Named in 2018 by Lonley Planet guide as the best place to see in Euorpe, Emilia Romagna is one of the wealthiest and most developed regions in Europe. Home to the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world and containing Romanesque and Renaissance cities such as Ravenna, the former Roman Empire capital. It has eleven UNESCO heritage sites and is the centre for food and automobile production. A foodies paradise and home to many Italian classics such as tortellini, mortadella, balsamic vinegar, parmigiano Reggiano cheese, prosciutto di Parma and the renowned Lambrusco or Sauvignon Blanc wines. A paradise for autombile fans with companies such as Ferrari, Lamborghini. Maserati and Ducati to name but a few are all in the region. As if all that wasn’t enough, it also has popular coastal resorts such as Rimini and Riccione, so something for everyone!
Italy has too many glorious mosaics to mention. Rich in artistry, history and beauty they truly are a labour of love. The Romans and the Byzantines used mosaics to decorate villas, baths, palaces and churches. The Byzantines made Ravenna Italy’s capital of mosaics where some of the highest examples of mosaic art can be found. Giotto di Bondone was inspired by the mosaics for his daring naturalistic frescoes in Padua’s Cappella degli Scrovegni and the Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi, giving the world a new artistic language. The history and success of medieval mosaics however can be best appreciated in Venice, where mosaics were influenced both by the Gothic style and Byzantine art, the high point being the magnificent Basilica of San Marco with its golden mosaics, symbol of the divine light.
