Corpus Domini, FYI

Corpus Domini, FYI

Corpus Domini, FYI After evening Mass on the lawn of the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterno, the “ecumenical Mother Church,” the Corpus Domini procession takes worshipers to Santa Maria Maggiore, another Papal basilica and the largest church in the world devoted to the Virgin Mary. This solemn celebration packs a Holy punch. The object… (more)

Il Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo

Il Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo

Bomarzo, Viterbo

The idea of a sacred grove is something common to early religions in cultures around the world but sometimes a place is sacred for what it means to the person who lives there. This is the case for a peculiar 16th century garden known as Il Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo. This Monster Park is… (more)

From Palace to Palace (part II)

From Palace to Palace (part II)

Rome, Italy

The Doria-Pamphilj apartments in themselves are a delight to see with their ornate 17th century tables, different colored rooms like the one covered in hand-cut red velvet, a hall of mirrors, a private chapel with the relic bodies of two early saints, and a one-of-a-kind harp made of ebony and ivory in the princess’ debutante… (more)

Instructions for a Pleasant Ride

Instructions for a Pleasant Ride

Roma, Lazio

In Rome, all roads lead to… Largo di Torre Argentina. There, Tram number 8 will get you where you’re going. During the Renaissance, a papal Master of Ceremonies from Argentoratum—today the known as Strasbourg—built a palace nearby. Thus, the name. Yes, so there you are enjoying the impressive Roman ruins and thinking about that MC,… (more)

From Palace to Palace (part I)

From Palace to Palace (part I)

Rome, Lazio

In the heart of the historical center near piazza Venezia, two luxurious palaces await your visit. One is Galleria Colonna on Via della Pilotta  and the other, Galleria Doria Pamphilj on via del Corso. Why visit them together? Apart from their physical proximity, a tour to both will give you an excellent idea of the… (more)

Assisi, the Manger of a Radical New Message

Assisi, the Manger of a Radical New Message

Assisi, Umbria

The thirteenth-century city of Assisi sits on hill in the region of Umbria to the west of Mount Subasio. Internationally known for its spiritual significance—it was here where the Franciscan Order was born—the entire city is also protected by UNESCO as part of the world’s cultural heritage. Sacred for religious reasons, it is also important,… (more)

The “Beautiful Era” in Rome

The “Beautiful Era” in Rome

Rome, Lazio

Sunday is a good day to catch up on your reading or chat with that buddy you were too busy to see during the week. They are the sorts of things you want to do in a café with style. No need to hop on the plane to Paris (that frivolous city), the Belle Epoque… (more)

Alcide De Gasperi, a European Italian

Alcide De Gasperi, a European Italian

Rome, Italy

Alcide de Gasperi (1881-1954) was an Italian leader of great integrity, so much so that the Catholic Church is in the process of considering him for sainthood. At a time when Italian politics in general (from the Prime Minister on down, majority as well as opposition) is putting a dark cloud over Italy’s public image,… (more)

Now Accepting Reservations

Now Accepting Reservations

Rome, Lazio

While you might not be able to have an after-dinner drink with Giorgio de Chirico and his domineering wife, Isa (de Chirico passed away in 1978), you can still pop in for a visit… to their home. On such a visit you’ll see his personal collection of paintings, spanning his entire artistic carrier, hanging as they… (more)

The Touch of the Master

The Touch of the Master

Rome, Lazio

The Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, near the Quirinale, is a magnificent example of Borromini’s architectural ingenuity.  This baroque master – a rival of Michelangelo’s – must have delighted in confounding his audience. With their unending play of concave and convex shapes, the interior walls seem to be made of white frosting rather… (more)

Olive Season in Abruzzo

Controguerra

In the town of Controguerra, it is olive season. Kids, grandparents, friends … everyone is recruited to help in the effort, whether it’s a few trees on a family’s plot of land or a large scale olive oil producer. Throughout the region everyone seems to be up on a little ladder picking away surrounded by… (more)

Ostuni’s Coast

Puglia

So how do miles of untouched coast, ancient olive groves right up against the sea, and hardly a person around sound? This is the northernmost part of the Salento area, on the Adriatic coast, between Bari and Brindisi. While the city of Ostuni is only about 5 miles away, head either north or south once… (more)