Salvador Dalì will be visiting Rome

Salvador Dalí was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres, Spain.
Dalí was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters.
Dalí's expansive artistic repertoire includes film, sculpture, and photography, in collaboration with a range of artists in a variety of media.

Dalí was highly imaginative, and also had an affinity for partaking in unusual and grandiose behavior. His eccentric manner and attention-grabbing public actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork to the dismay of those who held his work in high esteem and to the irritation of his critics.
The Salvador Dalì  exhibition investigates the artist's complex personality and multifaceted genius. Organised together with the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation the show adopts a novel approach, giving insight into some aspects of Salvador Dalí which have not been shown before. Light will be shed on an aspect that has so far been ignored by exhibitions and research into Dalí, which is his relationship with Italy.

The exhibition will focus on a selection of outstanding paintings, around which a series of other items, including objects, illustrations, and theatre and cinema costumes, will examine every aspect of the Spanish painter's activities. Documents, photographs, drawings, letters, projects, and objects will all document his journeys through Italy, and his inspirational encounters, like those with Anna Magnani and Luchino Visconti.

The exhibition brings together the figure of the artist and that of the man, giving a complete overview of the genius Salvador, who with his temperamental and biographical eccentricity managed to create a fascinating, intriguing universe of sculptural and literary images that are quite unparalleled.

Visit this fascinating exhibition: Complesso del Vittoriano, Piazza Venezia, Rome from March 9 until July, 1st 2012.

The most romantic city in Italy

Arena di Verona

If you've already seen my post Things you must know when you plan your trip to Italy http://willseek.blogspot.com/2012/01/things-you-must-know-when-you-plan-your.html and want to visit Italia's gem Venezia, you must go and see Verona. Verona is only an hour and a half away from Venezia. I would suggest taking a couple of days to see it. You can take a train from Venezia: train trip will be a lot more comfortable and easier than driving all the way to Verona. 

Because of the value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city preserved many ancient Roman monuments, which were mostly destroyed or heavily damaged by the earthquake of 3 January 1117, which led to a massive Romanesque rebuilding.

The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is one of the great achievements of Romanesque architecture . The present structure is the 3rd on this site, built from 1123–1135, over the 4th century shrine to Verona's patron saint, St. Zeno (died 380). 

Juliet's statue in bronze

When you visit Verona you cannot pass by Juliet's house. This building, originally dating back to the 12th century, was owned for a long period by the Dal Cappello family. Identification of the name Cappello with that of Capuleti began the popular belief - already widespread during the last century - that this was the home of Juliet, mythical heroine of the Shakespeare play, set in Scaligeri Verona. Its current appearance is the result of radical restoration work (1936-1940), during which the windows, gothic-style doorway and famous balcony were all added to the interior facade.

Inside the house are furnishings from the 16th-17th centuries, frescoes, and paintings - all relating to the story of Romeo and Juliet - as well as Renaissance ceramics from Verona. A bronze statue of Juliet by sculptor Nereo Costantini stands in the courtyard.

But above all, the real gem and the best memory of Verona will be its famous Arena.  The building itself was built in AD 30 on a site which was then beyond the city walls. 

Juliet's balcony

Already in ancient times the Arena was famous for its shows and games and attracted people from other regions as well. The amphitheatre could host more than 30,000 spectators.  Every year over 500,000 people see productions of the popular operas in this arena. Once capable of housing 20,000 patrons per performance (now limited to 15,000 because of safety reasons), the arena 

has featured many of world's most notable opera singers. 

I visited Verona only once in August of 2007 and I must say that Giuseppe Verdi's Aida in the Arena of Verona was the most striking experience of the whole trip. 

Watching an opera in the open-air Roman Arena, with the bright August stars above your head and seeing thousands of people holding candles during the performance will be the most romantic memory you will have of Italy. And the city of Verona with the gems like Juliet's house and the Arena will remain forever in your heart.

For more information on the performances visit: http://www.arena.it/en-US/HOMEen.html

Things you must know when you plan your trip to Italy

Colosseo, Rome

A lot of my friends have been asking me about Italy and places they could visit. They made me lots of questions about best places to visit and climate and people.  I will try to sum up all the most interesting facts here.

First of all, when going to Italy, you have to have a clear idea of why you are going: sightseeing, beach time or shopping. Trust me you won't have time to do all these three things in only a couple of weeks. You'll be exhausted and your memories will be blurred.

Capri

Then I would never suggest going sightseeing in summer: too humid and too hot, which is not the best combination for most of the people. Summer is excellent for some great beach time, renting a yacht and late night dinners with your Italian friends.

If you have not been feeling well and have been having heart issues, I would suggest taking advice from your practician before you leave.  My mother has been having high blood pressure and heat never makes her feel better. So, go to your doctor and don't forget your pills. And if you don't feel well, you should know that all Italian drugstores offer their free help in measuring your pressure at any time.

Best places for the beach time: 

• Capri
• Sorrento
• Amalfi/Positano
• north of Sadregna
• Isle of Elba
• Sicily
• Toscana
• Calabria

The most remarkable places for sightseeing:

Naples

• Rome, again Rome and the Vatican. I can never get enough of this city. It's so filled with culture and history, one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in the world.
• Venice. Even if I'm not such a big fan of Venice, I would still recommend you to go there, even for a day. Actually, one-two day trip will be more than enough.
• Naples. Now I know what you've probably heard about it... Naples is magic. You must see it and feel the envy for those who live there and can see this magic scenery every morning. Do you have your window overlooking the Vesuvio, Capri, Ischia and Sorrento at the same time? If you do go to Naples, don't forget to visit the Statue of Veiled Christ (see my post: the most beautiful statue in the world)
• Pompei. Let's just say it: you go to Italy and don't see Pompei? Ridiculous!
• Florence and Vinci. Because we all love and admire Leonardo da Vinci! See more about Leonardo da Vinci at www.ilgeniodavinci.com
• Verona. Go to see the Juilette's house and an opera in Arena. It is magic and you will always refer to Verona as the most romantic city in Italy.
• Small cities make you the impression of the real Italy, so do not miss that chance. Rent a car and drive on! 

So, if you need to go shopping and bring yourself some made-in-italy clothes, go straight to Milano or Rome. Both cities are ideal for luxe shopping. You'll surely have a wonderful time sitting in their fancy restaurants, showing off your fancy clothes.

You should keep in your mind one very important thing: supermarkets and shops close at 12.30 - 1 p.m. and they do not open until 4 - 4.30 pm. We have our own siesta. You should also remember that restaurants do not open until 7 p.m. for dinner. A lot of Russians complain about that, as in Russia we can normally have lunch and dinner at any time you want. 

Venice

Stay away from people talking you into something. Especially if it's a big city, like Rome, Venice or Naples. They can steal your purse, your watch, etc. Well, that happens in all the countries, but still, be prepared.

When I first travelled to Rome I had a very unpleasant accident with my credit card. It was cloned and someone left me without one thousand euro. Unpleasant, but now I can teach you. Remember this one: if you need to get some cash do NOT use an ATM that's in the street. If you find one inside of the bank it's much safer and you won't have to repeat my mistakes.

Taxies are really expensive. Find a way to rent a car. This way you'll be your own master. But be careful when you're driving - Italians are crazy drivers!

I hope this was a helpful information. Contact me if there is something I could help you with. Have a great time in Italy!