very well in our room although Brad found the trick was to stand or sit in our doorway with your phone outside to get a signal.

The funny thing we discovered while doing this, is there is a very tiny kitten at the castle, who once it discovered our door was open and it was warm inside, would clumsily make its way down the steps so it could chew on Brad’s toes. Obviously here, cats are outdoor cats, but this poor kitten looked like it needed some love and attention. We were besotted and found it quite difficult to put it back out into the cool night air. I must admit it was a funny sight with Brad standing naked at the door, phone outstretched and a kitten nibbling his toes.

Our stay here included a typical Italian breakfast served daily. We would have to say these were some of the best breakfasts we had on our entire trip. Our hostess made some sort of warm egg dish every morning, (different every day), we had pastries, croissants and homemade cakes to choose from, fresh fruit and lots of Italian coffee. We usually only have one cup of coffee in the mornings but for some reason when our hostess would enquire if we would like more and we would say no and shake our heads, she would still bring another pot out that we would then feel obligated to drink. I guess it got us energised for our days out.

Being that the castle wasn’t in a town, there wasn’t anything nearby to walk to for dinners. We were out all day exploring the surrounding areas and at night we would just want something easy to eat and have an early night. Thankfully not too far from the castle was the very, very small village of Fiore. It had a church, about ten properties and a restaurant, Ristorante Rosa Dei Venti. When we came across it we thought we were in luck as there would be no problem getting a table, but boy were we wrong.

It was quite a large restaurant and they were fully booked. We had no idea where all the people had come from and it still amazes me how late the Italians eat. One family was coming in with their young children at about 10pm when we were on our way out. The lovely staff, again with very little English, offered to seat us in their reception/bar area/order pickup area and proceeded to set the table there with tablecloths, décor etc. We were just happy to be able to get something to eat and didn’t need all the extras, but it was lovely that they made the effort. While we did feel a bit self-conscious sat there with people coming in and out, we thoroughly enjoyed the food. And the bonus was the three mini jars of homemade liquor they gave us at the end of the night. Whoa they were strong. I think the Italians enjoyed seeing our expressions as we drank them. It was a great night and we returned the following night but for a takeaway pizza to enjoy back in our room.

The other funny/uncomfortable event was the Sunday afternoon when what seemed like the entire Italian family turned up. We have learnt that Italians are expressive and loud so we are unsure whether our quiet hostess was just excited or angry at her husband, but there was a lot of shouting going on all afternoon. This is when I really wished I had mastered the Italian language. Brad and I were too uncomfortable to leave our room.

We really enjoyed our stay here, it was such an authentic experience and having a car allowed us to explore a lot of unique sites in this region. We would thoroughly recommend this place and would love to stay here again.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Orvieto
September 30, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
First up this morning was a drive to Orvieto to do the Underground tour. And what an experience the drive was!! The GPS had us driving through the town itself to get to the parking area which could have been reached a much easier way. The lanes we drove down were so narrow that we had to fold in the side view mirrors. I honestly thought we were going to get the car stuck between two buildings and we would have just had to abandon it there. We have since discovered that the GPS was set to walk so it took us off the main roads. We made it and it was an experience we won’t forget.

I have to say that Orvieto was a lovely surprise. The town is beautiful and has such a lovely vibe to it. The Duomo was so pretty, the cobblestone laneways clean, and the doorways, windows and benches were adorned with wooden decorations or flowing flowers. Orvieto is now one of my favourite towns. I wish we were staying there to enjoy it some more.

We couldn’t get into the morning Underground tour so we enjoyed a stroll around town and checked out the Duomo before the tour. A lovely way to spend the morning.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Duomo di Orvieto
September 30, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
The Duomo di Orvieto is such a pretty building. I know that’s not how you would usually describe a cathedral, but this one is very pretty. While the body of the church is black stone and white marble, it is the facade that softens the look of the building with the use of soft pinks, greens and golds in the intricate columns, decorations and beautiful gold highlighted mosaics. The details are amazing.

This is a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The building was constructed under the orders of Pope Urban IV to commemorate and provide a suitable home for the Corporal of Bolsena, a miracle which is said to have occurred in 1263 in the nearby town of Bolsena, when a travelling priest who had doubts about the truth of transubstantiation found that his Host was bleeding so much that it stained the altar cloth. The cloth is now stored in the Chapel of the Corporal inside the cathedral.

Building began in 1290 but construction took three centuries to complete. It is not surprising these building took so long to build, but three centruries is a bit excessive.

Inside the cathedral is fairly simple but eye catching with its black and white stripes contrasting against the two beautifully frescoed chapels, decorated by some of the best Italian painters of the period. And the organ is a piece of art itself and we were lucky enough to be there when the organist was playing. What a beautiful sound.

This was not on our “tourist” agenda but would have to be one of the nicest cathedrals we have seen so far.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Orvieto Underground
September 30, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Knowing how much Brad loves caves and history we thought the Orvieto Underground tour would be a good one to take.

It is a series of 440 caves (out of 1200 in the system) that were used for millennia by the locals for various purposes, including WWII bomb shelters, refrigerators, wine storage, wells and, during many a pesky Roman or barbarian siege,or as dovecotes to trap the usual one-course dinner: pigeon (still seen on local restaurant menus as palombo).

As far as cave tours go this one wasn’t that impressive. The history was great but there really wasn’t a lot to see. The great thing about it though, is that if we hadn’t decided to do the tour we would have missed stopping at Orvieto, and it is now one of my favourite towns.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
La Scarzuola, Montegabbione
September 30, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Next on the agenda for today was a visit to La Scarzuola in Montegabbione. This was one of the places I was looking forward to visiting. I found it online and thought it was right up my alley with my love of quirky and different art and buildings.

It was quite a scary drive as the GPS took us down a long one way dirt road through the mountains, in the middle of nowhere. We were very surprised when we finally got there.

Architect, Tomaso Buzzi, acquired the 16th century monastery in 1956 with the grand plan of juxtaposing the “sacred city” of the monastery with his own “ideal city”. His style blends reality with surrealist architecture, incorporating structures and details from Classical to Medieval and even Renaissance architecture, with added elements such as stairways leading in multiple directions, general unbalance and disproportion, and monstrous and fantastical design elements.

The are also many reproductions, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Temple of Vesta and the Parthenon, which are mostly empty inside, save for stairways and inner bridges. Scattered randomly throughout the property are strange symbols and quotes, deeply personal to the artist himself.

After Tomaso’s death in 1981, his nephew Marco Solari continued to work on La Scarzuola, eventually completing the vision his uncle had for his ideal city.

Marco was the one running the tour today and it was all in Italian as there were no English tours available while we were in the area. I had read that if you are easily offended then these tours are not for you but as it was all in Italian we weren’t offended; just a bit baffled and bemused as arguments broke out between the host and the customers with quite a few choosing to leave before the tour had even started. Marco would switch between hysterical laughter and bouts of shouting and it was all very amusing and disconcerting.

Thankfully halfway round we started chatting to Marco’s offsider and discovered he was an ex-Aussie and has lived in Italy for the past 30 years. He gave us a brief mini tour in English which gave us more insight to the property. The story of its construction and design was very interesting.

This was certainly a place I was glad we could experience. I really enjoyed it. Brad, not so much as it really wasn’t his thing, but it was cerainly a unique experience, as was finding our way there and back to our accomodation. I am very thankful Brad drove all the way there for me.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Civita di Bagnoregio
October 1, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
After one our delicious Italian breakfasts at our B&B we hit the road again. First up for today was a visit to Civita di Bagnoregio, a small town in the Province of Viterbo in central Italy. This whole area is beautiful and just what I imagined Italy to be. Green rolling hills covered with a patchwork of fields in different stages of harvesting, sun shining and another brilliant blue sky.

And we are getting better at this driving on the wrong side of the road gig. We had a couple of lapses when we would realise we were driving Aussie style but thankfully that was on empty roads so no near misses. We made it in one piece again.

Civita di Bagnoregio sits on top of a plateau, like an island, and is in constant danger of destruction as the edges of the plateau collapse due to erosion. It was founded by Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago but by the end of the 17th century the bishop and the municipal government were forced to move to Bagnoregio because of a major earthquake that accelerated the old town's decline.

It is now known in Italian as La città che muore, The Dying Town. Civita has only recently been experiencing a tourist revival and is only accessible by walking a long and very steep walkway. It was a bit of a climb and the heights got a bit dizzying at times.

Because of its isolation it is very much unaltered and still has the original charm of an old Italian town. The population today varies from about 7 people in winter to more than 100 in summer.

The town was placed on the World Monuments Fund's 2006 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites, because of threats it faces from erosion and we could understany why. It was a lovely town to explore, very picturesque, and it was just amazing that where we stood at some of the look out points were right on the edge of the cliff face. A wee bit scary.

The only negative to this site is that it is now on the tourist route for the Asian tourists, and unfortunately they are so focused on their selfie poses and photos they don't take time to appreciate where they are and who is around them. We found them to be very rude and obnoxious, so much so, they dampened our visit to this amzaing site. Which was a pity as the place is pretty amazing.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Parco dei Mostri, Bomarzo
October 1, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Our second stop today was a park built in the 16th century called Parco dei Mostri, the Park of the Monsters, in the Garden of Bomarzo. It was commissioned in 1552 by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini as an expression of grief designed to shock.

The Prince had just been through a brutal war, had his friend killed, been held for ransom for years, and come home only to have his beloved wife die. Racked with grief, he wanted to create a shocking “Villa of Wonders” and hired architect Pirro Ligorio to help him do so. Ligorio was a widely respected architect and artist and had previously completed the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Rome after the death of Michelangelo.

The park is filled with bizarre and fascinating sculptures, most of which have survived the test of time. Among the pieces are a war elephant, a monstrous fish-head, a giant tearing another giant in half, and a house built on a tilt to disorient the viewer. The most recongisable piece in the garden is an enormous head, mouth opened wide in a scream. The accompanying inscription reads “all reason departs” and it is known as the Mouth of Hell.

While there is no way of truly knowing how the Prince felt about the park, the final addition indicates that perhaps he was getting over his melancholy. Built 20 years after the park was begun, it is not a monster but a temple, built to honor his second wife.

It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon before making our way back to our B&B castle for one more night.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Cascate del Mulino Terme di Saturnia
October 2, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
We had to pack up and leave our beautiful castle today. We have loved our time at B&B Castello Di Belforte and our lovely hostess has made us feel very welcome. We have thoroughly enjoyed having this as our base and spending each day exploring this beautiful region of Italy. We were sad to be leaving but excited about the rest of our journey.

On today’s itinerary was a visit to Cascate del Mulino Terme di Saturnia, the beautiful hot springs in Tuscany. The Terme di Saturnia are a group of springs located in the municipality of Manciano, a few kilometers from the village of Saturnia.

The entire site was created naturally where the travertine rock pools were carved by the waterfall of sulphurous thermal waters and generated by the thermal torrent known as the Gorello.

One legend, according to the Etruscans and Romans, was that the Terme di Saturnia were formed by lightning bolts, thrown by Jupiter. During a violent quarrel between the two mythological deities, the bolts thrown towards Saturn had missed, causing the formations.

The sulphurous spring water, at a temperature of 37.5 °C, are well known for their therapeutic properties, offering relaxation and well being through immersion. The main thermal waterfalls are the Mill Falls, located at an old mill which was where we visited today. Free parking and free entrance was very impressive but most impressive were the springs themselves.

I thought the place would smell from the sulphur but it wasn’t bad at all and while getting in was a bit tricky as some of the rocks were slippery, once we were in it was amazing. It was so relaxing just floating in the warm waters as they flowed around us. It was a cooler day today so getting into the warm waters was very pleasant but getting out, not so much. Thankfully we were leaving as the big crowds were arriving, making it a great first stop for the day.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Pesica Romana
October 2, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
From the springs we made our way to our accommodation for the night and while I was aware it wasn't actually in a town, but a agriturismo (like a farm stay), I did not realise how isolated it actually was. We were in the middle of nowhere which wouldn't have been an issue except that the host notified me that day to say they would be away and there would be no one on site.

Finding the place was difficult as we pulled over to the only building on the road we were meant to be on and asked an older Italian lady if she knew where the place was. Even though she didn't speak English, she would have understood the name of the place as it was in Italian but she gestured that she had no idea where it was. That would have been fine, except the building we were after was actually attached to hers!!! We just had to turn left at her property and our accommodation was right there. Needless to say it was very frustrating.

The other frustration was the fact that even though this place wasn't close to town, I booked it knowing there was an onsite restaurant, which surprise, surprise, was also closed due to the hosts being away. They left vouchers for us to have breakfast in the nearest town but that was not going to work for our travel plans. We weren't overly impressed as the booking site had showed such promise.

The other problem we had was finding somewhere to buy food for dinner. After our afternoon sight-seeing we ventured into a small town to find a cafe or something and discovered parts of Italy that aren't well known, the non-tourist locations. The one cafe in town had no food on offer, a display box full of flies and a room full of old Italian men, smoking. Not appealing and we did not feel comfortable. However we did manage to find a very small supermarket (although it wasn't super in size or range), and we even managed to buy some meats, cheese and crackers to take back to our room for dinner. What I do love is how people can communicate without speaking each other's language. It always makes me smile how Brad just starts speaking English louder, thinking they might understand it at a higher volume. We did well and our dinner was delicious.

So, Corte Degli Struzzi, we were very disappointed by our stay here – so much promise, so little delivered. Thankfully it was just a pitstop for the night so we could visit the nearby Il Giardino dei Tarocchi.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, Capalbio
October 2, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Our stop this afternoon was at Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, The Tarot Garden. It is a sculpture garden based on the esoteric tarot, created by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) in the countryside of Pescia Fiorentina, Capalbio. The park was opened to the public in 1998.

Niki, inspired by Gaudí´s Parc Güell in Barcelona, and Parco dei Mostri in Bomarzo, decided to make something similar in design for her monumental sculpture park based on the Tarot. In 1979, she acquired some land on top of an Etruscan ruin and built the park, containing twenty-two monumental figures representing her idea of the greater Mysteries of the tarot. They are constructed of reinforced concrete and covered with mirrors and ceramic mosaic. The figures can be walked through, and on, and every surface is different.

Niki even lived inside the sphinx-like Empress for several months during the construction of the garden, the inside of which is covered with mosaic mirrors - it would not have been a calm place to live in. I did however, get a giggle that the windows were the boobs. Niki’s sculptures seemed to focus on big breasted women and they are portrayed in a humorous way.

She had a very interesting life and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to experience some her amazing and quirky works of art. #livelifeincolour

What surprised me most about this place was the location as we were in the middle of nowhere with no major towns anywhere nearby. And yet it was surprisingly busy. I'm just glad we managed to find it as I loved this place.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Pantheon, Rome
October 3, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
We dropped the hire car off this morning in Civitavecchia as we thought it would be a bit easier than driving into Rome. From Civitavecchia we caught the train and thinking we would make sure we got a seat we booked first class tickets, only to discover there was no first class carriage and we spent the hour long trip crammed into the luggage and boarding area. It wasn't pleasant and we were surprised at how ignorant many people are. We did have some fun travel companions; two couples had just got off a cruise so we chatted and laughed with them the whole way. It took our minds off our discomfort.

On arriving in Rome we went to get a taxi only to be told he was unable to go where we wanted to go and he directed us to another taxi rank that would be able to take us. Whether it was poor directions or lack of understanding, we did not find the taxi rank and instead made our way on foot to our accommodation. We finally arrived, a little bit cranky (that was Brad), and a little bit stressed (that was me), but at least we found it and we finally checked into our accommodation for the next four nights.

Once we unpacked we hit the streets. This is our second visit to Rome but as our trip last year was just a day trip from our cruise we only managed to see a couple of the main tourist attractions. We had a long list of Must Sees to get through.

First on the agenda was The Pantheon, the temple of all the gods. It is a former Roman temple, now a church, on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). It was completed by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated about 126 AD. Its date of construction is uncertain, because Hadrian chose not to inscribe the new temple but rather to retain the inscription of Agrippa's older temple, which had burned down.

The square outside the Pantheon was packed and filled with tour groups. We have been lucky avoiding the crowds for most of our trip so far so this wasn’t as easy to photograph or enjoy. The constant smell of cigarette smoke and butts everywhere didn’t help with my impression either.

Thankfully we returned the following morning and managed to avoid the crowds and check out the inside of this historic building. While nowhere near as elaborate as many that we have been into, the simplicity of the ceiling, the round shape and tall columns give it a very elegant feel.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Piazza Venzi - Altare della Patria, Rome
October 3, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
From the Pantheon we made our way to Piazza Venezia. This is the central hub of Rome and it takes its name from the Palazzo Venezia, built by the Venetian Cardinal, Pietro Barbo (later Pope Paul II) alongside the church of Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice. The Palazzo Venezia served as the embassy of the Republic of Venice in Rome.

One side of the Piazza is the site of Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Altare della Patria. The Altare della Patria, Altar of the Fatherland, is also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II. It is a monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. I had not heard or read about this building so it really took me by surprise when we came across it. The Altare della Patria is impressive!!

With its wide stairways, huge columns, numerous fountains and impressively massive statues, it is a stunning building. It has a total area of 17 000 square meters.

The monument holds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame, built under the statue of goddess Roma after World War I. Two soldiers are constantly standing at attention guarding the tomb. The body of the unknown soldier was chosen on 26 October 1921 from among 11 unknown remains by Maria Bergamas, a woman from Gradisca d'Isonzo whose only child was killed during World War I. Her son's body was never recovered. This was an impressive site to visit.

The piazza is at the foot of the Capitoline Hill and next to Trajan's Forum. The main artery, the Via di Fori Imperiali begins there and leads past the Roman Forum to the Colosseum, our next destination.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Colosseum, Rome
October 3, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
When we were in Rome last year we visited the Colosseum but it was extremely busy and we had little time to view and appreciate the surrounding areas. This time we enjoyed walking around the entire area seeing Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. And the Colosseum was as impressive as ever, especially with less people around, in the late afternoon sun.

It is pretty amazing that a structure completed in 80 AD, although partially ruined, has survived earthquakes and stone-robbers. It is the iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and is listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. It is also one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions so it was great to be able to see it with less crowds.

We stuck around and waited for the sun to set and the lights to go on so we could also capture the Colosseum at night. Just as impressive.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Fontana di Trevi, Rome
October 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
One of my favourite sites in Rome is the beautiful Trevi Fountain. Luckily for us it was so close to our apartment that we walked past it, or visited it, more than once every day. Many of the times the fountain and the area around it were so packed that it was almost impossible to even get a glimpse of it. Due to the closeness we made sure to visit early in the morning before the crowds arrived and later at night when the crowds had thinned out to take some photos, to sit for a while, admire it and appreciate the artistry.

There is something about the whiteness of the travertine stone and the aquamarine colour of the water that creates such a contrast against the gritty backdrop of Rome. And different times of day and night and the weather conditions highlighted different aspects every time we saw it.

Designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini, construction began in 1732 and it was opened in 1762. Standing 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

Coins are purportedly meant to be thrown using the right hand over the left shoulder. This was the theme of 1954's Three Coins in the Fountain and the Academy Award-winning song by that name which introduced the picture.

An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day. In 2016, an estimated €1.4 million was thrown into the fountain. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy; however, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain, even though it is illegal to do so.

It is one of my highlights from Rome, and I loved it every time I saw it.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Galleria Sciarra, Rome
October 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
When we were in Rome last year we had lunch near a gated courtyard and we could glimpse through the gates some amazing frescoes. This year I found out what it was and we got to experience it from the inside.

Located just a few steps away from the Trevi Fountain is this largely unknown courtyard that transports visitors back to the height of the Art Nouveau movement. Its gorgeous frescoes and brilliant colours are a feast for the eyes and a welcome change from the pale, faded ancient Roman ruins scattered throughout the city.

The opulent courtyard was built in the late 19th century for the wealthy, influential Sciarra family. It was meant to be a shopping mall, which, had the mall come to fruition, would perhaps be one of the most beautiful shopping centers in Rome. Every inch of the four-story walls enclosing the space is covered by colorful frescoes of women and men surrounded by elegant, curling floral designs. The women are the main focus, as the gorgeous artwork, which was painted by Giuseppe Cellini, is intended to celebrate women in the various phases of life.

The glass and iron ceiling lets sunlight spill into the courtyard, illuminating the details in the frescoes. It was something a bit different to see in Rome.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Piazza Navona, Rome
October 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
After the grime of Rome it was nice to visit the Piazza Navona. This is a very pretty (and clean) square built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in the 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans went there to watch the agones, games, and it was known as Circus Agonalis, competition arena.

The buildings surrounding the square include the Palazzo Pamphili, the family palace of Pope Innocent X who reigned from 1644 to 1655. The church of Sant’ Agnes’s in Agone also faces the square and with the other beautiful buildings they make a lovely backdrop to the important sculptural fountains.

In the center stands the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers, created in 1651 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. I am still fascinated how the artists/sculptors could achieve so much detail and definition. So much talent.

The other notable fountain in the Piazza is The Fountain of Neptune, created in 1574. This is another example of great skill and talent, and is striking against the orange tones of the building behind.

This was the perfect spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and a croissant while admiring the view and listening to a nearby busker play the guitar. And best of all this place didn’t appear to be on any tour guides so it was very uncrowded.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Scalina Spagna & Piazza di Spagna, Rome
October 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
After the peacefulness of Piazza Navona it was quite a shock to enter the Piazza di Spagna, the Spanish Piazza, at the base of the famous Scalina Spagna, the Spanish Steps. It was crowded!!

The Spanish Steps, considered one of the most romantic places in Rome, were built in 1723-1725 to connect the lower Piazza di Spagna with the upper Trinita dei Monti church that was under the patronage of the king of France. With its irregular butterfly design, the steps are lovely but I’m not sure how they can be considered the most romantic place in Rome when they are always so full of people.

The Piazza di Spagna is at the base of the steps and features the fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia, Fountain of the longboat, built in 1627–29. Once again due to the crowds this was hard to see and appreciate. According to a legend, Pope Urban VIII had the fountain installed after he had been impressed by a boat brought here by a flood of the Tiber.

In the piazza, at the corner on the right as one begins to climb the steps, is the house where English poet John Keats lived and died in 1821. While the piazza has many beautiful buildings it was hard to enjoy while being constantly bumped into. I am not enjoying the crowds in Rome at all and was very happy to climb the Spanish Steps and leave the square behind.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Palazzetto Zuccari, Rome
October 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
In Rome there are thousands of churches and old buildings, with each one having an incredibly ornate and decorative design. We are forever ohhing and ahhhing as we walk past the many beautiful old buildings and monuments.

Palazzetto Zuccari is a bit more unusual and quirky to the norm. It has become known as The Monster House due to the facade of the building, which features large monster faces with their mouths gaping wide, in the process of swallowing the doors and windows.

This palace was built by the famous Baroque artist Federico Zuccari in 1590 as a studio for himself and his children. He drew inspiration from the Gardens of Bomarzo and the architectural style has been both praised and criticised. It soon became a hot spot for aspiring artisans in the area.

It certainly was a little bit different and a break from Rome’s traditional style and a cool detour on our way to our next site.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Il Convento dei Cappuccini, Rome
October 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Next on the agenda for today was a visit to Il Convento dei Cappuccini. The main reason we visited here was because of what I had read about the crypts and they sounded quite bizarre. I’m not sure where my fascination with skulls has come from but we have certainly seen some amazing sights.

This church and convent complex safeguards what is possibly Rome's strangest sight: crypt chapels where everything from the picture frames to the light fittings is made of human bones. Between 1732 and 1775 resident Capuchin monks used the bones of 3700 of their departed brothers to create this macabre memento mori (reminder of death). It is a 30m-long passageway containing six crypts, each named after the type of bone used to decorate (skulls, shin bones, pelvises etc).

Rather than burying the remains of their dead brethren, the monks decorated the walls and ceilings of the crypts with their bones as a way of reminding themselves that death could come at any time and they must always be ready to meet God. A plaque in the crypt reads “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be.”

Mummified monks are dressed in friar’s clothes and hung from walls and ceilings. With the addition of electricity, light fixtures were incorporated into some of the hanging monks, bringing a new meaning to the phrase “the eternal light”.

While the museum attached was interesting, the crypts were totally fascinating!! Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos which I do find kind of strange - they are happy to charge tourists to view the crypts so they can’t be that sacred, but no photos allowed. Those who know Brad though, know that he managed to snap a couple of photos. And there are certainly lots of images online. This is one place I will always remember.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Cimitero Acattolico, Rome
October 5, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We had a bit of a slower start today, thanks to having such a great afternoon/evening with Tony and Deb. We had not realised we would cross paths again on this trip so it was fabulous to catch up again and have a touch of home. Needless to say, lunch turned into dinner and lots of Italian wine. Brad and I aren't really sure how we even made it home.

So after a bit of a lie in, we decided to master the bus system here in Rome and make our way to the The Cimitero Acattolico, the Non-Catholic Cemetery. It is often referred to as the Cimitero dei protestanti, Protestant Cemetery, or Cimitero degli Inglesi, Englishmen's Cemetery. It is the final resting place of non-Catholics including but not exclusive to Protestants or British people.

The earliest known burial is that of a University of Oxford student named Langton in 1738. The English poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley are buried there. Keat’s tombstone does not name him as per his wishes. Instead it reads “Here lies one whose name is writ in water”.

The cemetery is also the location of the original Angel of Grief or the Weeping Angel. It is an 1894 sculpture by William Wetmore Story for the grave of his wife Emelyn Story. Its full title bestowed by the creator was The Angel of Grief Weeping Over the Dismantled Altar of Life. This was Story's last major work prior to his death, a year after his wife.

There is such a feeling of tranquility, beauty and freedom there. All of the graves are adorned with tombstones, some elaborate, some very simple, and they are all covered with bushes, vines and flowers. Definitely not like our staid cemeteries at home with all their rules and regulations. It was a lovely place to wander or to just sit and enjoy the fresh air and peacefulness.

The cemetery is adjacent to the Pyramid of Cestius, a small-scale Egyptian-style pyramid built between 18 and 12BC. It is the monumental tomb of Caius Cestius, a Roman magistrate and member of a college of priests. It was later incorporated into the section of the Aurelian Walls that borders the cemetery. It was a very random sight to see amongst the usual Roman buildings and statues and tombstones.

While getting here and back again wasn't that easy I am glad we got to see it and experience the serenity away from the hustle and bustle of Rome.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vatican
October 6, 2018 in Vatican City ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
Even though we did a tour of the Vatican Museum and St Peters Basilica, including the climb to the dome last year, we decided to return today for another look. And I’m glad we did. Even though the weather wasn’t the best, it went from sunshine to rain, the hour waiting in line passed quickly and we were back inside The Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, or simply St. Peter's Basilica.

This time we had more time to wander about and admire the amazing art work, sculptures, ceilings and floors, and even though the gloomy weather affected the light inside, it was still very special.

Catholic tradition holds that the Basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter, chief among Jesus's Apostles and also the first Bishop of Rome. Saint Peter's tomb is supposedly directly below the high altar of the Basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period, and there has been a church on this site since the time of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th century AD. The present basilica was built between 1506 and 1626.

We were able to visit the Vatican Grottos this time and while we were unable to take photos, it was a very amazing place to see. Positioned just below the basilica it contains chapels dedicated to various saints, and tombs of kings, queens and popes, dating from the 10th century. The holiest place is Peter’s tomb, containing the "memory", built in the 4th century by the Emperor Constantine, on the spot were the Apostle’s tomb was venerated. The monuments to Paul VI (1978) and Pope John Paul II (2005) are also in the grottos.

It was worth the return visit and the wait.Read more
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Bella Italia 2018
Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola, Rome
October 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
Final site for the day was the Jesuit church of Saint Ignazio. This church was meant to have a glorious dome but when the money ran out in 1642, the plans were scrapped. Instead of foregoing the dome entirely, painter and Jesuit brother Andrea Pozzo proposed he paint a life-sized illusion of a dome that would fool the eyes of visitors (as long as they looked up from the proper angle). His masterpiece still fools the eye today. Painted between 1685 and 1694, it is a remarkable piece of perspective work.

Pozzo also created the second trompe l'œil fresco on the nave ceiling, showing St Ignatius Loyola being welcomed into paradise by Christ and the Madonna. While the dome is painted in dark colours, predominantly blacks, the second art work is glorious in colour and design.

Both pieces are very impressive while the painting on the nave ceiling fools the eye wherever you are standing, you do have to be in the right spot to be “tricked” by the fake dome. This place is not on most sightseeing lists and I'm glad we found it.Read more
TravelerThis is a favourite of mine, such beautiful frescoes
10/8/18Reply
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