Couple Hugs…for 5000 Years

by Willy Volk on

Archaeologists in Italy recently discovered a couple buried between 5000 and 6000 years ago. Nothing special with that announcement, of course. However, this couple appears to have been buried hugging each other. According to Elena Menotti, who led the team on the dig, “I’ve never been so moved, because this is the discovery of something special.”

Although I’m betting that you can’t visit the actual dig site, you can visit Montova — the city near the site — which no doubt inspired the eternal embrace. Located in northern Italy, Montova is surrounded on three sides by the Mincio River. Picturesque and filled with culture, Montova also hosts the world-renowned Festivaletteratura, which offers five days of readings, meetings with writers, shows, and concerts. If you head to Montova, let us know if it inspires you to hug!

Photo of the Day (2/4/2007)

by Erik Olsen on

I’ve been checking our Gadling Flickr site on and off today just to see whether anyone3 posted a photo from the Superbowl. I feel kinda bad because I dissed Miami, and was hoping to find a good photo that showed off the city’s good side. Alas, nothing. Yet. But I did find this great photo of a place that I have never been. It’s weird, I’ve seen tons of places in Europe. Most every major country…except Italy. It’s a big time plan to drag myself there someday, but in the meantime, I guess I have to be satisfied with experiencing Italy’s charms via photos like this one from Rambling Traveler.

Off the Beaten Path: Making Out in Italy

by Iva Skoch on

Those 30-year-old Italian bachelors who still live with their parents–and hence lack the indoor space to make out–are saved. The town of Bari, Italy, opened a park where couples can have sex freely (but not for free). All they have to do is pay a $4 admission and $2 for every half hour they stay.

It’s not unusual for Italians to live with their parents until they are in their late twenties, even thirties. In fact, this study says that 8 out of 10 Italian men aged between 18 and 30 live with their folks.

My friend who lives in Spain says that many Spanish young adults do the same thing because they a) cannot afford to rent/buy their own place and b) don’t want to give up mom’s cooking. Many of them use their cars for romantic escapades since they can’t really bring their girlfriends home. Apparently, visiting parking lots after 10pm can be pretty entertaining…

Venice Is Overrated

by Iva Skoch on

While everyone should see Venice at least once, I don’t understand why people find it romantic. I mean, the place is packed with tourists! You can’t be left alone for two seconds before you are either a) in someone’s picture, or b) being asked to take a picture of someone.

The population of Venice has been cut in half in the last 40 years and if the trend continues, there will be no residents of Venice left by 2030. The local color is dissapearing to make space for more tourist buses. I came to the conclusion that Venice must be romantic for the same people who like to proclaim their love for each other in public (i.e., marriage proposals at baseball games.)

I started thinking about Venice when reading the MSN’s 10 Romantic Escapes tips with number 10 featuring, you guessed it, Venice. Bora-Bora, Paris and Dubrovnik, other contenders, I can live with. The sub headline “Our favorite romantic escapes are guaranteed to rekindle a long-standing love, or kick a new one up a notch, all year long”, however, sounds too good to be true. If the relationship lacks romance, even Bora-Bora can be Boring-Boring.

Become a Local: Renting Venetian Apartments

by Neil Woodburn on

There is something about renting an apartment while abroad that provides a far more rewarding travel experience than merely checking into the local hotel. I suppose it makes you feel much more like a local, and that’s always appealing.

I tend to rent apartments when I visit Moscow because they tend to be cheaper and nicer than many of the hotels in the center of town. Plus, there aren’t any nosey floor ladies checking out your stuff and giving you disapproving looks if you happen to leave a mess or come home late.

The rewards of renting an apartment are immeasurable. Reid Bramblett, writing for Budget Travel, does a nice job summing up the advantages of doing so in Europe’s most romantic city, Venice, Italy. Bramblett steps into the shoes of a local Venetian and experiences the city in a manner that few tourists ever do.

More importantly, Bramblett tells us how we can do it as well. The article provides many tips and contacts for finding apartments world wide to rent–some from the owners themselves and others from international agencies. One example he provides from Villas International is an apartment in a 14th century Venetian building just around the corner from Piazza San Marco. Cost? Just $1,490 per week in the off-season. That’s just over $200 per night–not too bad for such a great location in such a historic building.