Italy

According to the Australian architect Harry Seidler, the Baroque was one of the high points of Western architecture. Ragusa takes us back to that age like a time capsule, to exuberant façades where architecture and sculpture become one.Architecturally speaking, Sicily could almost be divided into regions. Palermo and its surroundings are shaped by

Twenty-four hours on the island of Capri where the Faraglioni finally got their turn — but the hotel, the lemonade and a whirlpool had plans of their own.The first time I saw Capri, it was under a grey sky and Christmas lights. The sea was grey, the streets were decorated for Christmas, and Capri felt more like a winter excursion than the Mediterra

Caserta had to fit between an evening flight and a fast ferry to Capri. I hadn't expected the most useful man that morning to be a driver with a digital translator and a very personal interpretation of royal history.I came to Caserta for the Reggia di Caserta, but gave myself about as much time as if I had come only for pizza. I flew from Trieste t

Exploring Catania on foot through its palaces, churches and fish market, with Bellini along the way, pasta alla Norma at dinner and rather too many reasons to miss my train.When Venus and Mars make love, Vulcan rages in the depths of Etna, spewing his pain into the sky. Fire rains down on Catania, but Liotru, the mighty black elephant, takes the go

A cancelled flight, a flooded detour and two radically different Violettas led to an Addio del passato that made the Arena disappear.By the time Vasilisa Berzhanskaya reached Addio del passato, the Arena no longer felt like an arena.A thread of voice crossed row after row without appearing to grow any louder. I had travelled to Verona to discover w

A journey beyond the Hollywood myth, through inland Sicily and roads that made a battered town sign feel like a summit Table of contentsThrough the corn to SalemiAn Accidental Stop in SalemiAfter SalemiWhen the Road Fell ApartThe signThe town behind the nameHow a Parallel Authority Took RootThe Museum I Failed to EnterWhat remained Morning in Mar