Santa Caterina del Sasso clings dramatically to the rocky cliff on the east side of Lake Maggiore. The hermitage was founded in the 12th century by Alberto Besozzi, a wealthy local merchant. After surviving a brutal storm while crossing the lake, Besozzi decided to stay here and live out his life in peace. Besozzi constructed […]
Tag Archives | Italy
Verbania Market
Markets are the best way to get a feel for a region and Verbania is no exception. The Saturday morning market is worth seeing simply for the food. Unless you’re in the market for underwear or street vendor-quality clothing, you’ll spend most of your time marveling over humungous cheeses, fresh pastries and cured meats.
Hotel Pironi, Cannobio, Italy
This welcoming hotel is housed in one of Cannobio’s oldest buildings, a 15th-century palace that was also part of a Franciscan monastery. The building is especially recognizable for its prow-shaped exterior, parting two roads leading down to Lake Maggiore. Throughout the building, some of the ancient features remain such as original frescoes, brick tile floors, […]
La Collegiata di San Vittore
This church sits in the middle of Cannobio and was built in the 18th century over an earlier medieval Romanesque church. The Romanesque bell tower is from the 12th century. The neoclassical façade is from the 19th century. The spire was rebuilt in the 20th century. Of course, the main attraction here is the Holy […]
Il Santuario della SS. Pietà di Cannobio
The Sanctuary of the Santissima Pietà was constructed to commemorate a dramatic event: The Miracle of the Holy Rib. What happened? In 1522, a painting of a Pietà (a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus) began to emit blood and tears. The next night, in the same […]
Cannobio
When you wind eastward through the Alps from Switzerland into Italy, the first lake you will encounter is sprawling Lake Maggiore and rustic Cannobio, a village on the west bank. You’ll recognize it by its sun-faded colorful buildings and pebbled streets. Since there are only about 5,000 residents, it’s noticeably quieter than the larger, more […]
Hotel Gabbani, Lugano, Switzerland
My husband and I like staying at boutique hotels to get some local flavor, and family-owned Hotel Gabbani serves it up in a literal way. The Gabbanis have been a Lugano fixture since 1937, selling gourmet, mostly local, food products. The hotel is above the cheese shop/wine shop/bakery/café, Bottega del Formaggio, which is across from […]
Basilica di San Fedele
Basilica di San Fedele was constructed in the 6th century, though its façade was rebuilt in the 20th century. The rose windows and frescoes are from the 16th century. The church is designed in the Lombard Romanesque style. It has a unique circular layout with three apses and three naves. The basilica is dedicated to […]
Duomo di Como
Como’s impressive marble Duomo was designed by Lorenzo degli Spazzi. Construction began in 1396 and lasted 300 years. It’s considered the last Gothic cathedral in Italy. Though its style is mostly Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and baroque elements are also present. It was built on the ruins of the Romanesque basilica dedicated to Santa Maria Maggiore. […]
Como
The small city of Como lies at the southern tip of the southwest arm of Lake Como. Look closely and you’ll see a few remaining city walls from the 12th century. The streets’ grid design is courtesy of Julius Caesar, who did a bit of urban planning after the Romans moved in in the 1st […]
