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Woman allegedly murders great-aunt with spaghetti

<p>Italian police are investigating the bizarre alleged murder of Maria Basso, 80.</p> <p>Paola Pepe, her young great-niece, was arrested for the alleged murder after she was believed to have force-fed Basso with spaghetti, Italian newspaper <em>Corriere della Sera </em>reported. </p> <p>Basso was vulnerable to choking if she did not eat finely chopped or pureed food, despite this Pepe still took out her great-aunt for a meal in a Sicily restaurant in December 2022. </p> <p>She allegedly bought Basso spaghetti, and two days later her great-aunt was dead, after some of the pasta allegedly got lodged in her airways. </p> <p>Her death initially looked like an accident, until Italian police launched further investigations and found that Pepe had amended her great-aunt's will just two days before the meal.</p> <p>The<em> Corriere della Sera</em> reported Pepe had taken an unusual interest in her great-aunt's finances in the months leading up to her death after she had unexpectedly turned up during Basso's 80th birthday, and spent hours alone with her. </p> <p>Pepe eventually moved Basso to a care home 1300 kilometres away, without telling her close family members, and reportedly did not take any of Basso's medication or personal belongings to the new home. </p> <p>Police alleged that after isolating her great-aunt, she managed to convince Basso to change her will so that Pepe was named sole beneficiary of Basso's estate, which was worth $775,000. </p> <p>Basso initially intended to give her estate to a charity, as she had no children according to local media.</p> <p>Pepe has denied all accusations and was bailed, but is wearing a police ankle bracelet while waiting for her trial. </p> <p><em>Image: Strettoweb</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

Tourist accused of causing over $8,000 in damages to iconic Roman statue

<p>A 22-year-old German tourist has been accused of causing around €5,000 (A$8,400) in damages to the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza della Signoria, Italy. </p> <p>Surveillance footage obtained by the police allegedly show the tourist - who has not been named - climbing over the protective barrier around the monument in the early hours of Monday morning as he posed for a photo on the statue. </p> <p>His two friends, who stood outside of the barrier, took the photos of him and they all fled the scene when the alarm went off, according to city authorities.</p> <p>"According to the investigators' reconstruction, after 1 o'clock this morning the tourist, in Piazza della Signoria with two other friends, climbed over the fence of the Neptune Fountain and climbed onto the edge of the pool," the statement read. </p> <p>"With a jump he then climbed onto the horse's leg, reaching the base of the carriage and, after having some photos taken by his friends, he climbed down," they added.</p> <p>"During the descent he placed his foot again on the hoof, damaging it. As soon as the alarm went off, however, the young man had already managed to escape with the two others." </p> <p>The tourist will be charged under the city penal code that prohibits the "destruction, dispersion, deterioration, disfigurement, soiling or illicit use of cultural or landscape assets."</p> <p>He has been detained in Florence and could be fined and banned from entering the city if convicted. </p> <p>Image:<em> X (formerly Twitter)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Doggone it! Groom's passport eaten by pup just days ahead of international wedding

<p>A couple's dream wedding abroad has been put in jeopardy after their cheeky golden retriever destroyed the groom-to-be's passport just weeks before their big day. </p> <p>Donato Frattaroli and his fiancée Magda, from Boston in the US, have planned their dream nuptials in Italy, with their big day coming up on August 31st. </p> <p>The couple went to city hall to fill out the intention of marriage forms a week before they were set to fly out, when Donato realised their dog, a golden retriever named Chickie, has destroyed his passport. </p> <p>The dog had chewed through several pages of the passport, rendering it completely useless. </p> <p>Donato said that Chickie, short for chicken cutlet, knew the damage she had caused.</p> <p>"She kinda knew what she did and all of a sudden, she got really cuddly, you know, head on the lap kind of thing," he told <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/dog-eats-groom-bes-passport-weeks-international-wedding-102418832" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Good Morning America</em></a>. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dog ate my ... passport?!</p> <p>A Boston couple’s golden retriever chewed through multiple pages of groom Donatto Frattaroli’s passport just days before they were set to fly to Italy for their wedding. <a href="https://t.co/LN7fhOtOr7">pic.twitter.com/LN7fhOtOr7</a></p> <p>— Good Morning America (@GMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GMA/status/1693596934467191192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Donato has now contacted state officials to help them get to the altar in Italy in time.</p> <p>"I'm just a little stressed," Frattaroli said. </p> <p>"Luckily, Congressman (Stephen) Lynch's office and Senator (Ed) Markey's office have been super responsive. They've been in touch, at least with me and the State Department, to try to expedite things and get a new passport."</p> <p>"Keep my fingers crossed and, hopefully, everything will work itself out."</p> <p>Donato attended a passport appointment on Monday to get the important document, and is crossing his fingers it arrives before their flight departs on Friday. </p> <p>The couple told local Boston news outlet WCVB that if Frattaroli's passport replacement doesn't come in time, Magda and their wedding guests will travel to Italy without Frattaroli and he'll welcome them all home when they return to the US.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Good Morning America / WCVB TV</em></p>

Travel Trouble

"Unbelievable but true": Tourist outraged over shocking restaurant fee

<p>A tourist in Italy has been hit with a shocking fee from an upscale eatery after he asked for his sandwich to be cut in half. </p> <p>The anonymous man was travelling in Italy's picturesque Lake Como region, and stopped in at Bar Pace in Gera Lario, at the lake’s northern end, for a vegetarian sandwich and fries for lunch. </p> <p>Travelling with a friend, the man asked for the meal to be cut in half so they could share.</p> <p>After polishing off their lunch, the traveller was shocked when he was given the bill, noticing a charge he had never seen before. </p> <p>The man paid without arguing, but later took to TripAdvisor to leave a negative review. </p> <p>“Unbelievable but true,” the man captioned a photo of the receipt on TripAdvisor.</p> <p>The receipt lists the sandwich for €7.50 ($12.60), Coca Cola for €3.50 ($5.90), water for €1.50 ($2.50) and espresso for €1.20 ($2), along with the debated “diviso da meta”, or “cutting in half” fee, amounting to 2 euros, or $3.40.</p> <p>The confused customer gave the restaurant one star on TripAdvisor, far below the average of four and a half stars, based on over 100 reviews.</p> <p>After the review garnered a lot of unexpected attention, the restaurant's owner defended the fee to a local news outlet. </p> <p>“Additional requests have a cost,” owner Cristina Biacchi told <em>La Repubblica</em>.</p> <p>“We had to use two plates instead of one and the time to wash them is doubled, and then two placemats. It wasn’t a simple toasted sandwich, there were also French fries inside. It took us time to cut it in two.”</p> <p>She also noted that the customer did not complain or question the charge and clarified that she would have removed the charge from the bill, if someone had raised an issue. </p> <p>The extra charge is not unheard of in expensive cities and popular tourist destinations, with some cities in the United States are sometimes hitting diners with a share charge, or a split plate charge, to make up for the lower check average at a table, while some New York City eateries even ban the practice of sharing all together.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TripAdvisor</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Tourist busted for carving name into world's most famous Roman relic

<p dir="ltr">An Irish tourist has run himself headfirst into trouble in Rome after he was reportedly caught carving his name - and his girlfriend’s - into the Colosseum. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is said that he had been making his carvings, which were six-centimetre-tall initials, with a metal point - possibly his keys - and gouged into a pillar of the 2000-year-old historic monument.</p> <p dir="ltr">The inscription, dedicated to himself and his partner, reportedly read “Ivan+Haley 23”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Carabinieri police have claimed that the 32-year-old man was caught by private security at the World Heritage Site, and that social media videos of the incident alerted police to the alleged crime. </p> <p dir="ltr">The man has been accused of damaging the historical landmark, the Carabinieri confirmed to <em>CNN</em>, with the act considered to be a crime under Italian law. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Colosseum is one of the seven wonders of the modern world, and also a World Heritage Site, and Italy’s Minister of Culture has called for the tourist to be “identified and sanctioned”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I consider it very serious, unworthy and a sign of great incivility that a tourist defaces one of the most famous places in the world, the Colosseum, to engrave the name of his fiancée,” he tweeted, along with footage of the incident. “I hope that whoever did this will be identified and sanctioned according to our laws.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He later uploaded another video, accompanied by the scathing caption “Tourist scars the Colosseum.” </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="it">Reputo gravissimo, indegno e segno di grande inciviltà, che un turista sfregi uno dei luoghi più celebri al mondo, il Colosseo, per incidere il nome della sua fidanzata. Spero che chi ha compiuto questo gesto venga individuato e sanzionato secondo le nostre leggi. <a href="https://t.co/p8Jss1GWuY">pic.twitter.com/p8Jss1GWuY</a></p> <p>— Gennaro Sangiuliano (@g_sangiuliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/g_sangiuliano/status/1673318742057525248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">If the man is convicted, he faces a penalty of at least €2,065 (~$3,370.7) and up to one year in prison, according to <em>CNN</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">And it isn’t the first time the Colosseum has been defaced by those seeking to carve out their place in history, with a Russian tourist facing a fine of €20,000 for carving the letter “K”. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s a serious offence in the hearts of many, with archaeologist Federica Rinaldi - who is responsible for the ancient amphitheatre - telling the publication that “the Colosseum, like any monument that represents the history of all of us, must be preserved and handed over to future generations.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is a monument that deserves everyone’s respect because it belongs to everyone, and it must remain so,” Rinaldi added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Carving one’s initials, in addition to being a crime, seems to be a gesture of those who want to appropriate the monument. Better take a selfie!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Legal

Woman praised for confronting pickpockets

<p dir="ltr">An Italian woman has generated a lot of praise after her “brilliant” way of calling out pickpockets disguised as tourists has gone viral.</p> <p dir="ltr">Monica, 57, is part of a volunteer group called Cittadini Non Distratti, meaning "Citizens not distracted," which aims to to disturb and prevent active pickpockets in the popular tourist destination.</p> <p dir="ltr">She works alongside 40 other volunteers and has dedicated 30 years of her life saving tourists from the sneaky snatchers, and they’re doing it out of sheer goodwill.</p> <p dir="ltr">"People are pickpocketed for their American or English passport, then to return to their country they have to go to the embassy in [...] Rome," Monica told <em>Newsweek</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This incurs additional expenses for them, so it is better to prevent this by warning tourists of the problem."</p> <p dir="ltr">The videos, which were originally posted on Facebook, have gained the attention of a younger audience after they started posting on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We decided to make our videos go viral to inform tourists to be careful," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"There is a lack of prevention and information about what is happening in the city and we are all happy that these videos are letting people see the problem in Venice and throughout Italian cities."</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the volunteers have their own way of weeding out the pickpockets, with some using a deafening whistle to capture the attention of everyone around them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others just call out “attention pickpocket” in both English and Italian then proceed to shoo away the pickpockets, telling them to “go away” and for tourists to “watch out for their wallets”.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7248214400102944027&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40minutesofentertainment%2Fvideo%2F7248214400102944027&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-va.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast2a-p-0037-euttp%2F22dfb064ae9640a7b60ede7892167b41_1687606456%3Fx-expires%3D1687755600%26x-signature%3DkrwLySytAL%252FmznIUf7jxQKln%252Bl4%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">In the video that has gone viral, the pickpockets can be seen scurrying away from the crowd as soon as these volunteers call them out.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although the original video and account “citadininondistratti” got banned on TikTok, many other accounts have reposted and reshared the content.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many have commented their praise for the group, despite local police officers reportedly not supporting this form of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/woman-cheered-confronting-suspected-pickpockets-targeting-tourist-1807553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vigilante justice</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you for your service ma’am,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Brilliant 👏” wrote a second person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was in Rome, both times I was on the train the locals warned and pushed the pickpockets away from me. Love the locals,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She called them purse thieves in Italian,” commented one amused person.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Aussie actress in catastrophic bus crash offered $16 voucher as compensation

<p>An Aussie tourist left injured and stranded after a fatal bus crash in southern Italy has claimed the travel company only offered her a meal voucher for the inconvenience.</p> <p>Australian actress Sinead Curry, who has starred in TV shows like The Haunting of Nancy Drew and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, said that nine hours following the crash, the European bus company offered her a $16 meal voucher for her troubles.</p> <p>Curry and partner Salma Salah, both from Sydney, boarded the FlixBus in the city of Bari on June 3 for the long journey to the Northern city of Bologna with a transfer to Rome.</p> <p>However, two hours into the trip Curry said the “bus hit something”.</p> <p>“We were all asleep, it went airborne and spun around a bunch of times,” she said in a TikTok video posted the following day, showing her in hospital wearing a neck brace.</p> <p>Curry told followers the bus was “flung around like in a blender” before it landed down by an embankment, which she claimed was “on the other side of the road”.</p> <p>“Several cars then hit the bus moving the bus closer and closer to the side of the road,” Curry explained in her video.</p> <p>Italian and German media reported the bus crash occurred near the town of Avellino, approximately 50km east of the southwest city of Naples.</p> <p>Five cars were caught up in the accident and local emergency services were quoted as saying the “lifeless body of a man was found” along with 14 people sustaining injuries.</p> <p>Curry said there were 38 people on the bus, including another Aussie woman called “Caity”, who suffered a broken collarbone.</p> <p>After Curry was discharged from the hospital, fearing her nose was broken but was assured it was not, she made another video emphasising how she felt abandoned by the bus company.</p> <p>“FlixBus none of your numbers are working,” an emotional Curry urged.</p> <p>“They ring out and they hang up on us. We cannot get any information from FlixBus, we cannot get our luggage back.</p> <p>“They offered us by text a 10 euro ($16) meal replacement voucher for the inconvenience.</p> <p>“There are a bunch of people here who nearly died we don't have any information.”</p> <p>Curry later claimed FlixBus even blocked her on social media.</p> <p>“We just want some information and some help,” she explained, complaining that she was still waiting on her luggage to be returned.</p> <p>FlixBus issued a statement claiming “a support line and email” was provided to all passengers and their families following the incident.</p> <p>"Outbound calls were made to passengers who had registered their mobile numbers, and emails were sent to passengers with instructions,” the bus company said.</p> <p>“At all times, the safety of its passengers and drivers is of highest priority to FlixBus.”</p> <p>Two days following the incident Curry received her luggage and was in Rome after an emergency shuttle had been deployed for stranded passengers.</p> <p>However, she said that as they arrived in Rome, passengers were finding “shrapnel” from the crash in their bodies and she had gotten a piece out of herself.</p> <p>On June 5 Curry took to TikTok again, saying she and her partner were grateful to be “safe and in Rome”.</p> <p>Although safe, she did note that they were heading to the hospital to get checked again as she was suffering from “very severe headaches” and had intense pain in her jaw.</p> <p>Curry then thanked the “heroes” in Italian fire and rescue, who she said took her and her partner in and gave them pasta, crackers, water and a change of clothes.</p> <p>She said FlixBus had rung her twice at a later date to tell the couple to keep receipts for a full refund.</p> <p>Curry jetted to Europe for her dream holiday but given the incident, she and her partner are dumping their Italian plans to recuperate in Rome.</p> <p>“We are so grateful to be alive please hold your loved ones close,” she said.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Legal

Woman buys three homes in Italy for $5

<p>In 2019, a US woman saw houses in Italy going for dirt-cheap prices, and within days she jetted over to Europe to see for herself.</p> <p>Originally from Brazil but living in California, Rubia Daniels now owns three of the abandoned homes, which she bought for just $US3.30 (around $AUD5) combined, according to the <em>New York Post</em>.</p> <p>However, snapping up these homes comes with a catch: the buyers must renovate the properties within a certain time frame, something that the 49-year-old is well underway with.</p> <p>When Ms Daniels, who works in the solar industry, first heard of the dirt-cheap homes being offered to help repopulate abandoned towns in Italy, she realised she had found her calling.</p> <p>“I was so amazed. It was one of those things where you have to see it to make sure it’s true,” the San Francisco resident told the outlet.</p> <p>“I did my research, and within three days I had my plane ticket, a rental car, the hotel, and I left.”</p> <p>The place she was headed for was Mussomeli, a town with a population of around 10,000 in the centre of Sicily.</p> <p>Mussomeli is just one of the many towns and villages in Italy offering up properties for remarkably low prices in an attempt to help combat dwindling populations.</p> <p>It’s a trend that predates the COVID pandemic.</p> <p>Back in 2019, the Sicilian town of Sambuca di Sicilia gained substantial traction for selling its abandoned homes for €1 (around $A1.60 at the time).</p> <p>In 2021, another string of homes were up for sale there, bringing the price up to €2.<br />The southern Italian town of Laurenzana jumped on the trend in 2021 and offered up its own abounded homes for €1 each.</p> <p>Although prices remained astoundingly low, the properties required anywhere between $A35,000 to $A135,000 to restore, with owners having three years to complete the job.</p> <p>In Mussomeli, Ms Daniels has different plans for each structure she purchased.</p> <p>One property will be dedicated to when she stays in town. Meanwhile, in an effort to give back to the community, she has plans to convert the second into an art gallery and the third into a wellness centre. The wellness centre will be her most significant renovation.</p> <p>After her initial purchase in July 2019, Ms Daniels began her restoration process later that year.<br />Currently, the exteriors of two properties are completed, with the last one yet to begin, but 2020 slowed down the initial progress.</p> <p>“Covid-19 happened and we weren’t allowed to go back, so I just started renovations again last year,” she said.</p> <p>Mussomeli is special for Ms Daniels as it reminded her of her hometown near the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.</p> <p>Aside from hitting the jackpot with her properties, she’s received a warm welcome from the community.</p> <p>“People were super welcoming and everyone wanted to have a coffee with me,” she told <em>Insider</em>.</p> <p>“The realtors embraced me like a sister – they were with me every single day through the time I was there.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

International Travel

Sia gets married in intimate Italian wedding

<p dir="ltr">Australian superstar Sia has tied the knot with Dan Bernard in an intimate ceremony in Portofino, Italy on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ceremony was held at Villa Olivetta, the home of designers Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana, and the same location where Kourtney Kardashian wed Travis Baker in April.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Chandelier singer donned a light pink, lace embroidered fishtail gown, with long sleeves and a matching veil.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her hair was styled in an intricate updo in true Sia style.</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer’s new husband matched the wedding’s pastel colour palette in a light blue suit with a bow tie and black dress shoes.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one photo, staff were seen helping the singer climb up a set of stairs as she headed to the cliffside ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">The newlyweds sealed their marriage with a kiss under an archway of pastel flowers and were smiling from ear to ear as they exchanged their rings.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sia has kept the romance with Bernard low-key, so it is unknown when the pair first started dating, but has <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-p6FXLyBK/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared a snap </a>with him back in October 2022.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsCTdW-Pkf3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a></em></p>

Relationships

Italian historian makes major Mona Lisa breakthrough

<p dir="ltr">A small town in Tuscany is revelling in excitement after it was claimed that a bridge in the backdrop of the Mona Lisa belongs to the town. </p> <p dir="ltr">Italian historian Silvano Vinceti determined that the bridge in the background of the most famous portrait in the world is in fact the Romito di Laterina bridge in the province of Arezzo: about 80km southeast of Florence. </p> <p dir="ltr">Leonardo da Vinci painted the masterpiece in Florence in the early 16th century, and ever since, it has been subject to disputes over the inspiration for the portrait. </p> <p dir="ltr">The identity of the woman in the painting - who is widely believed to be Lisa del Giocondo – has triggered as much speculation as the distant backdrop.</p> <p dir="ltr">Past theories have identified the bridge as Ponte Buriano, close to Laterina, as well as Ponte Bobbio in the northern Italian city of Piacenza.</p> <p dir="ltr">Using historical documents and drone images, and by making comparisons between the painting and photographs of the area, Vinceti said he is confident it was “the Etruscan-Roman bridge, Romito”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Vinceti told reporters in Rome that the most telling detail of the bridge’s identity is the number of arches. </p> <p dir="ltr">The bridge in Leonardo’s painting had four arches, as did the Romito. Ponte Buriano, on the other hand, has six arches, while Ponte Bobbio has more than six.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another telltale sign, according to Vinceti, is the fact that the bridge was once a “very busy, functioning bridge”, that provided a shortcut between Florence and Arezzo.</p> <p dir="ltr">Simona Neri, the mayor of Laterina, said Vinceti’s theory had caused a lot of excitement in the town of just over 3,500 people. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said, “We need to try to protect what’s left of the bridge.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

Must-have food experiences when in Rome

<p>There are only two reasons people go to Rome – for the sights such as the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica. The second, people will tell you, is the culture. But that’s a lie. Don’t believe them. They’re really just there for the food. Not that we’re judging, we’re just pointing out the obvious. And it is obvious, because Rome’s food scene is wonderful. To help you do Rome like a foodie, here are four absolutely essential things to do when you’re there.</p> <p><strong>Eating tours</strong></p> <p>Got some time to spare and a stomach that needs serious filling? Go on one of Rome’s many eating tours. There are loads to choose from so do your research about which one is best for you, then eat your way around the city.</p> <p>TOP TIP: If you go back a day or two later, it’ll be a different group or people and possibly a different tour guide, so no one will judge you for doing it all again.</p> <p><strong>The Pasta Museum</strong></p> <p>Got a love for carbs that is as high as the Tower of Pisa? Then you might want to visit the Pasta Museum – one of Rome’s more obscure tourist destinations. You can lean about all things pasta: its history, nutritional values, how it’s made. You can see pasta-making machines from different eras and pick up some, you guessed it – pasta – from the gift shop on your way out.</p> <p>WHERE: Piazza Scanderbeg 117 (not far from the Trevi Fountain)</p> <p><strong>Mozarella madness</strong></p> <p>Perfect for when you want a light meal, mozzarella bars will serve you out-of-this-world cheese with salad, smoked salmon or prosciutto. Treat yourself and add a glass of wine for the ultimate indulgence.</p> <p><strong>Gelato everywhere</strong></p> <p>If you don’t know the nutritional benefits of gelato, let us give you a refresher: it’s delicious. When you’re in Rome, you have to eat as much gelato as you can so you can rave about it to your friends and family when you get home. Try to avoid the tourist traps that charge through the nose – do your research and find out where the locals go for their gelato.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

International Travel

The world’s most popular tourist attractions

<p dir="ltr">There are plenty of tourist hotspots all around the world, and if you’re planning a trip, nothing could be better than crossing some of these off your bucket list.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Trip Advisor, Italy takes out the top spot as three of their attractions made the top 10.</p> <p dir="ltr">France comes in second place with popular tourist spots you might want to add to your itinerary.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>1. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The number one spot for most popular tourist attractions is The Colosseum.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is a significant landscape in Rome with a rich history behind it, so this is no surprise.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>2. The Louvre, Paris, France</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Known as one of the most impressive museums in the world, the Louvre was originally built as a fortress before it was reconstructed to serve as a royal palace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>3. The Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Here you can find some of the most incredible art in the world, it’s a must-see for those planning a trip to Rome.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>4. The Statue of Liberty, New York, USA</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The State of Liberty is a famed landmark in the US and was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi. In case you didn’t know - it was gifted to the US from France!</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>5. The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">One of the most recognisable landmarks in the world, the Eiffel Tower is nothing short of spectacular and can be seen from several points in Paris.</p> <p dir="ltr">You can admire the structure from afar, take in the sites from one of three platforms on the tower itself for free, or be bold and climb the structure. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>6. Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">This breathtaking cathedral was built by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi and it is a sight to behold both inside and out.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>7. French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">An historic neighbourhood famous for its vibrant nightlife and colourful buildings, it’s no surprise French Quarter made the list. It’s the home for Mardi Gras, jazz clubs, Cajun eateries and bars serving potent cocktails.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>8. Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, Netherlands</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Rich in history, Anne Frank House is an incredible tourist destination. You can visit the attic where Anne Frank lived along with the bookcase, family photos, and Anne’s original diary.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>9. Skydeck, Willis Tower, Chicago </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The mighty high Skydeck sits on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower in Chicago and is a massive attraction for thrill-seeking tourists. Perhaps the most exciting part of the tower is The Ledge, a glass balcony that extends out of the building where you can soak up the sights from about 412 metres above sea level!</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>10. The Grand Canal, Venice, Italy</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The third Italian site to make the top 10 is one of the most romantic spots you could take a partner. Although completely underwater, it serves as the main street in Venice.</p> <p dir="ltr">You can take a gondola ride or admire the pretty city on a water bus. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

International Travel

Statues found in Italy could “rewrite” history

<p dir="ltr">The discovery of a cache of ancient bronze statues in Tuscany has been dubbed one of the most significant finds in the whole Mediterranean and could “rewrite” history in the region.</p> <p dir="ltr">Archaeologists working in the small hilltop town of San Casciano dei Bagni outside Siena, Italy, have uncovered 24 perfectly preserved bronze statues in the mud and water of ancient thermal baths.</p> <p dir="ltr">Excavation leader Jacopo Tabolli, a historian at the University for Foreigners in Siena, said they found “the largest deposit of bronze states of the Etruscan and Roman age ever discovered in Italy and one of the most significant in the whole Mediterranean”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The statues include a sleeping <em>ephebe </em>(an adolescent male aged between 17-18) lying next to Hygeia, the goddess of health, with a snake wrapped around her arm, as well as a statue of Apollo and figures representing matrons, children and emperors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Along with the statues, some of which date back 2300 years and stand at almost a metre tall, the researchers found thousands of coins and other artefacts, including relics that may have belonged to wealthy Etruscan and Roman families, landowners, lords and Roman emperors.</p> <p dir="ltr">The statues date back to between the second century BCE and first century CE, which was a time of major upheaval in Tuscan history, with the transition from Etruscan to Roman rule achieved through hard-fought battles that were followed by the destruction of Etruscan cultural items.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some bear inscriptions in both Latin and Etruscan with the names of prominent Etruscan families, suggesting the two cultures experienced some kind of harmony during this period.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This discovery rewrites the history of ancient art,” Tabolli said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Here, Etruscans and Romans prayed together.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Even in historical epochs in which the most awful conflicts were raging outside, inside these pools and on these altars the two worlds, the Etruscan and Roman ones, appear to have coexisted without problems.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With the statues submerged in the mineral-rich waters of the hot springs, they were kept perfectly preserved until their recent discovery.</p> <p dir="ltr">Helga Maiorano, an archaeologist at the University of Pisa, told <em>La Republica </em>that the mud they were in created an atmosphere without oxygen, which is ideal for protecting bronze from bacteria.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the last ones [of the statues] particularly struck me for the quality of the details,” Chiara Fermo, an archaeologist at the University of Siena, told <em>La Repubblica</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is a female statue, entirely bejewelled, with very detailed necklaces and earrings. An example of what a woman of the time must have been like.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The baths are believed to have been built by the Etruscans during the third century and made more opulent under Roman rule.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tabolli told <em>Ansa </em>that the hot springs remained active until the fifth century, before being closed and the pools sealed with heavy stone pillars during Christian times.</p> <p dir="ltr">The find was made when archaeologists removed the covering to the spa.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is the greatest store of statues from ancient Italy and is the only one whose context we can wholly reconstruct,” said Tabolli.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since their discovery, the statues have been taken to a restoration lab and will eventually go on display in the town of San Casciano.</p> <p dir="ltr">The site of the ancient baths, located nearby to a modern-day spa that is one of Italy’s most popular spa spots, is also due to be developed into an archaeological park.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9be35b18-7fff-7e66-a79c-17b9f2fc1b1b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: The Italian Ministry of Culture</em></p>

International Travel

New rule poses major changes for popular tourist destination

<p dir="ltr">With its impressive sheer drops down to turquoise waters below and roads seemingly chiselled out of the surrounding cliffs, the Amalfi Coast has become an iconic road trip destination - a status that has brought plenty of tourists and traffic with it.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Italian location has now become known for stories of miles-long traffic backups, as buses and vans packed with tourists navigate multiple narrow stretches of single-lane roads with switchbacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, a new rule could spell the end of heavy tourist traffic on the roads - and mess with plenty of holiday itineraries.</p> <p dir="ltr">A newly-launched alternate number plate system means that cars can only access the stretch between Vietri sul Mare and Positano every other day during peak hours in peak season.</p> <p dir="ltr">On odd-numbered dates, only cars with plates ending in odd numbers can use the road, while cars with even numbers at the end of their plates will be able to drive along it on even-numbered dates.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rule applies for the entire month of August between 10am and 6pm, as well as on weekends from June 15 through to September 30, Holy Week, and the dates from April 24 to May 2.</p> <p dir="ltr">Residents from 13 towns along the coast will be exempt, along with public transport vehicles, taxis, and cars that are hired with a driver.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, vehicles longer than 10.36 metres will be banned from the road entirely, while caravans and vehicles with trailers are prohibited from using the road from 6.30am til midnight, all year round.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rules, introduced by Anas, also see vehicles over six metres long and 2.1 metres wide restricted to using the road within certain hours and being completely banned on peak dates.</p> <p dir="ltr">Deputy mayor of Vietri sul Mare Angela Infante told <em>CNN </em>the new rules had been needed for some time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s started again this year - you can’t drive at weekends, people are trapped at home,” Ms Infante said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prior to the pandemic, she said there would sometimes be backups up to six kilometres along the coast.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You have to drive incredibly slowly because there are so many cars, and often it is completely blocked,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Apart from anything else, you could have an ambulance [in that traffic] and anything could happen - we have to limit the heavy traffic.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While Ms Infante is among many locals welcoming the new rules, others aren’t so happy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Antonio Illardi, the president of a local association of hoteliers called Federalberghi Salerno, argued in an open letter to Anas for the rules to be tweaked to allow overnight tourists to drive to their hotel and for hotel workers to reach their work if they live outside the coast.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The policy is a ‘disaster’,” he told <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It discourages tourists. It makes it impossible to stay for an odd number of days. If you arrive on Wednesday, you can't leave on Thursday. It's not like you can send your rental car back on Amazon."</p> <p dir="ltr">Others are concerned that tourists will be unaware of the changes and may be fined if not alerted by the rental companies and end up driving on the wrong day.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The rules are written in bureaucratese, they're not easy to read,” Mr Illardi said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Maybe rental car companies won't know, or maybe the visitor won't mention where they're going. So they'll get a car with the wrong plate and will be met with a fine on arrival."</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the contention, the rules are said to have been created with the blessing of the town councils along the coast, with the exception of Minori and Maiori.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e5324476-7fff-6205-d778-8a558901ee83"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

New discovery reveals last moments of Pompeii’s middle class

<p dir="ltr">A series of new finds in Pompeii’s archaeological park have shed light on the final moments of middle class Romans before they were buried beneath volcanic ash and debris from Mount Vesuvius.</p> <p dir="ltr">Plates, glasses, vases, amphorae and terracotta objects left behind in chests and cabinets have been recovered from four rooms in a house that was first excavated in 2018.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gabriel Zuchtriegal, the director of the popular Italian tourist destination, said the discovery revealed precious details about the ordinary citizens of the city.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the Roman Empire there was a significant proportion of the population which fought for their social status and for whom the ‘daily bread’ was anything but taken for granted. It was a social class that was vulnerable during political crises and famines, but also ambitious to climb the social ladder,” Dr Zuchtriegal <a href="http://pompeiisites.org/en/comunicati/the-discovery-of-furnishings-from-the-house-of-the-lararium-in-regio-v-a-snapshot-of-middle-class-pompeii/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the House of the Lararium at Pompeii, the owner was able to embellish the courtyard with the lararium and the basin for the cistern with exceptional paintings, yet evidently funds were insufficient to decorate the five rooms of the house, one of which was used for storage. </p> <p dir="ltr">“In the other rooms, two on the upper floor which could be reached by a mezzanine, we have discovered an array of objects, some of which are made of precious materials such as bronze and glass, while others were for everyday use. The wooden furniture, of which it has been possible to make casts, was extremely simple. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We do not know who the inhabitants of the house were, but certainly the culture of otium (leisure) which inspired the wonderful decoration of the courtyard represented for them more a future they dreamed of than a lived reality.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In the rooms on the lower floor of the house, all of the furnishings were able to be recovered by creating casts of the furniture.</p> <p dir="ltr">One bedroom even contained the remains of a bed frame and trace fabric from the pillow, similar to three cot-like beds unearthed last year in another Pompeiian home believed to be slaves’ quarters. </p> <p dir="ltr">Next to the bed, archaeologists found a bipartite wooden chest that was left open when the owners fled. Although heavily damaged by beams that crashed onto it during the eruption, it still held an oil lamp decorated with a relief of the Greek god Zeus being transformed into an eagle.</p> <p dir="ltr">A small, three-legged table was found next to the trunk, with a ceramic cup containing glass ampules, and two small plates sitting on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the storeroom, they found a wooden cupboard with its backboard still intact and the shelves caved in.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the items from the upper floor were found in the rooms below, including everyday items such as ceramic vessels, two bronze jugs, a bronze bowl with a beaded base, and an incense burner in the shape of a cradle.</p> <p dir="ltr">One of the unique and most interesting finds was a small cast of waxed tablets, made up of seven triptychs (carvings with three panels) that have been tied together by a small cord.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e3893194-7fff-a6cd-0f25-7ced2314fcef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Parco Archeologico di Pompei</em></p>

International Travel

An Italian lodge jumps the Swiss border

<p dir="ltr">The borders in the European Alps have been the source of some strange happenings recently, including a border-jumping ski lodge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Refugio Cervino, a two-storey lodge built on the Italian side of Theodul Glacier, has been slowly moving towards Switzerland - and its international movement has called its ownership and national boundaries into dispute.</p> <p dir="ltr">The border between Italy and Switzerland has previously been defined at the boundary of the Theodul drainage divide, the point where melted water either flows south to Italy or north towards Switzerland.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, rising temperatures have changed the flow of water.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, two-thirds of the Refugio sits in Switzerland while the remaining third is in Italy, and has become a subject of diplomatic negotiations.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Agence France Presse, a compromise to redraw the boundaries was reached last year - but that doesn’t stop the ever-increasing glacier melt.</p> <p dir="ltr">Swisstopo, which stays on top of the official boundaries of the Confédération Helvétique, will be changing the boundaries in 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We agreed to split the difference," chief border official Alain Wicht told AFP.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though international surveyors have previously been brought in to determine where the boundary should sit previously, Mr Wicht says the Refugio is a sensitive issue as the Theodul Glacier is “the only place where we suddenly had a building involved”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Swiss have taken a more neutral stance in the debate, but the Italians are unwilling to part with the building without compensation, </p> <p dir="ltr">"The refuge remains Italian because we have always been Italian," Refugio’s caretaker, 51-year-old Lucio Trucco, says.</p> <p dir="ltr">For now, the refuge will be an enclave of Italy within Switzerland until the borders are changed.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3d7b9463-7fff-3769-cf91-d68e9a97682f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

Sir Rod Stewart spotted in Italy with entire family for very special occasion

<p dir="ltr">Sir Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster have celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary with their seven children.</p> <p dir="ltr">The big family were spotted in the city of Portofino in Italy with Penny sharing an adorable snap of them posing for the camera. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Stewart Clan comes together #family #kids #siblings @sirrodstewart @alastairwstewart @thekimberlystewart @seanstewart @rubystewart @renee__stewart @discostew94 #aidenstewart,” she captioned the image. </p> <p dir="ltr">The photo shows the 77-year-old rocker along with his children, Alastair, 16, Sean, 41, Kimberly, 42, daughters Ruby, 35, Renee, 30, Liam, 27 and 11-year-old Aiden.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CguX_xns_2F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CguX_xns_2F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Penny Lancaster (@penny.lancaster)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In a separate post, Penny shared another photo with her stepdaughters Kimberly, Renee and Ruby on stairs</p> <p dir="ltr">Penny and Sir Rod started going out in 1999 and got married in 2007, eight years after they first met. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sir Rod was first married to actress and model Alana Hamilton, the former wife of actor George Hamilton, from 1979 to 1984. He then married model Rachel Hunter from 1990 to 2006.</p> <p dir="ltr">He now shares kids Alastair and Aiden with Penny. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

International Travel

Incredible moment as Andrea Bocelli steps up as a last-minute understudy

<p>An eager Italian audience who were expecting to enjoy a performance from beloved Italian singer Matteo Bocelli were left speechless when he was unable to take the stage – and his even more famous father suddenly walked onto the stage.</p> <p>Acting as a last-minute understudy, Matteo’s beloved and talented dad accepted a last-minute invitation after Matteo became stranded in Germany while trying to return home. He was expected to sing at a concert in the Tuscan town of Marina di Pietrasanta.</p> <p>“Normally in life it’s the sons who replace the fathers," Andrea Bocelli said to the gob-smacked audience. "In this case it’s up to me, I have to replace my son.”</p> <p>Reportedly Andrea continued: “I’m sorry for all those of the fair sex who were expecting Matteo, who is young and handsome, but I will have to sing what he was due to sing, and which I have been practising in the car on the way over here!”</p> <p>The iconic Italian singer then performed two songs while also playing the piano – ‘Ci vorrebbe il mare’ ('We Need the Sea') and his signature song 'Con te partirò' (Time to Say Goodbye). As is common for an Andrea Bocelli performance, he was met with a standing ovation.</p> <p>Matteo Bocelli’s career began in earnest in 2018, after appearing on his father’s album Sì in the best-selling duet “Fall On Me”. Then father-son duo then went on to perform for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Royal Variety Performance later that same year.</p> <p>Comparing his son’s voice with his own, the senior Bocelli said: “Technically they are very different, but there is one thing that makes them most similar: the attitude. That characteristic way of expressing yourself through your voice."</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Music

"This is the devil's work!": Nun pulls apart female models sharing a kiss

<p dir="ltr">A shocked nun caused quite a stir in the streets of Italy when she pulled away two female models who were kissing for a photoshoot.</p> <p dir="ltr">The nun was dressed in a white habit and rushed to stop Serena de Ferrari and Briton Kyshan Wilson who had locked lips in a Naples backstreet as they posed for a photo for Not Yet magazine.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What are you doing? This is the devil's work,” the nun shouted at them as they giggled.</p> <p dir="ltr">She looked around at the cameramen and crossed herself before saying: “Jesus, Joseph and Mary”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Make up artist Roberta Mastalia, who was on the shoot, said they had to ask the nun to leave thinking she was just joking.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We were on location in the Spanish Quarter in Naples, in a little sidestreet with the two models when all of a sudden the nun walked past,” he said, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11027633/Italian-nun-splits-two-female-models-kissing-photoshoot-calling-devils-work.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She asked us if we had been to Mass that day and when we said 'No' she started blaming young people for Coronavirus and then she saw the two models posing up ready to kiss and that's when she ran forward to split them up.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our first reaction was we were all stunned. They took it as a bit of a joke and you can see from the video the two girls are laughing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We then had to ask the nun to leave as we explained we had work to do and she slowly walked off.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Both Serena and Briton shared clips of the incident to their social media with the caption “God doesn’t love LGBT”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Local priest Father Salvatore Giuliano The Church is constantly updating its views but some of the older generation have not yet accepted it.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Travel Trouble

A list of must-see museums in Florence

<p dir="ltr">If there’s one thing that Italy has in abundance, it is art, culture and a rich history. </p> <p dir="ltr">While the capital of Rome is home to a lot of incredible galleries and museums, the city of Florence is full of galleries that house some of the most important artworks in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">With museums showcasing original works from Da Vinci, Botticelli and Michelangelo, as well as the iconic Statue of David, these are the galleries that are not to be missed in Florence. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Uffizi Gallery</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">This three-storey museum is home to one of the largest collections of both Middle Age and Renaissance art in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">The U-shaped building is filled with paintings, sculptures, drawings, and archives, as well as boasting extraordinary architecture. </p> <p dir="ltr">You can see some early works from Da Vinci and Michelangelo, as well as Botticelli’s iconic The Birth of Venus.</p> <p dir="ltr">Uffizi also boasts an impressive rooftop cafe which showcases stunning views of Florence. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVfnsqdNgnD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVfnsqdNgnD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Gallerie degli Uffizi (@uffizigalleries)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Accademia Gallery</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Located on a quiet street near the city centre, the Accademia Gallery, or Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze, is where you will find the incredible Statue of David by Michelangelo.</p> <p dir="ltr">Known for its stunning collection of Renaissance art, the Accademia Gallery is a must visit gallery to discover the wonders of Italian art history. </p> <p dir="ltr">Thousands flock to the gallery everyday to observe the sheer wonder and beauty of the Statue of David, along with other lesser known (but still as extraordinary) marble works by the same artist. </p> <p dir="ltr">This understated gallery is definitely one to make time for.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdbEEsGqosu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdbEEsGqosu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Galleria Accademia Firenze (@galleriaaccademiafirenze)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Palazzo Vecchio</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, which holds a replica of the Statue of David in the city centre. </p> <p dir="ltr">The gallery offers Roman ruins, a Mediaeval fortress and amazing Renaissance chambers and paintings for visitors to travel through time via the astonishing works on offer. </p> <p dir="ltr">As well as boasting an impressive art collection, the Palazzo Vecchio also showcases a series of secret routes and tunnels underneath the building that have huge archeological importance to the history of Italy. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeLXDYNjk5i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeLXDYNjk5i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Loris Fiasconi 📷 (@lorismaker)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Palazzo Medici Riccardi</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The Palazzo Medici Riccardi showcases the impressive history of the Medici family, who were a political dynasty in Florence during the first half of the 15th century. </p> <p dir="ltr">All the artworks on show were once collected by the family, before being donated to the public. </p> <p dir="ltr">As well as the permanent collection of Renaissance works, the gallery also often showcases a series of temporary exhibits to help expand the knowledge of art history in Italy. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVEDQULm9-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVEDQULm9-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by italia_in_art (@italia_in_art)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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