We see a lot of the demi-god Hercules in ancient and Renaissance potteries, paintings, and sculptures. He was so popular because he was the epitome of strength, virility, and wit. But did you know that Hercules suffered from bouts of temporary insanity in which dead bodies tended to pile up?
Continue reading “The Story of Hercules – An Imperfect Hero”The Medici: Benefactors of Your Sightseeing in Florence (A Quick Introduction)
You can thank the Medici for the delightful works of art and architecture that have made Florence a significant tourist destination since the 17th century. If you are visiting Florence, Italy, it pays to know “just enough” about the Medici to appreciate their impact on 21st century tourism.
Continue reading “The Medici: Benefactors of Your Sightseeing in Florence (A Quick Introduction)”Hercules and the Centaur at the Piazza della Signoria
Don’t let Giambologna’s beautiful sculpture Hercules and the Centaur fool you. Hercules ultimately lost this fight. The centaur Nessus outwitted the hero and demigod, long after Hercules killed him. Myths and history converge at the Piazza della Signoria. This is the first of a series of ancient stories, as we travel virtually to Firenze, Italy.
Continue reading “Hercules and the Centaur at the Piazza della Signoria”Firenze Sightseeing Walk: The Florence Skyline from San Miniato al Monte
Take this 2-mile walk to Piazzale Michelangelo and Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte. Watch the sunset over sweeping views of the Florence skyline – the city of the Renaissance.
Continue reading “Firenze Sightseeing Walk: The Florence Skyline from San Miniato al Monte”Alternative Dining at the Central Market or “Mercato Centrale”
Restaurants aren’t the only places you can satisfy your gustatory longing for Italian cuisine. Town markets are a prime location for great food finds. Rome, Florence, and Turin have the Central Market or Mercato Centrale where you can find lots of gastronomic surprises akin to discovering a town’s street food.
Continue reading “Alternative Dining at the Central Market or “Mercato Centrale””Lunch & Dinner: Navigating the Italian Restaurant Menu
Dining at a restaurant in Italy can be daunting when you are handed a long menu with several sections in Italian, like antipasti, primi piatti, secondi piatti, contorni, dolci. What to make of it? Here’s how to navigate the Italian restaurant menu.
Continue reading “Lunch & Dinner: Navigating the Italian Restaurant Menu”How to Order Coffee in Italy Without Making a Fool of Yourself
Thanks to Starbucks, Americans have been drinking Caffè Latte since 1984. But our coffee drinking practices do not translate well into the – er, snobbish – Italian coffee culture.
Continue reading “How to Order Coffee in Italy Without Making a Fool of Yourself”Breakfast in Italy
The world-famous Italian cuisine is not about breakfast. Whether it’s breakfast in Rome, breakfast in Florence, or breakfast in Venice: the typical Italian breakfast is sweet, spare, or non-existent.
Continue reading “Breakfast in Italy”10 Italian Words and 6 Survival Phrases for non-Italian Speakers
Many Italians can speak English in the major Italian cities. But it pays to know the barest minimum Italian words and phrases to survive your trip. These essential words and phrases enable you to demonstrate some basic social courtesy, get help, or get an Italian to respond in English.
Continue reading “10 Italian Words and 6 Survival Phrases for non-Italian Speakers”Did Etruscans Descend from Villanovans?
In previous posts, we went on a quest to understand the origins of the mysterious Etruscans. The current thinking is that Etruscans came from nowhere else but Italy. And modern historians support the theory that prosperous Villanovans who occupied parts of Italy 3,200 years ago, are ancestral to Etruscans. But who are the Villanovans?
Continue reading “Did Etruscans Descend from Villanovans?”