Articles by arttrav
Maremma: Sea, nature, art and history
If Tuscany were a family dynasty, Maremma would be the non-ruling cousin nobody has ever heard of, who lives very pleasantly and richly while minding his own business. Although its beaches are packed in the summer (mainly by Italians), its inland areas are very much to be discovered, and if there are tourists during the …
Being a woman in Italy… in the Renaissance
Anytime any of my friends expresses a preference for having lived in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, I like to remind them that had they done so, their chances of dying in childbirth would be much higher than their likelihood of receiving any education. A 10 percent chance of dying in childbirth awaited each …
A glimpse of my B-side
I have infiltrated a part of Italian subculture that has nothing to do with art, history, or ‘high culture’. I have a secret life. A B-side. A very toned B-side, thanks to this. It’s called Step. The late 80s fitness revolution kicked off by Reebok has evolved, in Europe, into a complex dance choreography around …
Puglia’s prettiest: Polignano a Mare
Water so clear you feel thirst when you look at it, lapping up against a rocky beach, surrounded by cliffs off which tanned, local kids jump. This beach scene is the first thing that strikes the visitor to Polignano a Mare, the postcard-view of the place that one can see off a bridge from the …
How to get to Cinque Terre from Florence
The Cinque Terre is one of the most desired destinations for American visitors to north-central Italy. I often hear of students and tourists who plan a day-trip to the Cinque Terre from Florence, which is feasible, although as with all the areas of Italy, I believe it takes a longer stay to get a good …
Digital invasions to promote Italian culture
Italian culture is in a bad way, and the state museums have been hit the worst. Never mind things like Pompeii falling apart (that’s old news), or sections of museums being closed because they can’t afford guards to open them. News last week revealed that ticket sales in all the state museums in Italy combined …
It’s finally Spring in Tuscany!
It seems cliché to speak of reawakening after a long Winter, but with the amount of rain we got this year, putting England to shame, even a slight glimpse of Spring is extremely welcome. Easter came early this year and for a few hours on Sunday morning here in Maremma, the skies cleared, the sun …
Bracelets to buy back Benozzo
Umbria is about wine, textiles and art – some of the best qualities of Italian production. The town of Montefalco is associated almost exclusively with wine, as its name is also given to a DOC white made with grechetto and trebbiano grapes. They also make Sagrantino, an important red wine, and Arnaldo Caprai is one …
Food and art is sMART
Pretty, pop, delicious, social. A new exhibit at the MART in Rovereto seems to show that the key to getting people into the museum is to talk about food. Or to talk about food as art, or food in art. How to draw crowds is a dilemma that all museums face now, more than ever, …
Hotel Armentarola: a sunny place full of history
Sometimes you don’t have to visit museums to experience culture. A stay at Hotel Armentarola in the Alto Adige is a relaxing opportunity to learn about Ladinian culture while eating, relaxing in the sun and doing invigorating sports.
This luxury boutique hotel in the Dolomites has 90% return customers… and I set out to find out …
Bari Ballerina Project highlights city’s run-down state
Elisabetta de Robertis and Olga Diasparro are two Bari-based photographers who are taking urban degeneration into their own hands… or lenses. Inspired by the international ‘Ballerina Project,’ their actions highlight non-areas of the southern Italian port city of Bari, in Puglia.
Abetone: the closest ski resort to Florence
With Florence’s weather ranging from rainy and yucky to reasonably sunny and warm, it’s hard to imagine that there is a decent ski resort only an hour and a half away from the city. Yet Abetone is the closest skiing in Tuscany and it’s great for either a day trip or a weekend. This season …
ArtTrav is a blog about expat life, art, and travel in Italy and Europe. I am Alexandra Korey, a Florence-based art historian turned blogger.
My goal is to help travelers and residents like you experience countries through culture and local living. If it takes geeky, long articles to do that, so be it! 
