eAlom’s Travel Guide

A tour through Italy

Whether you travel alone or with a group, your tour in Italy will most likely start in Milan. Milan is the economic capital of Italy and has 2 international airports. As you stroll downtown, you will first encounter the unavoidable Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Completed in 1877 based on a plan by Giuseppe Mengoni, this prestigious gallery, the most famous in Italy, is a symbol of Milan for many: center of political and social life, this is also the place for you to do your shopping in the luxurious boutiques nearby, a harmonious group of buildings.

Next door, the Cathedral, or Duomo, is a masterpiece! The “colossal lightness” of this immense cathedral, covered with gables, little bell towers, pinnacles, composing a veritable lacework of white stone that the afternoon sun shines on. There are many, many statues of white marble on the terrace (exactly 2,245!). You must walk around the entire building in order to see the chevet with its three immense bays with tracery of curves and counter-curves, and its rose windows. And don’t forget to go up to the terraces from where you will be in the perfect spot to admire the incomparable finesse of the 135 spires.

From Milan, you will most likely head for Venice. On Saint Mark Square, you are at the epicenter of Venice: pigeons and tourists rushing about incessantly, the latter forming the most amazing lines to visit the basilica or the bell tower. This vast open space surrounded by the colonnades of the Old and New Palaces of the Magistrates. The superb facade of the Saint Mark Basilica with its loggia, its lively horses, and the gold bits in the mosaics that shine in the bright sun, the tall silhouette of the bell tower, the stone latticework of the facade of the Palace of the Doges, all along the piazzetta to the quay, make of this place built on the old vegetable garden of the neighboring Monastery of Saint Zachary, a miracle of architecture.

In Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio has a courtyard designed by Michelozzo (1470), decorated with stucco work and frescoes by Vasari. The Loggia della Signoria was constructed at the end of the 14C to accommodate the members of the Florentine government (the Signoria) during official ceremonies. Today it houses Antique and Renaissance statues: notable works include the Kidnapping of a Sabine Woman (1583) and a Hercules and Nessus by Giovanni da Bologna, but the highlight is the impressive statue of Perseus brandishing the head of Medusa, made between 1545 and 1553 by Benvenuto Cellini.

Do not miss a drive through the Tuscan countryside, in particular with a stop in San Gimignano, and a detour to Pisa, with its leaning tower.

On the way down to Rome, stop in Assisi and visit the Saint-Francis’ basilica. St Francis’ life was ironic, in that he spent his life preaching humility, renunciation, and poverty, yet after he died the austere and bare churches he pictured were embellished with unprecedented splendour… not that anyone is complaining!

In Rome, you will see the Colisseum. The work on this huge arena began in AD 72. Originally known as the Flavian amphitheatre, it was later called the Colisseum, perhaps because of the huge statue of Nero which once stood near it, or simply because of its gigantic size. The Arch of Constantine, beautifully harmonious, three-arcaded triumphal arch stands near the Colisseum. It was built in 315, by the Senate and Roman people, to celebrate Constantine’s victory over his rival Maxentius. Like the Colisseum, it was later set into the city’s Medieval fortifications, thus enabling it to survive into our 21C in quite good condition. On the same site, the Roman Forum, located at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, was the civic heart of Ancient Rome. It was a major meeting place, a business centre, the Republic’s political centre, a centre of Pagan religious activity, as well as an architectural centre, dotted with triumphal arches and temples dedicated to deified emperors.

You can safely walk all around Rome - it’s much faster than trying to catch a taxi or public transport! Passing the Spanish Steps, you’ll reach the Vatican. It’s a separate country within Italy, but you won’t need your passport here. Vatican is actually the world’s smallest state. However, it is neither the poorest, nor the least influential state in the world, because of its great spiritual influence. A visit to the Vatican is essential during your stay in Rome. It will enable you to discover the majestic St. Peter’s Square designed by Bernini. The Basilica, built close to the location of St. Peter’s martyrdom, is an architectural masterpiece that took more than 120 years to complete. It required the mobilisation of ten great architects, including Bramante, Bernini or Michelangelo, who united, and sometimes compared their talent. The Vatican museums house magnificent collections, accumulated by popes over the ages. The Egyptian and Ancient Roman Art, or Renaissance painting and Greek statuary collections are marvellous, although difficult to appreciate serenely because of the large crowds there. This visit reaches a peak in the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s vault has retained all its beauty.

As you drive further down South, you’ll reach Naples and it inextricable traffic. The Piazza del Plebiscito is a square that was built under the reign of Murat in 1810. Its semicircular shape is enclosed on either side by the royal palace and the neo-classical façade of the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, which was built for the coronation of Ferdinand of Bourbon, in 1817 and is largely inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.

The Vesuvius dominates Naples. An impressive path climbs up the slope, scattered with cinders and lapilli, to the yawning crater at the summit of this volcano which would seem completely dormant were it not for the occasional plume of smoke. The panoramic view over the bay is quite unforgettable. In nearby Pompeii, the Casa dei Vettii is without doubt the most attractive house. It has been faithfully reconstructed (the roof of the atrium has just been restored) and it has a delightful garden with statues, basins and fountains. The frescoes in the triclimium depict mythological scenes and friezes of Cupid doing domestic tasks and are among the most attractive from antiquity.

The Amalfi Coast might probably be as far South as your Italian trip will take you. Following the indentations of the rocky coast between Sorrento and Salerno, the mountain road hugs the Amalfi coast. The best way to explore what is arguably the most stunning coastline in Italy is to start out from Positano. Once a fishing village, formerly much loved by artists and trend-setters, it will give you a foretaste of the white-washed villages you will go through, beginning with Vettica Maggiore whose esplanade offers a fine view.

Weather-permitting, catch a boat to the island of Capri. The Blue Grotto’s celebrity is probably attributed to the light which penetrates it by refraction giving the water its admirable azure blue colour… A boat traffic jam is guaranteed, but the spectacle is well worth the wait. The Villa San Michele was built at the end of the 19C by the Swedish writer and doctor Axel Munthe who lived here until 1910. This villa is decorated with furniture from the 17 and 18C and Roman Sculptures (some of which are copies). The garden ends with a pergola that dominates the sea from a great height. The panorama of Capri and Marina Grande is fabulous.