Tales from Italy – Paradiso Ceramics Australia | Handmade in Italy

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Tales from Italy

  • Saint Francis of Assisi

    Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans in the 13th century. Francis was inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty as a beggar and itinerant preacher, and there are hundreds of works of art honouring this extraordinary man in and around Assisi.
  • Markets are both an Italian institution and tradition

    Italian markets are lively places where you can see a cross-section of Italian society and learn more about the local customs and etiquette than visiting endless tourist landmarks and museums.
  • Eremo delle Carceri: a 'thin' place

    Above the bustle and crowds of Assisi is a sanctuary called Eremo della Carceri, or The Hermitage. 800 years ago, Saint Francis of Assisi would often come to this place to pray and contemplate. It is still a special place of tranquility and beauty, somewhere to be still and just be.
  • Magical Cinque Terre

    Italy's Cinque Terre ('five towns') is a string of five old fishing villages perched high on the Italian Riviera in the region Liguria. Marg and Jan spent a delightful four days exploring the sights, sounds and flavours of this famous area.

  • Welcome to Umbria: Where Adventure awaits!

    Narrowly avoiding slipping off the dirt track up to our house in Umbria, there was more excitement waiting for us when we finally made it home.
  • Volcanic stone creations: the beautiful and the bizarre

    During our early exploration of Deruta, we discovered painted lava stone tables but also stumbled upon unexpected items like a Weber barbeque and bed, and items even more curious.

  • Grocery shopping in Umbria

    One of the many things we enjoy about staying in ‘our’ house in Umbria is grocery shopping. Discovering which supermarkets have the best salami, yummiest bread, freshest fruit and vegetables and most delicious pastries is fun. But buying from the farmer's markets in the small towns and villages is best of all.
  • Monte Subasio

    Monte Subasio in Umbria is popular with hikers and paragliders. The ancient towns of Assisi and Spello are built on its lower slopes. From its summ...
  • Even parking and walking is not for the fainthearted in Italy ...

    Italians can squeeze into the tightest parking spaces and are confident whizzing through the narrow streets of their ancient towns, so travelers are wise to walk and park with caution.
  • Beware the first of September!

    It is September 1st in Umbria and early morning when we wake to a loud BANG! We all tumble downstairs to see what the noise is about. Then we remember: hunting season begins on the first day of September.
  • Riding high in Gubbio

    Near the top of the mountain above Gubbio is the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo which houses the body of the 12th-century Bishop Saint Ubaldo. To get to the church, you can either hike 40 minutes up a nearly-vertical road, or you can be more adventurous and take the Funivia. 

  • First impressions ...

    “We’re going to Italy. Want to come?” Knowing the old stone house in Paradiso could accommodate six people, Jan loved to invite friends (and even j...