In this fantastic GoPro capture by Cristian Perrella, we see the crystal clear Lago del Matese in Caserta in the south of Italy. What a beautiful landscape to canoe through! The image was selected as GoPro’s photo of the day earlier this year.
Lago del Matese can be seen on a map by entering the following coordinates: 41.415942, 14.387835
In this beautiful night-time capture by Jacopo Martocchi, we see fog illuminated by the city lights of Chiavenna, Italy. The artificial light gives the fog a ‘lava-like’ quality.
Chiavenna is a city (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region of Lombardy. It is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Milan and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,263 and an area of 11.1 kilometres (6.9 mi). The surrounding alpine region is known as Valchiavenna, located to the north of Lake Como.
Valchiavenna is traversed by the rivers Mera and Liro and can be divided into three parts which branch from the confluence of these rivers.
In this lovely capture by Luca Casartelli, we see Isola San Giulio (or San Giulio Island) on Lake Orta, in the region of Piedmont in northwestern Italy. The island measures 275 metres (902 feet) long by 140 metres (459 feet) wide. The most famous building on the island is the Basilica of Saint Giulio, close to which you can see the monumental old Seminary (1840s).
The little island, just west of the lakeshore village of Orta San Giulio, has very picturesque buildings, and takes its name from a local patron saint (Julius of Novara), who lived in the second half of the 4th century. [source]
Boat rides to the island are available year-round. According to comments on TripAdvisor, a round trip will cost about 4 euros.
Here’s an interior view of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa you don’t typically see. Taken by Salena Lettera of The Daily Rant, we see the worn marble steps that lead to the top of the tower.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a freestanding bell tower whose tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure’s weight. Completed in 1372 after 199 years of construction, the height of the tower is 55.86 metres (183.27 feet) from the ground on the low side and 56.67 metres (185.93 feet) on the high side.
Made of marble and stone, it is 296 steps to the top of the tower and there are seven total bells [source]. You can read more about Salena’s journey to the top on her blog.
Seen here is the famous 142-step staircase of Santa Maria del Monte in Caltagirone, Sicily, Italy. Each step is decorated with a different ceramic mosaic.
Each year for about a month (typically May – June), potted plants are creatively arranged on the historic steps to create a giant artwork for Scala Infiorata (the Scala Flower Festival). The flower festival is held in tribute to Our Lady of Conadomini, the patron and protector of the city. This year’s artwork was created by Angelo Murgo and comprised of about 2,000 plants and flowers.
In this perfectly framed photograph by Sam Javanrouh, we look skyward from a beautiful courtyard in Siena, Italy. Sam took great care in locating the absolute center of the courtyard and must have been laying on the ground (or had a tripod that could look straight up), as the angle is perfect!
Siena is a city in Tuscany and its historic centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic centre is one of the nation’s most visited tourist attractions. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year. [Source]
In this stunning sunrise capture by James Brandon, we see the village of Riomaggiore in the famous Cinque Terre region of Italy. Brandon recalls:
“Out of the five little villages in the Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore is probably the most quaint as well as the most dramatic. This image was made at sunrise and was manually blended together from three separate exposures. A quick exposure for the sky, a long exposure for the town to capture the starbursts in the light sources and another quick exposure to freeze the boats in place in the water.”
Riomaggiore is a village in the province of La Spezia. It is the first of the Cinque Terre and the most southern of the five villages which are all connected by trail.
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy. “The Five Lands” is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Source]
You can see more of James’ fantastic photography on his website, Twitter and Google+. James has also recently published an eBook for photographers entitled, Tack Sharp. It provides techniques and tricks to help you get consistently sharp images.
If you use the discount code SIFTER you will get a $2 discount and Tack Sharp can be yours for $7.97
Vernazza is a town and commune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic and remains one of the truest “fishing villages” on the Italian Riviera. [Source]
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. “The Five Lands” is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Source]
Located in Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy, Domus Civita was purchased in 2011 by architect and Studio F owner Patrizio Fradiani. The house’s main structure was part of a larger building that was divided up in the 20th century but was originally built in the 14th century.
While the original stone fireplace, wooden beams and terracotta floors are breathtaking, it’s the underground caverns that are most captivating. Carved into the soft volcanic tufa stone, a series of tunnels and caves dating from the middle ages and Roman and Estrucan times can be accessed from the ground floor.
Fradiani cleaned and restored the caves and grottos, converting the spaces into a meditation room, art gallery, wine cellar and pool with hot tub. There is also a second kitchen that leads out into an incredible traditional Italian garden set in front of a stone cliff (photo #9).
Connecting two of Milan’s most famous landmarks (The Duomo and La Scala) is the famous glass-vaulted arches of the Galleria. Formally known as the ‘Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II‘, the street is covered by an arching glass and cast iron roof. A landmark in its own right, the Galleria is a sight to behold.
Below you will find photographs of this beautiful street along with information and background sprinkled throughout. Enjoy!
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a double arcade in the center of Milan, Italy. The structure is formed by two glass-vaulted arcades intersecting in an octagon covering the street connecting Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Scala.
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. The idea of an arcade containing shops began in France in 1798 with the Passage du Caire created as a tribute to the French campaign in Egypt and Syria.
It was appreciated by the public for its protection from the weather, noise and filth of the streets allowing people to stroll in safety and comfort in a forerunner of the shopping mall. [Source: Wikipedia]
The Galleria is named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. It was originally designed in 1861 and built by Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1877. [Source]
_-_n._4608_-_Milano_-_Ottagono_della_Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuele_ca._1880.jpg "historic photo of the galleria in milan from the 1800s")
The Galleria’s has two entrances. The entrance above is the Piazza del Duomo and the entrance below is the Piazza della Scala. The Galleria connects two of Milan’s most famous Landmarks the Duomo and La Scala.
The Duomo is the cathedral church of Milan, Italy. It is dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente (Saint Mary Nascent), and is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Cardinal Angelo Scola. The Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete and is the fourth largest cathedral in the world. La Scala is a world renowned opera house inaugurated on 3 August 1778.
Inside the Galleria, all the commercial activities must display an insignia with gold writing on a black background. [Source]
In the central mosaic there is a depiction of the bull from Turin Coat of Arms. The tradition tells that if a person put its right heel on the bull’s genitals and turn on himself three times, this will bring good luck. This practice has caused damage to the mosaic and a hole has developed on the place of the bull’s genitals. [Source]
The structure of the Galleria is 32 metres high (105 ft), comprises 353 tonnes of iron utilised for the skeleton of the cover, and its octagonal-shaped roof reaches a height of 47 metres (154 ft). [Source]
More than 130 years after its inauguration, the four-story arcade includes elegant shops selling most things from haute couture and jewelry to books and paintings, as well as restaurants, cafés, and bars.
The Galleria is famous for being home to some of the oldest shops and restaurants in Milan, such as the historic Biffi Caffè, founded in 1867 by Pastry Chef to His Majesty Paolo Biffi and (in 1882) the first Milanese café to install electric lighting, the Savini restaurant, the silverware store Bernasconi and the Art Nouveau classic Zucca’s Bar.
Today, the Galleria is the site for many luxury goods shops, including Prada, Massimo Dutti, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, as well as fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s. [Source: Wikipedia]
