EOLIE ISLAND

From both the naturalistic and historic point of view, the vulcanic Eolie or
Lipari Islands are one of the most interesting spots in Sicily. Even if invaded by turism in the summer,
every island keeps its characteristics: worldly or calm, young or vip, beaches or vulcanic eruptions.
Common denominator the sea, an intense blue, almost black, which separates the islands sometimes
for days because of its tides and deep waters.
Following in order of size are the seven sisters. Lipari is the biggest, with hot water sources which
sprout in many places; remarkeable is the Norman cathedral and the Archeological Eoliano Museum;
with eyes visiting the Belvedere Quattrocchi, at the Terme of San Calogero and the Acquacalda
beach, once arrival point for ships that came to load pumice.Salina, dominated by the 962 meters of
Monte Fossa of Felci, is characterized by the underbrush; there are three towns, Santa Maria, Leni
and Malfa. Close by, to the south, is Vulcano - dedicated to Efesto (god of fire for the Greeks, Vulcano
for the Romans) and chosen by Omero as base for the god of the winds, Eolo - has given its name to
all the vulcanos in the world; there are three craters, amongst which Gran Cratere is still active (last
eruption in 1890). Always active is the one in the northwest of Stromboli; from Ginostra or from
Piscitrà you can get to the old vulcanic Observatory and then go up to the highest crater (with a guide
and muntain shoes, best at night to see the spectacular eruptions).Alicudi and Filicudi are quietest
islands and still offer - walking around the narrow streets - the feeling of the past, with no fashion
places or chaos. More worldly, are the new but pleasant constractions, Panarea, surrounded by high
walls.

Useful information

The Eolie islands(ME) - north of Capo Milazzo, between Messina and Cefalù - are connected all year
to Milazzo and to Napoli by Siremar ships (tel. 090 9811312, fax 9880170) and to Milazzo by Snav
hydrofoils (tel. 090 9811122, fax 98880311); in summer Snav hydrofoils also go from Cefalù, Messina
and Reggio Calabria.

RAVENNA

Built on pile-structures on the southern banks of the lagoon formed by the

delta of the Po river, Ravenna became a municipium whenAugutus chose it as harbor for the fleet
controlling the eastern areas of his empire. In the fifth century it was nominated capital of the Western
Roman Empire, and it later was capital of Byzantine Italy.

Its mosaics and early Christian monuments, such as the mausoleums of Galla
Placidia and Teocrido, the baptisteries of Neoniano and
Ariani, the basilicas of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo and Sant’
Apollinare in Classe, the chapel of Arcivescovado, and the
church of San Vitale are unique in the world. They all
demonstrate an extraordinary artistic skill that sublimely merges Greco-Roman tradition with Christian
iconography and Oriental style.

Ravenna - at the crossroad between state road no. 16 and the A1motorway Bologna/Bari/Taranto. It
is 75 Km from Bologna, 145 Km from Venice, 285 Km from Milan and 365 Km from Rome.

THE UFFIZI GALLERY AT FLORENCE

The History and the Place : The building which hosts the Uffizi Gallery, is one of
the master pieces of XVI century architecture. Projected in 1560 byGiorgio Vasari, court architect and
painter , by request of the Duce Cosimo I de' Medici, this vast and scenographic building, created in
only five years, is connected to Palazzo Vecchio via the famous Vasariano corridor, and with Palazzo
Pitti, home of the Royal Palace. The building was originally built for the offices of the aristocracy but it
was soon used for art collections. With the death of Vasari and of Cosimo I, the
Granduce Francesco I, decided to use the upper floors of the building as a gallery
and in 1581 commissioned elegant grotesque fresco decorations in the oriental
corridor. In 1584, he had the "Tribuna" built byBernardo Buontalenti, where the
most precious works of art were kept and already open to the public on request in
the '600's. The successor of Francesco I, his brother Ferdinando I, enriched the
families collection and enlarged the building. During the XVII and XVIII centuries,
the fresco decorations of the volts in the western and northern corridors were
completed, using Florentine glories as subject matter and the Palace was enriched
with a "Vestibolo" (1704), presently used as an exit to the stairs of Buontalenti. Last
century the external decoration of the palace with the twentyeight famous Florentines was completed
(1835).

The Collections. The collection's history and the successive acquisitions by the Gallery, starting from
Francesco I, is strictly connected to the antiquarian interests of the Medici family. In 1737 Anna Maria
Luisa de' Medici restricted the Uffizi collections to the city of Florence. During the Granducato of Pietro
Leopoldo a great rise in the acquisitions took place. Fortunatly the requisitions of the French
Revolution affected the Gallery very little and during the 800's, also following the uniting of Tuscany to
Italy in 1859, the Uffizi acquired state dimensions.

The Works. Exhibited in the Gallery are numerous works of Italian and European master pieces. The
rooms dedicated to the Senese paintings include the "Annunciazione" by Simone Martini (1333) and
the works by Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti: the Pala of the "Beata Umiltà" by Pietro and the
"Presentazione della Vergine al Tempio" painted by his brother Ambrogio. Dedicated to Giotto is
another room, with works by Taddeo Gaddi, by Giottino (the famous "Deposizione dalla Croce"),
by Andrea Orcagna (the Polittico by Ognissanti). The international Gothic is represented by the works
of Lorenzo Monaco (l'Adorazione dei Magi, 1422) and above of all by the refined and elaborate table
of Gentile da Fabriano which depicts the same subject matter and is considered almost the stereo
type of taste and desire of the time. The 400's is still documented by the important table
of Masaccio and Masolino, the "Madonna col Bambino e Sant'Anna" which are paired with the
"Incoronazione della Vergine" by Beato Angelico and the "Battaglia di San Romano" by Paolo
Uccello. A lot of space is dedicated to Filippo Lippi and the paintings of the mid 400's : the
"Incoronazione della Vergine", painted by the master, and between 1441 and 1447 are some works by
the Pollaiolo brothers and the "Ciclo delle Allegorie delle Virtù",
executed by the only Piero. The lively cultural climate tied to Lorenzo il
Magnifico is shown in the works ofSandro Botticelli: "Pallade e il
Centauro", "Primavera", "Nascita di Venere", "Adorazione dei Magi",
"Madonna del Magnificat" and that of Melagrana, apart from the other
paintings from the last part of the artist's life, marked by the
restlessness caused by the sermons of Savonarola ("Incoronazione della Vergine" and "Allegoria della
Calunnia"). There are many works by the Tuscan manierists, (the "Mosè che difende le figlie di Jetro"
stands out done in1523 by Rosso Fiorentino and the "Cena in Emmaus", work ofPontormo) whilst
Venitian art from the XV and XVI centuries has been given a lot of space : here is the "Allegoria sacra"
by Giovanni Bellini, the "Ritratto di Capitano con scudiero" by Giorgione and works byTiziano (to
whom an entire room is dedicated). Important works from the 600's, amongst which the "Bacco" and
the "Sacrificio di Isacco" byCaravaggio, as well as some canvases by Rembrandt (Self portrait 1634
and Ritratto di Vecchio) and some paintings from the 700's (Canaletto,Piazzetta, Tiepolo, Guardi)
are in the final part of the exhibition. In the 'Vasariano' corridor there is also an extensive collection of
self portraits by artists from the XVI to the XX century.

Cortina D’Ampezzo
The most talked about ski resort in Italy, loved by the international jet
set, Cortina is the pearl of the Dolomites, to go there is a party game,
to live there is a privilege. Set in a hollow and surrounded by the
suggestive scenery of the harsh peaks of the “Pallid Mountains” as
the man who discovered these peaks , Dolomieu, called them,
this Bellunese town situated at 1224 metres of altitude has an
incredible charm which enchants both those who come to admire the
panorama and those who come in search of sports, worldly or cultural
events. The streets, the houses and its high class shops are, in fact,
the destination for refined and demanding
tourists and personalities from the world of
politics, culture, show business, sport and
fashion.

The small village in the area of Belluno

has moved from agriculture to elite
holidays in the space of forty years but without building any
high rise blocks. This metamorphosis began with the
Olympics of 1956,since then Cortina has
offered sports facilities at a very high
standard.As well as ski-mountaineering and
long-distance skiing, those searching for
something more adventurous can try a ski
trampoline or a bob- track. There’s also
an Olympionic ice rink. Frequented in the
summer too, in the hotter months of the year
Cortina offers numerous sports opportunities.
It becomes a meeting point for lovers of
trekking and mountain excursions.

Unoaerre Museum
The Unoaerre traces the history of jewelry by exhibiting Belle Epoque creations, items from fifties’
experimentation of new diamond and stone technologies, the sixties’ abstract lines, the eighties
volumes and the nineties’ minimal design. Its exhibits include pink, low carat gold jewels of the
twenties decorated with pearls and colored glass as well as thirties “wreath” bracelets decorated by
shiny facets rubbed by a glass-polished steel wheel.
Poorer metals were used in the war years : the jewels of that time were mostly silver plated. After the
war there was a return to “real “ jewels, especially “knitted” bracelets and necklaces. A decade later
the trend turned to lighter designs, the most popular being empty, micro-fused, enamel jewels
decorated with rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds. This is also when the world of art started
approaching the world of business and big companies. The most famous designers are Bino Bini,
Francesco Messina, Emilio Greco, Carmelo Cappello, Mirella Forlivesi, Franca Tosi and Anna Vita.
The seventies marked a boom of chain jewels. The style was inspired by a geometric and abstract
design of “historical avant-garde”. Yellow gold, white gold and silver were often decorated by hard
stones. Later gold became too expensive, skyrocketing the popularity of silver used for voluminous
jewels. Gold, however was still used for lighter jewels in thin web designs at times colored in white and
pink.