Most visitors who walk between Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta in Padua see the Palazzo della Ragione from
Venice never had a Renaissance the way Florence did, and it never really wanted one. While the rest of Italy
Most Americans know Galileo as the man who got in trouble with the Catholic Church for saying the Earth orbits
Spend enough time looking up in Venice — genuinely up, past the window boxes and the laundry lines — and
Most American visitors who make it to Padua come for the Scrovegni Chapel and never realize they’re standing a few
Most visitors to Venice have a mental list of what counts as a monument: churches, palaces, bridges, maybe a museum
Most Americans planning a trip to Venice don’t realize that two hours north of the lagoon, the flat Veneto plain
Ask a first-time visitor to find Calle dei Fabbri on a map and you’ll usually get a confused look —
Most Americans who’ve had a glass of Prosecco have no idea it comes from a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That’s
Every visitor to Venice eventually stands on the bank of the Grand Canal and wonders how to get to the
Most visitors who reach Peschiera del Garda come for one reason: it’s the prettiest, most convenient stop on the southeastern
From Bare Earth to Herringbone BrickThe Venice we photograph today, with its uniform grey stone streets, wasn’t always paved at
Most Americans know Verona for one thing: a balcony that never existed, belonging to two teenagers who never existed either.
1. Chiostro di Sant’Apollonia — The Oldest and QuietestIf you want proof that peace still exists a few hundred meters
Not Mooring Posts — A Recognition SystemThese poles are called pali da casada, and here’s the detail that surprises almost
I’ve been taking American travelers to Padua for almost thirty years, and I still remember the first time I stood
From 6,000 to 600At the Republic’s peak, Venice depended on a staggering number of these structures. A census taken in
Ask most American visitors what comes to mind when they picture the Veneto, and you’ll hear canals, gondolas, maybe vineyards.
If you’ve ever admired a building in the United States with a columned portico and a symmetrical, temple-like facade, from
Venice doesn’t have a coastline in the way most cities do — it has fondamente and rive, the paved walkways
I'm Igor Scomparin. I have been a Venice graduated and licensed tour guide since 1997. I will take you through the secrets, the history and the art of one of the most beautiful cities in the World.
