THE BLOG
A Renaissance of Thrones
Quite often, during my guided tours in Mantua, I describe the Italian Renaissance as a real "Game of Thrones": powerful families, ruling different lands, quite often fighting each other. The Houses Stark, Targaryen, Lannister, Baratheon, Tyrell and so on, are not so different from the Gonzaga, Este, Sforza, Medici, Borgia and many of the other Renaissance dynasties.
Morricone’s final concert in Mantua
After clocking over 500 movie credits and winning an Oscar at the Academy Awards for the Best Original Score in 2016, the legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone is going to retire from the stage.
16th June: a date to be remembered
"The most beautiful chamber in the world". These words were used by Zaccaria Saggi, a Renaissance courtier, to describe the chamber frescoed by Andrea Mantegna in the Mantua Castle, known today as "The Bridal Chamber", or, in Italian, "Camera degli Sposi".
GELATO!
The months without an R in their name (from May to August) are the best to enjoy a good gelato: when the days get longer and the climate turns hotter, the "Gelato Season" is officially on. First of all, let’s make things clear: although the word "Gelato" is quite often used as the Italian translation for "Ice Cream", the two are not the same thing.
“GRAZIE” Say thanks like the Italians do.
Working as a tour guide, I’ve noticed that there’s a word very difficult to be pronounced by the American clients: “grazie”, the Italian word for "thanks". The most of the time they pronounce it “grazi”, and sometimes, if they can speak Spanish, they try to go with “gracias”, or - in some rare occasions - I've even heard people gratefully saying "greasy", meaning "thanks". [...]
HARRY AND MEGHAN, VISIT MANTUA!
As the world is getting excited for a new upcoming Royal Wedding, VISITMANTUA is going to launch a new royal promotion. In May 2018, VISITMANTUA will mark the occasion of the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle by offering a 50% discount to every couple of clients that includes a person named as the Prince or his fiancée (Harry/Henry or Meghan). [...]