One cannot think of Italian travel without art coming to mind. Some of the worlds most exquisite art is featured in galleries and museums across Italy. We have selected a few of our favorites that showcase a variety of styles. 

Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze - Founded in 1784, this Florence gallery houses one of the most famous pieces of art in the world, David by Michelangelo. Seeing David and his beauty in addition to the skill involved is remarkable.

The Vatican - From architecture to gardens to walls and ceilings, The Vatican is one large museum! Everywhere you look there is beauty. To have your breath taken away, visit the Basilica of St. Peter. It's dome dominates the Rome skyline, beaconing visitors to come see this awe-inspiring structure.

Santa Maria delle Grazie - Within this collection is one of the world's most famous paintings, DaVinci's The Last Supper. If your Italian travels bring you to Milan, this work is a must see. Due to humidity and the surface it was painted on, the painting has deteriorated over the years. This work is a favorite of Julie Jurden, Owner of Modigliani. She describes it as "breathtaking."

Peggy Guggenheim Collection - Located within the Palazzo where Peggy once lived, this collection showcases some of the most prestigious collections within 20th Century art. From Picasso to Pollock, this Venetian treasure is a modern art lovers delight. 

Inspired by the masters of the past, the artists for Modigliani Italian Ceramics, applies that inspiration to all their creations. We invite you to browse our collections of handmade, hand painted Italian ceramics to get a little inspiration for your table.  

Nestled in Italy's northern region on Veneto, Venice is truly a city like no other! From famous canals of shimmering waters to it's rich history, Venice welcomes travelers to explore and fall in love. 

From gondolas to canals, and amazing restaurants with the most romantic ambiance, Venice is a must see city for anyone. The scenic architecture as you drift in front of palazzos, churches, and palaces along the Grand Canal, will make you feel as though you've stepped into a painting. 

Venice is located on the site of 117 small islands separated by canals and joined by bridges. While often seen in movies and on television. Viewing this city with your own eyes is more dreamlike than you could imagine. Built on mud, the city is a modern marvel of architecture. Within it's canals are some of the world's most spectacular works of art. 

Venice Favorites:

Torre dell'Orologio— This clock tower was originally constructed starting in 1493. It displays the time, the phase of the moon, and the dominant sign of the Zodiac. 
Ca 'Pesaro—Discover a variety of modern art paintings and sculptures at this museum.
Galleria dell' Accademia di Venezia—View art from pre-19th century in one of Venice's best museums.
Campamnile di San Marco— This bell tower was erected in 1912. The views from the top of this structure are fantastic and a must see on your travels. 
Rialto Market - Your senses will come alive at the bustling market!  Select moeche (soft-shell crab) from the Pescaria or grab locally grown seasonal vegetables at the neighboring stalls. 
Palazzo Ducale - A grand Gothic palace built in the 9th century, was once the palace of the Doge of Venice. In 1923 it became a museum beloved by Venetian visitors. 

Top Venice Travel Mistakes:

Overpaying for Transportation - To save money on transport costs. Plan out your sightseeing. While the tourist travel cards are great, you can get around the city like many of the locals do... on foot.
Don't Miss Out - Venice has a great variety of places to visit. Many travelers make Venice a stop over. To truly explore the city, allow for a week. 
Overpacking - Traveling through Venice can be crowded. Pack light and save yourself some stress. 

Are travels to Venice not in your future? Bring a touch of this picturesque city home with our Veneto collection. Sharing four scenes from the famous city of canals and Carnivale celebrations, our Veneto Collection comes in a set of four to be hung or used as appetizer plates.

Out of the darkness of winter, we choose to make light.

This Sunday is the winter solstice. It is the shortest, darkest day of the year. The sun rises late, sets early, and night lingers longer. So at this time of year, it’s dark when I leave for the warehouse in the morning and dark again by the time I get in my car to drive home.

When you really think about it, it does seem strange that in a...

I have a confession to make.

I adore this time of year. The holidays are beautiful and exciting. It’s so much fun to focus on giving that one gift you know will bring a smile to someone face, treating friends to a special event and cooking for your family from out of town. And of course we are pretty busy packing,wrapping and shipping in our warehouse singing at the top of our lungs to Christmas...

A Message from Italy

From time to time, Stefano, the Owner of Modigliani Italia, will provide us news from Italy.

Summer… this is a magic word here in Italy. It means sun, seaside, vacations… and everybody is taking their vacation during August.

Therefore July is with no doubt the hardest working month of the year - but also the most thrilling for me and my staff here in Italy. Before the end of the month we must be ready with all our exciting projects for the fall and have ended all the works for the summer. During July we run and run to finish everything in time. We want to be sure that all the seeds that we planted during these months produce the fruits that we wish.

And so… at the end, here we are! Ready for our vacations and very, very happy with our new lines designed for Autumn 2014.

Ciao,

Stefano

Opera in Verona

My first visit to Verona was in the summer when opera is frequent in the amphitheater. I was taking a few days to sightsee before picking up my daughter and her friend from an organic farming adventure in Bolzano. There happened to be an opera the night I was there and I can remember sitting outside near the arena and hearing the beautiful voices soaring and the thunderous applause. I couldn’t help but think about what it was like in 30AD. The contrast of cars, lights and sound in this ancient Roman ruin was striking and fascinating. Be sure to check it out if traveling in the area.