Visit the Birthplace of Italian Opera

Italiano: Autore Pasquale Matrisciano, fonte fotocamera personale, foto dell'interno del Teatro di San Carlo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By []Naomi S Wilson

When we think of the word Opera many of us think about Italy and operas in Italian. Italian opera is a mixture of the beautiful language and the history of the Italian people. Opera originates in Italy and still today it inspires people to learn the language, history and the culture from the stories and the experience. It is a very romantic experience, listening to opera sung in Italian at one of the famous opera houses in a majestic city. Especially as the majority of Opera's are about telling the story of love or heartbreak. Many opera lovers. travel to Italy to see an opera and visit the famous Italian opera houses although this experience isn't just for opera fans. These kind of holidays are suitable for anyone who wishes to encounter a new European culture which is rich with historical significance. Why not visit the beautiful cities of Italy which are full of exquisite buildings from throughout the centuries.

6 Things To Be Aware Of Whilst Travelling In Italy

Apse of Bramante's Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)By Paulus Van Henderson


Since Italy hosts over half of the world's great art treasures, any lover of art and history is assured of a richly rewarding experience, which will be all the more rewarding and less frustrating if you know a few things first. As with any country, there are local customs, traditions and ways of doing things that can seem a little strange to the unwary visitor. But importantly, as visitors, it is our responsibility to know as much as possible beforehand so that we don't risk causing offence unnecessarily.

Top Things to Do in Milan

Milan Duomo (Photo credit: underflowR) By Mark McLaine


Milan is one of the best cities in the world where you can visit and explore. This city is called as the 'Fashion Capital of World'. The city has a number of options for those who are interested in the art and culture of Italy. There are a number of things which you can do in Milan when you come here. Here are some of the top things which you can do once you come to Milan.
a. Pay a Visit to Duomo: This is undoubtedly the number one suggestion one can give you when you come to Milan. The Duomo or Cathedral is one of the largest Gothic Cathedrals of Italy. The church provides you some of the best views of the nearby areas.

The Best Opera Houses in Italy

Teatro alla Scala, Milan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We all know that the country of Italy is famous for it's art, food, people, soccer (calcio), fine fashion and great natural beauty. On the artistic side, there are famous churches, cathedrals, paintings, sculptures, piazzas, etc.



And if you are an opera buff, Italy is home to many famous and beautiful opera houses. Below is a listing of the famous opera houses in Italy.

Five Things To Do In Lombardy and Italian Lakes

Image via WikipediaA country of pasta and wine, sunshine and snow, renaissance palaces and roman ruins, Italy is as beautiful as it is complex, making this region of Italy so popular for people to come and have a self catering holiday here in a rental villa or a rustic rural house. Lombardy is an Italian region which occupies a major part of Po Valley.
Orobic Alps, Rhaetian and Lepontine form its northern borders and it has a hilly district having major Italian lakes from lakes of Iseo, Como and Varese to Easter slopes of the Lago Maggiore. This area is rich in water mainly because of Po and the affluents. The capital of the region is Milan and the major cities are Brescia, Bergamo, Varese, Mantua, Pavia, Cremona, Sondrio and Como.
The first thing you can do in Lombardy is to view its Romanesque architecture. Each major city of Lombardy has beautiful examples of this type of architecture and the most stunning monument from the Gothic period remains the Cathedral of Milan.

The Best Italian Cities

Image by ryarwood via Flickr
By Matthew Kepnes


Traveling to Italy - The Best Italian Cities
The best Italian cities are difficult to pinpoint because there are simply so many beautiful places to go to it wouldn't be fair to pick out a list and say these should be seen, while ignoring all the others. If you truly want to experience Italy, then it's best if you spend a couple of weeks there or even consider staying there a while to work or study.
The following is a description of some of the best cities that you can visit.

Milan - A New Choice on How to Spend Christmas Holidays

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By Silem Oidualc


In these last years Milan is becoming one of the best and more popular destinations where to spend Christmas holidays. Thanks to the dozens of events it hosts everyday, such as fairs, typical markets, free concerts, cultural initiatives, Milan is today one of the most attractive cities in Europe for old and young people.
Especially at Christmas time the city changes its face; all begins on 7th December with a wonderful celebration for the feast of Saint'Ambrose, the city's patron Saint. Every year Milan in those days organizes an ancient and famous Christmas market full of sweet and typical products: the "Oh Bej! Oh Bej!" fair, that literally means "So Beautiful! So Beautiful!" Here you can find everything, from antique stalls and buskers to roast chestnuts and candy floss. The fair provides an excellent opportunity to do some Christmas shopping, and is particularly enjoyed by children.

Dinner and a Betrayal!

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By Mimi Rippy


Discover why The Last Supper is one of the most famous religious images in the world. This article explains The Last Supper's appeal and why it has been the centre of so much debate. It will highlight the elements that are often over looked and how being in its presence will make you reassess the brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci.

Rail Travel In Italy

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By Lorena Caposassi


In 1945, at the end of II World War, Italian economy was very bad as there were no resources to modernize Railways Network. Fares were very low but service had also very poor quality too. Trains were always late as they stopped in all stations because they had to serve as many people as possible. Imagine: more than 20 hours were needed to go from Milan to Reggio Calabria (the main city of Calabria Region, down in the South of Italy) and it took 8 hours' time from Milan to Rome.

The Best Rome Department Stores

Image via WikipediaIn Paris, the grands magasins, or big department stores, were an integral part of the turn-of-the-century redesign for the city. Beautiful Art Nouveau buildings for Printemps, Galleries Lafayette, and La Semaritaine replaced the passages that were the city's first indoor shopping arcades.
Visitors to Rome expecting to find departments stores in a league with those or Harrods in London may be a little disappointed. Since much of the city was laid out in ancient times, buildings, including the Rome department stores, are much smaller. But what they lack in size, they make up for in convenience - most are open every day until 9PM. If you're looking for a huge store with dozens of departments, those are mostly found on the ring road that encircles the city.
Many of the stores in the historic heart of the city are near fashionable Via Condotti. So if you don't find what you're looking for, you can head for the haute couture boutiques, such as Dolce & Gabbano or Versace.

The premier Italian department store, La Rinascente first opened in Milan in 1865. A pair of brothers began making men's clothes there and opened their first Rome store on Via del Corso in an old palazzo. The international Zara chain recently purchased La Rinascente and opened Rome locations in Galleria Alberto Sordi and suburban Piazza Fiume.

Both stores carry all the top Italian and international brands, including Armani Collezione, Burberry, Marc Jacobs, 7 for all Mankind, and Guess. For something stylish but more affordable, look for La Rinascente's own Ellerre brand. The perfume, cosmetics, and different fashion departments are set up like individual boutiques within the store. Clothing for men, women, and children are all gorgeous.

The Piazza Fiume location is a little off the beaten path, but if has beautiful housewares.

Coin doesn't quite have the cache of La Rinascente, but it's also a little less expensive. If you like brands like DKNY, Calvin Klein, Esprit, and Lacoste, you'll find them here, as well as good clothes for kids and nice things for the home. The main store is near the Vatican on Piazzale Appio. And with a Milan hair salon, restaurant, and bar, it's pretty full service.

The U.S. equivalent to Kohl's or Target, Oviesse has inexpensive accessories, cosmetics, and clothes that appeal to a younger crowd. So if you're traveling with teenagers, this should be on your list. Some of their store are also called OVS Industry or OVS. If you're shopping for a baby, Fiorucci designs for their Baby Angels boutiques. They're located all over Rome, so chances are there's one convenient to your hotel.

Unico Presso Italiano Milano (UPIM) was founded in 1928 in the town of Cremona. La Rinascente owned the chain until they sold them to Coin in early 2010. UPIM competes directly with H&M and they have their own fashion lines for kids, men, and women. Their BLUKIDS line is especially cute and well priced. This is a great place to come if you're looking for stylish things for the home too. They're on Via del Tritone not far from Palazzo Barberini.

Find more on Rome here. Or find London department stores here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Ottersen

Touring Northern Italy

Image via WikipediaBy Keith Barrett
For those wanting to experience Italy without the crowds and the sometimes unbearable summer heat, a tour of the north has plenty that appeals. Let's take a look at some must-see highlights.
The rise of budget airlines has meant that it has never been easier to find a cheap flight to northern Italy. Both Milan and Verona have busy international airports, with flights from most major European cities. Verona is served by regular flights from London Gatwick, making it a perfect starting point for any tour.
If you can't find a suitably priced flight from Verona, then you might also consider Bologna as a feasible alternative.
Lake Garda is within easy reach of both airports. This grand lake has a quite wonderful location, with a mountainous backdrop and a coastal feel. Lined by pretty villages and towns, Lake Garda is a natural focal point for any tour of northern Italy.
The area here is well known for its fine cuisine - eating out in Italy is not to be missed!
Verona itself, as well as providing an excellent base from which to explore the surrounding countryside, has a rich history. This is a city that was first brought to the attention of the English by no lesser figure than William Shakespeare.
The Dolomites, the mighty mountains of the region, provide some spectacular views and wonderful spots to enjoy. The popular towns of Vipiteno, Brunico and Bolzano are all well worth a visit.
Finally, no tour of this part of Italy would be complete without visiting the medieval walled magnificence of Trento.
A tour of northern Italy involves some of the most beautiful towns, villages and countryside that this country has to offer - it is not to be missed.
To find out more about Lake Garda Italy, check out Keith Barrett's other travel articles. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Barrett

"Citylife" Park in Milan

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By Guido Alliata



The machine was set in motion. The brains went into action. The creative capacity of the Milanese is ready to be tested. Carlo Masseroli, Consultant for the Development Planning of the City of Milan, has thrown the stone, we will see who will collect it.

There is every intention to continue the park project "CityLife", for the construction of which it is required a direct intervention of the ideas of those invited to redevelop certain areas of the city.

Later this year, just before December 2010, the final draft should be drawn. A total number of five designers will be involved in this delicate operation, before the final decision is made by the commission appointed by the City of Milan.

What will emerge will be a park of about 55.000 square meters, to be included within an area of 170,000 square meters with a construction cost of approximately 17 million euros. These, in essence, the numbers operation. The Assessor is proud of what will become the largest pedestrian area in Europe.

The deadline for submitting applications is June 30. On July 9, the appointed designers will be selected.

Certainly the work will be neither easy nor of fast implementation. It is believed that the first section of the park, and only one, will be completed within two and a half years. The leaders have also had to revise the target set within the urban agglomerations, which have in fact undergone a change of direction during the construction. The Milan city direction, given the economic crisis that Italy is experiencing, to allocate the skyscrapers planned in the park, more to residential solutions instead of offices. Most likely, therefore, in Citylife there will be an hotel and many new apartments, which manufacturers have already begun to sell in advance.

The new park to be implemented in the Fair area will also include recreational activities aimed at children, as the old exhibition hall will be renamed the "Palace of Sparks" and will be destined to become a cultural center dedicated mainly to children.

This is not the only work that the City of Milan is pursuing. Several projects are planned, some already begun, others to start, others only designed and presented. Well, Milan certainly is a city in ferment, ready to review the intended use of certain important areas, ready to transform the city center, to submit, to its citizens, strong projects that will change the face of the area permanently.

We'll see... continue to follow us on... http://www.rentclass.com.

Guido Alliata has been working in the Real Estate industry for the past 10 years. He has developed a strong experience in the business luxury end of the market, managing properties in the most important cities in the world. Rentclass, thanks to its founder established a network of agencies that make it possible to rent an apartment in London, Milan, Moscow, Paris... almost everywhere.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Guido_Alliata

Your Italian Holiday in Milan

Image by jrgcastro via Flickr

Milan, one the largest cities in Italy, is situated in Northern Italy and is the capital city of the region of Lombardy. It has a population of more than one million and is a great place to start your Italian holiday with some culture and shopping.

The oldest shopping mall in the world is said to be the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which was designed and built in the 19th century. It features a glass and steel arch covering a street and in the centre a glass dome. You can shop for anything here, including haute couture and the world famous fashion houses. There are also plenty of restaurants where you can get a bite to eat and a drink and sit and watch the world go by for a while. The mall leads to two of Milan's most famous edifices, the Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala.

If you want to include some culture in your Italian holiday, then the Duomo is where to start. The residence of the Archbishop of Milan has incredible Gothic architecture and plays a major part in maintaining and spreading the Catholic faith. If you take a guided tour of Milan, this is sure to be included.

The Teatro alla Scala was built late in the 18th century after a fire destroyed its predecessor. The rich used to gather here but there was a gallery above the boxes where the poor were permitted to attend the opera. It has recently been renovated very sympathetically ensuring the preservation of the historical details.

The Castello Sforzesco or Sforza Castle is another landmark of Milan, home of the Sforza family who ruled here in the 14th and 15th centuries and surrounded by a walled hunting park. There are several museums, one of which is home to an art collection which includes Michelangelo's last sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà, Andrea Mantegna's Trivulzio Madonna and Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Trivulzianus manuscript.

No Italian holiday in Milan would be complete without seeing Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper which is a mural measuring 450 × 870 centimeters (15 feet × 29 ft) and covering the back wall of the dining hall at Santa Maria delle Grazie.

So, whether your preference is art and architecture or shopping for high fashion, you couldn't choose a better place for an Italian holiday than Milan.

For more hints and tips on how to make the best of an Italian holiday, click here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Canham

Properties in Italy: Some Good Tips to Find a Dream Home

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One of the main reasons why people choose Italy when deciding to buy a property abroad is because there s plenty of good options for homes in Italy.
It is possible to choose a home in one of the many gorgeous and famous cities that Italy features, or to decide to live in an area still to be discovered by foreigners, or choose to buy a property to restore so that can be customized as you prefer.

There s plenty of choice also location wise, as you can pick a sea location, or a ski resort, or maybe near a place where you spent some wonderful time long ago, or maybe for a bit bigger investment in the very centre of a famous city.

Italy is full of wonderful places and cities, from the turquoise sea of Sicily to the high mountains of Piemonte, there are so many that we could go on so that we can use this entire article to list them all. In fact there are many cities full of excitement, culture and history to choose from for a dream home, or maybe you prefer to own a property in a quite and relaxing place, why not close to a thermal spa resort, or in one of the many natural parks that feature a wilderness envied all over the world. Italy has everything one can ask, wonderful coastlines (one of the longest in Europe), the highest mountains and some of the most popular ski resorts in Europe and, last but not least, some of the most beautiful and famous lakes.

The nice thing about Italy is that not only is full of dream locations, but it is also plenty of different types of properties to choose from. New or completely restored homes, properties to be restored and which you d enjoy to work on yourself, maybe with some land that you can either cultivate or use just as a garden.
Ancient homes, historical palaces, old farmhouses, country houses, stone houses, sea resort apartments, the list can go on and on.

Let’s go through a few points that needs to be considered:

Generally, the most popular places such as Tuscany, Umbria and cities such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Siena are more costly, especially if you are considering a home within the city itself.

Properties in other parts of Italy are coming up as emerging markets and are considerably cheaper, regions such as Abruzzo, Calabria, Puglia, Molise and some areas of Sardinia.

Apart from the location itself, there are other aspects that need to be considered. For instance how is the area where you are considering buying your dream home connected with your own motherland? Are there convenient flight connections? You’d better consider where low cost airlines fly to, this might be extremely useful in case you plan to make several trips to Italy to find your home, or, even more, if you need to go back to your country regularly. But you might also need to travel within the country, Italy is so beautiful throughout that it is worth to be visited as much as possible, so how is the transportation system in the place you are considering? Is there a well served railway system? Any buses? Italy now a days is investing important amounts of money to improve its transportation system.

One of the most important aspects is: who would you work with to find your home in Italy? I advise to select carefully a well established estate agent, especially one with good experience on working with non Italian buyers.

Do your homework; find out all you need to know about property taxes, the amount and type of repairs the property needs to be done. Make sure you find an estate agent to work with who is really reliable and who knows all the legal matters and everything that is needed for a non Italian who wants to own a home in Italy. Apart from that use any methods you would use to buy a property in your own country and you will be fine and happy with your dream home in Italy.
Author Resource:- Simone Rossi works for the Italian property portal http://www.gate-away.com/ . http://Gate-away.com is the leading property portal specialized in the promotion of property in Italy to foreign investors.
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