| sightseeing |
Sightseeing in Italy Green swaths of vineyards quilt the Italian countryside, lorded over by hilltop castles that once defended ancient fiefdoms, gigantic stadiums, palaces, cathedrals and pantheons line the great cities of Italy, and the coastal resort towns serve up pristine, white sand as if it were spit out of snow machines, although in the wintertime snow naturally falls upon the glacial heights of Italy’s tallest mountain ranges.
There is no shortage of fascinating things to do and see in Italy – historical, cultural, artistic and archeological attractions abound in Italy, defying anybody to know where to begin. Why not Verona? Not far from Venice, the pink marble streets fizzles with a warm ambience and the afternoon glow of ruddy Italian faces imbibing their first sips of prosecco, adorned with the epitome of fashion, style, and Italian compassion, readying themselves – in a luxurious, Italian pace – for a culture packed night at the theater. A must see attraction is a dramatic performance at the Verona Amphitheatre, whose broken columns and earthen aspect hearken to ancient ruins, and the spectator is immediately transported to the time when the ancient Romans saw choric performances – despite the fact that the play’s content is that of the most flashy, modern and delightfully Italian fare.
Rome speaks to the heart of the ages. The Colisseum is a bizarre, multi-layered, cavernous stadium structure, the gloomy under-chambers where both Christians and lions were held in their respective chamber now revealed to the common tourist, as the sands of time have chiseled away at its continence, yet by no means have quitted the Coliseum of its formidable grandeur. The Pantheon, with its singular hole in the roof, hearkens to a time in which the pagans’ entirely unorthodox spiritual beliefs fused with the gifts of enduring architecture – one of the rare moments in which non-traditional cultures have been able to leave behind such and enduring, fascinating attraction.
Venice’s channels – and undiscovered nightlife – make it well worth its while despite the flood of tourists practically threatening the town’s existence. See San Marco’s square and you will begin to understand.
Walk – or paddle – through the wending, curving, spiraling pink and white maze of Venice’s incredible ways and you will know. Gran Paradiso National Park, outside of Turin, Italy, is a delightful natural escape, and ashen city Pompeii, outside of Naples is, is a perfectly preserved legend. |
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