Liguria:
Genoa:
Genoa was my first day trip when I arrived in Italy. I was excited to escape the rather cold and dreary city for a day at the sea. First, I should note that this trip was seven years ago so I don’t remember it that much. What I do recall is that Genoa is a beautiful city with rolling hills and breathtaking vistas. The city specializes in pesto, so if you travel there, you must find some homemade pesto at a small market. Fresh Italian basil is the key ingredient! As for me, I had a pesto pizza that day which was very tasty. In addition to the great views, the only other site that I remember visiting was the national aquarium which was a good institution. By far the best part of that experience was being able to pet stingrays. So, if you are with your family, I would swing by the Acquario di Genova
- Recommended Destination in Liguria: Cinque Terre
Lombardia:
Milan:
Milan is the center of high fashion in northern Italy. It’s one of the first cities you think of outside the Big Three (Florence, Rome, Venice) to visit; however, I would caution people to do some research on the city. If you are in to shopping for days, I would suggest going in a heartbeat. The town center is full of high-end places to shop that will leave your wallets thinner than when you got there. As for me, shopping isn’t high on my priority list when I travel (where am I going to pack all of the buys?!).
The highlights of Milan are Duomo di Milan which is the largest cathedral in Italy and 5th in the world (St. Peter’s is in the Vatican City, so technically not Italy). It is gorgeous inside and out. After months of seeing church after church, walking up to the piazza that this is in is still breathtaking! Nearby is the original Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci which you will need to register to see far in advance because of the decay of the painting. In addition to this stunning cathedral, the other site I would venture to is a cathedral in its own way. The San Siro, where both Inter Milan and AC Milan play their football matches is bursting with excitement during game days. I was lucky to travel to Milan on one of these days when Inter were playing Liverpool in the Champions League. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the game but the atmosphere and the fun around the stadium left an impact that I am not likely to forget. Overall though, I would forgo Milan if asked. It is a rather dirty city with not much to do. There are better choices to be made in Northern Italy (hint-hint – read my first report on Torino) and even better choices outside the country.
Veneto:
Verona:
I was lucky enough to be able to go on a class weekend trip to Verona and Venice for a weekend prior to Carnevale. It was great to visit a new location in Italy and especially two distinct cities with great culture and history (history seems to be a running theme for Italian cities!). Verona is a small city just East of Venice. Made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, this city also has a lot of other things to offer. We were only in the city for a few hours so I went to the main sightseeing points. Verona is home to the third largest coliseum in Italy, now an open-air music and entertainment venue. You can walk in to the coliseum and lounge on the seats or take the pit and battle it out with your friends! It’s a great landmark to see if you’re stopping in Verona and very easy to find near both the bus and train stations. Nearby, there is a largely intact Roman Wall that spans for several city blocks. This was the first thing I saw when I stepped off the bus. I was immediately in awe; finally, something that dated back centuries (there are a few places in Torino that are that old, but I didn’t see them until April and this was in March). Walking through the town was great; it’s a very walkable city. There were two choices after most of the day was spent at the coliseum and eating. We could go see “the balcony” with the famous Juliet statue, or go to the tallest tower in the city, climb it, and check out the views. I, of course, chose to go to the tower and climb the 200+ old stone steps.
You’ll find out, through this blog that I tend to have a mix of touristy activities and things that you would not normally see if you went by the books. The view was great. You could see everything in the city and beyond. I love vistas like this that make cities seem smaller than they actually are and I try to take advantage of this anytime I possibly can. Verona is a great city to visit, especially if you want the Italian treatment before heading to Venice, where they will treat you, without hesitation, like a tourist. If you go to Italy, try to make it to a smaller city, it is worth it to really get involved in la vita italiana.
Venice
Venice is one of the most famous and beautiful cities on Earth. It is frequently featured in blockbuster movies and mentioned as one of the most romantic getaways that you can find. Arriving in Venice I was prepared to be amazed. The first night I thought it was alright, I didn’t do much except go out to eat at a subpar, tourist catering restaurant (beware the multi-lingual menus, readers!). The next day brought an organized tour with a Venetian who took us around the city, walking through the narrow streets and over the stone bridges. When we arrived in St. Mark’s Square, I was hooked. This place has to be a dream, right? Venice is gorgeous. Take away the whimsical gondolas and wooden boats in the canals and it would still be one of my favorite places to visit so far. The architecture is astounding. In St. Marks alone there are at least four notable things to do – the Doge Palace, St Mark’s Cathedral, the Campanile, and the two columns near the waterfront to guide sailors home. What amazed me most is that parts of the year, this area is completely flooded and planks are set out for people to walk on. Thankfully, this was not the case for us and we were able to walk around St. Mark’s that day.
Nearby St. Mark’s Square, you can visit Harry’s Bar, a 1930s establishment which made Bellinis a hit and was a regular stop for Ernest Hemingway during his travels through Europe. Although a bit expensive and fancy, this bar should be a stopping point for any literary buff. Gondola rides are also a must for any visit to Venice. I took mine with a small group and we cruised through some of the main tourist points in Venice, from Marco Polo’s home to the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge. It is a great experience, and I recommend it to anyone going to Venice.
Lastly, as my time wound down in Venice, I decided to head to the small island of Murano to see glassblowing. That was a great side trip! When you get off the ferry, you see (and I notice it changes throughout the year) a glass sculpture that is just incredible. When I went it was what looked like a cauldron with flames shooting out of it. Venturing in to town, you can stop in several different shops to buy Murano glassware. I bought a few wine stoppers that I still have that are great looking pieces. Here you can also venture in to a studio and watch glassblowers construct all sorts of things. Venice is a great city to visit! The things I saw didn’t even touch some of the more major sites (I never went to a museum or toured any historic buildings), but however you plan to visit Venice, you will have a great time!
Grant's Great Escapes 