Beautiful, Historic Amalfi Town
April 17, 2015 | Posted in HISTORIC PLACES | By sockii
The Amalfi Coast of Italy is blessed with incredible natural beauty and charming, historic towns — perhaps none so historically important as the town of Amalfi itself. While today it is largely a tourist destination filled with cafes, shops and hotels, it was once an important maritime republic known as the Duchy of Amalfi…
Visiting Pompeii: Practical Information for Visitors
April 17, 2015 | Posted in ARCHEOLOGY, HISTORIC PLACES | By sockii
If you are fascinated by Roman history, this ancient city–destroyed and buried for centuries after the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius–is definitely a must-see destination. Pompeii is just a short trip from Naples, Italy and also easily reachable from Rome or further south along the Amalfi Coast.
Caravaggio in Naples: 3 Paintings You Must See
February 12, 2015 | Posted in TRADITIONAL ART AND PAINTING | By sockii
The legacy and triumph of the Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi o Amerighi da Caravaggio–known most commonly as simply Caravaggio—has become increasingly recognized in recent times…
The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi’s Venice by Laurel Corona
July 26, 2014 | Posted in HISTORICAL | By sockii
A moving work of historical fiction blending music, love and life in 18th century Italy Book summary: Two young sisters—one three years old, one just born—are abandoned to the Ospedale della Pietà in 18th century Venice by their courtesan mother
“The Midwife of Venice” by Roberta Rich
July 7, 2014 | Posted in HISTORICAL | By sockii
Hannah Levi is known to be one of the most talented midwives in late 16th century Venice. She is also Jewish, and by law that means she is forbidden from attending to Christian mothers, no matter how great their needs for her talents. However…
“The Last Promise” by Richard Paul Evans is one bad romance
July 5, 2014 | Posted in ROMANCE | By sockii
Eliana—born Ellen—was a small town girl who fell in love with a handsome and romantic Italian, and moved with him to Italy to take care of his family’s estate and vineyard. To her friends back home, she’s living a fairy tale life…but reality is far from so picturesque…
Should the Vatican Limit Access to the Sistine Chapel?
April 26, 2014 | Posted in TRADITIONAL ART AND PAINTING | By sockii
For the countless number of tourists who visit Rome every year, the Sistine Chapel is almost surely near the top of their “must see” list of attractions. Michelangelo’s incredible fresco cycle, completed 500 years ago, is one of the world’s greatest treasures and a subject of immeasurable artistic and religious importance…
A Pink Floyd fan visits Pompeii
March 4, 2014 | Posted in ARCHEOLOGY, HISTORIC PLACES, ROCK | By sockii
This past January I was fortunate enough to spend several weeks in Campania, Italy, exploring the Amalfi Coast and the historic city of Naples. It was a wonderful trip for many reasons, and one of the highlights was the day I was able to spend at the ruins of Pompeii…
