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A villa in the heart of Rome that features the only known ceiling painted by Caravaggio is being put up for auction by court order after the home was restored by its last occupants: a Texas-born princess and her late husband, a member of one of Rome's aristocratic families. The Casino dell'Aurora, also known as Villa Ludovisi, was built in 1570 and...

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In the heart of Rome’s lively Trastevere neighborhood is the oldest pharmacy in the city, dating back to the 16th century. The Pharmacy of Santa Maria della Scala, originally called ‘spezieria,’ takes its name from the nearby church and convent of Santa Maria della Scala; on the second floor of the convent was a pharmacy / apothecary, initially ope...

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The 2021 edition of 100 Presepi, Rome's international Nativity crib exhibition, is scheduled to take place under the colonnade of St Peter's Square from 5 December until 9 January 2022. A firm fixture on Rome's Christmas calendar, each year 100 Presepi hosts some Nativity scenes from across Italy and dozens of other countries. In addition to contem...

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The celebrated designer Giorgio Armani received Italy's highest honour on Friday for his services to Italian fashion. The president of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, bestowed the Knight Grand Cross on the 87-year-old fashion stylist at a private ceremony in the Quirinal Palace. Armani stated that he was "proud to represent Italy" and "honoured to receiv...

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All the superlatives still don’t quite do justice to the vastness and grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica. The most important, and arguably most magnificent church in Catholic Christendom took 120 years to build, 20 popes, and some 6 to 10 architects, depending on who’s counting. It covers 5.7 acres of land and can fit roughly 60,000 people inside. It...

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One of the most important museums for the preservation of Etruscan history, it focuses on archaeological finds around Rome. The National Etruscan Museum is housed in Villa Giulia, a magnificent Renaissance villa, surrounded by greenery and featuring an abundance of open-air spaces.  The Etruscans can be considered the “first Romans” and are largely...

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Italy will mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by lighting up the Colosseum in red and projecting the names of femicide victims onto the monument on 25 November. The powerful symbolic gesture, which will also see Rome's Pyramid of Cestius illuminated in red lights, is part of a series of cultural initiatives aimed a...

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Is there any country on earth that wears its history as lightly as Italy? Roman ruins sit cheek by jowl with Renaissance palazzos, while modern skycrapers cast their long shadows over neoclassical cathedrals. But there are many more reasons why this is the fifth most visited country in the world – the rolling landscapes of Tuscany, the sandy beache...

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Rome celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Italian painter and Futurist master Giacomo Balla by opening his former home to the public for the first time, after being closed up for 30 years. Casa Balla, the painter's kaleidoscopic vision of art and colour on Via Oslavia, opened in June with visits up to November. Due to popular demand...

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The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran is the seat of the pope - the bishop of Rome. It is the highest-ranked cathedral in all of Catholicism. It even outranks the larger and more famous St. Peter's Basilica. Seeing both St. Peter's and Saint John Lateran Basilicas should be an essential part of any three-day itinerary of Rome. There is more to the...

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