It is when exploring the Sasso Caveoso that one gets a feeling for how the city must have looked and felt, before the Sassi became chic, and began to turn into the tourist attraction they now are. This is the area that is still a bit crude and rundown. Many of the Sassi are still…
Author: rchabala
I am 56 years old. I live in New York City and for the last 11 years, have been traveling to Italy at least twice every year. I love everything Italian. From the art and museums to the people, to the incredible food, my heart skips a beat when I think of Italy, and the many places and things that I've been lucky enough to experience. Now, I want to share my excitement and passion with the world. I will take you to both major Italian cities, and small mountain villages. I will talk about things to do in these places, and places to explore which are off of the beaten path. I will also talk about the restaurants that I've dined in, and the places that I lay my head down in, while staying in each of these locations.
Matera – Italy’s City of Stones – Day 4 – Part 1
Of the two districts of Sassi, the Sasso Caveoso is the less developed one, which makes it all the more interesting. Housed in Palazzo Pomarici, MUSMA is Matera’s Museum of Contemporary Sculpture. We didn’t have time to go inside, but will definitely put it at the top of our list, for our next visit. Besides…
Matera – Italy’s City of Stones – Day 3
If you love to explore like I do, then, Matera is a perfect destination for you, as it is filled with alleyways, and tiny streets to walk down. One of my favorite things to do, when I arrive in a new place, is to check out the local produce/food market. Matera’s market is located a…
Matera – Italy’s City of Stones – Day 2
More and more people are discovering Matera each year, or so it seems. I recommend it to everyone who I talk to, when they express interest in visiting the south of Italy. But, honestly, this is not the place to just stop by for an hour or two. One should spend at least a few…
Matera – Italy’s City of Stones – Day 1 – Part 3
Stone is everywhere in Matera. It is powerful, and yet, at the same time, one is surrounded by evidence that man has been able to manipulate it, turning it into a means of survival, by making it inhabitable. The Torre Metellana can be found on Via Fiorentini. Originally built as part of the defensive city…
Matera – Italy’s City of Stones – Day 1 – Part 2
We noticed some statues standing in a courtyard, and went to check it out. We found a wonderful artist’s studio/shop. The Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate al Sasso Barisano, on Via Sant’Antonio Abate, is another of the local churches carved into the rock, like the Sassi that surround it. While it is no longer used for…
Matera – Italy’s City of Stones – Day 1 – Part 1
Matera is a city that I feel everyone should see at least one time in their lives. Getting to it is not easy, but once you arrive, and glimpse the city that lays before you, the travel will be forgotten, and instead, you will find yourself wondering why you had never visited the place before! …
Milan – An Italian City Full of Surprises – Day 3
The Monumento a San Francesco d’Assisi, or the Monument to Saint Francis of Assisi, can be found in Piazza Risorgimento. The large monument, with a bronze statue of the saint on top, dates from 1926, and is the work of the sculptor Domenico Trentacoste. Casa Galimberti, on Via Marcello Malpighi #3, is a beautiful example…
Milan – An Italian City Full of Surprises – Day 2
Nothing could be better than a day spent walking around a beautiful city! On Via Poerio #37, a plaque decorates the facade of Casa Rollier, which is the building where the Federalist European Movement of Italy was born, in 1943. The plaque pays tribute to Altiero Spinelli and Ernesto Rossi, two Italian politicians who co-wrote…
Milan – An Italian City Full of Surprises – Day 1
For our stay, we had rented a one-bedroom apartment, not far from Milan’s Central Station. This was an area that I had never really taken the time to explore before. Now that we were staying there, I quickly changed my clothes, and ventured out to see what was around us. The Orthodox Russian Church of…
Rome – A Modern Ancient City – Day 3
A plaque on a building, on Via dei Barbieri, marks the spot where Pasquale Di Pietro and Tommaso Silvestri founded the first school for deaf-mutes, in Rome. Also on Via Barbieri are the headquarters of the Associazione Teatro di Roma. A nearby supermarket kept its wine department, in an underground cave! The Chiesa del Gesù,…
Rome – A Modern Ancient City – Day 2 – Part 2
After we left the Vatican Museums, we decided to take advantage of the fact that we were already in the neighborhood, and visited the Basilica of Saint Peter. In order to gain access to the basilica, one must join the long line that seems to literally wrap around the Piazza di San Pietro. While there…