Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Maria Shollenbarger selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter La Nave is a high plain that sits at 1,100m on the north-western slope of Mount Etna in Sicily Some locals say the name – “ship” in Italian – comes from its shape stretching like a prow towards the island’s interior Others claim it was christened by boatbuilders for the Duke of Bronte who supposedly sourced timber from its chestnut forests for his fleet where La Nave’s tall trees once stood today there’s a vineyard – a single hectare of ungrafted and very rare Grecanico Dorato and Albanello vines Enrico Buonacore’s Milanese power-dining destination Sonia Spadaro Mulone at Vigna Monte Ilice on the slopes of Mount Etna © Roselena Ramistella“What’s interesting about them is the obsessive research of piè franco [European rootstock], common on Etna due to the volcanic soil, but not necessarily a priority for other winemakers, and their use of Grecanico Dorato and Albanello, which are almost extinct,” says Marco Lami a consultant and sommelier who created the wine programmes at the Four Seasons Il Palagio and Cibrèo the altitude”: Grecanico Dorato is known to thrive best when planted above 1,000m “Sonia’s wines – in particular her whites – are such a reflection of her own purity and search for perfection,” adds Jon Moslet, a wine collector and co-owner of Rocca delle Tre Contrade the private Etna estate with a world-class cellar where Skye Gyngell and Merlin Labron-Johnson “She now represents a new young generation on Etna:  alchemists trying to capture the wild energy of the volcano and perfecting – or aiming to control – the transformation of rock into liquid gold.” Calì eventually invited Benanti himself to sample her 2014 vintage of Millesulmare “He said it was one of the best wines on Etna,” Spadaro Mulone tells me flushing with a blend of pride and embarrassment at Vigna Monte Ilice © Roselena RamistellaWe are at Monte Ilice climbing a steep path between rows wreathed in the fresh green of early summer They are predominantly Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio common red grapes here; minuscule bunches that will eventually turn a rich purple are just beginning to peek out from under leaves blurred in haze; ahead of us is an old palmento a traditional Etna farmhouse that the Mulones are restoring as an experience and tasting centre – an extension of the large sleek new canteen that has just been completed onsite Check your internet connection or browser settings “I really wanted to find another historic vineyard,” she says of Monte Ilice I wanted to do something with that same fil rouge of history and heritage but with a red wine Monte Ilice was owned by this wonderful farmer He had divided it into 11 parcel-like strips one intended for each of his 11 nephews.” Reconstituting the property was a delicate process developing land that’s inside the protected Etna national park Pre-phylloxera vines at the Mount Ilice vineyard © Roselena RamistellaBut the value was clear old vines – some of them are 170 to 180 years old,” she says as we veer off into a sparser section of the vineyard we call them.” She stoops to indicate classification labels that students from the University in Catania have attached here and there: Lucido Terribile (“because it was somehow a bit more resistant to the phylloxera infestation”) Spadaro Mulone is part of a newer generation of makers – and one of a handful of women – working in and around  Sicily’s oldest denomination: Etna DOC Etna is like no other wine region in Europe: its borders range from 400m to 1,000m depending on whereabouts on the volcano you’re standing The differences in soil composition from one contrada to another can be huge; likewise the thermal vagaries (Etna gets more rainfall than the rest of the island – anecdotally as much as six times the average Sicily-wide – is snow-capped in winter and often bakes in the 30s in July and August) great Tuscan superstar Andrea Franchetti; Angelo Gaja who partnered with Alberto Graci on Etna in 2016 Nor is Spadaro Mulone the only one making exceptional wines outside the confines of the DOC; here a days-long eruption spewed lava a thousand metres skyward from Voragine crater and tonnes of ash settled across Etna’s south and eastern flanks the flow didn’t go in our direction,” says Spadaro Mulone “And actually there’s an upside in that there’s a huge quantity of new was that the airport closure [at Catania] meant tourists weren’t able to reach parts of the island including us.” She’s referring to the new canteen at Monte Ilice complete with its organic native roof garden the palmento and another historic farmhouse for private tastings and dinners and an extraordinary mural along one long lava‑stone wall depicting the full spectrum of biodiversity on Etna which she commissioned the Peruvian artist and eco-activist Zelva to create Linguaglossa village, on the north side of Mount Etna © Roselena RamistellaBut she’s also talking about Casa Decima where the Mulones have introduced another thoughtful permutation of hospitality we drive for 45 minutes around the northern perimeter of the volcano passing through towns with tongue-confounding names – Passopisciaro past profusions of astracantha and soapwort and swaths of bright yellow broom a quick turn down a dirt drive opens onto Casa Decima: breathtaking vista The chef’s table at Casa Decima vineyard in Contrada Nave © Roselena RamistellaRecommended known for miles around both for the excellence of her cooking and for her encyclopedic knowledge of traditional recipes and all things edible on Etna A long table is beautifully set with local ceramics; menus written on parchment are rolled and tied with olive and rosemary sprigs crochette on a bed of nutty pesto and chickpea-flour flatbread a limited-edition sparkling white with the barest hint of dosage made from a tiny parcel of Casa Decima vines just visible through the picture-pane windows delicately smoky aubergine parmigiana; a pasta alla norma on herbed ricotta with a crown of crispy breadcrumbs; involtini di carne studded with grape leaves true to the land it’s held on and the winemaker hosting it: Etna the old vines flare green in fugitive sunlight Maria Shollenbarger stayed as a guest of Zash Country Boutique Hotel (zash.it) Visit santamarialanave.com for information on private tastings and hospitality experiences part-time Etna resident and owner of Rocca delle Tre contrade nominates four other female winemakers to know Winemaker Sonia Gambino in her vineyards near Maletto © Stefan WesselSonia Gambino Winemaker Alice Bonaccorsi of Valcerasa © CFAlice Bonaccorsi made its first commute in Santa Maria a Monte Jetson co-founder Tomasz Patan flew his Jetson One from his home to the office 4.8 km away—reducing his commute time by 88 percent the fully-electric Jetson One has a top speed of 63 mph (55 knots) and a total flight time of 20 minutes on one charge which happens to be enough for Patan to fly to work “Our long-term goal is to democratize flight We firmly believe the ‘eVTOL’ is the future for mass transportation We are committed to making this a reality,” Patan said Prince Albert II of Monaco recently unveiled the Jetson One to the public The eVTOL won the Best in Innovation Award at the 2022 Vivatech Europe’s “biggest startup and tech event.” READ MORE: Meet Jetson One: The eVTOL Aircraft You Build Yourself While Jetson’s entire 2022 production is sold out you may still be able to reserve one  for 2023—at an estimated cost of $92,000 but Jetson president Peter Ternström told FLYING it’s nothing to worry about the Jetson One is designed for recreational purposes “The scope of the project is not to solve big issues like urban mobility or air taxis or something like that,” he said Registration for the Vertical MRO Conference in Kelowna B.C. is now open! Click here to learn more. the Jetson team completed the “first-ever eVTOL commute.” Jetson co-founder Tomasz Patan piloted the Jetson ONE as the Jetson team waited in anticipation for the aircraft’s arrival at the Santa Maria a Monte facility in Tuscany The eVTOL commute reduced the commute time by an impressive 88% Jetson described the flight as a breakthrough for the emerging eVTOL sector and the rapidly growing eVTOL company The Jetson ONE was unveiled by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco on Thursday June 9 The ceremony marked the first time Jetson ONE was seen in public since it entered the market in late October 2021 “Our long-term goal is to democratize flight We firmly believe the ‘eVTOL’ is the future for mass transportation We are committed to making this a reality,” said Tomasz Patan The Jetson ONE is constructed of a race car inspired lightweight aluminum space frame and Carbon-Kevlar composite body reaching a top speed of 63 miles per hour (102 kilometers per hour) It runs on a high discharge lithium-ion battery and can carry a pilot’s weight of 210 pounds (100kg) “The Jetson is built like a formula one car for the sky and incredibly fun to fly the flight stabilization system we developed makes flight super easy We can make anyone a pilot in less than five minutes,” said Peter Ternstrom This press release was prepared and distributed by Jetson Aero and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Bell 525 Walkaround: The First Commercial Fly-by-Wire Helicopter Bell 505 Contact seller for price Year: 2022 Click on the button below to send an email to our team and we will get to it as soon as possible Have a story idea you would like to suggest The museum is next to the Archaeological Area. On the ground floor, the room dedicated to the patron saint, the Blessed Diana Giuntini, celebrated with the traditional and heartfelt Procession of the Breadbaskets every year on Easter Monday Diana was a young woman who chose to live in poverty despite her wealthy family in the village Although rare and later iconographic evidence shows her wearing a monastic habit she was never a member of any religious order Here we find both the 14th-century document that mentions a hospital dedicated to the Blessed Diana there is an exhibition of the miracle of the transformation of the bread that Diana wore in her apron into roses and flowers The first floor houses the archaeological itinerary displaying finds from excavations carried out in the Lower Valdarno area from Roman times to the Middle Ages Virtual tour Sign up for our Newsletter! How to join as a member Privacy | Note legali Jacob is your community news reporter covering the Santa Maria Valley the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will consider approving a project for sidewalk repairs along Lakeview Road in Orcutt We spoke with neighbors in the area as well as District 4 Supervisor Bob Nelson to find out why the repairs are needed “How often do you walk here on Lakeview?” we asked David Monte of Orcutt Monte says the sidewalks in his neighborhood are in good shape for the most part but his biggest concern is the lack of them but if you go on the other side of Hillview there are no sidewalks at all,” he explained the incomplete sidewalks on Lakeview Road have led to pedestrians walking in the bike lane or even in the street A vote of approval from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors could relieve the issue we have had incomplete infrastructure in the Orcutt area so we are currently working to knock that out,” said District 4 Supervisor Bob Nelson Nelson tells KSBY he plans to vote in favor of the project which would complete construction of a continuous sidewalk on Lakeview Road from Bradley to Orcutt Road this is the same route I used to walk home from Lakeview Junior High myself over 30 years ago,” Nelson said the proposed sidewalk improvement project would also include the construction of gutters and ADA enhancements to driveways facing Lakeview says he is glad to know his usual walking route could be getting safer that can’t be worse than less sidewalks,” he added The Board of Supervisors will consider approving the project on Tuesday Its total cost is estimated at around $400,000 The church’s spiralling ramps and staircases lead to an external amphitheatre  was installed in the spot where Michelucci had initially planned for a bell tower to be built  The curving concrete seats of the internal amphitheatre The external amphitheatre offers up views of the surrounding valley and mountains Fragments of the town’s 18th-century Santa Maria Assunta church which stood on the site of the current church Michelucci chose an exposed pinkish-white reinforced concrete to create a continuity with the rocky outcrops of the surrounding mountains The church’s many convoluted staircases and twisting passageways take visitors from the crypt museum up to the external amphitheatre Giovanni Michelucci’s concrete Church of Santa Maria Immacolata in the Italian Dolomites is a reverently uplifting memorial to the victims of a local disaster Arriving at Longarone on a slow train from Venice zigzagging up the Piave Valley into the jagged heights of the Dolomites the visitor is faced by a gruff modern road and the unresponsive façades of indifferent 1960s buildings Why would anyone build like this in such an eagle’s nest setting A two-minute walk from the station explains the out-of-place character of this mountain town in a small bus station square is one of the most extraordinary of all 20th-century European churches composition and presence to every other building in Longarone it’s as if a meteorite has crashed and trying to raise itself from fractured ground has morphed into some otherworldly formation Comprising a pair of intersecting and spiralling concrete amphitheatres – one internal the other external – the Church of Santa Maria Immacolata a late-flowering masterwork by Italian architect Giovanni Michelucci Santa Maria Immacolata is both a parish church and a memorial to the 1,450 citizens of Longarone killed on the night of 9 October 1963 by a megatsunami caused by a landslide crashing into the nearby Vajont Dam triggering a 250m-high wave that engulfed the town a force of air on a par with the power of a nuclear bomb hit Longarone first the buildings seem disappointing when first seen from the railway station From the church’s external amphitheatre you can look towards the disused Vajont Dam is known as the ‘Walking Mountain’ while its very name in the local Friulian dialect means ‘soggy’ or ‘rotten’ sits in counterpoise to the rugged mountain landscape.  well crafted as a visitor should expect of a building by an architect born into an Arts and Crafts tradition Michelucci’s family were craft metalworkers from the pre-tsunami church – found in the Piave River miles to the south – surprises you from a votive altar A poignant crypt reached from the ramps shrouds architectural and decorative fragments from the earlier church Santa Maria Immacolata is sombre and haunting a journey of the soul up to the mountains and down again along an enigmatic architectural path was a master of commemorative and solemn architecture realised in unexpected ways Who could not be surprised by his earlier autostrada church set at the intersection of the A1 and A11 motorways on the fringes of Florence?  Its sinuous copper roof covers the asymmetric stone-clad concrete building like the folds of a Biblical tent while the columns supporting the roof form a mesmerising architectural grove Where else can you find a motorway service area like this it asks those parking here to pray for the souls of the 164 workers who died building the Autostrada del Sole escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox Under the patronage of a much-impressed Marcello Piacentini – Mussolini’s favourite Italian architect – Michelucci worked in Rome on the new university and on EUR the imposing southern entrance to the city that opened in the guise of an Expo in 1942 and it was wartime damage to Florence that pushed Michelucci in a wholly new direction When his ideas for the rebuilding of Florence were rejected – he stood against the ‘museumification’ of the city – he took up the post of professor of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Bologna and began to experiment ever more radically with design What should the contemporary architect’s relationship to history be was the limit before architecture became arbitrary Michelucci experimented with the design of elemental vernacular churches that – giveaway concrete elements aside – might be from almost any century and created buildings with ambitious open spaces set under equally adventurous roofs (including one for a Pinocchio theme park near Pistoia) Santa Maria Immacolata took Michelucci’s quest for new types of structure and space into the realm of It is certainly worth making a design pilgrimage to Longarone In an otherwise visually prosaic town centre Michelucci has shaped an architectural odyssey a true laboratory of space aligning the man-made with the uncertainties of nature beyond those forbidding mountain peaks.  He has been Architecture and Design Correspondent of the Guardian and Architecture and Design Editor of the Independent He began his career with the Architectural Review He is currently writing Architecture + Flight with Norman Foster a study of the art of British house building a story of Venice during the Second World War The Procession of the Paniere (Baskets Procession) in Santa Maria a Monte represents the traditional religious festival in honor of the patron saint Blessed Diana Giuntini It takes place every year on Easter Monday the event doubles with events also scheduled for Tuesday are carried on the heads of ladies accompanied by knights The flowers recall the miracle of the Blessed: the transformation of the bread The event commemorates the transfer of the body of the Blessed Diana The Procession of the Paniere begins at 6:00 pm in Via Costa near the ancient church of San Dalmazio and reaches the Collegiate Church of San Giovanni Apostolo ed Evangelista the year in which the castle and the parish church were destroyed by the Florentines the body of the Blessed was instead transferred to the church of San Dalmazio the body was finally moved to the current Collegiate Church guided tours of the “underground town“ street theater entertainment for adults and children with dramatized guided tours.There are four museums that can be visited: the La Rocca Archaeological Area the annexed Beata Diana Giuntini Civic Museum the house in which the poet’s family lived from 1856 to 1858 from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Lower Valdarno ItalyChevron Massimo De Santis/Getty ImagesSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links these 20 small towns are worth visiting on your next trip to Italy Read our complete Italy guide here This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date once a hotspot for movie stars and other celebrities Now a member of the Leading Hotels of the World the resort still hosts a film festival every summer in honor of its cinematic past The coastal town of Portofino has long been a favorite escape for the rich and famous in search of a bit of dolce vita glamour. It also has a wealth of excellent hotels like the Splendido, a Belmond Hotel and the Grand Hotel Miramare It's less than an hour's drive to the port city of Genoa (the birthplace of pesto and focaccia) The only town on the Isola di San Pietro off the coast of Sardinia Carloforte is a hidden gem with gin-clear water and some of the most laid-back beach clubs in Italy The town was settled in the 1700s by Ligurian sailors who painted the buildings pretty pastel colors it’s always been an important center for tuna fishing so the restaurants in town serve tuna in more ways than you can imagine You won’t find five-star luxury resorts here but if you’re an intrepid traveler who wants to get off the beaten path On a limestone cliff that slices into the ocean the tiny town of Polignano a Mare—known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”—is one of the most romantic spots in all of Puglia Spend a day exploring its sandy bays and inlets via boat or simply get lost in the town's winding whitewashed streets and admire the statue of hometown hero Domenico Modugno the singer most famous for the song “Volare.” You wouldn’t know it from the amount of tourists in the high season but the population of Positano is well under 5,000 people Yet the cliffside village on the south of the Amalfi Coast is one that lingers in the imagination John Steinbeck wrote for Harper’s Bazaar after visiting in 1953 It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” Spend your days here boating to discover blue grottos and hiking past groves of round Make sure to pay a visit to the Museo Archeologico Romano under the domed Church of Santa Maria Assunta to see the remains of a Roman villa with vibrant frescoes that are even better preserved than the ones at Pompeii a member of the Leading Hotels of the World with a sleek white design and a Michelin-starred restaurant run by American journalist Elizabeth Heath and her Umbrian husband Paolo Marchetti is the first company bringing slow tourism to the town and giving travelers a chance to experience countryside pleasures like an olive harvest Sperlonga was the former hideaway of many Roman emperors, and it’s no wonder: The tiny town’s pristine beaches, rich greenery, and proximity to Rome—just over an hour by train—make it the perfect weekend escape which is set among the ancient ruins of Emperor Tiberius’ old villa located at the tip of the promontory on which Sperlonga is built Vernazza is the steepest and loveliest of the Cinque Terre villages Its streets are lined with signature candy-colored houses and enough gelaterias to do your own tasting tour while the town itself slopes down to a small sandy beach and Cinque Terre's only natural harbor you’ll find the most impressive vistas at Belforte an iconic seafood restaurant inside an 11th-century castle at the tip of the harbor the town of Monte Isola sits in the middle of one of Italy’s prettiest lakes you’ll need to drive an hour and a half from Milan then take a 20-minute ferry ride across the lake from the town of Iseo—but it’s well worth the effort The quaint town boasts many excellent trattorias and the beautiful Madonna della Ceriola chapel There are few villages with a skyline as iconic as that of San Gimignano—its 13 medieval tower houses rise from the ground like a prescient New York City. The historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site within which visitors will find many examples of Romanesque and Gothic architecture; outside sloping hillsides are covered in groves of olive trees (Did we mention the town is known for its gelato?) Nicknamed the “Pearl of the Dolomites,” this charming mountain village has long drawn well-to-do Italians and more than a few celebrities to ski on its slopes when it hosts the Winter Olympics in conjunction with Milan cozy up in a traditional rifugio or baita and enjoy some Vov (an alcoholic drink similar to eggnog) and apple strudel The center of town is full of designer stores as well as a few historic shops where you can buy Italian wool or cashmere sweaters The town of Barolo is so tiny you could blink and miss it except that it draws oenophiles from around the globe to its world class wineries There are more than 500 wineries in the Barolo region including trailblazing estates like Gaja and historic wineries such as Damilano there are some major contemporary art installations in the area Don’t miss the Cappella del Barolo with brightly colored exteriors painted by Sol LeWitt and interiors by David Tremlett who also painted the Chiesetta di Coazzolo Located on a little peninsula jutting out into Lake Garda Sirmione is considered one of the lake’s prettiest towns It’s worth climbing up the tower at the 14th-century Castello Scaligero for wonderful views of the pastel buildings set against the turquoise lake Sirmione is also known for thermal baths and the Grottoes of Catullus an archeological site that may have been owned by the Roman poet Catullus One of the prettiest towns in the Castelli Romani, where the nobility built their summer homes in the hills to escape the heat of Rome, Castel Gandolfo is home to the papal summer palace which Pope Francis opened to the public for the first time in 2016 You don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the beautiful setting The town is perched above Lake Albano and at D.O.C you can sip a Spritz while sitting on a low stone wall overlooking the lake sit down for a leisurely meal at a fraschetta the traditional no-frills spots known for porchetta (slow roasted pork) Castel Gandolfo is just 45 minutes from Rome by train but feels a world away Another one of the Borghi Più Belli d’Italia, Guardiagrele is nestled in the foothills of the Maiella mountains in Abruzzo one of Italy’s most unspoiled regions (a third of it is preserved as national parks) This little medieval village is known for craftsmen specifically forgers who work with cast iron and metalsmiths who create intricate filigree jewelry Nature lovers can go hiking in Maiella National Park or drive 40 minutes to the coast to bike on the Via Verde many of which have been turned into restaurants up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints who approved decrees related to 6 new Venerables the Pope recognized the heroic virtues of a priest an Italian-born Salesian missionary in Ecuador; Mother Mary Catherine Flanagan an Italian-born religious of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; Sr a Portuguese-born religious of the Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; Teresa Enríquez de Alvaredo a Spanish-born laywoman and mother of four; and who lived in Spain between the 15th and 16th centuries was brought up as a child in a household full of faith she married a minister of the sovereign at her family’s request Her steadfast faith and love for Jesus in the Eucharist led her to detach herself from the glamour of the Spanish court to devote herself to prayer and charitable activities where she led a life of austerity and worked on behalf of the poor and marginalized She acted as a mother and educator for boys left orphaned due to plague and famine and worked to revive the worship of the Blessed Sacrament She also managed her family’s wealth intelligently and prudently allocating it mostly to works of charity and the construction of places of worship She also used it to help establish several confraternities and in recent times her example has been re-evoked at Eucharistic Congresses where for 59 years he carried out initiatives to promote evangelization Carlo became well known both for his qualities as an evangelizer – combined with a genuine Christian witness – and for his reputation as a scientist especially in the fields of botany and archaeology The cornerstones of his spiritual and missionary life were the Eucharist and Mary Help of Christians whom he tried to imitate by spreading the faith especially among young people Carlo devoted himself to the ministry of confessions going so far as to spend as much as 17-hours-a-day in the confessional Mother Mary Catherine Flanagan was born in London in the late 1800s and became a religious of the Order of the Most Holy Savior of St Maria Elisabeth Hesselblad – proclaimed a saint by Pope Francis in 2016 – had reconstituted the Order of St she devoted herself mainly to relations with Lutherans and managed to fit into a difficult environment thanks to her generous and helpful manner she was animated by great fervor and always ready for charity toward the suffering and needy and died six years later in Stockholm amid excruciating pain though she edified all around her by her example of patience born as Amelia Rossi in Lisignago in the Italian province of Trent was still in her teens when she began her novitiate in the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Pula in 1906 always eager to faithfully fulfill God's will she experienced the hardships of her Congregation’s journey and numerous physical sufferings but she always trusted in the Lord and endured trials with patience while preserving inner peace Her generosity distinguished her in the field of education so much so that she became a point of reference for both students and their families also benefited from her assistance and support she also deprived herself of necessities in order to donate them to the needy was a laywoman who lived in Capriana in the 1800s Her family of birth was very religious and taught her the truths of the faith and the labours of the mill and the fields she gave herself to assist the poor and suffering and cared with her mother for those who fell ill from a serious and infectious epidemic Her condition was then diagnosed as severe anorexia A month later she received the sign of the crown of thorns on her head She made her experience of such extraordinary phenomena into an opportunity for prayer and self-offering She bore the stigmata painfully and by keeping out of the public visibility She felt a special belonging to the Lord and His Cross and bore witness to His love a Portuguese laywoman from the island of Madeira who lived between the 19th and 20th centuries entered the Congregation of the Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to devote herself to the sick She carried out her service and apostolate in several communities where she was esteemed by her religious sisters and experienced a unique spiritual phenomena which she hid from others and lived in humility she was characterized by a remarkable capacity for self-control which stemmed from her extraordinary intimacy with God she was able to face difficult situations brought about by her precarious health condition She passed away at the age of 66 on 18 December 1963 Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here With a 360° view sweeping from Chianti to Amiata and from Cetona to Montagnola thanks to its architectural and scenic merits Surrounded by a forest of centuries-old cypress trees fortified village probably founded by the Longobards whose landscape is typical of the magnificent Crete Senesi area Monte Sante Marie is located right in the middle of the famous dirt road that bears its name and that constitutes the most spectacular and challenging section of the Strade Bianche a key turning point of the race both physically and psychologically It opens with a steep climb and it’s full gas from that point onwards This is where both Tadej Pogačar and Tom Pidcock placed their decisive attacks in 2022 and 2023 respectively It is an 11.5 kilometre torture for the riders: on top of the undeniable technical difficulties due to the non-stop ups and downs the dust raised by the bikes ends up in the eyes and nose of those in the back let’s not forget that a good 4.5 km of the 11.5 km of Monte Sante Marie are uphill This would be enough to explain why Monte Sante Marie has always played such a decisive role in the history of the Strade Bianche this section was tackled with only 54 km to go when the riders’ legs had already done their fair share of hard work in the dust Even when the decisive attack did not arise something crucial and exciting would never fail to happen One of the most memorable editions was that of 2021 the one won by Mathieu Van der Poel with the powerful attack on the wall of Via Santa Caterina in Siena fans will also remember the great tussle on the gravel road of Monte Sante Marie at the end of which a five-star group featuring Van der Poel A clash of titans that fans could only dream of with the route change designed for the 2024 edition the location of Monte Sante Marie within the race will be a little different from what we are used to thus about 18 km further away from the traditional location The change of strategy among the various teams will be one of the most interesting things to find out Should the riders tackle this section with the usual energy or approach with a little more care and strategy one thing is for sure: there is no hiding from Monte Sante Marie Monte Sante Marie si trova proprio a metà della famosa sterrata che porta il suo nome e che unendo le antiche vie Scialenga e Lauretana costituisce il tratto più spettacolare e impegnativo della Strade Bianche Proprio lì è nata l’azione decisiva che ha permesso a Tadej Pogačar di vincere l’edizione 2022 e lì si è sviluppato l’attacco di Tom Pidcock perché se non sei davanti sei accecato dalla polvere alzata dalle biciclette e a tutto ciò si unisce la difficoltà tecnica di guidare sullo sterrato e il dislivello Degli 11,5 km di fuoristrada di Monte Sante Marie con punte di pendenza che toccano anche il 18% Basterebbe quindi questo a spiegare perché Monte Sante Marie sia sempre risultato così decisivo nella storia delle Strade Bianche quando i corridori avevano già 130 km di su e giù per le strade e gli sterrati senesi Anche quando magari non è nato l’attacco decisivo quella che riduceva il gruppo a quei 10-15 corridori che si sarebbero poi andati a giocare la vittoria Una delle edizioni più memorabili è stata quella del 2021 quella vinta da Mathieu Van der Poel con la celebre staffilata sul muro di Via Santa Caterina a Siena ma gli appassionati si ricorderanno anche la grande bagarre sullo sterrato di Monte Sante Marie al termine del quale si formò un gruppetto a 5 stelle non si è più visto dopo quell’edizione della Strade Bianche Con il cambio percorso studiato per l’edizione del 2024 la collocazione di Monte Sante Marie sarà un po’ diversa da quella a cui siamo abituati quindi circa 18 km più lontano dalla collocazione classica se prima c’erano “solo” 3 tratti di sterrato dopo Monte Sante Marie prima di andare all’arrivo Sarà quindi interessante vedere se i corridori decideranno di affrontarlo alla garibaldina come hanno sempre fatto oppure in attesa dell’anello con il doppio Colle Pinzuto e Le Tolfe Anche se dovessero affrontarlo un po’ più piano rispetto al solito ciò non toglie che il gruppo ne uscirà fortemente segnato e qualche indicazione su chi potrebbe vincere la Strade Bianche 2024 le avremo comunque non ci si può nascondere da Monte Sante Marie went to Monte San Giusto to see the Crucifixion preserved in the small church of Santa Maria della Pietà and the vision of that painting (which strongly impressed Wivel who saw it for the first time in person) gives rise to the idea of dedicating two films to the work which the Municipality of Monte San Giusto has had made on texts and with readings by Dal Pozzolo (for the Italian audience) and by Wivel (in English They were packaged by young videomaker Gionata Cantolacqua based on the directions of the two authors The work tries to make the general public understand what treasure is preserved in the small town in the province of Macerata: with a simple but rigorous reading it aims to be the easiest way to get to know one of the most extraordinary masterpieces of the European Renaissance and perhaps to plan a visit in person to this place where “the painting is bigger than the church.” “This product,” Dal Pozzolo recalled at the press conference "was born at the very moment when the Lorenzo Lotto exhibition was being worked on in a fairly initiated way which had as its pivot Palazzo Buonaccorsi in Macerata thus leaving the works of the territory in the territory In order to better follow the installation work but also to review the works we were supposed to write about my daughter Lavinia and our little dog Sissi) we moved through this territory so beautiful and so little known compared to other areas of Italy and we had the pleasure of being able to do so with Matthias Wivel with whom we had just collaborated for the exhibition on Lorenzo Lotto’s portraits that had the Prado as its first venue and the National Gallery in London as its second venue Matthias came for a few days specifically to have the opportunity to see live works that otherwise would never have been convened within the exhibition One day we happened to be in Monte San Giusto-I had gone there for the first time at the time of my dissertation I also probed Matthias’ reactions: we had been to several wrestling places but perhaps never as in this situation did I catch his great astonishment beyond a dimension of possibility that is obviously proportionate to the number of inhabitants there was a great awareness of the fact that we held a creation that has no particular comparison in Italian and European art of the period and we remained on good terms with the municipality we had the idea of writing a piece for a film We then recorded a text that would match what we were commenting on firing off two separate but somewhat related commentaries differentiated by the fact that I speak in Italian and try to frame the Venetian origin and the context including the psychological context of the execution of this work while Matthias goes into more detail in the reading of the painting and so we had the opportunity to propose to the Municipality of Monte San Giusto a film aimed at Italian fans and a different one that could also entice international tourism to venture into this magnificent region that is also so rich in humanity." “What is really impressive about Lotto’s Crucifixion,” said Matthias Wivel “is that this painting represents an epic work And my goal in writing the text for the video was to capture the most salient details precisely to get a full understanding of the genius that was Lorenzo Lotto What I noticed about the structure is the lengths the diagonals that form a dynamic structure of the painting with the two thieves and what I noticed in the church is that Longinus and this is a detail that has psychological meaning but this is expressing his originality that is also natural and real which causes great emotional amazement: I was particularly amazed by Lorenzo Lotto’s mood also contributed to the development of the Venetian style.” Culture and Tourism of the Municipality of Monte San Giusto can be seen in the church of Santa Maria della Pietà even during Covid period: in fact The alderman also let it be known that as soon as the government restrictions on museums are removed the Museums of Monte San Giusto will also reopen Some sites are still closed due to inaccessibility after the 2016 earthquake but the church and the Museums of Monte San Giusto can be visited (the museums as soon as possible) “The church of Santa Maria,” Spinelli recalled “after a small intervention was immediately reopened within a year after the earthquake and is usable every day: the church allowing us to bring people and tourists also to visit the Museum of Palazzo Bonafede which is located in the basement of the palace where there is a very important collection of ancient drawings and some paintings that have been restored recently and were inside one of our city churches except unfortunately during the red zone phases when we had to keep them closed: we have taken the opportunity to update or to fix some of the arrangements as we are doing now with the exhibition and the Mggiori breakfast where we have replaced some of the display cases with newer products and norm and we will also soon change all the lighting with new LED light fixtures so during the closed period we have taken the opportunity to make some small investments in the conservation of the works the museum facilities are both available for when people return to be able to visit them.” tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence celebrations and vigils accompany the faithful on feast days Let's discover the times of the liturgies in the most beautiful churches in Florence A rich calendar of events in Florence's symbolic place Christmas Vigil and midnight Mass on Christmas Eve Wednesday 25 December Christmas of the Lord: 10 a.m Ernest Simoni with Papal blessing and plenary indulgence Until 24 December Novena in preparation for the Solemnity of the Lord's Christmas the monumental complex is closed to visits The basilica alone is open to the faithful to 12 noon and in the afternoon from 3 p.m The oldest church in Florence on 24 December opens its doors at 10.45 p.m for the Canto delle Vigilie and the customary Midnight Mass On Wednesday 25 December there will be a Mass at 8.30 a.m. In the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella on Tuesday 24 December at 11.45 p.m santa maria novella firenze storia segreti itinerario you can choose the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine for Christmas Mass on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 at 8 a.m. From the one on the cathedral forecourt to the historical one in the Basilica of Santo Spirito: here are the ones to visit museums and truffles: everything you must do and see in San Miniato villages and all there is to discover about one of the most beautiful lands of Chianti Our mini-guide to choose the FAI visits to book province by province All the most beautiful monuments and restaurants not to be missed in the beautiful Val d'Orcia village churches: everything you mustn't miss in San Gimignano palaces and works of art: an itinerary to discover the most beautiful examples of Baroque in Florence Via Francigena we open the first chapter of our travel diary which recounts the entire Via Francigena route in celebration of the 2025 Jubilee.  Stretching over 3,200 km, this historic medieval itinerary crosses five countries (England, France, Switzerland, Vatican City, and Italy), sixteen regions, and more than six hundred municipalities, as we detail in the itinerary and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in France; the cantons of Vaud and Valais in Switzerland; the regions of Aosta Valley For these special regional features created in collaboration with Regione Lazio we’ve chosen to recount and follow the Via Francigena from south to north guiding you through each region to immerse ourselves in its scenic we’ll offer plenty of travel tips about the pilgrimage route with highlights of the stages and some curiosities.  Are you ready to join us on this journey?  The Via Francigena in Apulia has deep roots retracing the millennium-old pilgrimage paths of those who headed towards Rome seeking protection from the Pope and later towards the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo and the ports for the East and the Holy Land and great thinkers pass through over the centuries with the construction of the Via Appia and Via Traiana important road arteries were established connecting Brindisi Brindisi is the starting point for those journeying from the south, thanks to its strategic position as a port for travel to the East. In the city, pilgrims can receive the Testimonium a certificate acknowledging their passage through Brindisi issued at the Statio Peregrinorum as a sign of the completed journey.  where pilgrims visit the Basilica of San Nicola one of the most important places of worship for both Orthodox and Catholic Christianity which were brought here in 1087 from Myra (modern-day Turkey) becoming a major pilgrimage site for people across Europe.  due to the color of the rocks illuminated by the breaking waves Historically known as the “Finis Terrae” of Italy it is here that pilgrims would traditionally stop before continuing their journey to the Holy Land or heading to Rome a symbol of hope and arrival for those who have walked this long path built in the 19th century and the second tallest in Europe at 47m with 245 steps you can enjoy a stunning view from its terrace The Testimonium can also be obtained here at the Pontifical Sanctuary Basilica.  where the heart of the town is the Church of Sant’Ippazio the patron saint and protector of male virility celebrated with the curious Sagra della Pestanaca di Sant’Ippazio – a yellow-violet carrot.  One of the most spiritual points along the Via Francigena in Puglia is Monte Sant’Angelo which has attracted pilgrims since the Middle Ages The sanctuary is located in a natural cave traditionally believed to be the place where St marking the start of a cult that has engaged generations of believers also offers medieval architecture that preserves the charm and sanctity of the past.  drove away the dark forces and saved the sacred place which has since been inviolable and protected by his presence.  Apulia is also a region rich in history and art.  is another fascinating aspect for pilgrims along the route with its imposing façade and strategic coastal location is one of the most famous examples of this style which maintains a sober and austere appearance are other unmissable stops for lovers of medieval architecture.  Lecce stands out as one of the jewels of Italian Baroque art The city is renowned for its splendid historic centre where every corner and façade tells a story of artistic grandeur with its grand portal and intricate sculptural decoration which is distinctive for its use of local stone called carparo giving the churches and buildings a unique Lecce is also the perfect place to immerse yourself in the Baroque atmosphere The natural beauty of Apulia is another crucial element of the journey along the Via Francigena.  A prime example of natural heritage is the Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve one of the most important protected areas in the region The reserve is a zone of great biodiversity home to numerous species of migratory birds and Mediterranean scrub vegetation Its history is also tied to archaeological finds which testify to the passage of ancient civilisations that have left indelible marks on the land.  that is one of the most evocative areas of the region are the emblematic structures of this region the valley is dotted with ancient villages offering breathtaking panoramic views.  Among the most enchanting spots is once again Santa Maria di Leuca with its lighthouse and crystal-clear waters where pilgrims can enjoy a landscape that has united the spirituality of the pilgrimage with the beauty of nature for centuries and the charm of their historical heritage.  Another element that makes the journey along the Via Francigena in Puglia unique is the local gastronomy which reflects the region’s history and traditions.  Among the most iconic dishes are orecchiette a type of handmade pasta from Apulia made with durum wheat semolina These pasta are traditionally served with a sauce made from cime di rapa (turnip greens) a dish that has become a symbol of Apulian cuisine This simple yet flavourful dish represents the essence of Mediterranean cuisine crispy ring-shaped snacks made from an unleavened dough of flour These are prepared by mixing the ingredients into dough perfect for a quick break during the walk.  But no discussion of Apulian cuisine would be complete without mentioning extra virgin olive oil Apulian olive oil is known for its fruity and slightly peppery flavour 2-Day Itinerary (San Giovanni Rotondo – Manfredonia)  3-Day Itinerary (Bari – Monopoli)  6-Day Itinerary (Lecce – Santa Maria di Leuca)  The route from Lecce to Santa Maria di Leuca takes you through the heart of Salento offering a perfect blend of natural beauty If you’re looking for advice on how to reach Lecce, you can find various options here.  If you wish to discover how to return from Santa Maria di Leuca We also suggest checking out FlixBus offers you’ll be eligible for a discount reserved for pilgrims.  Hiking Shoes: Choosing the right shoes is crucial, especially for long distances. Opt for sturdy and comfortable shoes with good breathability and solid foot support. Lightweight hiking shoes are ideal for longer routes. Here are some recommendations.  Backpack: Choose a comfortable, lightweight backpack. Ensure it has adjustable straps and proper ventilation. It is essential not to overload your bag; only pack the essentials. Here are a few ideas.  Clothing: Bring breathable, comfortable, and lightweight clothes. Depending on the season, add a waterproof jacket for protection against rain or wind, and a hat or cap for sun protection. If you’re unsure where to find them, look here.  Trekking Poles: These are extremely useful for reducing strain on the knees, especially during uphill or downhill stretches. Find them here.  Distance and Time: Each day of walking involves distances ranging from 15 to 25 km If you’re not accustomed to walking long distances A good idea is to complete the route over several days you’ll find numerous accommodation options you can also benefit from hospitality at pilgrim refuges especially during peak seasons (spring and summer).  Adaptability: Not all stages are of the same difficulty but rather a personal and spiritual discovery experience.  Water and Food: Always carry a bottle of water with you Some stages of the route may not have easily accessible water sources so it’s important to refill at major stops Sun Protection: The sun in southern Italy can be intense Don’t hesitate to take breaks and rest when needed Muscles and joints may suffer during the walk so taking recovery moments is essential.  Article published as part of the intervention: Fondo Sviluppo e Coesione – Development and Cohesion Plan managed by the Italian Ministry of Culture (Sheet 33 – Via Francigena – Cross-cutting Actions Transmission of project sheet “Communication and Promotion Plan”).  Privacy | Cookie Policy  | Note Legali  © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F Privacy | Cookie Policy  | Note Legali  Powered by ItinerAria Advertiser DisclosureAdvertiser Disclosure 61 Published Articles 3583 Edited Articles Opinions and recommendations are ours alone The Mar Monte Hotel is Hyatt’s upper-end hotel located along the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Barbara There are 2 Hyatt properties in Santa Barbara — the other being the Hyatt Place Santa Barbara — but the Mar Monte Hotel is the definite winner of the 2 This property is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt offering an upscale property with a local vibe The Mar Monte Hotel doesn’t disappoint in this regard and is definitely one of my favorite Hyatt hotels for a stay in California The Mar Monte Hotel is located on the eastern portion of East Cabrillo Avenue at the very end of the road before Montecito you’re probably visiting for the coastal vibe of this town and there’s no better place to be situated than along the Pacific Ocean The Mar Monte Hotel is located at the far end of the strip of hotels on East Cabrillo Boulevard The Mar Monte Hotel is located on the east side of Santa Barbara at the very end of the ocean strip before going into Montecito It’s an approximately 2-mile walk into the heart of Santa Barbara on State Street where most of the restaurants and shops are located While the walk along the water is beautiful (and flat) it can be quite tiresome to walk back and forth especially if you’re looking to eat out multiple times a day the hotel is situated right along the water The ocean was clearly visible outside of my room’s windows though if you’re looking for the true downtown area located at several charging stations throughout the city This hotel does not feature a beach belonging to the hotel itself and the hotel is separated from the city-owned beach by East Cabrillo Boulevard a somewhat busy road during the peak times of the day While there’s not a lot of annoyance with traffic or vehicle noise it’s something to keep in mind if you’re looking for a property that has unobstructed access to the water but it’s only a couple hundred feet to the sand Hot Tip: The hotel is an approximately 25-minute drive from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) and an approximate 5-minute drive to the Amtrak station your best options for transit are rideshare depending on how much luggage you have with you A quick jaunt across East Cabrillo Boulevard brings you directly to East Beach Just steps from the hotel was the Pacific Ocean featuring miles of sandy beaches and paved walking trails From the property, you can take the 4.5-mile long Cabrillo Boulevard Bike Path east to Leadbetter Beach and Shoreline Park or west to Butterfly Beach in Montecito. View the City of Santa Barbara official bike map for a full detailing of area options A paved oceanfront path is perfect for jogging I booked this hotel with a Healthcare Heroes Friends & Family rate (that I am eligible to use) at $129 nightly This hotel typically costs well over $200 a night with most weekend nights averaging well north of $300 a night This hotel is currently a Category 5 hotel, requiring 20,000 World of Hyatt points nightly The hotel has a large entrance that subsequently feeds into the hotel’s parking lot Hotels in Santa Barbara tend to be quite expensive and rates really vary wildly depending on the day and the property There are basically 3 sets of hotels in the area: The most expensive properties actually are usually the ones located right in town since these are walkable to most of the entertainment options Hot Tip: Since this article was originally published, Mar Monte Hotel has moved up to a Category 6 requiring 21,000 to 29,000 points per night This hotel provides a selection of elite benefits that I was able to take advantage of as a top-tier World of Hyatt Globalist member I was able to avail myself of the following: The front desk had glass shields placed between the hotel staff and guests as they checked in late checkout so I advised the check-in clerk of this Breakfast was provided each morning and will be touched on in the later Food & Beverage section the hotel appears to only have 1 internet option that all devices connect to and it was very fast throughout my stay so I didn’t have any issues connecting Throughout the entire hotel there is a Spanish theme and it really makes you feel like you’re on the California coast On this occasion, I wasn’t upgraded because I had already used a Globalist suite upgrade These coupons are given to Globalists upon achieving status and allows them to secure a suite if a standard suite is available the standard suite is the Santa Maria Suite you’ll have to pay the $30 resort fee that includes the following: The lobby features a fun library-type room close to where you check-in featuring comfy sofas and a long reading table they’re still entitled to all of the amenities included though it’s really worth noting that the yoga classes and wine tastings have been suspended due to COVID-19 I did not receive a welcome gift (in this case The hotel features a beautiful courtyard with a fountain — a perfect place to relax after a long day of walking there are a few amenities throughout the property Located directly next to Café Lido is a pool surrounded by deck chairs and tables This pool enough is small enough to relax in but isn’t really large enough to exercise in or do any proper laps The pool is definitely one of the hits of this hotel It is mainly a fun pool and not large enough for laps or exercises Wi-Fi throughout the property is completely free you can simply connect to the network without any issue premium internet package and all guests are simply given a premium package that I never had any issues using The hotel offers complimentary bike rentals They ask you only rent these for an hour at a time to allow other guests to use them it does seem that you need to rent them early to be able to get one as a waitlist builds throughout the day though you’ll want to reserve them early since they tend to fill up fast Near the Santa Maria building is a bocce court and to use it you’ll need to see the front desk for your equipment This area also is a nice lounging spot with couches and chairs where you can bask in the sun Between each of the buildings on the property are sitting areas where you can relax in the sun and the spots are located right alongside all the rooms so it is a very short walk from your car to your room There’s also an underground garage if things get busy You’re given a parking pass to display in your dash to verify that your car is allowed in the lot I’m going to look at 2 different room types since I stayed in this hotel twice within a month The 1 King Ocean View Suite was the entry-level suite at this hotel and is the suite one would receive as a complimentary upgrade as a Globalist I used a Globalist suite upgrade to ensure I was in this larger room This King Ocean View Suite was located in the Santa Maria building of the hotel this hotel has 3 main buildings along the water and then a separate building 2 blocks away called the Palmoro House The Santa Maria building was the closest building to the downtown of Santa Barbara and was about a 1-minute walk across the small parking lot from the front desk The base-level suite at this hotel is located in the furthest building from the lobby If you like to be in the main building of the hotel though the plus side is that it feels a bit more secluded and private since there are fewer rooms on each floor The suite was located on the top floor of the building though I didn’t notice any noise that was bothersome there were 3 distinct sections to the suite: the bathroom The base-level suite at this hotel is called the Santa Maria Suite and it’s certainly nice to be able to spread out in such a large bathroom with enough space to spread out your clothes hit the floor (it appears either the floor wasn’t level or the shower door wasn’t cut properly) It’s a big annoyance when entering the shower the wooden blinds above the tub didn’t close properly no matter how carefully you tried to close them It’s hard to get privacy in a bathroom when it’s possible for folks on the outside to peer in and see the toilet didn’t seem to flush properly throughout the stay — another annoyance but also had an annoying door that wouldn’t fully open all the way there was a desk with a refrigerator built-in It was a comfortable area to sit and relax and admittedly I did take a few naps on the couch While the area was certainly usable throughout the stay I couldn’t help but think that the look and feel of the suite was a tad dated The hotel had undergone a renovation several years prior and it just seemed like the renovations in this room were done on the cheap side I really enjoyed the sitting area in this suite you could open the windows for fresh air and you really felt like you were almost outside and it was nice to close off the living room with a sliding door My 1 complaint about the bedroom is that there were 4 window shades that needed to be closed before going to bed in order to blackout the light and it was nice to be able to close off the bedroom from the rest of the suite for privacy and 2 of the windows were behind the television It was a nightly ritual having to figure out which cord to pull to close which shade and I wish the hotel could have simplified things a bit You could see the awesome sunset from the bedroom I was upgraded to the King Corner Premium View room complimentary as a Globalist member I enjoyed this room so much that I actually requested it to be added to my Hyatt profile as my favorite requested room in this hotel The room was located on the second floor of the main building of the hotel and a short walk down the hall from the lobby Being within the main building is nice since you can have access to all of the amenities all in 1 place there was a small foyer with the bathroom off to the left one of the nicest features of this bathroom the controls were located toward the entrance allowing you to turn on the shower without getting wet I liked how the bathroom and bedroom were in completely separate parts of the room One issue I did notice in the bathroom was a lack of ventilation there wasn’t an adequate system in place to get rid of the steam so I found myself often opening the window above the toilet to try and not make the bathroom a sauna The bathroom in this corner room was enormous and had both a tub and shower This bathroom had a stand-up shower and a soaking tub Having an option of both a bathtub and a shower in a non-suite room is really a great feature There was plenty of space to walk around between each of the pieces of furniture and I didn’t find it tight at all On the bed stands were built-in outlets for charging your devices This corner room featured a large king bed perfect for those who don’t like small bedrooms By far the greatest part of this room was the walk-out balcony which was almost as big as the bedroom itself There were 2 chairs and a table on this balcony yet plenty of room leftover to walk around and look down on the pool below and the ocean just across the road The balcony was a great place to be in the evening to watch a gorgeous Santa Barbara sunset and throughout the day I left the doors open for a nice breeze There’s no question that the greatest part of this corner room was the oversized terrace only Café Lido was open for breakfast and lunch dining (it is typically open to 8 p.m and there were a number of tables under an awning or scattered beside the pool to sit at Café Lido is the Mar Monte Hotel’s outdoor café with poolside seating and a small inside area with tables I always found the service here to be great and there was never a time where I was without a drink refill there were all of the basic entrees — eggs The breakfast selections here are quite varied and include everything from eggs to avocado toast to patties there does appear to be confusion over what was included in the breakfast here While the Hyatt terms and conditions provide for an entrée this hotel has initiated an arbitrary $24 limit which in many cases is not enough for these same items combined I have reached out to Hyatt to inform them of this discrepancy but you’ll want to keep this in mind when visiting For those trying to start their day off healthy Costa Kitchen and Bar is the other restaurant on-site and will offer a combination of Italian food mixed with California flare The restaurant is reopening in Spring 2021 after a lengthy closure This is the type of full-service restaurant you’ll want to go to for a nice meal whereas Café Lido offers more casual options in a poolside atmosphere The service at this hotel was very friendly and certainly welcoming One of the great features I enjoyed about this hotel is a text request service where you can message the front desk with any requests I used this a few times throughout my stay to request housekeeping services housekeeping was not automatically provided daily but I requested service a few times and it was provided without any issue I found the staff at Café Lido to be incredibly friendly and I’ve found that always to be the case on every previous visit I’ve had as well They’re just so attentive and really want to provide a great breakfast experience The hotel was doing a number of things to help slow the spread: Social distancing markers lined the floor to encourage guests to remain apart I didn’t really notice any hand sanitizer pumps throughout the hotel so I think there definitely could have been more stations offered Mask usage seemed to be compliant throughout my stay both from a staff and fellow guest perspective — I didn’t notice any issues One of the things that I think encouraged mask-wearing on-site is the fact that the hotel is located in a very temperate climate allowing the hotels to keep doors and windows open throughout the hotel Posted throughout the property are signs encouraging mask usage The Mar Monte Hotel is definitely one of my go-to hotels in the Santa Barbara area and provides relatively large rooms for guests to stay in and the staff is friendly and accommodating of any requests Be warned that this property can get expensive depending on the season; Santa Barbara is in high demand with tourists so you’ll want to book your room early to ensure you have a place to stay If you’re looking for a hotel with a beach vibe Self-parking is available onsite for $20 a day The parking lot is located right beside the hotel rooms so it is very easy to access and some rooms feature the most prized amenity of all Most rooms at the hotel feature a similar décor and include the same fixtures The hotel is located approximately 2 miles from downtown Santa Barbara (where the majority of restaurants are) and a 30-minute walk to the main shopping and dining district at Montecito The only dining establishment currently open is Café Lido a breakfast and lunch restaurant that is poolside at the hotel James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter We respect your privacy. 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Visit Florence’s famous museums and galleries for free, eat authentic Tuscan food in markets, and then head to a free film screening or dance performance during which time visitors can visit a litany of the city’s museums The price also includes unlimited use of buses and trams It’s a good buy for visitors planning strategic and intense museum-going Additional perks include free Wi-FI access and priority entrance to sites DJ sets accompany a nightly aperitivo and there is free yoga every Wednesday called La Specola has a creepy collection of centuries old anatomical wax models made for medical researchers Full-priced tickets to each museum cost €6 and the family ticket costs just €13 for parents and up to four children which permits admission to all museums in the university’s circuit a 19th-century experimental garden and greenhouse hosts initiatives that promote gardening and biodiversity Across the river in the Oltrarno district Luca Cai serves a similarly meaty menu at his osteria-tripperia Il Magazzino (Piazza della Passera 2) Andrea Orcagna’s tabernacle enshrines an icon of the Madonna and Child The statues on the building’s exterior are copies 06-17-2022DESIGN A new book by photographer Jamie McGregor Smith highlights the important role that architecture played in the Catholic Church’s mission to bring people back after WWII [Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith/courtesy Hatje Cantz] BY Elissaveta M. Brandon After World War II, religion in Europe was declining and the Catholic Church turned to architecture for a fresh start: Out with the gilt and the traditional symbology In an upcoming book, British photographer Jamie McGregor Smith tells the story of these little-known modernist churches, which were built in the 1960s and ’70s. Titled Sacred Modernity, the book, which is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter features striking images of over 50 Catholic churches in Austria The collection is an ode to concrete and modernist architecture but it also nods to the important role that architecture played in the Catholic Church’s mission to bring people back to the church “[The Catholic Church was] fashion-sensitive through necessity,” says Smith of its decision to embrace the modernist trend after a vast number of churches were destroyed during the war Eglise Saint-Nicolas, Hérémence, Switzerland; Walter Maria Förderer, 1971 [Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith/courtesy Hatje Cantz]Unsurprisingly, the Catholic Church’s go-to material was concrete. For one, because Western Europe was broke But there was something else: The church wanted to convey a more austere image compared to the meticulous craft and gilding associated with its historical counterparts ‘We understand what it’s like not to have this wealth,’ and it was a conscious decision to reflect this using this material,” says Smith tumbling cascades of concrete blocks make up the interior of the Church of St the Temple of Monte Grisa boasts a striking tessellated concrete structure evoking the letter M for Mary 1958 [Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith/courtesy Hatje Cantz]Concrete was fashionable but the Catholic Church’s quest for a new image went beyond the material Pope John XXIII called for a Second Vatican Council to address the changing relations between the Church and the modern world Smith says only a few sentences were dedicated to the way new churches should look but those few sentences led to a radical revision 1967 [Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith/courtesy Hatje Cantz]The traditional cruciform layout with a longitudinal hall and rows of pews facing the altar at the end were abandoned in favor of a more inclusive layout In the British Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral the altar is located at the heart of the building they hoped to make people be interested again in the social necessity of religion or having somewhere to get together,” says Smith 1968 [Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith/courtesy Hatje Cantz]Some have succeeded more than others the Saint Florian church now doubles as a concert venue with a permanent light rig But the majority of the book’s photos show striking spaces devoid of life Smith says that’s reflective of the period the photos were taken but he says the emptiness also shows that church attendance in Europe is declining “So what do we do with these spaces?” he asks 1973 [Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith/courtesy Hatje Cantz]Ultimately Sacred Modernity showcases the changing role of the Catholic Church from a place of religious communion to a place of community but “if you don’t replace religion with something else that can bring communities together “Part of me thinks you don’t have to be religious to see the benefit of social architecture—and in a way The final deadline for Fast Company’s Brands That Matter Awards is Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. Elissaveta is a design writer based in Brooklyn. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Wired, CityLab, Conde Nast Traveler, and many others More Fast Company & Inc © 2025 Mansueto Ventures Fastcompany.com adheres to NewsGuard’s nine standards of credibility and transparency. Learn More the Santa Maria della Scala Museum Complex presents the exhibition Sienese Art From the Late Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century in the Collections of Monte dei Paschi di Siena.The aim of the exhibition is to tell the story of Sienese art from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century presenting to the public masterpieces preserved in the collections of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena masterpieces by such masters as Pietro Lorenzetti Cesare Maccari and Fulvio Corsini will be on display through which we will have the opportunity to retrace Siena’s ancient bond with the figurative arts through some great artistic personalities and the collections of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena which are inextricably linked to the city and its memory The collections consist of a huge number of paintings, sculptures and furnishings, mostly of the Sienese school from the 14th to the 19th century but there is no shortage of 20th-century forays They are the result of a prolonged historical sedimentation which began with commissions from a public institution founded in 1472 and continued in times closer to us with important acquisitions and with the setting up of museum spaces in the ancient church of San Donato inside the historic headquarters in Piazza Salimbeni The collection has also been increased thanks to nuclei of works from the banks incorporated over the years and with the acquisition of part of the Chigi Saracini Collection of Siena among the most important private collections in Italy which is still preserved in the palace on Via di Città the exhibition will present a thoughtful selection focusing on the major testimonies of that world-famous Sienese school Produced by the Monte dei Paschi di Siena Foundation the Municipality of Siena and the “Antico Ospedale Santa Maria della Scala” Foundation with the scientific project and organization by Vernice Progetti Culturali-Impresa Sociale the exhibition will be realized by Opera Laboratori with a sustainable set-up oriented on materials and techniques that limit the impact on the environment as much as possible An official website of the United States government Watch Live at 11:30 a.m. ET: Results of Nationwide Law Enforcement Effort Press Conference View the latest ICE guidance on COVID-19 Get information about how to check in with your local ICE Office here Reportándose con ICE: Obtenga información sobre cómo reportarse a su oficina local de ICE aquí View in other languages Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE to report suspicious activityReport Crime Learn More About ICE ICE's ERO officers uphold United States immigration laws by focusing on individuals who present the greatest risk to national security View the annual report Media Inquiries the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated This information is archived and not reflective of current practice LOS ANGELES – A convicted rapist and a previously deported cocaine trafficker are among the 188 individuals arrested in the greater Los Angeles area by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations officers during a five-day expanded enforcement operation that concluded Wednesday targeting at-large criminal aliens which was spearheaded by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division had prior criminal convictions – see table below The statistics cover all of ERO’s arrests in the greater Los Angeles-area from Saturday through Wednesday *Note: criminal aliens with multiple prior convictions are categorized based on their most serious conviction The just concluded operation targeted public safety threats such as convicted criminal aliens and individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws including individuals who re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered deported by federal immigration judges At least eight of the individuals arrested during the just concluded enforcement action now face federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison Those not being criminally prosecuted will be processed for removal from the country Individuals who have outstanding orders of deportation or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported are subject to immediate removal from the country The arrestees (177 men and 11 women) included nationals from 11 countries The arrests occurred in six Southland counties and 64 communities ICE deportation officers conduct targeted enforcement operations every day in locations around the country as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls During targeted enforcement operations ICE officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and Since President Trump signed the Executive Orders (EOs) regarding immigration enforcement priorities ICE has arrested more than 41,000 individuals nationwide who are either known or suspected of being in the country illegally a nearly 40 percent increase over the same period in 2016 Almost 75 percent of those arrested during this period in 2017 are convicted criminals with offenses ranging from homicide and assault to sexual abuse and drug-related charges ICE officers made 2,273 administrative arrests during that timeframe For media inquiries about ICE activities, operations, or policies, contact the ICE Office of Public Affairs at ICEMedia@ice.dhs.gov. Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb 47 of which are cultural sites and 4 of which are natural sites The Valcamonica Rock Drawings were the first site in Italy to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site The Valcamonica Rock Drawings are located in the Province of Brescia The site is located in the mountainous area of Lombardy and is the location of one of Earth's greatest collections of known prehistoric petroglyphs (rock drawings) The Valcamonica Rock Drawings site has more than 140,000 different symbols and figures that were carved into the rock on both sides of the entire valley over an 8,000 year span The symbols and figures at the site range from themes of agriculture This site is important today as it represents a remarkable emblematic documentation of the prehistoric customs and mentality of humans from an earlier era It is also important to the study of prehistory The Castel del Monte was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 The Castel del Monte is located on a rocky hill that rises above the rest of the surrounding area The castle was built by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250) and was completed in 1240 The castle was a unique piece of architecture for the medieval period as it had a perfect octagonal shape and its layout was built using mathematical and astronomical precision to reflect Emperor Frederick II's vision for the building The architecture of the castle is also noted for combining a blend of elements from the classical antiquity of the Greeks and Romans the northern European Cistercian Gothic and the Islamic Orient This was a reflection of the diverse court of scholars that the emperor had brought on from throughout the Mediterranean region Today the Castel del Monte stands as a symbol of Emperor Frederick II as a combination of various elements from the great Mediterranean civilizations and as a distinct piece of medieval military architecture Monte San Giorgio was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 and is one of Italy's four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Natural category Monte San Giorgio is located on the border of Switzerland and Italy but the Italian region of the site in the Province of Varese in the Lombardy Region was not added until 2010 when there was an extension added to the site Monte San Giorgio is a pyramid-shaped mountain that is covered in woods and sits right next to Lake Lugano This site serves as the best known record in marine life during the Triassic Period of between 230 million and 245 million years ago This fossil sequence records the life that occurred in a tropical lagoon environment The site also has some land-based fossils from insects reptiles and plants due to the lagoon's location near land Today the Monte San Giorgio site stands as the main point of reference for any future discoveries of marine Triassic Period remains The Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale and the Arab and Norman sites in Palermo became the newest additions to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy having been inscribed upon the list in 2015 The site is located in the Province of Palermo The sites of Cefalú's and Monreale's Cathedral Churches and Arab-Norman Palermo is made up of three cathedrals two palaces and a bridge from the Norman Kingdom of Sicily The three cathedrals are Palermo Cathedral The three churches are the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio the Church of San Cataldo and the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti The two palaces are the Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel and the Zisa Palace while the bridge is called the Admiral’s Bridge These nine sites together represent the social-cultural syncretism between Western and Byzantine cultures in terms of architecture and artistic decoration that started on the island of Sicily These combined sites are important today as the represent the coexistent of various cultures and religions under the Norman Kingdom of Sicily as well as an interchange of architectural elements that were shared between these different groups The Valcamonica Rock Drawings are vulnerable to a number of different factors as the engraved rock art is exposed to changes in atmosphere and climate as well as the potential damage from pollution or direct human interference from construction activities nearby The site however has managed to keep a high level of authenticity due to the constant monitoring and restoration of the site The Castel del Monte has had its integrity protected since the site had not had any significant structural alteration however the marble and mosaic interior decorative elements have decayed The Monte San Giorgio meets the integrity requirements for a fossil site and has accessible fossil rock exposures There has been a strong collaboration between Switzerland and Italy to protect the site the landscape around the site and to enforced existing management procedures and laws governing the site The Cefalú's and Monreale's Cathedral Churches and Arab-Norman Palermo site haven bee given the given the highest level of protection established by national legislation of the Italian government under the 2004 Italian Code of the Cultural and Landscape Heritage None of the properties at the site suffer from any adverse effects due to human development or neglect from not being monitored All of the aspects of the site maintain good integrity and authenticity photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com A new ranking of the stupidest cities in America names 7 of the "top" 10 reside in California If you're originally from California or are still stuck there, don't get mad at me. This new internet ranking of dumbest places in America comes from Roadsnacks How did Roadsnacks come up with this infamous list Here's the methodology they said they used: By measuring the high school graduation rate of the entire population and looking at the number of educational vs That makes sense even to me and that's saying something. It made me curious how cities in Wyoming would rank. I found a list from 5 years ago that named Mills and Douglas among the dumbest cities in Wyoming based on the same metrics I cast no stones since I'm not exactly genius material either Since I've not been named the sharpest knife in the drawer I don't like name-calling, but facts are facts. A new ranking of the stupidest cities in America names 7 of the \"top\" 10 reside in California.\nRead More If you're originally from California or are still stuck there, don't get mad at me. This new internet ranking of dumbest places in America comes from Roadsnacks How did Roadsnacks come up with this infamous list That makes sense even to me and that's saying something. It made me curious how cities in Wyoming would rank. I found a list from 5 years ago that named Mills and Douglas among the dumbest cities in Wyoming based on the same metrics It’s definitely worth planning your itinerary in advance to make the most of everything the region has to offer – below find a few of our favourite things to do in Tuscany the historic town centre fills with Montepulciano DOC wine tastings from 40 local wineries where you can spend the day soaking up some sunshine venture down to the lively port and enjoy a sea-front spritz at the storied Bar del Porto if you’re looking for delicious spaghetti alle vongole head to I Pescatori in the nearby Orbetello or at Controvento in Porto Santo Stefano Markt in TuscanyGetty ImagesTaste Tuscany’s cucina poveraMany Tuscan recipes are considered cucina povera due to their roots in the region’s rural culture Chianina beef (a breed native to the Val di Chiana area) and Cinta Senese pork (a type of pork exclusive to Tuscany) all typically served with pasta or atop a crostino These are just a few of the many traditional Tuscan dishes you can taste at authentic trattorias across the region Some of our favourites include Ristorante Tullio in Capalbio La Bucaccia in Cortona and Trattoria di Sor Paolo in San Casciano Archways in Abbey of San GalganoGetty ImagesVisit San Galgano AbbeyIn the early 12th century the mediaeval knight Galgano Guidotti erected a chapel in Chiusdino where he spent his last years living as a hermit Cistercian monks built a much larger church in his honour in a striking Gothic architectural style the structure began to deteriorate in the 16th century the remains of the church stand as a testament to how time can transform architecture into a marvel of natural beauty Stroll through the ruins to come across the legendary sword in the stone said to have belonged to the knight himself Natural springs in TuscanyGetty ImagesBathe in the natural springsThe Val D’Orcia area for its stunning green landscapes but the area also treasures a handful of natural springs discovered by the Romans for their healing properties creating picturesque travertine terraces where you can bathe in the warm thermal waters San GimignanoGetty ImagesExplore the pretty hilltop villagesTuscany’s hilltop settlements with ancient stone houses and cobblestoned streets are the best way to immerse yourself in the region’s beauty and rich history Stroll through the mediaeval streets of San Gimignano perched dramatically atop sheer cliffs of rock as well as the Etruscan village of Montemerano whose Giardino dei Tarocchi is an artistic representation of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana with a kaleidoscope of coloured sculptures commissioned by its founder and French artist Niki de Saint Phalle a UNESCO World Heritage site whose beauty has inspired many including the renowned Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli for his film “Romeo and Juliet.” While there visit Palazzo Piccolomini before heading to Marusco e Maria to try the famed pecorino di pienza Golf course in TuscanyGetty ImagesPlay golf in the Tuscan countrysideBetween wining spending a breezy morning on the golf course is a delightful break in the fresh air Renowned for impeccable design and challenging layouts and the 27-hole course at Castelfalfi offer golfers of all levels a chance to enjoy a game amid natural reserves and countryside scenery enjoy a well-deserved spread of Tuscan cuisine and a glass of wine – especially at Trattoria La Stellata at Terme di Saturnia where the bucolic tables offer views of the verdant golf course and beyond For golf enthusiasts seeking an exclusive experience the Rosewood Castiglione del Bosco boasts a brilliant 18-hole course designed by Tom Weiskopf available only to hotel guests and members spelt cultivation and building scarecrows out of recycled materials one of the largest flea markets in the country held in the Centro Convegni Sant’Agostino in Cortona from 24 August to 8 September 2024 a stylish summer home set among pine trees where you can fall asleep to the sound of cicadas Step inside this vintage shop with terrazzo floors and explore its secret underground cellar where cheeses are aged you can shop a bargain at the Ginori 1735 Factory Store The second sector we’re talking about with a famous and decisive sector for the Pro race that will first feature on the route of the amateur Gran Fondo this year the first thing you’ll notice is that Monte Sante Marie comes after nearly 88 kilometres of racing when the legs have already done their fair share of hard work in the dust you’ll see that it comes just after the challenging San Martino in Grania sector and that short strip of tarmac will be a chance to recover a little this is not only the longest sector (at 11.5 km) but also the one with the greatest elevation gain this sector combines the effort of climbing and the technical difficulty (as well as the fun part) of descending you’ll realize that the finish is a further 43 kilometres away with three more stretches of gravel roads to go just as soon as you leave the most difficult The route first takes a nosedive on a narrow humpback road although you never seem to reach the summit this sector is the Strade Bianche in a nutshell: a combination of technique and strength most of the Granfondo will be already behind and a few metres of the final ramp will feel like kilometres for weary legs it would be advisable to stay in the saddle and save your remaining energy (if any) for the final push to Via Santa Caterina One thing for sure is that Le Tolfe is the last gravel sector the final ‘white road’ of the Granfondo Strade Bianche