There’s no shortage of things to see and do in Italy - find out what you must-see, and the tricks to maximizing your time in the country.
I’ve met several people who walk into the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, look over at the statues flanking the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio and think, “Oh, wow, there’s Michelangelo’s David! Right out there in the open! How cool - and I didn’t even have to pay an admission fee.” My goal here is to keep you from being one of those people.
See, while there’s a statue outside the Palazzo Vecchio that looks like Michelangelo’s “David,” it’s actually a copy. The copy stands in the exact spot where the original once stood, so you can get an impression of what it might have looked like in its “natural environment,” as it were. You can start to appreciate what the rulers of Florence were trying to convey to their would-be enemies by putting an image of David outside their offices. But to see the original, you’ve got to look elsewhere - you’ve got to stand in line and pay an admission to get into the Accademia.
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In Florence’s Oltrarno neighborhood, probably the biggest attractions are centered around the Pitti Palace, the former residence of the ruling Medici family. But for something a little less stately (but no less historical), you might want to take a peek into La Specola, the Museum of Zoology & Natural History. It’s right next to the Pitti Palace, but is a tourist sight of a completely different color.
La Specola is a collection spanning more than 30 rooms, with objects like fossils and stuffed animal specimens, but by far the most intriguing part of the museum is the room full of anatomical human wax models which date from the 18th century. Rather than being the Florentine version of Madame Toussaud’s, however, these models served a very specific purpose - they were intended to aid medical students in understanding the human body. Many of the figures have been stripped of their skin, and some are exposing the many layers of nerves, muscle and organs underneath. The displays are entirely made of wax, but the molds for each one were created from actual corpses - so there’s a shocking degree of realism here.
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If you’re used to Gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame in Paris or Westminster Abbey in London, stoic and stately in all that gray stone, you might be in for a shock when you see the Duomo in Florence. It may be Gothic, but its multi-colored facade is anything but stoic.
At the heart of historic Florence, the Duomo (which means “dome” in Italian) is the city’s main cathedral and dates from the late 13th century. The cathedral’s full name is Santa Maria del Fiori. While the striped facade may look somewhat avant-garde, it was actually designed to mimic the existing striping on the Baptistery out front. The Duomo was originally constructed without its crowning dome, which left a giant circular hole in the roof, because the designers didn’t yet know how to create such a dome without inner supports. They were sufficiently optimistic that it would eventually happen, however, so they went ahead with the plans and just lived with a big hole in the roof until the dome was finally added in the early 15th century. The dome was eventually designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, and climbing to the top of the dome to look over the city of Florence is now one of the highlights of a visit to the Duomo.
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Bathed in the history of the Renaissance, Florence might seem like the ideal destination if you’re into the offbeat sights. But every city has oddities, and Florence is no exception. Now, I’m not suggesting that you skip seeing things like the Uffizi Gallery or the Duomo in favor of these “roadside attractions,” but if you’ve covered the major sights and you’re itching for something that will make your vacation stories unique - or if you’ve been to Florence before and don’t want to see the same things again - then by all means, check out one of these stops on …
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January might not be the hottest month in Italy weather-wise, but it’s one of the hottest months in terms of shopping. Unlike in the U.S., Italy has two national sales periods each year - in January and July - when every store has massive discounts on some of its best merchandise. We’re not talking about the creepy sale rack at the back of the store with all the crap from last season that no one else wants. We’re talking about the good stuff. Okay, maybe not all the good stuff, but enough good stuff to make people line up to get in to the stores. Because when you say the words “Prada” and “50% off” in the same sentence, even jaded Italian shoppers get excited. (Case in point - see those people in line in that photo? They’re Italians waiting to get into the Gucci sale in Milan.)
For some basic information, you can check out my post from last year on the January sales in Italy. Official sales periods will differ depending on the city or region, but most of them get started in early January and run through mid-February. Some last into early March - including Milan’s sales, which is exceptionally wonderful because that’s where all the top Italian fashion designers have their flagship stores - for maximum shopping potential. And for some more information, including some dates of 2008 sales periods in Italy, see this article.
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Milan isn’t usually the kind of city people come to spend more than a day or two, usually at one or the other end of a trip and only because they’re flying in and out of Malpensa Airport. Italy’s financial capital isn’t swimming in what most people would consider tourist attractions, but it’s an interesting city nonetheless - and if you’ve planned ahead you can make the most of your time here rather than just watching bad Italian TV in your airport hotel room.
In addition to the regular things to do in Milan, however, if you’ve got …
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Right behind St. Mark’s Basilica in terms of actual attractions worth visiting in Venice is the Doge’s Palace. And, ironically, the palace is also next to (and kind of behind) the Basilica.
The Doge’s Palace, or “Palazzo Ducale” in Italian, is the former home of Venice’s rulers, the Doges (or Dukes). Back when Venice was the an important port city and the heart of a powerful city-state, the people who governed the city lived in and ruled from these rooms. The palace also housed the city’s court, and convicted prisoners would take a one-way trip across a tiny bridge into the prison in a building across a tiny canal. The current Palazzo Ducale dates from the early 14th century, though it rests on the site of prior fortified buildings. The palazzo is prominently visible from the Grand Canal.
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For many, a visit to Florence just isn’t complete without some time spend in the famous Uffizi Gallery (”Galleria degli Uffizi” in Italian). After all, there’s nowhere else on earth that you can sit in the center of a room full of gigantic Botticelli paintings and just drift off into a world of colorful myths and legends.
Unfortunately, everyone wants to see the Uffizi, and most of them will be there at the same time that you’re there (or at least it’ll feel like that). Lines to get into the museum can be hours long, and waiting outside in the hot summer Tuscan sun can be horrible. And who wants to spend a whole day of your precious vacation time in a line? So while I highly recommend a stop at the Uffizi, I even more highly recommend that you make a reservation in advance. But we’ll get to that in a minute. (And if you want to jump ahead, learn more now about booking tickets in advance.)
First of all, what’s inside this Uffizi place, and why do you want to see it, anyway? It’s a reasonable question. The truth is, if you’re really not a museum or art person, you may not feel any qualms about skipping the Uffizi Gallery. But even if you’re only marginally interested, it’s one of those experiences you should go for if you can. After all, this is Florence - the birthplace of the Renaissance - and so much of what’s important about the Renaissance hinges on the art. It is almost counterintuitive to visit Florence and not visit the Uffizi.
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The cradle of the Renaissance, Florence attracts countless visitors all year round. There are, clearly, things that everyone wants to see when they visit. These are likely to be the same things you’ve got on your list, too, so the first thing to realize is that a little planning can help you avoid at least the worst of the crowds. No one wants to spend their vacation waiting in lines to see art, even if it’s great art. Your time is more valuable than that. Of course, there’s more to Florence than just art, but visiting this city without at
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When you think of Venice, what do you think of first? Certainly, the canals and Venice gondolas come to mind quickly, but almost as quickly you’ll get images of people in gorgeous and elaborate costumes - complete with ornate masks - as they celebrate Carnevale each year. While Carnevale (Carnival in English) is a holiday which is recognized throughout Italy, Venice is the most famous city in Italy for its Carnevale festivities. So, if you want to see Carnevale in Venice, keep reading - you’ll need a few tips before you dive in.
First of all, the “when is Carnevale” question isn’t as easy to answer as you might think it should be. It begins roughly two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday, better known as “Fat Tuesday” or Mardi Gras (”Martedì Grasso” in Italian). This is generally late January through early February, but check your current calendar to be absolutely sure. It is traditionally a time when Catholics the world over indulge in a bit of excess before Lent begins and they have to give up things they love, like sweets. In Venice, whether or not you’re Catholic it’s still an excellent celebration of decadence.
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