The Extravagantly-Priced New Coffee Table Book About the Vatican
A coffee table book about the Vatican that drips with luxury and power.
Search Results for: vatican
Vatican City Travel Guide
If you are visiting Rome, you cannot afford to miss Vatican City, the world’s smallest country and home to the Pope. Here you will find the most important church in Christendom, St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as some of the world’s most significant artistic treasures, including the Sistine Chapel. Vatican City is a city-state located … Read more
Photo of the Day: Mithras in the Vatican
Before Christianity became the dominant religion of Rome, many people worshipped Mithras, the pagan God depicted here.
Will the Vatican Museums Finally Limit the Number of Visitors?
The Vatican Museums welcome up to 25,000 visitors per day. Is it time for them to limit the crowds?
Getting Into the Vatican Museums
It’s getting ever more difficult to get into the Vatican Museums. The museums, Musei Vaticani in Italian, are home to some of the world’s most precious and recognizable Western art including Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican recently raised prices for a non-guided visit and, according to the New York Times, the Museums are … Read more
History of the Crucifixion
If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the history of the crucifixion during the age of Ancient Rome, here is a fascinating podcast to listen to on Easter.
Italy Travel Planning: First Time Visit to Italy in April on a Budget
Readers frequently write to me with questions about their Italy itineraries. I decided to start putting these informal tips online so that I can better help others. If you would like some help with your Italy travel planning, feel free contact me using the form at the end of this post. Italy Travel Planning Question … Read more
Michelangelo and Fra Angelico: Two Renaissance Greats Who Died on the Same Day
Michelangelo and Fra Angelico were Italian Renaissance artists who died on the same day (many years apart).
Molise
Until 1963, Molise was part of a territory known as the Abruzzi and Molise. The terminology dates from the time when the area was part of the Kingdom of Sicily — a heritage that also groups Abruzzo and Molise with the Italian south or Mezzogiorno despite its central location. Since Molise has not been a … Read more
Lombardy Travel Guide
The richest and most populous of Italy’s regions, Lombardy is home to Milan. Milan is not only the capital of Lombardy, but also Italy’s capital of fashion, finance, and media. Known as Lombardia in Italian, Lombardy derives its name from the Longobards, a Germanic kingdom that ruled large stretches of the Italian peninsula beginning in … Read more
Italy Map
This map shows Italy and its neighbors to the north, east, and west. Italy shares land borders with six countries (France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Vatican City, San Marino) and maritime borders with 10 countries (Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Malta, Spain). France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia border Italy along its north, with … Read more
Searching for Italy: All the Places Stanley Tucci Went in Season 1
“Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” is the perfect cure for wanderlust. Here is a comprehensive guide to all the places he visits in Season 1.
Easter in Rome: When, Where, and How to See Mass During Holy Week
Easter season is one of the best times to visit Rome. Here’s how you can plan your visit to Rome and Vatican during Holy Week.
Top Things to See and Do in Rome
You will need several lifetimes to see all there is to see in Rome. Rome is so full of everything, from big monuments to tiny details, that you will definitely feel overwhelmed by it all. Finding things to do in Rome is easy. The problem is figuring out what not to see, especially if you … Read more
Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica
Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here’s how to get tickets and prepare for Midnight Mass.
Damnatio Memoriae: How Ancient Romans Canceled Their Rivals
Damnatio Memoriae, a modern description of a common Roman practice, condemned unpopular leaders to oblivion. Here’s how that worked and what we can learn from it today.
