by Helen | Dec 7, 2022 | Interiors
The main bedroom in our house is large. Certainly bigger than any bedroom we’ve ever had before – and keeping it warm and cosy in the winter, is something I work on every year. It’s great in the summer – light, spacious and airy. With the windows wide open and a couple of lovely retro fans at the bedside, we are kept cool. But come a drop in temperature, we do have to work at keeping it warm. Sometimes, in the depths of winter, we’ve given in and moved across the landing to one of the smaller bedrooms, closing up the main room. But I don’t like doing this, because it feels we’re shutting up a large part of the house, and I don’t like that feeling of creeping coldness that you get in rooms you don’t use. So, this year, we are staying put, but are ensuring that this potentially cold room, is the cosiest yet. How are we doing this doing?
Well, new curtains have already had a big impact.
We’ve always had the muslin drapes at the windows – even though we don’t actually need any coverage at all, as we’re not overlooked at all – but they soften the window wall, which is the original stone. Then we added long, cream curtains, which are great over the summer but don’t give that feeling of warmth over the winter. Over the weekend, we stayed in a hotel in Treviso, and our room had long, floor length chocolate brown, velvet curtains – and this got me thinking, so a quick trip to IKEA was done. And there were the perfect drapes…
All of our bedroom furniture is painted duck egg blue, and we have a big standing lamp in the same colour, so when teal velvet was spotted, I knew these would work. And with a drop of 3m, the exact length needed.
These curtains are from the Birtna range and each pack contains a pair. We paid €69.99 per pack and needed two, so not cheap – BUT we figured that if they kept the room warm and cosy, we’d be cutting down on using heaters. They are also black-out curtains and worked well this morning – even in the winter, the sun does shine brightly into this bedroom, but they did the trick. So, not the cheapest – but also, not the most expensive – and definitely worth it for what we wanted…
by Helen | Nov 29, 2022 | Morocco, Travel
Marrakech is absolutely everything we ever thought it would be. We’ve only ever visited in January, as a stop over before journeying across for a longer break on the western coast, in Essaouira. But even in what we would consider to be the depths of winter, that pretty gloomy time just after New Year, it is hot, vibrant, colourful, noisy, chaotic and totally beautiful. Mostly. But more of that later. Wherever you are staying, the point to gravitate towards, is probably Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main square and market place in the medina quarter (old city), which transforms from dawn to dusk.
During the day the square is full of sights. You’ll see monkey trainers who have trained the animals to climb all over tourists, snake charmers and henna tattooists. Whilst you can generally just watch and photograph from a distance, you do need to have your wits about you in the square – we have seen unsuspecting tourists end with a monkey on their shoulders and a friend of ours, who got a bit too close to a snake charmer, found himself with a snake around his neck and having to pay to have it removed. The tattooists can be quite agrressive, too – I had my hand pulled by one, and she had quite a tight grip! Thankfully, I did manage to wrangle my hand free. You’ll also see dentists, who proudly display the teeth they have recently extracted – whilst at the same time offering their dental services. The square is also filled with traditional musicians – they are very mesmeric, and again, if you want to watch and listen, rather then hand over money, keep your distance. You will also find numerous stands selling the most aromatic foods and spices and drinks – a great way to fill yourself up during the day.
If the clamour and noise of the square becomes a bit overwhelming, which it can, it’s easy to escape and find yourself surrounded by peace and quiet, not too far away. Today, the city walls are mainly to mark the limits of the medina with other areas of the city, but in years gone by there were defensive ramparts, protecting the medina from invaders. To cope with attacks, the Sultan of Marrakech, Ali Ben Youssef, around 1120, decided to erect strong 9m high walls, to defend the city, forming a circuit of approximately 10 km around the city, originally including as many as 200 towers and 20 access gates.
At 70m high, the iconic minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque is the highest structure and the largest mosque in Marrakech. Along with the square of Jemaa el Fnaa, The Koutoubia, is a symbol of Marrakech. The Koutoubia Mosque is located on the edge of the medina at the beginning of Avenue Mohammed V. The easiest way to reach it is on foot from Jemaa el Fnaa, as it’s just 250 meters from the main square – but once you are in front of it, you feel a world away from the madness of the square.
The minaret can be seen from all across the city, and beyond – on a clear day, from as far away as 25kms – and we had a gorgeous view of it from the roof terrace of our riad.
At dusk, Marrakech’s main square transforms and the morning stalls disappear to give room to food stands where you can have dinner, surrounded by Moroccan musicians playing traditional music. Although locals certainly frequent the square and its stalls during the day, they are much more in evidence at night and so it seems a lot more authentic. Not just a tourist trap. Smoke rises up from the stalls and the aromas are just mouth-watering. If you don’t have dinner plans, the food at these stands is tasty, very cheap and very popular.
Around the medina, you can lose yourself in shopper’s paradise, especially if you love a haggle. You can wander the souls to your heart’s content and if you are determined to make a purchase or two, this is definitely the place to do it. However, it’s very easy to get lost in the souks. The narrow alleyways – with overflowing items that snake off to more thin passageways with even more goods – can all start to look very similar, and as many are covered too, it can be more difficult to get a good idea of where you are. Getting lost is generally part of the fun of exploring the souks, but if you really need to ask somebody for directions, our advice would be to try and approach families or females as opposed to younger men. The reason for this is that it’s a lot more common for younger males to make a friendly offer to take you to where you want to go, and although this might seem like a blessing at the time, it often ends with you paying a substantial ‘tip’ – after possibly having been carted to several stalls, from where the ‘helpful’ stranger is trying to score commission on a sale along the way. We know this from experience – but thankfully in our case, all ended well and we did make a rather beautiful purchase of a Berber rug. Which we hadn’t intended to do, and it’s a blog all of its own, because it was a bit of an adventure…
Marrakech is definitely a city of great contrasts. There is undoubted poverty, as well as great wealth – and everything in between. It is noisy and chaotic, but if you’re staying in a riad, calmness descends. we stayed in a very inexpensive one, just outside the medina, and it was very beautiful. Once through the big wooden entrance door, it was like being in a different world…
We’ve only stayed in Marrakech for short bursts, so are certainly no experts on this North African city – but, as a stop-over to elsewhere, it’s perfect, especially if your final destination is the coast which is a good 4-5 hours away.
by Helen | Nov 28, 2022 | Interiors
Not all renovation projects need to involve demolition and mess and heavy tools and living with dust and dirt. I like to think that’s all kind of behind us – at least for now, but we never say never. These days, our renovation projects are quite small scale, very sedate, quite tidy and always done by us. It’s a nice position to be in, in the journey of our home. I quite like not having to haul the Henry hoover up (or down) three floors to get rid of thick layers of dust and plaster. These days, a bit of a tickle with a damp cloth, seems to be what’s involved in reno clean up.
Our upstairs landing has always been a bit of nothing space. We have tried, over the years, to make it into something, but nothing has ever really felt quite right. Until now, and I think we’ve finally achieved what we’ve always wanted, but not really known that we do. It now ties together the upstairs floor, and rather than just being a space to walk through, it’s almost become a room of its own.
Floating shelving has been fitted in the corner outside the main bedroom. We don’t have a socket in the hallway – something on the “to-do” list – and so we have to think about lighting. The two wooden slatted lamps are perfect as they are battery operated and on timers, meaning we have lovely shadows cast across the landing, when it’s dark. The two copper Moroccan style lanterns were bought a few years ago, and now seem to have found their home, after being fairly nomadic. These lovely little baskets are the perfect storage place for batteries for the lamps and tealights for the the lanterns.
The wooden floors throughout the house are painted a very deep navy, and walls are all white. The ceiling is very high with original beams, which we painted a very soft grey to match the woodwork, so the overall feeling is now of space. Despite there only being one window, it’s a very light and airy part of the house, but we’ve created a more wintery cosy feel with the addition of big, thick mustard coloured rugs. The wall where the window is, is still natural stone, although completely cleaned up and painted white. I’m at that stage with our house, where I’m kind of over the original stone work and depending on how much longer we are here, plans are being made to plaster all walls. However, they’ve not been plastered yet, so in order to hide away the stones, we’ve hung floor length sheer, muslin drapes. These don’t block out any light, but add softness, which I think was originally missing. The addition of a mustard yellow Moroccan leather pouffe adds a little bit more interest – and helps create a little Moorish corner in our home.
by Helen | Nov 18, 2022 | Lifestyle
Kozlović winery is one of the best-known wineries in Istria. The family has been producing wines since 1904, and today, the winery is run by its fourth generation. We are lucky that it’s about twenty minutes from our house and so we can visit at less busy times – because during the summer months especially, this winery can be extremely busy and often, you will need to pre-book a table/seating area.
As well as being a renowned winery, this destination in the north of Istria, is also a fabulous eaterie. Although not a restaurant, it does serve fantastic charcuterie boards – either meat or veggie. These sharing boards are substantial and are packed with locally made cheeses, breads, olive oil and other seasonal delicacies. We rarely eat meat and so can’t comment on these boards, but every time we’ve been, they look very popular.
Spring-time at Koslovic. The perfect place to sit out on the terrace and watch the world go by.
Even in the winter, this winery is set up for outdoor eating and drinking, as there are now fire pits and outdoor wood burners, as well as big blankets to wrap around yourself.
However, if you find it just a bit too chilly, but don’t want to miss out on the Koslovic experience, there is some indoor seating, too, as well as the opportunity to purchase some of their fine wines. We always seem to return home with a few more bottles than we anticipated. Just can’t think how this happens…
by Helen | Nov 1, 2022 | Italy, Travel
On our road trip around Italy, driving in the Calabrian south was tiring, so we needed to break the journey up from Villa San Giovanni (where you cross to & from Sicily) to Matera and so consulted our trusty oracles – a well thumbed road map and google. Tarsia seemed to be a place that was just about equi-distant, but very remote. As boutique style hotels seemed to be a bit on the sparse side, we plumped for the agriturismo option.
We found Agriturismo B&B Mandria Del Dottore Toscana through a series of internet searches – although it has to be said, finding it online is MUCH easier than finding it in reality. We got to Tarsia relatively easily, then the trail went cold. One thing we have realised is that Italian road signage, once you’re off the main roads, is pretty rubbish. Road signs are often covered in vines/foliage, or twisted, or burned, or simply not there. After about an hour of aimless driving around, we gave up and asked for directions in a very small bar. We clearly weren’t the first to do this as a call was made and 15 minutes later, a car arrived, we followed & after many twists and turns across hilly countryside, arrived at our destination.
This was definitely a very rural location, so if you’re after a wild night of clubbing, this farmhouse won’t appeal. Set in acres of rolling hills, there is literally nothing else around you – apart from horses, olive groves and beautiful silence. We felt the need to whisper until we realised that actually no-one else was around to hear us. I think the owners clocked on that we were a little bit stressed when we arrived, and a bottle of their own wine was put out on the table in front of us, with two glasses. Very little communication as they spoke no English, and our Italian, at the time, was pretty basic – but a generous gesture is a generous gesture in whatever language.
The owners live on the farm, and it is a working farm. It’s rustic and rural and although not full of the most modern amenities, it’s perfect for a bit of a get-away. Most importantly, the bed was super comfortable – something that Italians do hold in high regard as we have not slept in anything other than VERY comfortable since we’ve been away. The bathroom was spotless, with a great sized shower, too. A definite plus point.
We could have had dinner (with everything being sourced from the land we were staying on), but as we had a kitchen in the apartment we chose to cook & eat on the terrace. We’d picked up some supplies on the way – it’s worth having some staples to cook with, as if you don’t fancy what’s on the menu that night, you’re stuck. Breakfast was very simple – bread, cheese, preserves, proscuitto – but ALL locally sourced.
There are four apartments. We think we might have had the largest as it was the most expensive, and had a terrace, but it was still only 68 euros to stay the night – worth every cent for the solitude and peace. There is also a swimming pool – although this had just been covered up when we arrived (mid-October), but would imagine this is a welcome relief from the Italian sun in the height of summer…
by Helen | Oct 31, 2022 | Interiors
In a previous post I wrote about our desire to eradicate the parts of internal walls which have not been plastered and are still the original Istrian stone. Some people would love the walls, but as the years have gone on, I have to say my love of exposed stone – albeit now painted white – has waned and I am craving smooth, plastered walls. Some will be painted (probably white again), and for others we are considering pigmented plaster. But for the living room walls, once all is smooth, I am looking back to the beautiful wallpaper we had in our house in West Didsbury, when we renovated it,
This beautiful repeat pattern paper is Nuvolette, by Cole & Son, and is a dramatic cloudy sky mural by the Italian artist Piero Fornasetti. Unless you are an expert at wall paper hanging, I’d recommend that you do what we do did, and get in a professional to hang it. The striking design is supplied in a set of two rolls, with the pattern repeat being 80cm. I was informed this mean a straight match between roll A to roll B and a half-drop between roll B to roll A of next set…
See! Told you a professional is your best bet.
The overall effect is absolutely stunning, especially of the wall to be covered is quite large. We used it on one feature wall only, with ceramic bulb drop pendants in front of it, and it was beautiful. I really do miss this wallpaper now that we have moved, but I think it may make a re-appearance, once the walls in the living room are all smooth and plastered. It’s definitely not the cheapest wallpaper, but it’s very strong and sturdy and I think if you love it, there’s little chance you’ll be wanting to change it quickly. I do wonder if it still hanging in our West Didsbury house…
by Helen | Oct 30, 2022 | Renovation
Original stone walls, when we moved in, partly exposed and partly plastered.
Throughout the house, in most of the rooms – apart from the ones we have totally taken apart and renovated – there is still evidence of it being an original Istrian house. A lot of the walls are either fully plastered, or at least, partially. And where they are only partially plastered, we’ve painted the original stones white, so that the rooms have more of a contemporary feel.
Original stone walls, painted white.
We did start renovating the walls some years ago, when we had a false wall constructed in the Well Room, with insulation, over the stone wall. The intention was to go through the house, repeating the process, but as with all renovations, unexpected tasks always take precedence.
So, here we are, still where we were. Admittedly, not with bare stone, which I quickly started to dislike because it was dark and made the rooms feel cold, but even when whited out, still not really what I wanted. So, the decision has been made, and the plastering of the bulk of the remaining stone will be done over the winter. I say “the bulk”, because we will leave little nods to the origins of the house, here and there – but as features, rather than the predominant look.
The Well Room will hopefully be the first room to be tackled, as it’s the room with the most exposed stone. We’ll also be doing something quite controversial but more of that later, as we’re still working on the practicalities. Because none of our walls are straight, we’re going to hopefully go with the wonkiness of the house and not get caught up in, and stressed by, the fact we don’t live in a box. So the walls won’t be perfect – but the plastering will. And the next thought process is whether we go for plaster with a pigment, rather than doing a big re-paint job…
I do love the softness of the pink tones of this plasterwork, but we need to have a big discussion, as to whether this will work or not in our house. I’m prepared to accept it won’t, but definitely like the idea of having even just a chat about it. Whatever we decide is right, will be a real improvement on what we have at the moment, so looking forward to getting going and making some BIG changes in this room.
by Helen | Oct 30, 2022 | Lifestyle
San Servolo is a well renowned independent craft brewery in Buje, in northern Istria, producing excellent beers and pale ales. I’m not a beer fan, but have been known to have a bottle or two of the gorgeous red beer, so that’s a recommendation in itself. As well as the brewery, if you are a fan of all things meat, they have their own steak restaurant. If you fancy a spa experience, why not try the Beer Spa? Yes, this really is a thing. And to further add to the experience, since lockdown, a fabulous wellness campsite has opened. Forget soggy tents – this is a five star rated family, premium or luxury pitch, some with a private hydromassage bathtub.
Image credit : https://sanservoloresort.com/wellness-camping
Even though we live less than 20kms from this resort, we have tried to stay a number of times, to enjoy a bit of rest and relaxation, but it’s so popular, it always seems to be fully booked. Never mind, though, we’re not ones to be put off and we’ll keep on trying. What we have experienced however – on more than one or two occasions – is the new pizzeria. As expected, it’s top notch and way, way above the standard of most of other pizzerias we’ve eaten in. It’s contemporary in its interior design, with glass sliding doors, opening out on a balcony over the pool and a terrace with additional seating to the side. Attention to detail is on point. There’s nothing that doesn’t seem to have been thought about, from the wall art to the menus to the lighting. Staff are perfect – knowlegeable and friendly, but not over the top, and cool, but not so cool as to be off-putting.
Image credit : https://sanservoloresort.com
But the stars of the show are the pizzas. They really are exceptional – by far the best we have had so far in Istria, and I’d go as far as to say they are up there with the best we’ve had in Italy. Very thin bases and light on the toppings. Not in a measly kind of way. In the way that shows that they know how to create a fantastic pizza. The menu is not extensive – which is always good because you know then that the food is fresh, not frozen – but it’s excellent. There are traditional choices such as Margherita, Bufalina, Napoletana, Quattro Formaggi and Capricciosa, along with more unusual pizzas from the Gourmet selection. These include Pera e Gorgonzola, the San Servolo and the Mortadella. Often, a special is on the menu – we’re not huge meat-eaters at all, but the Beef Carpaccio was once tried and given a huge thumbs up.
The pizzas are quite filling, so in order to leave for a dessert – again, only two or three ever on offer but beyond delicious! – so we pass on the starters and opt for the olives. These are just amazing – big, fat juicy green olives and salty black olives, in a chilli marinade. And, served warm. If you’ve never had a warm olive before, you don’t know what you’ve been missing!
Bufalina Pizza, San Servolo
Christmas Special – Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese & Caviar
Tuna, Red Onion & Black Olive Pizza – San Servolo
Tiramisu – San Servolo
San Servolo Pizzeria, in its contemporary surroundings, and modern menu, is very good on price, too. When we first visited, we expected to pay more than we would in a “normal” pizzeria – as we used to back in the UK. But that’s not case here – or Italy, either. Every bill we’ve had has been comparable with other places we eat at – and all, are much less expensive than we ever paid back at home. So, excellent food, in beautiful surroundings – you also get to see the sun setting over the Adriatic – at a very fair price. What more could you ask for?
Image credit : https://sanservoloresort.com/pizzeria
by Helen | Oct 29, 2022 | Interiors
For quite a while now I’ve been longing for one of these chairs. But, the garden has never been quite finished, so the idea of swinging gently, whilst sipping a cocktail, seemed ridiculous. We had far too much else to do, to get the outside areas ship-shape, before I could even contemplate going to look for one. But sometimes, circumstances just happens. Call it serendipity, perhaps…
On a trip to Bauhaus, our equivalent of B&Q, in the spring, I spotted one of these chairs and almost made the purchase. But common sense got the better of me, for once. The colour was wrong – either a tangerine orange (nice, but not right for our garden) or a natural wicker (nice, but with a black frame and the contrast was too much). Plus, it was very squeaky – and although this was the shop model and so that could have contributed to its squeakiness, I figured it wasn’t worth the risk of buying one, and it making annoying noises every time someone sat in it. So, that was it.
Until my next trip to Jysk – I think to buy additional plates to this set. And guess what they had in stock?
No squeaking. All one colour – a perfect colour, to be honest, as it’s not quite black, may well be anthracite? – but the best colour to go with everything else garden wise. And, best of all – reduced. 25% off when we bought it at the beginning of the summer. Really easy to assemble and with proper water-proof cushions – we know because we’ve stupidly left it out in heavy rain – it proved to be the hit of the summer in our garden. It works well along with the sofa so we now have two very comfy options – if you to swing, you can swing. If you want to lie, you can lie.
But now that summer is fading, we’ve had to think about what to do with our garden chair over the winter. To be honest, it’s still warm enough to sit outside at the moment, but all of the sofa cushions are inside, and the sun is lower in the sky, so the egg chair wouldn’t be quite the lounge-fest it is in the height of summer. So, it has a new home – and now has pride of place in our renovated Snug.
Over the winter, we use this room at the bottom of the house a lot, because it’s very cosy, with a big L-shaped sofa and a woodburner and all of the TV channels we could possibly want. Well, this year, I think our winter might have just got better, as with just a tiny swivel, our egg chair, will probably become a coveted seat for TV watching. We are very lucky that we have this renovated space downstairs, providing us with the perfect place to store this summer chair, over the winter. Although, with the addition of a cushion and a velvet throw, it’s kind of become a winter chair. A chair for all seasons, if you like…
by Helen | Oct 29, 2022 | Italy, Travel
The Vatican Museums are the public museums of the Vatican City, displaying works of art amassed by the Catholic Church and papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and some of the most important Renaissance artwork in the world. There are 24 galleries in total, with the Sistine Chapel, being the last room visited within the Museum. We booked our tickets online, having read about the queues which can develop, and this proved to be a very good thing to do. Although you do still need to queue to collect the actual tickets – and don’t forget ID to prove who you are – it’s a whole lot quicker than joining the snaking queue around the building. It’s important to know that the following items of clothing are NOT allowed – shorts, short skirts and sleeveless shirts. And even more important if you visit in the hotter months as you’ll need to prepared clothing wise. All visitors must pass through airport-style security, and during high season, the wait at security may be up to 30 minutes – and this was guidance when we visited a few years ago, so it may be even longer now. I guess, the rule of thumb is, if you want to visit the Vatican Museums is be organised and get online to make a booking.
So, is it worth it?
Yes, yes, yes, absolutely, yes. It’s a long day – because to even touch the sides, you need to set aside a day. You definitely won’t see everything, although you will probably go through all of the galleries, to get to the end goal. The Sistine Chapel. More of which later.
If you specifically want to visit the Gardens, then make sure you buy a ticket which includes this, as not all do. Ours didn’t, but I don’t think we missed out, as doing the gardens as well, would probably have been totally overwhelming. We started in the Cortile della Pigna (Pine Cone Courtyard), where the bronze Sphere within a Sphere – Sfera con Sfera – sits. Created by Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, its meaning isn’t clear, but consensus seems to be that it can be read as a symbol of the emergence of a new world from the old. I don’t think you are supposed to touch it, let alone spin it, but we did see a number of tourists giving it a whirl. And very impressive it was, too…
From the Cortile della Pigna, you begin the tour of the galleries. Be prepared – selfie sticks seem to still be a big thing, so watch where you’re going! The galleries are a bit of an onslaught, visually, so you will definitely miss a lot. Depending on your interests, some will be much more interesting than others, but even the ones that you take a quicker pace through, are dazzling and exhausting in equal measure. I have no idea of the names of the vast majority of the galleries, but I do know that I definitely wanted to see the only painting by Caravaggio in the Vatican Museums – The Deposition of Christ – in the Vatican Pinacoteca, and the Gallery of Maps. Two things ticked off my bucket list. So, what did we see?
Out of everything we saw in the museum, the ceiling above is one of the things I remember most. If you are fascinated by the history of The Borgias, then this part of the museums might interest you, as its only the Borgias’ Apartments! Imagine that! The ceiling above is in The Room of the Popes and owes its name to the scrolls with the names of popes on them in the room. It is the largest of all the rooms and the pope used it to host official ceremonies, audiences, and solemn banquets.
So, above, the one I wanted to see – and I was so taken by it, that I completely forgot to take any photographs so this is one is credited, in the caption. The Deposition of Christ, painted in 1603, by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. I have no background in art and am not an artist, in any way. But I have always been intrigued by historical figures who led lives that were full of danger and intrigue – and immense talent. So, although I couldn’t appreciate Caravaggio’s work as an art historian might, his life is more than enough to intrigue me and make me interested in his art…
…with his unruly black curls and unkempt black beard, the artist was known to wander the streets of Rome dressed in black, accompanied by his black dog, Crow (the bird-harbinger of death), and brandishing swords and daggers at the slightest provocation.
He and his motley group of friends took as their motto – “without hope, without fear,” – and these were the words they lived by. Caravaggio had a police record many pages long filled with stories of assault, illegal weapons, harassing the police and complex affairs with prostitutes and courtesans. Caravaggio’s numerous legal problems often meant that the artist would suddenly have to flee Rome or be otherwise unable to complete a commission. Caravaggio’s brawling, trouble-making tendencies reached a whole new level on the 28th of May, 1606. On this date, following a disputed tennis match, Caravaggio and his friends were involved in a street brawl with Caravaggio’s young foe Ranuccio Tomassoni and his gang.
Caravaggio ended up dealing the young Tomassoni a fatal stab wound in the groin. With a price on his head, Caravaggio was forced to flee Rome for the last time. The artist’s last years were spent desperately running from one city to another, all the while trying to get a papal pardon to be able to return to Rome. After stopping by Naples, he travelled to Malta to try to gain the influence of the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John, Alof de Wignacourt. The Knights were so pleased with the works the artist executed while on the island that he was accepted into the Order, only to get into trouble after yet another brawl. Caravaggio was imprisoned by the Knights in August 1608 and later expelled from the Order “as a foul and rotten member.”
The artist escaped once again and was back on the run. During this period, an unknown assailant attempted to murder Caravaggio during his sleep, only succeeding in disfiguring his face. Contemporaries described the artist as a madman during this time, exhibiting increasingly strange behavior such as sleeping fully clothed and armed and exploding into a violent rage at the slightest provocation. The artist desperately continued working, sending paintings to influential figures like Cardinal Borghese and Alof de Wignacourt in order to secure their influence to procure his pardon. Finally, in 1610, Pope Paul V began the process of granting Caravaggio’s pardon and the artist boarded a boat to return home to Rome. He was never to return, however: Caravaggio died under unknown circumstances around the 18th of July, 1610, after only a decade-long career. His body was never recovered….
Last stop on our whistle-stop tour of the Vatican Museums, was obviously The Sistine Chapel. Having heard all of the myths and stories about visiting here, I was prepared to be blown away. And, prepared to not take any photographs, of course. But, all I was left with was a feeling of total disappointment and being underwhelmed.
Perhaps I should have read this brilliant article first, but I didn’t, and so my experience was one of being rushed through a massive crowds, with security guards barking instructions from raised platforms. It was horrible. There was no sense of awe or serenity. It was like a cattle market – and if prods had been available, those guards would definitely have used them. It was so crowded that there was literally no point in looking up, to see the ceiling, as you’d have been knocked off your feet if you stopped. Other visitors were really, really frustrated and there was a general sense that we just had to get through as quickly as possible, to allow the next crowd in. I’m going to have to do it again, but I honestly think that next time, I’d opt for one of the small guided tours, as explained here. Well worth the extra expense, I’d say, to get up close to the art. And, not be shouted at by security.
If there’s one way to exit the museums, it’s via the famous Bramante Stairs. These really are a spectacle and rather than leaving on a disappointed downer after the Sistine Chapel, this staircase was a bit of treat.
Top Tips
So, our top tips for visiting the Vatican Museums :
- Book online
- Don’t forget your passport or ID
- Wear trainers
- Have a phone charging pack so you can recharge for all of those photos you’ll want to take
- Be prepared to be pushed through the Sistine Chapel – OR, book a guided tour
- Don’t expect to take it all in – there’ll be so much you’ll see online afterwards that you weren’t even aware of as you walked around
- It’s a good few hours to do all of the museums, so set aside a day
- Have a glass (or two) of refreshing Italian wine after it all…
Photo Credits:
- The Deposition of Christ : https://www.museivaticani.va
- The Sistine Chapel : www.theromanguy.com
- The Bramante Stairs : www.romeprivateguides.com
