Blog: Discover Italy

Poveglia Island is a small isle located off the coast of Italy, in the Venetian Lagoon, that is considered by many, locals and tourists alike, to be haunted by the restless, tortured souls of victims who previously inhabited the island. In the Middle Ages, the island was used as a Lazzaretto, a maritime quarantine facility, and a place of exile for those beyond repair plagued with diseases. Later, it was used as a mental asylum. The main doctor was rumored to have experimented and tortured the p …

People often ask me why I named my business “The Merchant of Prato”. Well, I am a lover of history and have my Master’s degree in Medieval Studies. An influential businessman lived during this time and he has come down in history as the Merchant of Prato. His name is Francesco di Marco Datini and he lived during the 1300’s in the Tuscan town of Prato, which is about 8 miles northeast of Florence, Italy. He was an important merchant who is created with implementing th …

In Florence, Italy stands an architectural masterpiece Ospedale degli Innocenti (The Hospital of the Innocents) created by Filippo Brunelleschi who designed the iconic symbol of Florence – The Duomo of Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Visiting Florence, one would assume this majestic building must be a palace or a religious institution, however the purpose of this building was a lot less grand. It served as a “hospital” for abandoned children in Florence. Today, we tend to t …

I don’t know how many times I have visited Rome, but each time I discover new places that I have never seen before. I think you could probably spend a lifetime in Rome and never see all the sights. A few months ago, I was in Rome with my tour book in hand and all the locations I had yet to see marked. One was the Basilica Santi XII Apostoli (The Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles), which is the final resting place of the Apostle James The Less and the Apostle Philip. In the past, I had v …