Category Archives: Lombardy

December 6, 2012 · 10:38 am

Buon Natale: Feast of Saint Ambrose and Holiday Events in Milan Italy

: Image via Wikipedia

Milan was founded by the Gauls in the early 4^th century B.C. and grew rapidly following the Roman conquest in 222 B.C. By 1277, Archbishop Otto Visconti imposed hegemony over the city and 130 years of Visconti rule ensued. Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1351-1402) was a generous patron of the arts and initiated the construction of the magnificent Gothic Duomo made of white marble with 135 spires www.duomomilano.it.

December 7th is the Feast Day of Saint Ambrose, the Patron Saint of Milan. He was born in 339 and consecrated as the Bishop of Milan on December 7, 374. He served as the Bishop until his death in 397. This eloquent bishop was instrumental in spreading

Crypt of bishop Ambrose and two marthyrs, Saints Gervase and Protase. Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio, Milan. (bodies aren’t totally sharp because they are behind a bad quality sheet glass) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christianity and you can visit his mortal remains in the crypt of the Basilica of Sant’Ambroglio.

Drawing based on a statue of St. Ambrose (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He is also the Patron Saint of Bologna. St. Ambrose is one of my favorites because he is the Patron Saint of learning and students., The “Honey-Tongued Doctor” is portrayed with a beehive and bees in his iconography which symbolizes wisdom. He is also the patron saint of candle-makers and bee keepers.

The “Fiera di Sant’Ambroglio” is the city’s antique fair and takes place in Piazza Sant’Ambrogio from December 7-22. This event coincides with “The Fiera degli Oh Bej-Oh Bej.” This is a traditional annual outdoor street market held in Milan to honor Saint Ambrose from December 5th to the 8th. For 400 years it was held in front of the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio, built by Ambrose between 379-386 which is one of the oldest churches in Milan.

Benefattori dell’Ospedale: i Duchi della Milano quattrocentesca (Francesco Sforza e Bianca Maria Visconti) nell’atto di donare al Papa (Pio II Piccolomini) il bozzetto dell’erigenda Ca’ Granda (Photo credit: renagrisa)

This year the Festival will be held in The Square in front of Castello Sforzesco on Via Dante. Francesco Sforza, husband of Bianca Maria Visconti, became lord of the city in 1450. He ruled from the imposing Castello Sforzesco fortress until 1535. Today, the castle serves as a museum. Francesco Sforza built the present castle where the Visconti castle originally stood. The palace contains several art museums. The Torre del Carmine serves to enclose the fortress of the Visconti family. Michelangelo’s famous “Rondanini Pieta” (1564) can be admired in the Castello Sforzesco.

Castello Sforzesco (Photo credit: viiruone)

Mangia and have a “Vino con Vista” at the festival where you buy interesting gifts from over 400 stalls and can enjoy a porchetta sandwich, cioccolato con panna montala (hot chocolate) and some “Vino Brule” (mulled wine).

Here’s a recipe for Vino Brule

A bottle of red wine

1/3 cup sugar

3 cloves

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 stick of cinnamon

1 lemon peel

Stir wine over medium heat. Add sugar to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Salute!!

The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, by night (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

December 7th is the official opening of the Opera Season in Milan at Teatro alla Scala which opened in 1778. Visit the Museo Teatrale that features vintage opera posters and a remarkable array of opera costumes. There will be a special concert on December 6, 2012 with a production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. For tickets visit: www.teatroallascala.org

Attend the Epiphany Parade of the Three Kings from the Duomo to the Church of Sant’Eustorgio on January 6th.

Milano castello sforzesco natale (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Milan has an interesting wine bar called La Cantina di Manuela on via Cadore with outdoor tables for people-watching or a nightcap. Try a Rosso della Costa Collina del Milanese or Bianco dell Costa Collina dell Milanese with some Castel Magno cheese. The Lombardy region’s specialty wine is fizzy Franciacorta. Most of the wineries in Lombardy are outside the heavily industrialized city limits in towns located between the Alps and the Apennines including Bergamo, Sondrio, Brescia, Pavia and Mantua.

Image by underflowR via Flickr

Bloomingdale’s Christmas Tree

Buon Natale and Happy Holidays from www.vino-con-vista.com

Milan – A New Choice on How to Spend Christmas Holidays (vino-con-vista.blogspot.com)
Milan`s Duomo (vino-con-vista.blogspot.com)
What does Milan Italy have in common with New York? (vino-con-vista.info)

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Take the Wine Road in Lombardy: “Strade del Vino”

: Image via Wikipedia

Lombardy is one of the largest regions in Italy. It was one of first regions in Italy to embrace the concept of wine and food tourism. The Alps and the Apennines border this incredible region. Lombardy is characterized by magical glacial lakes, rivers and streams.

River Adda from Crespi d’Adda, Lombardy, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many wine roads in Lombardy. One interesting option is the “Wine and Food Road of the Valcalepio.” There are three different routes in the picturesque Bergamasque region.

Sunrise at Bergamo old town, Lombardy, Italy From the photographer: Cropped to a 16:9 format. Used a 0.9 Hitech soft GND filter and Slik Sprint Pro 2 tripod. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My favorite is the route through Bergamo where you can tour the vineyards on the third Sunday in October. Bergamo means “House on the Mountain” and a cable car penetrates the wall that divides High Bergamo and the historic city center.

English: Country : Italy Region : Lombardy Province : Bergamo (BG) Français : Pays : Italie Région : Lombardie Province : Bergame (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy Italiano: Bergamo – Palazzo Nuovo sede della biblioteca Angelo Mai, Piazza Vecchia e fontana del Contarini (raddrizzata con GIMP). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In high Bergamo visit the Piazza Vecchia. The Palazzo del Podesta Veveziano has frescos by Bramante. In the Piazza Duomo visit the catedral. The Accademia Carrara has an extensive collection that incudes art by Bellini, Botticelli and Mantegna.

English: Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy – Graveyard Italiano: Cimitero di Bergamo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, Italy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You can also visit the Malpaga castle and Crespi d’Adda, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

English: Crespi d’Adda – Bergamo – Italy, cemetery built 1905-1908 – italian national monument Italiano: Crespi d’Adda – Bergamo, cimitero costruito nel 1905-1908 su progetto dell’arch. Gaetano Moretti – monumento nazionale. Nel dettaglio, il faraonico mausoleo della famiglia Crespi, ai cui piedi si stendono, tutte uguali, le tombe degli operai della loro fabbrica-modello. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Crespi factory, Crespi d’Adda (Bergamo), Lombardy, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The regional wines include: Valcalepio Rosso and Riseva, Valcalepio Bianco and Valcalepio Moscato Passito. This region is famous for polenta so try some Coniglio con polenta (with rabbit) or Polenta Cunsada (seasoned). In Bergamo the specialty is Polenta e osei. More regional favorites include Gorgonzola cheese and Bergamo salami. Italy’s best sparkling wine is made in Trentino and the Franciacorta area of Lombardy with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.

Franciacorta

English: Crespi d’Adda – Bergamo – Italy, chimney Italiano: Crespi d’Adda – Bergamo, ciminiera (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To learn more about Italy visit www.vino-con-vista.com.

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Filed under Italy, Lombardy, UNESCO, vino con vista, Wine Tourism in Italy, World Heritage Sites

Tagged as Accademia Carrara, Bellini, Bergamo, Italian wine, Lombardy, Mantegna, Travel and Tourism, unesco, Valcalepio Wine, vino con vista, Wine, Wine Tourism in Italy, World Heritage Site

November 20, 2010 · 12:05 pm

Amazing Art Exhibitions in Italy’s Finest Vino con Vista Cities

: Image by alarcowa via Flickr

If you follow my posts, you read about the Fall Food and Wine Festivals in Italy. Allow me to share some outstanding regional Winter Art Exhibits that you may want to attend in Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage Cities.

Rome:

The Borghese Gallery‘s “Lucas Cranach” exhibit features the German Renaissance painter until February 13th. There were actually two famous “Cranach” painters, Lucas Cranach the Elder and his son Lucas Cranach the Younger. Admire 45 works from major international museums including Cardinal Borghese‘s prized “Venus and Cupid“ which is the only Borghese Gallery possession.

Scuderie del Quirinale‘s “Painter’s of the Risorgimento’s War Scenes.”

Florence:

Palazzo Strozzi‘s “Bronzino: Painter, and Poet of the Medici Court” with 90 works until January 23rd.

Palazzo Pitti‘s “Vinum Nostrum: Art, Science and Wine in Civilization” until April 30th.

The Bargello‘s “Giovanfrescesco Rustici and Leonardo” exhibit links the 15th century sculptor with da Vinci, Verrocchio and others until January 10th.

Milan:

Palazzo Reale’s “Salvatore Dali” with 50 works until January 30th.

Museo Poldi Pezzoli‘s “Sandro Bottecelli Works from Lombardy” until February 28th.

Perusia:

Palazzo Zabarella’s from “Canova to Modigliani: The Face of the 19th Century” with 100 portraits and sculptures until February 27th.

Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides to Italy and Vino Con Vista Travel Guides can be purchased at these sites.

To learn more about Italy read www.vino-con-vista.com Travel Guides.

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Filed under Baroque Art, Bernini, Caravaggio, ebooks, Florence, Italian art, Italy, Italy Travel Guides, Leonardo da VInci, Lombardy, Quirinale, Renaissance Art, Renaissance Artists, Travel and Tourism, Tuscany, UNESCO

Tagged as Art Exhibits in Italy, Bargello, Bronzino, Florence, Galleria Borghese, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Milan, Modigliani Exhibit in Perusia, Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Strozzi, Perusia, Rome, Venus and Amor, Vinum Nostrum Wine Exhibition

April 23, 2010 · 7:58 pm

What does Milan Italy have in common with New York?

: Image via Wikipedia

Milan was founded by the Gauls in the early 4^th century B.C. and grew rapidly following the Roman conquest in 222 B.C. By 1277, Archbishop Otto Visconti imposed hegemony over the city and 130 years of Visconti rule ensued. Gian Visconti (1351-1402) was a generous patron of the arts and initiated the construction of the magnificent Duomo.

Milan is similar to New York because it is the nucleus of finance, business and fashion. Many Italian multinational corporations are headquartered in Milan. The location contributes to the historic significance of trade with countries north of the Alps.

Lombardy’s capital is set at the foot of the Alps and serves as the business capital of Italy. Milan is also the Italian hub of fashion. Designer luminaries grace the catwalks of Milan. The famous monument by Claes Oldenburg’s is a brightly colored “Needle, Thread, and Knots” and symbolizes Milan’s fashion prowess. This interesting sculpture is in Piazzale Cadorna in front of the train station. The city is an upscale shopping mecca.

Visit the Pinocoteca at the Brera Museum and get an audio guide. The museum was founded in 1799 and was transformed into a Napoleonic museum in 1809. The Napoleon I statue by Canova stands in the center of the courtyard. The museum is nestled in a 17^th century palace that was originally a Jesuit college. Most of the artwork in the Brera is from Lombardy and the Venato. The building is also the home of the Accademia di Belle Arti and the Brera Library. Much of the museum had to be rebuilt because it was devastated by World War II bombs. Magnificent works of art by Bellini, Montegna, Caravaggio and Raphael will tantalize your visual senses.

Visit the magnificent Duomo of Milan. Climb to the top of the majestic 14^th century Duomo. It is an outstanding example of flamboyant gothic architecture and measures 479 feet long by 284 feet wide. A golden Madonna surmounts the highest spire that was cast in copper by Giuseppe Bibi in 1774. The tomb of San Carlo Borromeo is in the crypt; he was the cardinal of Milan. The central tower is 354 feet high and offers a breathtaking view of Milan. The mountains are visible on a clear day.

After you climb to the top of the Duomo, relax at a table in the Piazza del Duomo. It is a great place for people-watching and admiring the 135 spires and elaborate statues that adorn the façade of the magnificent Gothic Cathedral. At one of the local restaurants, savor your Risotto alla Milanese, Ossobucco or breaded Milanese veal cutlet as you gaze at the stylish fashionistas in the square.

Conclude your afternoon with a shopping spree at Milan’s famous glass-enclosed shopping Galleria. Visit the elegant Prada boutique www.prada.com or buy a sophisticated Borsalino hat www.borsalino.com in their historic shop. Before you leave the Galleria, it is customary to step on the genitals of the mosaic “Taurus the Bull” on the floor of the Galleria for good luck. Set your sites on La Terrazza on Via Palestro to enjoy an evening of fine food and wine overlooking the public gardens. Try some regional specialties like Tortelli di Zucca, Pizzaccheri alla Valtellinese or Cottoletta alla Milanese.

Plan your trip to the refectory of the convent of the gothic church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It is the home of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” This fresco was painted between 1495 and 1497. The church is an outstanding example of Italian Renaissance architecture crowned by Donato Bramante’s elegant dome. The restoration of the fresco was completed during the 500 year anniversary of Leonardo’s completion of the masterpiece. Reserve tickets well in advance prior to your departure. To learn more about Milan and Northern Italy, read www.vino-con-vista.com Travel Guides and

Vino Con Vista Travel Guides can be purchased at these sites