The Joy Of Touring 07of13 Italy
do the country of italy is reputed for its art its history and its great food but how can we take in everything we want to see when we're only here for a limited amount of time our tour today will bring us to the city of bridges and the cradle of the renaissance before ending up in the city of the seven hills these cryptic appellations just happen to be nicknames for venice florence and rome our ambitious itinerary is packed with magnificent destinations for us to discover through centuries of civilization the italian republic has built up a vast repertoire of iconic places and images that are known throughout the world from venice we'll head through the tuscan countryside with a requisite stop and pisa before heading towards florence and assisi and then as they say all roads lead to rome we'll finish our tour in the eternal city come join us on our all-inclusive tour of italy on the joy of touring we first touched down at the marco polo airport named for the merchant traveler born in this glorious city of venice we're greeted at the airport by our bus driver and our guide who will remain with us throughout the entire journey here in venice we'll be staying at the villa stucky a 19th century manor that has been converted into a cheerful 28 room hotel we take the time to introduce ourselves to the other travelers on the tour with us while our guide hands us our room keys this four star establishment is decorated tastefully with elegant furnishings and a touch of rustic flair in each room a spacious modern bathroom makes us feel right at home our first meal on italian soil is being prepared and our mouths are watering la cucina italiana doesn't let us down or serve succulent pasta with plenty of red wine to wash it down but the main course is still to come grilled meat and a traditionally made pizza once it's all ready to go the chef puts the pizza on a revolving stone in the oven bon appetito well fed we get back on the bus as night falls our group is in a celebratory mood as we reach the port of venice and what better way to explore the city than a nocturnal excursion in a private boat the sun sets as we head for the city of bridges shrouding the canal in darkness we pass under the proudly modern constitution bridge a bit of an anomaly in such ancient surroundings on the shore the street lights shine and the terraces come to life and then we're under the famous rialto bridge surrounded by gondoliers and the lights of venice we look up only to realize that we're floating by the magnificent church of santa maria de la our night visit continues on dry land with a tour of the celebrated saint mark square with its legendary buildings the doges palace and the old procuracies we conclude our first night in the city of bridges in a small shopping street where we indulge in a gelato before heading back to our hotel we linger in venice under the soft light of the street lamps in the morning the guide lets us know that it's time to get going magical venice awaits back at the port we take a boat to the city center admiring the beautiful villas and stately sailing ships along the way we disembark ready for a more in-depth visit to venice thanks to our expert guide under a cloudless sky we start our tour at the only covered bridge in the city the bridge of size as the bridge connects the courts of justice to the old prison it surely must have hurt its share of size over the centuries no visit to the city would be complete without a gondola ride and our tour is no exception as we drift through the narrow canals we see the majestic buildings and some of the city's more than 400 bridges over the water this is also a great opportunity to get a glimpse of daily life for venetians who inhabit this unesco world heritage site we head down a narrow waterway only to find ourselves back in the grand canal with an impressive panorama of the buildings on the water the smooth gondola ride lets us take a closer look at the architecture of the houses as well as the charming romantic little bridges we pass under while a gondola ride is the epitome of romance the profession of gondolier is demanding and requires much agility we take these last few moments of our gondola ride to capture a few venetian scenes on film as we reassemble in a group the gondoliers get a well-deserved break while they wait for their next clients and off we go back to saint mark's square with palaces and cathedrals on all sides and teaming with visitors from all over the globe constructed in the 11th century saint mark's basilica was strongly influenced by moorish architecture especially in the shape of the domes and style of the frescoes the gilded horses that stand before it were brought from the byzantine empire in the 13th century right beside it the doge's palace is a masterpiece of gothic design in addition to being the residents of the doge the elected ruler of venice it was also the city hall and the court of justice that is connected to the prison by the bridge of size on saint mark's square's north side is the prokudati veki the old procuracy where the city's dignitaries lived the campanile or bell tower from which galileo supposedly carried out his astronomical observations is the most iconic monument in the square under the venetian flag we leave saint mark's square to explore the charming labyrinth of tiny streets that crisscross the city some streets are connected by little passageways like this one letting pedestrians cut through the city's houses to get to the next street you really have to have a compass in your head to keep track of where you are for this part of the tour it's extremely fortunate that we have an experienced guide at each square that we stumble across our eyes lift up toward ancient and mysterious facades it's like each building in venice has its own personality its own special flair however some are more well known than others such as this one the teatro la fenicei richly adorned this theater can accommodate 3 was recently restored after a major fire in 1996. woody allen is one of its more famous patrons we continue our wander through the city's stone slab streets history has left its mark all over this city as we head toward the rialto bridge we are surprised by how narrow some of these alleyways really are we pass by the external staircase of the palazzo contarini de bovalo with its dainty archways the window balconies and the details on the facades are a delight to see there are sculptures and shrines to the saints built right into the walls at a set of docks our guide tells us the story of the famous rialto bridge one of the most visited monuments in the city the bridge has spanned the grand canal for over 12 centuries bringing venetians to the rialto market on the eastern bank as water is everywhere in venice we're back on board a boat we leave the city's canals and head into the waters of the lagoon seven kilometers north of venice our boat nears the four islands that make up the city of burano the town's three thousand inhabitants are the proud descendants of fishermen their homes are brightly colored so that the fishermen could distinguish them easily in the region's heavy fog these days inhabitants are required to repaint their houses the same color annually walking through these colorful streets it's impossible not to fall under burano's charm its shops are full of venetian artifacts including murano glass beads from the neighboring island and venice carnival masks so iconic of the city of bridges that has been celebrating the carnival annually since the middle ages but the island has its own specialty it made a name for itself in the 15th century by producing the finest lace in all of europe and vestiges of that proud tradition still remain our next stop is morano another island in the venetian lagoon famous for its blown glass at one time the region's glass blowers were all situated in venice but in the year 1201 they were obliged to move their furnaces to murano to mitigate the constant threat of fire there are still over a hundred artisans who blow glass on murano and each one fiercely guards his trade secrets which have been passed down from father to son for centuries in the shop connected to the glassworks we can see the morano glassblower's delicate work during the renaissance they supplied the nobles of france austria and italy with magnificent decorations and jewels we look around and make a few purchases before heading back for our last night in venice this morning our driver loads up our bags and we're ready to hit the road we're leaving venice to take a drive through the region of tuscany making stops in the towns of monte catini and pisa tuscany is renowned for its agriculture its chianti wine and its delicious food because of the strong culinary traditions of the region our first stop is at a local wine and olive oil producer we have time for a couple of photos before starting our tour of the establishment while the arrival of electricity has certainly aided the process the technique used to extract oil from the olives hasn't changed much over the centuries walking through the olive trees we can see the branches weighed down with olives ripening in the sun and after the olive grove we head for the vineyard that grows peacefully in the shadows of the mountains when our tour wraps up we take our places at the table for a meal of local products paired with a well-deserved glass of chianti this internationally acclaimed red wine is produced in strictly designated zones of tuscany its unique taste delights amateurs and connoisseurs alike the rustic meal includes many local specialties from the appetizer to the dessert tuscan cuisine is known for its richness of flavor and its garden fresh produce because the region is so fertile the local culinary traditions are both accessible and delicious cured meats occupy a major place at the tuscan table and we appreciate them as only hungry travelers can to our adventure before getting back on the road we pass by the shop to pick up at least one of everything we just ate from the crackers to the wine getting back on the road the group is jubilant is the wine getting to our heads no we've just set our course for pisa and the sun is shining pisa is built on the banks of the arnold river and yet when we think of the city there's usually only one thing that comes to mind the bell tower of the pisa cathedral that famous leaning tower of pisa right next to the tower stands the baptistry built in the same era as the tower and also attached to the cathedral and then there's the famous tower construction began in the 12th century but only 10 years later the ground under it started to sink giving the tower its unique look at eight stories high the tower's columns are made of carrera marble it is said that galileo conducted some of his famous experiments here proving his theories by dropping cannonballs from the top of the tower our next destination is the 16th century palazzo de cavalieri the palace is named for the knights of saint stephen the soldier monks that lived there it owes its unique look to this graffito technique used to make intricate designs with layers of different colored plaster before the palace stands a statue of cosimo de medici once grand duke of tuscany today the palace houses a university called the scola normale superiore florence is one of the artistic capitals of the world and one of the most beautiful cities in italy that's why we've devoted a whole day to discovering its secrets spreading from the imposing santa maria del fiore cathedral the capital of tuscany owes much of its magnificence to the patronage of the powerful medici family during the renaissance many artists and writers have been born under these terracotta roofs including renaissance painter botticelli and medieval literary genius dante our visit begins up on michelangelo square where we have a breathtaking view of the city below we admire replicas of some of the florence-born masters works including his famous david statue and then we'll head down into the city center where we'll start at the santa maria del fiore cathedral also known as the duomo the church was built during the 13th and 14th centuries when the inhabitants of florence wanted to replace their old cathedral they decided to build a church worthy of their power a cathedral that would eclipse those in rival cities to the west of the dome is the baptistery of saint john where all florentines were baptized from the 4th century right up until the 19th century it's particularly well known for its magnificent bronze doors decorated with bhagav of scenes from the bible our guide explains that the construction of the duomo took more than two centuries a large number of architects and artists worked on it in succession some of the cathedral's more famous contributors include giotto donatello and michelangelo inside and outside the duomo is covered with the most precious materials its facades are completely inlaid with green white and red marble we leave the duomo behind and head for the piazza della signoria the heart of florence during the renaissance it has been the site of jubilant civic celebrations as well as horrific public torture the l-shape square is surrounded by the majestic facades of historical buildings the palazzo vecchio is the city hall of florence it is a fortress palace overlooked by a watchtower topped with a gilded lion beneath its wall the fountain of neptune has provided the district with water since the 16th century one structure that shouldn't be missed is the logia de lanzi a covered gallery that houses several important statues the windows of the surrounding buildings are breathtaking in their design and detail we can only imagine the enormous effort that went into their construction at a time when all work was done by hand we stroll on the banks of the arno river toward the oldest bridge in florence called the ponte vecchio built in the 14th century incorporated into the bridge's design was a row of merchant shops which are still occupied by boutiques selling jewelry and art a secret covered corridor built above the shops allowed members of the medici family to cross the bridge unseen by the great unwashed below a bust of benvenutocidini master goldsmith of florence sits on a pedestal at the center of the bridge in italy locks are a symbol of eternal love lovers come here and lock them to the bridge before throwing the key into the rushing waters below on the riverbank stands the palazzo piti named for the florence banker who built it the medicis later bought it and turned it into one of their principal residences today the palace belongs to the state and houses six different museums it's a real treasure trove filled with paintings jewels and other precious items from a bygone era the piazza della republica is a vast square at the geographical center of florence it was built at the crossroads of two ancient roman roads on the remains of the jewish ghetto surrounded by cafes and elegant restaurants were now in what is considered the fashionable part of town this is where we'll stop to take in a florentine lunch with a glass of tuscan wine in hand here's to la dolce vita italiana after indulging in the region's charcuterie the main dish arrives a statuesque platter of grilled meat we head back to the hotel zigzagging through the animated streets of florence and anticipating our journey to rome this morning we'll say adivaderci to tuscany comfortably settled into our bus we're setting our course for umbria we'll stop in the fortified city of assisi before heading to rome the last destination of our tour located on one side of mount subasio assisi doesn't appear to have changed much since the medieval period assisi is first and foremost a destination for pilgrims that come to the saint francis of assisi basilica built on the tomb of the celebrated holy man the basilica is actually two churches built one on top of the other out of the magnificent white stone of mount subasio an imposing staircase connects the two churches which are both excellent examples of medieval art and architecture and are filled with religious artifacts from that period assisi flourished during the middle ages thanks to the protection offered by its fortifications its position on the slope of the mountain gives us a stunning view of the umbrian countryside an equestrian statue of saint francis returning from war reminds us that the famous friar was a soldier before becoming a saint we explore assisi's rich past simply by wandering through its steep streets and picturesque alleyways everywhere we walk we come across beautifully detailed examples of period architecture this city receives 6 million tourists per year 90 of whom are pilgrims it's quite probable that while they come for religious reasons they are swept away by the tranquility and quiet dignity of the city's streets in any case the colorful frescoes sprinkled throughout remind us that we are in a very religious city one can't escape the feeling that assisi almost glows with a quiet spirituality we head up this deep staircase to the piazza del camuna the square has been the city's main gathering place since antiquity before the palazzo del capitano del popolo were surprised to see a contemporary statue offered to the city by colombian sculptor botero the horse faces the tower of the people home to the archives and records for all of assisi the piazza del comune is a great place to get a glimpse of daily life in modern assisi but it's also a historical square with buildings that date back to the roman era one example is the temple of minerva built over two millennia ago today it houses the catholic church of santa maria sopra minerva before leaving assisi we have a look at the basilica dedicated to saint clair a disciple of saint francis and another native of the city we're now on our way to our last destination rome to get there we drive to the region of latium known for its green and golden fields our first stop in the city is at hotel erjife where the staff helps us unload although it's a short distance from rome's main attractions this four-star establishment is isolated from the noise of the city when we arrive the lobby is packed with people our guide braves the crowds to check us in at the front desk hey she distributes our keys so that we can settle into our rooms the modern rooms are clean and bright the minimalist decor doesn't detract from the room's comfort which includes all the conveniences one would expect from a four-star hotel all in all it's a great headquarters for our stay in rome behind the hotel a large terrace and a pool surrounded by trees await but we have other things to do as night falls we leave the ergife for a meal in the heart of rome the name of our restaurant grota azura which means blue cave the decor certainly is cave-like the traditional roman food on the menu has been reinterpreted for 21st century tastes local specialties are on the menu at this charming restaurant where the fresh ingredients and attentive service win us over from the very start we share a single massive order of fresh pasta with a sauce that makes us think of the italian countryside we're done with our meal but our evening isn't over yet after sunset we go for a tour of roman landmarks which are even more unforgettable at night after a word from our guide about our itinerary for this evening tour we get off the bus to have a look at an iconic part of the eternal city the trevi fountain located in the heart of the city it's the most famous fountain in rome the district used to get its water from a simple aqueduct but when the fountain was completed after 23 years of construction in 1762 residents could fetch their drinking water from a spectacular work of art it features a sculpture of neptune god of the sea and a chariot shaped like shell pulled by two marine horses other statues representing abundance health and the four seasons complete this tribute to the ocean it's a local tradition to throw two coins into the legendary fountain one to make a wish and the other to ensure that one day we will come back to rome we follow our guide back to the bus and start off toward our next destination the piazza san pietro situated in front of saint peter's basilica it was designed as two-columned arms outstretched to embrace the crowds of catholic pilgrims there's one way to tell if the pope is home if the windows of his apartments are lit up in the roman night the leader of the catholic world is at home the sun rises on our first day in rome a perfect day to explore the city on foot we start back in saint peter's square with its impressive basilica built over the supposed tomb of saint peter finished in 1626 it took over a century to build with a succession of great artists contributing to its design including raphael and michelangelo who built the massive dome in the middle of the square stands an obelisk brought back by emperor caligala from a battle in egypt 140 statues adorn the colonnade of the largest catholic gathering place in the world and two elegant fountains give the square a little sparkle we leave the vatican behind and head across the river to discover the statue of giordano bruno a monk burned at the stake in the year 1600 for his heretical opinions which watches over the campo de fiori the lively square's main attraction is the outdoor market where fresh produce is on offer every day except sundays in the evenings the district's trendy bars are the main attraction so much color and excitement is rather at odds with the former purpose of the campo de fiori the square was once an execution site we head out now for piazza navona arguably the most beautiful square in rome built on the site of an ancient stadium it's home to three extravagant fountains including the fountain of the four rivers behind it the church of san teknis in agony has been welcoming the faithful since the 17th century we find another obelisk in this square as finally crafted as the buildings around it we linger to take in the detailed sculptures of the fountain of the four rivers before following our guide toward another roman square even from afar the piazza venezia seems imposing at the end of the busy via del corso in rome's historical trident district the great square is home to alter of the fatherland constructed from 1885 to 1911 this immense white marble building is dedicated to victor emanuel the first the first king of unified italy who is immortalized in an equestrian statue two statues of victory watch over the monument which contains a museum dedicated to italian history at the top of the majestic stairs guards watch over the tomb of the unknown soldier and nearby an eternal flame burns in the memory of those who were lost in the wars while it is certainly magnificent the altar of the fatherland is not the only attraction in piazza venezia it is bordered by two palaces including the palazzo venezia now transformed into a national museum this building used to be the general headquarters and the private residence of infamous dictator benito mussolini during the second world war we delve into the animated streets of the district in the knowledgeable company of our experienced guide we steel ourselves away for the climb up the capitoline one of the seven roman hills but our efforts are rewarded when we reach the summit where we find a piazza largely designed by michelangelo square is the location of the impressive roman city hall at the top of the cordonata capitolina a terrace pedestrian walkway in the middle of the square roman emperor and philosopher marcus aurelius stands on guard all around us ancient palaces house the rich collections of the capitoline museum as for us we're heading back down the hill and back a few millennia in time the roman forum features the arch of september severus erected in the 3rd century as well as the temple of saturn built more than 2 500 years ago these are only two of the many roman ruins we discovered during our tour of the center of public life in ancient rome when exploring ancient rome one can't escape the influence of roman mythology built two thousand years ago the pantheon was erected in honor of all the roman gods it owes its survival through the centuries to pope bonifast iv who converted it into a church in the 7th century its large portico is supported by 16 monolithic granite columns we enter through the enormous bronze doors the vast round interior is decorated with rich materials from ceiling to floor the building's extraordinary dome was michelangelo's model for the dome that crowns saint peter's basilica as the pantheon is a church visits are not allowed during mass however outside of services were allowed to go inside and drink in the centuries of religious history many of the pantheon's niches contain statues of roman gods now they are transformed into chapels housing the tombs of king victor emmanuel ii king umberto and margarita de savoya further on the tomb of painter raphael has the extreme honor of being displayed in the pantheon after spending some time in this contemplative spiritual place we'll head for a more lively location the piazza di spagna is named for the spanish embassy built here in the 17th century the monumental spanish steps which connect the piazza to the trinity del monte church above are a popular gathering place for young romans surprisingly the church above isn't italian or spanish but rather french the french king charles viii built it in 1495 on the land of one of his subjects the french influence is quite conspicuous even the egyptian obelisk that stands before the church is crowned with the famous french fleur de lis to this day the church has been maintained and served by the vatican's french cardinal priest although the view from the top of the spanish steps is breathtaking we'll head off to continue our tour of rome many roman monuments are recognizable around the world but none more than our next destination the coliseum of rome has been standing since the year 80 a.d if it seems to be in disrepair it's because some of its stones were removed in the middle ages to use for other constructions between 50 and 75 000 spectators could fit in the stands which were built to separate the various social classes because of its immense capacity it was important for the coliseum to be filled and evacuated quickly in roman times all 80 of the ground floor arches were used as entrance ways built to host gladiator combats the amphitheater also featured wild animal hunts reenactments of famous battles and even public executions the floor of the arena is made of wood covered with sand underneath numerous tunnels and cages house the animals gladiators and equipment used in the coliseum after functioning as an arena for almost 500 years in the middle ages the structure was converted for use as a fortress and then a quarry despite the ravages of time we are mesmerized by the place we can almost hear the cheers of the crowds of ancient rome to finish our visit to rome we still have a few places left to see the piazza barbarini is located on quirinal hill in the middle the water of the famous triton fountain sparkles in the sunshine further along we'll take the santa angelo bridge across the tiber river after flowing through rome the river empties into the turinian sea on its bank stands the palazzaccio seat of the italian supreme court the building is so elaborate that when it was built in the early 20th century the romans suspected governing bodies of corruption we find a table on a garden terrace as the daylight fades it's truly our last night in italy over an excellent dinner we take the time to say goodbye to the eternal city the local sparkling wine called spumante flows freely we raise our glasses to our tour that is coming to an end we indulge one last time in the fresh pasta of rome while a musician serenades us how heartbreaking it is to have to say goodbye it's with fondness in our hearts and some really great pictures in our cameras that we end our trip on italian soil our time spent with venice's canals and florence's art the flavors of tuscany and the liveliness of rome won't soon be forgotten there's so much more to see milan naples turin sicily there's so much about italy that's inspiring this is not goodbye but arrivederci until next time on the joy of touring you
2021-06-18 01:48
