 |
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| |||||
|
|||||
Italy Italy dips down out of Europe and into the Mediterranean like a women's leg firmly planted in a sleek stiletto, so it's hardly surprising that Italians are known for their impeccable style and fashionable dress sense. They're also known for once having an empire that stretched across the globe, and for having the most spectacular churches, frescos, sculptures and Renaissance paintings in all of Europe. The Italy of today is littered with the relics of more than 3,000 years of history, and an atmosphere that ranges from the Armani-wearing-scooter-driving-espresso-drinking buzz of its cities to the quiet, pastoral existence of its hillside olive farms and seaside fishing villages. From the depths of the canals in Venice, which floats on a series of islands in an Adriatic lagoon, and the bleached sands of San Remo on the Riviera, to the rocky crags of the Alps, Dolomites and Apennines, Italy has everything from beach holidays to luxury mountain ski resorts. Italy's cities reveal awe-inspiring architecture from the curved arches of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence to the crumbling magnificence of the Colosseum in Rome. Home of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Carvaggio and Botticelli, its artworks are a visual delight to all visitors. Nestled into the outskirts of Rome is the independent Vatican City, the seat of the Pope and home to the famous St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The influence of the Holy Catholic Church on the people of Italy is still evident today in a series of holy festivals, carnivals, and parades involving young and old alike in almost every city, town and village. THE ITALIAN LAKES The great northern lakes stretch like sparkling glass-topped vistas within a sequence of long, cavernous valleys descending from the Alps. Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda emit their unique sparkle onto the magnificent surrounding landscape and in turn attract diverse tourists to their banks. Younger travellers enjoy the sailboarding and nightlife experience of Lake Garda whilst sophisticates from Milan are drawn to the magnetism of Lake Como. Maggiore provides a tranquil, relaxed respite and can be enjoyed from the comforts of its surrounding luxury hotels. Lake Como The pristine waters of Lake Como (known locally as Lago Di Como) are framed by craggy backdrops and magnificent villas festooned with bougainvillea perch over its watery banks. Three long lakes converge to form Lake Como, joining in the Centro Lago area with the four towns of Bellaggio, Tremezzo, Menaggio and Varenna. These can be visited via the boats and buses connecting the towns in all three areas of the lake. Cultural areas of interest include Como's duomo, which combines the best of Gothic and Renaissance elements. Contiguous to this lies the former communal palace, the Broletto and two blocks from here is the Church of San Fedele. Scenic vistas can be explored from a funicolare to Brunate. Hiking trails lead off from here with overnight accommodation en route in the form of baite (modest guesthouses). Across the lake is the Tempio Voltiano a memorial museum devoted to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the battery. There is an outdoor market in Como every Tuesday and Thursday morning and the whole day on Sunday. Lake Maggiore Lake Maggiore casts a refined glow from its shores, as it is the preferred holiday destination of the elite. The resort town of Stresa is a haven for Italians, French and Germans who flock to its cobbled streets and enjoy the spectacular mountain and lake views from its quarters. Just a heartbeat away lies further splendour in the form of the Borromean Isles. Daily excursion tickets enable adventurous travellers to hop between the islands at their leisure. Of these isles, the Isola Bella is the most visited. Its claim to fame is the magnificent Baroque palace, the Palazzo e Giardini Borromeo, replete with priceless masterpieces, tapestries, furniture and paintings. The terraced gardens reach their dramatic apex with the unicorn, the Borromeo family emblem. On Isola Madre is the Borromeo bambini doll collection as well as a number of portraits of the family. A magnificent botanical garden flows from the house with plentiful exotic trees, plants and flowers. Lake Garda TUSCANY Tuscany's rolling hills are garlanded with cypress trees, lush vines and olive groves that make way here and there for sleepy villages and medieval hill towns. The area rests languidly in the middle of the Italian peninsula, with parts stretching to the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Snaking through the Tuscan landscape from Florence to Pisa and soaking its thirsty banks is the Arno River. Akin to the gentle flow of a river is the ebb of life in the region. People work in the fields in much the same way their ancestors did before them, producing some of Italy's finest wines and olive oils. From this same landscape emerges a profusion of art and architecture that has fashioned Italy onto the cultural map. Tuscany was the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period of unprecedented innovation in art, architecture and humanist scholarship. The grandeur of the High Renaissance was enjoyed during the Medici family's reign when they commissioned the art and architecture that lives on within the elegant precincts of Florence.
The picturesque hill town of Assisi, to the east of Perugia, is famous as the birthplace of St Francis, a 12th-century monk who founded the Franciscan order devoted to achieving an ‘abundance of the divine’ through the practise of ascetism, poverty and chastity. Tourists and pilgrims flock to the bustling town for inspiration and worship, and a multitude of conferences, festivals and other religious activities are dedicated to this aim. Approaching the town is a visual spectacle of shimmering white marble buildings perched halfway up Mount Subasio. The town is set against the backdrop of the towering 14th-century hill fortress of the Rocca Maggiore, a landmark with which to orientate oneself from inside the city’s medieval ramparts. The most loved and visited church in Italy is the 13th-century Basilica di San Francesco containing frescoes by Giotto commemorating the life of St Francis. Other notable works include paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini’s frescoes based on the life of St Martin. St Francis’ tomb rests below the lower church.
Pisa is most famous for its leaning campanile, yet its other equally notable coups include its long maritime legacy dating to 1000 BC, its prized university and its status as the birthplace of the world's greatest physicist and astronomer, Galileo Galilei. The Pisans also created one of the most beautiful squares in the world in the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles). Its key component is the famous Leaning Tower, whose layers of heavy marble were constructed on a shifting subsoil foundation that has been the bane of Pisan engineers for more than 800 years. It seems that the tremulous soil underneath the Field of Miracles has exacted its price on the other buildings too, most notably San Michele dei Scalzi. Other attractions of interest in Pisa include the Museo delle Sinopie, a museum containing a display of sketches from the frescoed cycle that decorated the walls of the Campo Santo cemetery and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in which exhibits of arabesque panels and Corinthian capitals reveal the influences of Rome and Islam on Pisan architects. The Museo Nazionale di San Matteo displays a range of Florentine art from the 12th through to the 17th centuries.
Cortona perches above the lofty hills of olive groves and vineyards overlooking Lake Trasimeno and the plain of Valdichiana. It is one of the oldest cities in Tuscany and its Etruscan roots have been indelibly imprinted onto its foundations. It also stakes a claim as a 'City of Art', having spawned the great artists, Luca Signorelli and Pietra da Cortona. Most of the Etruscan city is hidden in basements but part of the original 4th-century BC walls can be seen at the base of Porta Colonia's outer side. Climbing the city's cut-stone staircases and meandering along its cobbled streets guides one back through the past from the Renaissance to the Middle Ages and beyond. The medieval houses along via Janelli are the oldest in Italy; massive timber beams support their overhanging upper stories. Places of special interest include the Palazzo Comunale, Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca (containing a number of major Etruscan artefacts) and the church of San Francesco, the first Franciscan church outside Assisi.
Lucca is a delightful city comprising a grid of Roman roads contained within mighty medieval ramparts. It is home to Puccini, chamber music, Romanesque churches, museums and monuments. Lucca's flat landscape and narrow winding lanes create the perfect conditions for commuting by bicycle as many locals do. The Piazza del Mercato supports what survives of the ancient Roman amphitheatre. Medieval houses frame the square and low archways provide the gateways through which Roman gladiators would have emerged. Some of the city's essential sights include the Duomo, San Michele, San Frediano, Museo Nazionale Guinigi and Torre Guinigi. Casa di Pucini makes an interesting visit for opera lovers, as this 15th century house is a shrine to one of Italy's greatest composers.
The towers of this medieval village peer wilfully onto the stretch of cypress and olive trees below. San Gimignano has been dubbed 'medieval Manhattan' however the skyline of towers numbers only 14 of the original 72. Built as status symbols and defensive outposts the towers played a significant role in the internecine feuds that eventually led to the town's downfall. Prior to its eventual decline into a sleepy backwater, the town prospered through its position along the main pilgrim route from Northern Europe to Rome. Today however it is better known for its tourism, wine production and rich artwork. The Piazza del Duomo is a good starting point from which to explore the historical buildings of the town. In close proximity to the square is the Collegiata church, dating to the 11th century and adorned with frescoes including The Creation by Bartolo di Fredi. Via San Giovanni is a good area to navigate for local merchandise.
The red-brown stone of this medieval city throngs around Italy's finest old square, the Piazza del Campo. As old as the square itself are the traditions reverberating off its pavements twice yearly during the Palio delle Contrade. It is Italy's most colourful festival with rehearsals, processions and pageantry leading up to the climactic bare-back horse race around the Piazza. It is taken very seriously as it provides an outlet to the fierce rivalries that have raged for centuries among the town's 17 medieval districts. All of Siena's streets are a delight to explore but some of its notable landmarks include the Torre de Mangia, Palazzo Pubblico, the Duomo, Palazzo Piccolomini, Pinacoteca Nazionale and Museo dell'Opera. Torre del Mangia is the bell tower to the left of Palazzo Pubblico which stands at 330ft (102m), the second highest in Italy. It is named after the first bell ringer who was known for his infuriating idleness. The Palazzo Pubblico still serves as Siena's town hall although sections of it are open to the public. The Palazzo Piccolomini, built in 1460 for the prosperous Piccolomini family, contains Sienese state archives and financial records. The Pinacoteca Nazionale gallery is noted for its collection of works by artists of the Siena School. Siena's spectacular Duomo is unsurpassed amongst Italy's churches, built in full Gothic style. The carved pulpit panels by Nicola Pisano are magnificent depictions from The Life of Christ. Many of the original statues on the church's façade are copies; the originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
|
|
|
|
Telephone : 020 7291-8111 / Fax : 020 7291-8129 |
|
||||||||
| © 2010 Just The Ticket - Terms and Conditions - Site Developed by Adactus | top of page |
