Split – a Song of Fantasy and Fact

Split is without any doubt one of the most magical cities we’ve visited. No wonder they chose the UNESCO World Heritage classed Diocletian’s Palace – the historical nucleus of Split – as filming location for Game of Thrones. The Roman and medieval ambiance is evident everywhere you turn.

Here are the best places to discover the Game of Thrones sites in Split and beyond – and where you can learn more about its fascinating history.

Douro: UNESCO classed Valley & Millennia of Wine

Birthplace of the sweet Port Wine and home to an extraordinary selection of both red and white wines, the Douro valley is foremost synonymous with wine. And with a 2.000-year-old viticultural history, dating back to Roman times, how could it not?

But there’s more to the Douro than the Dionysian drink: An epic landscape, moulded by millennia of hard work and nature parks, where rivers still run free and wild.

530x304

Top10 Hilltowns of Umbria

Umbria is one of these unique places that has maintained its heritage while keeping culture thriving in these petrified places of history. It’s a place of magic. You can sense it in the cobblestone, labyrinthical streets. You can feel it when you look out upon the landscape.

C.S. Lewis got it quite right when he named the enchanted Kingdom of Narnia after a place right here, in the green heart of Italy. Discover with us the 10 Most Enchanting Hilltop Towns of Umbria.

Four Fab Libraries in Sicily

Benedictine and Jesuit fathers were the founders of the libraries we appreciate today in Sicily. Carefully, they amassed historic manuscripts, numismatic collections and texts pertaining the history of Sicily through centuries, and when they were kicked to the curb, their bibliographical heritage remained.

The most beautiful libraries are located in their Renaissance or Baroque cradles: in ornate abbeys, monastic schools and Baroque churches.
And one right in the street!

Matera – ancient yet happening

By Gabriele Martulli from Visite Guidate Matera – www.visiteguidatematera.com Years may pass, but some few cities retain their ancient charm: Matera, an incredible city carved into the soft tufa rock continues to leave visitors speechless. This unique landscape is unlike anywhere else in the world and looks like a miniature version of ancient Jerusalem. No wonder…

Palermo City Guide

While Palermo has been named Italian Capital of Culture in 2018, this interesting metropolis might prove to be one of your more rowdy Italian encounters. Ruled in turn by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Germans, French and Spanish before finally becoming part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, Palermo is a melting pot of…

San Gimignano – Medieval Manhattan

Already when you gaze the first fleeting glimpses of San Gimignano, as your car curves its way around the Tuscan hills, you realise that this city is different from the other picturesque villages of the region.Over a dozen tall towers stand sentinel in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just imagine what it would have looked…