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.
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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If you’re one of the many people in the United States who would love to travel to Italy in 2008 but can’t quite spare the cash - especially given the abysmal exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the euro - then one option you should consider is taking in some Italian masterpieces as they travel the country.
The famous “Gates of Paradise,” designed by Ghiberti in the early 15th century, are a pair of bronze doors on the Baptistery in front of Florence’s Duomo, and though the originals are no longer actually on the Baptistery (they’re protected indoors now in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo), even seeing the copies is an amazing experience. Consider, then, that you could see a few or the original panels from those legendary doors up close and in person - and in the USA. Three panels from the “Gates of Paradise” are touring the United States, after which Italian officials say they will never again leave Italy. If you’ve never seen these incredible works of art and you don’t plan to visit Florence anytime soon, this is your best chance to see them.
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Rome was built on seven hills, and the Palatine Hill is the central hill as well as the site for one of the oldest parts of the city. It is in a cave here that (legend says) Romulus and Remus were suckled by the famous she-wolf - Romulus being the one who founded Rome once he grew up - so this hill is not only extremely well-known but also revered in Roman mythology. The importance of the Palatine Hill is more than just based in myth, however, as excavations here have revealed evidence of people living on the site around 1000 B.C.E.
The Palatine Hill overlooks the Roman Forum on one side and the Circus Maximus on the other. It is easy to combine a visit with the Colosseum and the Forum with a visit to the Palatine Hill. The buildings on the hill once included palaces of Augustus, Tiberius and Domitian, as well as other important Romans of the period, and a temple dedicated to Apollo. This site was also where ancient Romans celebrated the festival of Lupercalia, honoring the saving of Romulus and Remus by the she-wolf.
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Of all the piazzas in Rome, Piazza Navona is one of the most popular for both tourists and residents. The first thing that you’ll notice when you enter this oblong piazza is its odd shape. Rather than a big angular shape with a big church or government building at one end, the Piazza Navona is long and skinny - and if you look at the “corners,” you’ll notice they’re not corners at all. They’re rounded. What gives?
The odd shape of the piazza will make perfect sense once you realize that this space was once the site of an ancient Roman circus, generally an elongated version of a Roman arena where people would go to watch athletic and theatre events. And although the circus which once occupied Piazza Navona is gone, it has left its clearly-defined outline on the curved buildings which once surrounded it. The piazza is today one of the best places to see Baroque architecture in Rome.
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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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Italy isn’t a big country, but most tourists spend their time in a pretty small part of it. To get really off the beaten path in Italy, you may need to get off the mainland and explore the rugged back country on the island of Sardinia. But if touring Sardinia sounds too daunting to do on your own, never fear - there’s a week-long tour that will take you through Sardinia, just waiting for you to sign up!
This BootsnAll exclusive sailing and hiking tour in Sardinia will show you the best this Italian …
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Even if you don’t speak Italian, many games transcend language altogether so you don’t need to speak to understand them. Chess is one of those games, and it’s even more universally understood when you combine it with the notion of two men vying for the hand of a lovely young woman! What we’re talking about here is a tradition dating back to the mid-15th century, when a chess match instead of a duel was used to decide who of the two eligible suitors would marry the woman in question. But commemorating that occasion with a regular chess match wouldn’t be very interesting, would it? Not interesting enough for the town of Marostica, Italy, which makes recreating a chess match a spectator sport.
Every even-numbered year in Marostica, which is in the Veneto region of Italy roughly an hour northwest of Venice (but not on a train line), to mark the occasion of that 1450s chess match they hold a life-size chess match in the town’s main square. It’s called “La Partita a Scacchi con Personaggi Viventi,” and you may be able to gather from that title what makes this chess match so special - instead of chess pieces, it’s played with human beings and horses (in period dress, of course) on a gigantic board.
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I’ve long wanted to try a Home Food dinner, but during my past trips to Italy it never worked out - I was never in one of the cities hosting a dinner during my time in the country. When planning last month’s trip to Milan, however, I reasoned that with a week in the city there just had to be a Home Food dinner in Milan (or nearby) that we could attend. As luck would have it, there was.
If you’re unfamiliar with Home Food, read my post about the organization (written back when I was salivating over just the idea) for more details, including how to sign up. The gist of it is that Italians who are approved by the people who run Home Food invite strangers into their homes and serve meals which are traditional to that city or region, using seasonal and regional ingredients. The whole thing has sounded brilliant to me since I first heard about it, and I was thrilled to find an event right in Milan during my trip in November.
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