10 must see places in Italy!
Below are 10 places I visited on my European holiday that made me fall for Italy.
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| Shipra's travel itinerary across Europe! |
1. VENICE
Love at first sight? That was
what I felt when I took a water bus down the Grand Canal of Venice. The lavish
facades of the palazzi on its banks, dating back to the time when trade between
the East and the West was Venice’s mainstay, were my beautiful companions for
the evening. As I glided along on the water, I could see that Venice is a
collection of islands strung together by its bridges and I was excited to know
that every time I crossed a bridge, I would actually be island-hopping!
Walking around the city, I found
that, although car-free and compact, Venice is a veritable maze of narrow calle
(streets). But when I dared to lose myself in them, I was richly rewarded. All
I needed to do was leave my map behind and carry my sense of adventure along on
my European holiday! And when my feet began to protest from all of that
walking, I sat down to enjoy the soothing lapping of the water in the canals,
with a Bellini or Spritz in hand.
Tip: Take the elevator to the top
of the campanile in San Marco square to enjoy a seagull’s eye view of Venice
and the surrounding lagoon.
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| THE RIALTO BRIDGE ON THE GRAND CANAL |
2. BURANO
Taking a 45-minute ferry ride
from Venice, I reached the most cheerful island in the Venetian lagoon - Burano. Its colourful houses (painted so to aid the
island’s fishermen in identification at nighttime) provided the perfect
backdrop for pictures of my Italian holiday. Between selfies, I munched on the
S-shaped Buranelli cookies and shopped for handmade laces that are specialties
of the island.
Tip: Ponder over the leaning bell
tower on the island. The Leaning Tower of Pisa isn't the only one.
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| [PIC: COLOURFUL HOUSES OF BURANO] |
3. THE DOLOMITES
I
must admit that before proceeding on my European holiday, I had not known much
about the Italian Alps a.k.a the Dolomites as they are (surprisingly) less
popular than the Swiss Alps. However, they turned out to be one of the
highlights of my trip. Stopping at picture postcard towns such as Pieve di
Cadore and Auronzo di Cadore, I learnt that this region of Italy is
economically significant owing to its timber and eyewear industries. The
fashionista in me was thrilled to pick up designer frames at discounted prices
at the factory outlets here.
Travelling further into the
Dolomites, I reached the “winter wonderland” setting of Misurina. It is perfect
for snowball fights (oh, how I missed my girl gang!), but I had to make do with
a walk on the frozen waters of its lake. In the mood for some skiing and celeb
sighting, I then headed to the chic town of Cortina D’Ampezzo, my last stop in
the Dolomites.
Tip: Visit the Olympic Ice
Stadium in Cortina, venue of the 1956 Winter Olympics, to watch figure skaters
and curlers in action.
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| [PIC: VIEW OF THE DOLOMITES EN ROUTE TO MISURINA] |
4. FLORENCE
As an art, fashion and history
buff, I knew I had arrived at the right place when I reached Florence.
The Uffizi and Accademia art
galleries are treasure troves I could easily spend days in. The high fashion
boutiques on Via Tornabuoni (including the first Gucci store in the world),
jewellery shops on the Ponte Vecchio, leather goods stalls at San Lorenzo
Market and artisans’ workshops in Oltrarno are where I got my shopping fix. I
also signed up for free walking tours to understand the role played by the
bankers-turned-nobles of the Medici family in shaping the political and
cultural life of Florence. Thereafter, spotting the Medici crests on various
monuments around town became a favorite pastime of mine.
But if I had to pick the best
experience of my Italian holiday it would definitely be ascending the dome of
the Duomo. My tiredness, from climbing 463 narrow steps to the top, vanished as
I saw the beautiful city of Florence laid out before my eyes. To unwind
afterwards, I watched the sun set over the city from the heights of the Piazzale
Michelangelo.
Tip: For a break from the city
and a taste of “la dolce vita” on your Italian holiday, you can explore the
beautiful Tuscan countryside on a tasting-tour of the world-famous wines
produced in the vineyards there.
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| [PIC: THE FLORENTINE SKYLINE VIEWED FROM PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO] |
5. SIENA
Standing in the seashell-shaped
square in the city of Siena - Piazza del Campo – it felt like I had stepped
into a time warp, where very little seemed to have changed since the 1500s. From a documentary I had watched on the bus on
the way, I knew that the historic centre, surrounded by well-preserved palaces,
doubled up as the venue of the Palio horse race held twice every year. The
locals regaled me with stories of strategy and gamesmanship employed by the
fiercely competitive contrade (city wards) in winning the Palio.
It is the local tradition for the
Palio winner to give thanks to Mother Mary in the Cathedral. So, it was where I
headed next, and what a treat it was! All its different elements - the mosaic
works on the floor, the Moorish-style striped columns, the star-studded dome
and chapels decorated with works of Donatello & Bernini – came together
beautifully and made it one of the most beautiful churches I visited on my
European holiday.
Tip: Spot the Capitoline Wolf statue
which is the symbol of Siena.
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[PIC: THE PALAZZO PUBBLICO AND ITS TORRE DEL MANGIA ON THE PIAZZA DEL CAMPO]
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6. SAN GIMIGNANO
Approaching San Gimignano, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, I saw the perspective that renders the name
“Medieval Manhattan” to this quaint town. Rising high above the undulating
greens of the Tuscan countryside, 14 towers formed one of the most distinctive skylines
I had seen on my European holiday. As I walked around the town with nobody in
sight, a gelato cone from the World Championship-winning Dandoli for company, I
couldn’t help feeling as if it was all a giant set put up for a period
film.
Tip: Climb up to Rocca di
Montestaffoli for sweeping views of the countryside.
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| PIC: THE SKYLINE OF SAN GIMIGNANO |
7. PISA
Climbing the tower with the
marked tilt will certainly be one of the most unusual experiences of my European
holiday. And, in reward for my effort I
received panoramic views over the Field of Miracles and the city of Pisa. After
visiting the Cathedral and Baptistery in the same complex, I took a
well-deserved break by the banks of the River Arno. Turned out it was my lucky
day, and I was able to catch a rare sight of the dolphin which swam into the
Arno from the Mediterranean!
Tip: Beware of pickpockets when you are occupied with clicking funny pictures with the
Leaning Tower.
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| PIC: MONUMENTS OF THE FIELD OF MIRACLES |
8. CAPRI
Nothing spells vacation for me like
being on an island, and for some quality island time on my European holiday, I headed
to Capri. Nature has shaped from limestone some of the most dramatic cliffs,
caves and rocks here, which I was able to appreciate (and take gazillion
pictures of) from a boat ride around the island.
Back on terra firma, I took the
chairlift up Monte Solaro to get to the highest point of the island. Even
though the steadily ascending 13-minute ride was spectacular, the view of the
Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast from the top took my breath away.
Before heading back to the
mainland (reluctantly, I must add) to continue my Italian holiday, I stocked up
on locally produced limoncello, my favorite Italian digestivo. Everything from
the color and fragrance to the taste of this magical potion revived me from a
food coma and prepared me to attack the next gelateria with renewed vigor.
Tip: Weather permitting, you can
visit the Blue Grotto for a unique experience on your Italian holiday.
[PIC: SAIL UNDER I FARAGLIONI ON
A BOAT RIDE AROUND THE ISLAND OF CAPRI]
9. ROME
The past is very much present in
Rome and walking through its diverse neighborhoods felt as if I was travelling
back and forth in time. For a glimpse of the Rome of the days of yore, I visited
monuments such as the Pantheon, the Colosseum and the well-preserved ruins of
the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. On the other hand, to feel the pulse of
the modern metropolis of Rome, I spent my evenings in the shopping district
leading up to the Spanish Steps.
Rome is a city of hills and to
enjoy great views over the city from vantage points such as Gianicolo Hill and
Pincio, I had to do a fair bit of climbing daily. On the upside, all that
exercise during my Italian holiday enabled me to partake of local specialties such
as Cacio e Pepe and Spaghetti Carbonara with no guilt.
Once I was spellbound by Rome, I
made sure to throw coins into the Trevi Fountain to ensure my return to the
city. In doing so, I also earned good karma as coins retrieved from the
Fountain are used to feed the underprivileged of Rome.
Tip: Enjoy a good optical
illusion? The (non-existent) dome of the Sant’Ignazio Church is to be seen to
be deceived!
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| PIC: THE COLOSSEUM AND ROMAN FORUM AS VIEWED FROM THE PALATINE HILL |
10. VATICAN CITY
With no border markers, it was
easy for me to forget that I’m in a separate country when in the Vatican City.
However, visiting its St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel and the Vatican
Museums is one of the experiences from my European holiday I will remember for
many years to come.
I climbed the cupola of St.
Peter’s Basilica to see Rome in all its glory. From the top, I could see
several monuments of Rome, particularly the imposing edifice of the Vittoriano
and the Colosseum hiding in plain sight behind it.
I also made use of the
super-efficient mail service of the Vatican Post (by popping into the mail van
stationed in St. Peter’s Square) to send postcards bearing tales from my
European holiday to family and friends. I also bought stamps printed by the
city-state as souvenirs that are unique and easy to carry home.
Tip: Reservation of admission in
advance is recommended as long queues at the entrance, owing to airport-style
security checks, are to be expected.
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| PIC: VIEW FROM THE CUPOLA OF ST. PETER’S BASILICA, VATICAN CITY |
*
Things Italy taught me:
#1 - Save
for a Saldi (sale) day. In winters, it could actually be a rainy day!
#2 - When
life gives you lemons, make limoncello.
#3 - Make
gelato when the sun shines, and cioccolata calda (hot chocolate) when it doesn’t.
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