Casu Marzu is created by leaving large pieces of Pecorino cheese outside to ferment.  During this process, the eggs of the cheese skipper, a type of insect, are intentionally introduced to the cheese, as well as the larvae. There can be more than five hundred eggs in the cheese!

The texture of the cheese becomes very soft, with some liquid seeping out. The live larvae themselves appear as translucent white worms, about 8 millimetres (0.3 in) long.

They are very tiny, and you may miss them!  When disturbed, the larvae can jump for distances up to several inches. Only cheese with live maggots is considered edible, while cheese with dead maggots is considered to be toxic.

Usually – but not always - people clear the larvae from the cheese before eating. Casu Marzu is usually eaten with bread and a strong red wine.

The EU regulation – after a period in which it was considered illegal to sell the Casu Marzu - declared the cheese a "traditional" food, made by the same recipe for more than 25 years and, as the recipe is thousands of years old, it is therefore allowed to deviate from ordinary food hygiene regulations.

You feel here a sensation of timelessness, as if the march of progress stopped, even in the most urbanized areas of the island. The coasts of the Region are high and rocky, with long, relatively straight stretches of coastline.

Almost 70% of the area is hilly and more then 10% is mountainous. The highest mountain is “Punta La Marmora” in the centre of the island. Sardinia is home to a wide variety of uncommon animals, such as the Albino Donkey (a small, completely white Donkey,) the Sardinian Deer (smaller then the European deer,) the wild fox and the Sardinian skink that lives only in Sardinia, Sicily and Maghreb. It looks like a lizard, with very short neck, small legs and a very long tail. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate and the wind Mistral from the northwest, dry and cool, makes the place a paradise for sailors.

The island has an extraordinary history and many different peoples – Phoenicians, Roman, Arab, Byzantines and Spanish – have influenced the Region. Today some 7,000 nuraghi - strange round tower fortress dating back 1500 BC - dot the Sardinian landscape. They belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sardinia is the only Italian region without highways, but the road network is well developed and the principal towns and the transport infrastructures are connected.  There is also a special steam train called “trenino verde” (little green train), which, in summer, slowly runs through the wildest part of the island and offers scenery you cannot enjoy from the road.

The main city is Cagliari, where two thousand year of history has left its mark, with archaeological ruins, medieval walls, superb churches and museums. Do not miss a visit to the castle - once the fortress of the town – the Cathedral and the San Pancrazio Tower.

Many Italian VIPs used to spend holidays in Sardinia. There are several ways to approach the Sardinian wonders. One of the best, surely, is boating along the coast. A great experience in Sardinia is the cuisine that ranges from the delicious sea food to wonderful meat dishes. Often ingredients like regional herbs are used to provide local color and flavour to meals.

A culinary local speciality? A cheese with worms! We are not joking, it exists, it is edible and many people find it yummy. If you want to know more about it, go on reading Cicero and we will satisfy your curiosity.

It has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the popular American poet, wrote in 1872, regarding Como Lake:

“I ask myself is this a dream?
Will it all vanish in the air?
Is there a land of such supreme
And perfect beauty anywhere?”
    
That’s true: the “Lario”, the name of Como Lake, has a curious Y shape and is enchantingly beautiful.

From Bellagio to Como, from Varenna to Cernobbio, there are many are fairytale villages to be visited.
Como is very elegant and easily reachable, only an hour by train or by car from Milan. It is a good starting point to visit the many villages in the area. The historic centre is located inside the ancient city walls, where tourists find many shops and boutiques and plenty of nice cafes to rest their feet.

Como is considered the silk capital in Italy, thanks to its traditional textile industry. You will find magnificent silk souvenirs of the highest quality; perfect as a gift for Mom or that special someone.  In the western shore of the lake, you can visit Cernobbio and Tremezzo.

In Tremezzo, Villa Carlotta is a real pearl, with a magnificent garden dating back to 17th century, full of orange trees, magnolias, enormous azaleas and camellias that bloom every spring, offering incredible multicoloured spectacles. It is also possible to enter the villa and visit a collection of paintings and sculptures.

You can then cross the lake by ferry, reaching the eastern shore, where I suggest beginning the visit from north with the Abbazia di Piona, a Cistercian abbey, a place full of peace not far from Colico.

Colico is a nice and dynamic village often crowed with tourists, particularly in spring and summer time. The northern part of the Lake of Como is an area rich in history and in nature, with beautiful landscapes.

Continuing to south, you will find pretty Varenna with Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi, with their magnificent gardens. Bellagio, set on the point where the western and eastern arms split, provides a magnificent panorama on the lake. The village is characterised by century-old buildings, narrow streets, stone stairways and gardens filled with colours. Here, mountains slope vertically into the deepest part of the lake, which reaches to a depth of 410 meters (1200 ft).

If you are culturally oriented you can also visit other sites of artistic interest, such as the basilica of San Giacomo, dating back 12th century, the Romanic San Giorgio and San Martino and the baroque San Giovanni. The Lake Como ferry service is a highly developed public transport system linking the dozens of small towns and villages dotted around the perimeter of the Lake. A tour of the lake by boat will allow you to experience its beauty from a unique point of view. Also, night cruises are available, allowing you to enjoy dinner while the lights from the shore reflect on the glassy surface.  

Como Lake is also a favourite destination for people who like water sports, from windsurfing, sailing to water skiing. Here, the wind “Breva” helps all the nautical disciplines.

Do not forget to include a couple of days in this wonderful area in your Italian trip. We will be glad to suggest how to make your visit an unforgettable experience.

Established in Mandello, a village on the shores of Lake Como, in 1921, the company’s first model was called 8HP Normale. The first of a series of highly successful bikes, Guzzi made a name for themselves in the racing world, with many world titles and trophies. 

In 1950, Moto Guzzi was the first motorcycle manufacturer in the world to install a wind tunnel at its Mandello del Lario plant, to test and develop the first truly modern aerodynamic motorcycles.

The company's unmistakable style returned to universal popularity in the nineties.

Some of the names given to Guzzi motorcycles have some links to Como Lake’s history, culture, and geography. Think about the comfortable “Breva”, named after the wind that heralds the arrival of summer over Como Lake. Or the modern “Griso”, named after a character of “I promessi sposi”, one of the most popular novel in Italian literature, set in Como Lake. Innovative technical solutions and style are the main feature of Guzzi two-wheels and guarantee strong emotions.

A Guzzi offers a unique riding experience, adapted for safe every day rides on smooth highways, as well as the dynamic companion of adventures on rougher roads. It is a motorbike in constant evolution, although it remains faithful to its spirit, substance, and personality. 

If you are keen on motorcycles, you cannot miss a visit to the Guzzi factory and museum, where you can experience the charm and history of this timeless cycle. The Moto Guzzi factory is right off in Lake Como Mandello del Lario.

This is one of the most beautiful areas in the world, and an ideal setting for the Guzzi Museum, where the aisles of classic motorcycles provide tempting eye candy for the enthusiast.

                   Tommaso De Poi
                       CEO Trips2Italy Group

This Cicero Newsletter feature :

- MANDELLO - GUZZI MORTORBIKE THE FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE

- LAKE COMO - LAGO DI COMO

- SARDINIA - OUTSIDE TIME AND HISTORY

- FOOD - CASU MARZU - THE SARDINIAN CHEESE with WORMS

- TRIPS 2 ITALY NOW ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER

The aim of his art was “Painting that which cannot be seen,” as the artist used to say.

He dedicated his entire life trying to paint something hidden beyond the visible reality. The result was Metaphysical Art, one of the most fertile cultural movements of 20^th century. This art wants to capture "the eternity of the moment" in paint.  

The exhibition examines more then 100 paintings in seven different sections. They come from some of the most important public and private collections, with works that have been rarely shown.

An important part of the exhibition is dedicated to a constant theme in De Chirico’s work: Nature, transfigured in a mythical key. In another section, it is possible to see figures evoked by mythology, from the Bible or from historic legends.

In de Chirico's paintings, unreal shadows play the important role of volumes and solids.

De Chirico is an extraordinary architect of hallucinatory and absurd cityscapes:  in some paintings, familiar objects from everyday life, such as armchairs and cupboards, are displaced under an open sky, as if they were part of the nature; in other compositions rocks and trees are domesticated inside a room.  Some other works of art are dedicated to the “Chinese boxes”:  here the paintings show rooms within rooms, images within the images. De Chirico died in Rome in 1978.

The largest and one of the most active volcanoes in Europe is Mount Etna, that lies near the eastern coast of Sicily and it is considered a benign volcano. It is called the “good volcano” or the “beautiful mountain”. The volcanic soil is very fertile and supports extensive agriculture, with vineyards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain. The climate there is favorable, as it is conditioned by the presence of a large mountain close to the sea. Etna’s main feature is the voluminous lava emission. Strong explosive activity occurs rarely, usually from its four summit craters. They are spectacular, but they are not a threat for the inhabited areas. Other eruptions occur on the flanks, where there are more than 300 vents, ranging in size from small holes in the ground to large craters. Flank eruptions can occur down to a few hundred meters altitude, close to the populated areas. Numerous villages and small towns lie around or on cones of past flank eruptions. Etna reaches 3000 meters and covers an area of 1200 square miles. It is possible to have a tour around Mount Etna, and even to climb to the top. Of course, this is a breathtaking experience and in the warmest months of the year you will find yourself in a lunar-desert scene, with sulfurous fumes and thick vapors. A bus leaves from Catania early in the morning, then a cable car and 4 wheel drive truck will take you up to the top. 

The second volcano I would like to talk about is Vesuvius, about 5.6 mi east of Naples. Vesuvius, in AD 79, destroyed and completely buried the town of Pompeii. The drama has inspired the fantasies of generations of poets, philosophers and scientists. The eruption buried Pompeii underneath 22 meters of ash  and it was lost for nearly 1,600 years before it was accidentally rediscovered in 1592. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Pompeii has been a popular tourist destination for 250 years; it was even on the Grand Tour. Visiting the excavations of Pompeii provides a lifetime experience. Lava flows and mud covered the town preserving it from aging until a couple of centuries ago, when archaeologists began to unveil the beauty of the large Roman town with a flourishing economy and about 20,000 inhabitants. 

The Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny the Elder described the eruption with abundance of particulars. He found particularly frightening the long and deep darkness during daytime, as consequence of the ashes. This is the first accurate account of an eruption in the history of mankind. It is thought to have lasted about 19 hours.

Stromboli is another must for volcanoes lovers. Because of its position in the sea north of Sicily and its constant activity, it has the nickname of “lighthouse of the Mediterranean Sea.” The volcano has erupted many times, and is constantly active with major eruptions, often visible from many points on the island and from the surrounding sea. Most of this activity is of a very moderate size, consisting of brief and small bursts of glowing lava fragments to heights of rarely more than 150 m above the vents.  It is one of the islands which form the Aeolian archipelago. It is possible to take part to guided tours to climb the volcano at night. You will see dozens of cruise ships and sail boats anchored not too far from the island. Night is surely the best time to visit the volcano because that's when you can enjoy the flaming color of magma. In the silence, the sound of rocks bursting out of the vents and rolling down into the sea resembles that of fireworks.

Remembering this folk history, once a year for three consecutive days, teams of masked, armored men throw 400,000 kg of oranges at the crowd who in turn throw them back at them, until the streets are covered by a carpet of squashed oranges that is sometimes even 30 cm thick.  The event begins on Saturday evening with a costumed parade, resplendent with fireworks, torch lights, drums, flags and a band. The mill’s daughter is “presented” to the town and, after that, the orange battle begins.  

On battle day, you will be immediately inebriated by the smell of thousands of red juicy oranges, mixed with the deep aroma of "Vin Brulé", hot red and spicy wine. Violetta passes on a carriage and throws yellow flowers and candies at the crowd.

The first thing you will notice is that crowd wears a red hat. Red hats symbolize freedom: they were worn, in ancient Rome, by emancipated slaves and finally became one of the symbols of the French Revolution. When you walk around with a red hat in Ivrea, it means you won't be throwing oranges and therefore no one will throw oranges directly at you.

If you don’t want to be just a spectator but you desire to get into the crazy spirit of the festival, you have to remove your red hat, reach the battle zones and launch oranges against the carriages with the representative of the Emperor.

It was created by the Bourbon kings of Naples to rival Versailles. and the Royal Palace in Madrid and it is one of the largest building in Europe built in the eighteenth century. Versailles Palace, not far from Paris. ,was taken by the architect Vanvitelli  as a mode. Both Palaces have the structure of a small city.  The kind wanted to have a new  royal court and administrative center in a location protected from sea attack. The palace has a rectangular plan and about 1,200 rooms. The plan included a monumental avenue running 20 kilometres between the palace and Naples, but it was never realized.

As at Versailles, a large aqueduct brings water for the prodigious water displays. The palace was intended to show the power and grandeur of an absolute Bourbon monarchy.  The inland location was more defensible than the old Royal Palace in Naples, which fronted the Bay of Naples and was vulnerable to attack from the sea. To provide the King with suitable protection, troop barracks were housed within the palace.

                   Tommaso De Poi
                      CEO Trips2Italy Group

This Cicero Newsletter feature :

- IVREA : ORANGES ISNTEAD OF STONES FOR THE MILLE'S DAUGTHER

- CASERTA: THE ROYAL PALACE IN CASERTA

- ITALY : THE ITALIAN FIRE GIANTS

- ROME : THE FATHER OF METAPHYSICAL SCHOOL IN ROME 

The Country requests citizens to differentiate the garbage, separating paper, plastic, and organic waste, such as vegetables. This helps to save money and reduce pollution. 

The problem is that, after the waste separation made by people in their homes, town-councils are then not always organized to collect waste separately, and everything is put together again! As a consequence, the effort of people to reduce costs coming from waste disposal is… wasted! 

In Giarratana and Castelbuono the problem was serious, as the streets are so narrow that they do not allow the waste collection vans to reach houses.

   A clever solution was found: the door to door collection is done by …donkeys!

They are small, but very strong. Every donkey carries wicker baskets, similar to those once used for the grape harvest. Every basket is reserved for a different garbage material. Using donkey instead of vans is also cheaper.

A van costs about 30 thousand Euros; the cost for a donkey 3/5 years old is between 700 and 1500 Euros.        

Good savings, isn’t it? And of course, donkeys do not need any gas or insurance!

To read more about Sicily : All about the Italian Region of Sicily.

The Palio is one of the most popular and spectacular Italian events.  Each contrada has its own name, colours and symbols. Some of the districts names are Eagle, Snail, Wave, Forest, Tortoise, Owl, Tower, Porcupine, and Goose.

The palio dates back to the Middle Ages, when the town's central square was the site of public games, largely combative, such as buffalo races, donkey races or different ball games. The race is held on Piazza del Campo, the magnificent town’s square turned into a racetrack, fit for the race, thanks to its semi circular shape, similar to a Roman Amphitheatre.

For no more then 90 seconds, the 10 horses run 3 times around the square. Even when a horse loses its rider, because of the violence and speed of the race, he goes ahead and can win. The stars during the palio are the horses representing the Contrade, not riders, and it is not so unusual for the jockeys to be thrown off their horses.

There is crowd on the Campo from the early afternoon, even if the race is at 7.45 pm in July and at 7pm in August. People try to reach a good position to follow the race. All around the track seats are arranged, and balconies are made ready for visitors. More then 30 thousands seats are not sufficient, and they are sold out long before the race date.

In the centre of the square, there is place for other 25 thousand people, but this is not enough, and people are everywhere, even on roofs. The race is preceded with a spectacular parade, a display of medieval costumes dating back to year 1400, accompanied by the beating of drums, while a group of flag bearers representing the Contrade perform together, throwing flags in the air and catching them again before they touch the ground.

This is a splendid display of colour. Waiting for the races to begin is a time full of pathos and enthusiasm, and when the horses appear, the crowd becomes delirious.

Being there, with people living in Siena, to feel their antagonism, their passion and pride for the Contrada they belong to, is something unforgettable.

            What does the winner win? ...a silk hand painted banner.

You are still in time to take part in the Palio next summer!


To read more about Siena:  Tuscany , Chianti Area and Siena .

Everything according to Caravaggio must have been shown as realistic as possible. Saints or even the Virgin could have, for example, dirty feet. It is not unusual to find among his works religious scenes as if they were taken from the streets; for this reason reaction of church was sometimes negative, as the religious characters were considered too plebeian and not decorous enough. 

Light and shadow are protagonists in his works of art.  Caravaggio inclinations were always toward anarchy and against tradition, both in art and in life.

He earned his living for the most part with hackwork. Finally, he began to sell his pictures through a dealer who brought Caravaggio's work to the attention of Cardinal Francesco Del Monte, who had a great influence in the papal court. Caravaggio soon came under the protection of the Cardinal, with a pension in his house. Caravaggio was often arrested and imprisoned. He was accused of brawling, including one incident, where   he wounded a soldier.

Once he threw a plate of artichokes in the face of a waiter, another time he threw stones at a Guard. During a furious brawl over a disputed score in a game of tennis, Caravaggio killed a young man named Ranuccio Tomassoni.

Terrified for the consequences of his act, Caravaggio fled Rome to Naples, outside the jurisdiction of the Roman authorities and under the protection of the powerful family Colonna. Thanks to his connection to the family, he had many church commissions.  He the travelled to Malta, where he was received as a celebrated artist, and made “Knight of Justice” in the Order of Malta.

Soon afterward, however, either because word of his crime had reached Malta or because of new misdeeds, he was expelled from the order and imprisoned. He escaped from jail and went to Sicily, asking for the pope’s pardon. Caravaggio died on a beach in Tuscany on July 18, 1610.

Caravaggio’s work was forgotten almost immediately after his death, and it was only in the 20th century that his importance was rediscovered.

To read more about Emilia Romagna : All About Emilia Romagna things to Do

Around Parma, there are eleven officially recognized production areas for the ham. Only hams coming from these areas are DOP, i.e. denomination of product origin, and have the right to be marked with the traditional logo: a five-pointed crown, which can be seen wherever in Italy and abroad. Of course, area of origin is not enough to guarantee the originality of the ham. Another important factor is the pigs.

Animals must have been fed with quality foods, such as maize, barley, and milk whey left over from Parmesan cheese production (another gem in the Italian gastronomy.) Pigs must be nine months old minimum and the weight must be at least 150 Kg. Hams are then placed in refrigerators where they are cooled to 0°. The particular shape of Parma ham (Prosciutto di Parma), similar to a chicken leg, is important for the salt processing.

It is this process that gives to the ham its special flavor. No kinds of additives, chemicals or preserving agents are used.  After a period of rest, the hams are washed in warm water. Then, they are hung in a warehouse for seasoning.  Humidity is very important and it is controlled, opening and closing windows that face the rows of hams.

Very important is the last phase of testing, when experts insert a needle in the ham to check the consistency first and then aroma. As a matter of fact, the needle is made of horse bone, which has the property of absorbing aromas and releasing them easily.

The experts sniff the needle and confirm that the ham is ready to be sold.

If not, it is necessary to wait till the right moment. Or, if something, according to the experts, went wrong during the process, the whole ham is discarded.
The producer’s consortium, which guarantees the product quality since beginning of 1960, counts189 members who produce nine million Parma hams a year, exported all over the world.

Every year, the festival of ham is held in September. Visitors can sample different cuts of ham, together with bread and wine.  

To read more about Emilia Romagna:  Food & Wine Information & Culinary Tours .

(Source: Progress International –All about Italy)

The region offers superb art and architectural treasures that reflects thousands of years of history. An ideal destination, both for those who love culture and for people more interested in nature, Umbria has not yet bowed to the tyranny of mass tourism.

This land gave birth to saints and painters. St Francis, the man who abandoned his rich family of cloth merchants to live in poverty around year 1190, was born near Assisi. Assisi is a tranquil hill town that attracts, every year, millions of pilgrims.

In spite of this, everyone visiting this area feels here a spiritual atmosphere. The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, unfortunately damaged during recent earthquakes, is a must in your trip. It lies on a hill known as “Paradise Hill,” but, until the 13th century, it was the “Hell Hill”, because people in this area were executed here. In this church, you’ll find a biblical fresco attributed to Giotto, one of the most famous pieces of art in the world. Another town worthy to be visited, in the area, is Gubbio, small and easy to explore.

It is famous for the Eugubian Tablets, which date from 300 to 100 BC. It is the best existing example of Italian ancient script. Don’t forget here to experience the Funivia Colle Eletto, a sort of cable car, dangling many meters above a rocky hill.

Your visit in Umbria can continue with Orvieto, placed on a cliff made of a porous limestone. Here, visitors cannot miss the breathtaking Cathedral. Not far from Orvieto is Spoleto, a quiet town that hosts every year between June and July the “festival of two worlds”, a worldwide attraction that gives an international image to the Umbrian city, with performances of dance, prose and lyrics.

In the same month, the Umbria jazz festival takes place. It is, without any doubt, the most important event dedicated to jazz in Europe.

The biggest jazz artists go there every year. From morning to evening, dozens of concerts are performed. Another interesting festival in Umbria, more precisely, in the city of Perugia, is dedicated to the food of the Gods: chocolate.

For days in October, the Umbrian capital transforms itself into a huge open air pastry-shop with slaves of cacao and fountains of chocolate. Exhibitions, laboratories, cooking classes, tasting and banquets are organized during the week.

To read more about Umbria Region :  All About Umbria Culture & Umbria Guided Seightseeing Tours.

If you are planning a trip to Italy next summer, and you are not afraid of large crowd, I highly recommend you one of the most spectacular popular events in Italy: the Siena Palio.

At last, a curious news about a singular way of thinking about the environment: there is a place in Italy where donkey are garbage collectors!

Enjoy the reading, enjoy your virtual trip!

                                                                      Tommaso De Poi
                                                                  CEO Trips2Italy Group

This Cicero Newsletter feature :

- UMBRIA : THE LAND OF PEACE AND SILENCE

- PARMA : FIVE POINTED CROWN 

- EMILIA ROMAGNA : CARAVAGGIO: GENIUS AND DISSOLUTENESS

- TUSCANY: THE “PALIO DI SIENA”: A HORSE RACE AND MUCH MORE

- SICILY: WHEN DONKEYS BECOME GARBAGE COLLECTORS AND HELP TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT 

A car will be ready for you at the airport and you will drive up and down through the “Boot” , Italy’s nickname due to its curious shape, making all the stops you wish. Choosing this kind of package,you are free to stop and enjoy any place you will encounter during your travel itinerary as you see fit.

This package is perfect for those who enjoy independence while on holiday and the chance to visit Italy as they please, without worrying about any schedules.
Trips 2 Italy fly and Drive packages give you the advantage of low cost travel plus the added convenience and complete freedom of a self-driven car.

Below, select your favourite Italy fly and drive package. You will be able to purchase it directly on our Italy Travel Online-Shop or if you prefer  call us at 1 – 866 GO ITALY (46-48259) for any questions or further information you may need.

4 Days - 3 Nights Italy Fly & Drive Tour Packages

Explore and taste Tuscany countryside by bike tour - Starting from $ 920 per person(*)
After a marvellous bike route, you can stop and experiment with a hands on approach to local cuisine by preparing a perfect Tuscan style dinner. This is the ideal package for combining sport with food in a novel and amusing stay

Explore Tuscany countryside by bike tour - Starting at $ 899 per Person(*)
The Tuscan countryside is an encompassing call to those who love outdoor life. With this program you can put your sporting ability to the test by following our expert guides on trekking and mountain bike tours.

Flavours of Marche tour  - Starting at $ 902 per Person(*)
This short tour reach the most suggestive places of the Marche country-side. You'll be able to dip into the flavours of the traditional recipes with a short cooking class where you'll measure your ability of chef with some traditional and undiscovered dishes.

Flavours of Langhe tour - Starting at $ 784 per Person(*)
The Langhe is a land made to be tasted slowly, to be discovered day by day through its great wines that made her famous around the world, through its impressive castles and its unforgettable dishes. You will dream to be back there again.

Flavours of Venice tour - Starting at $ 1,599 per Person(*)
A program aimed at letting you see Venice under a different light, from the point of view of its tradional flavours by means of cooking courses and wine tasting set in locations renowned for their atmosphere and character. This program can be extended. 

Gourmet Umbria Tour  - Starting at $ 898 per Person(*)
Discover, cook and taste the traditional flavours of Umbria by visiting their places of origin and combining an interest for the countryside with a love of good food. 

Milano Shopping Tour - Starting at $ 974 per Person(*)
Milan is universally famous for being the world's fashion capital. This program has been designed with the shopaholic in mind and for those who love the frenetic pace of life. We suggest you combine this program with "A taste of Lake Maggiore".

Siena, Chianti and the Palio tour - Starting at $ 1,409 per Person(*)
Siena is the city of the Palio horse race and provide the opportunity to live out this experience during the days Palio takes place gives visitors a great emotion. Blend the peace and harmony of the Chianti hills with the vivacity and excitement in the city while waiting for the horse race to start and you will take back with you a unique event that you have never experienced in your life.

Undiscovered Umbria Tour - Starting at $ 904 per Person(*)
This short tour is dedicated to discovering this region and its beauty like Gubbio, a jewels of Umbria, Spello, the "pink town" and Bevagna's "Gaite", the small quarters of the village, where every year during the last week of June, you can live the amazing experience of the trip back in the past.

A taste of Apulia tour  - Starting at $ 879 per Person(*)
The Apulia region, the heel of Italy, holds many surprises and preserves both major artistic treasures as well as naturalistic beauties too. This first approach to Apulia is an eno-gastronomic one however it will instill in you the desire to discover more of this region

A taste of Cinque Terre Tour- Starting at $ 624 per Person(*)
Cinque Terre: a land that has been reclaimed from the sea, breathtaking panoramas, dreamy spots that you will fall in love with. The perfect itinerary for those who want an active holday with the aroma of the sea.

A taste of Florence Tour - Starting at $ 1,099 per Person(*)
The famous city of Florence is always a discovery, a place of art and culture. If you have never seen florence this short stay is for you. You'll be able to loose yourself in a ancient dream, where the city describes itself.

A taste of Como Lake tour - Starting at $ 984 per Person(*)
This tour entirely focused on Como Lake is dedicated to those of you who wish to discover or deepen their knowledge of this territory, rich in historic events and which today is dedicated to tourism. Find out why Mr. George Clooney decided to own a villa here!

A taste of Lake Maggiore tour - Starting at $ 966 per Person(*)
The most charming aspects of this famous corner of Italy are united in this short tour.

A taste of Parma tour - Starting at $ 924 per Person(*)
The splendour of the art and architecture of this city together with its great tastes and flavours is capable of conquering even the most disenchanted traveller. A region that is not well known but which is capable of instilling strong emotions. Those who love eating well will find their paradise here.

A taste of Piemonte tour - Starting at $ 798 per Person(*)
The elegance of Turin together with the charm of the hills that surround it are an invitation to those who love art and excellent cuisine to indulge their taste buds along yet to be discovered trails that are full of fascination.

A taste of Tuscany tour - Starting at $ 818 per Person(*)
A short stay aimed at inviting you to enjoy at your leisure the charm of Tuscany with its many characteristics and flavours that are to be found both in its lesser known towns as well as in its enchanting cities of art. 

A taste of Umbria tour - Starting at $ 714 per Person(*)
A smaller region and a sister region to Tuscany where sacred and profane melt into a merry-go-round of unforgettable tastes and colours. The ideal itinerary for those seeking tranquility and purity in a region that is still relatively undiscovered. A perfect location also for families with children.

A taste of Veneto tour  - Starting at $ 1,044 per Person(*)
The Veneto is not just Venice. The marvellous gems that are enclosed in this region need to be discovered slowly. We will help you in their discovery with our best guides. 

7 Days - 6 Nights Italy Fly & Drive tour packages

Independent Tuscany wine tour - Starting at $ 1,788 per Person(*)
This tour will allow you to discover on your own the road of the Classic Tuscany between the Chianti area and the Nobile and Brunello red wines area.The pleasure toget lost into the small towns of the great red wines enjoying, the traditional dishes of Tuscany country-side.

8 Days - 7 Nights Italy Fly & Drive tour packages

Highlights of Tuscany wellness tour - Starting at $ 2,086 per Person(*)
This 7 nights stay provides the opportunity to discover Tuscany's art treasures while at the same time relaxing and enjoying anti stress techniques. Ideal for honeymooners or those that want to escape the frenetic pace of life while not forgetting the pleasures of art and culture.

Self walking Amalfi Coast tour - Starting at $ 1,644 per Person(*)
For the nature lovers, this walking tour, promises natural trials in a suggestive scenary like the Amalfi cost, across small green paths which go down at the sea. During your itineraries you will discover ancient villages and spectacular fjords, chestnut groves and unespected waterfalls.

Small gems of Umbria and Tuscany tour - Starting at $ 1,444 per Person(*)
In a week long tour you will have the good fortune to discover some smaller jewels of these two sister regions, amids the harmony of a territory that has not yet been discovered by mass tourism and that host both artistic treasures and unforgettable gastromic delicacies.

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History is everywhere in Italy. Important cultures and civilizations have existed in Italy since prehistoric times, but it was the Etruscan civilization and, especially, the Roman Republic and Empire that dominated this part of the world for many centuries.  Central to the development of modern European civilization and thought during the middle ages and Renaissance, Italy is a mix of the many peoples occupying the country through the centuries, adopting parts of each culture, cuisine and attitude, resulting in an interesting and eclectic mix whose influences can still be seen today.

It wasn’t until 1861 that Italy would become a unified nation, following centuries of existence as a collection of smaller kingdoms and city-states. But before this, aggression, hostility and invasion would mark a centuries long journey to unification and freedom.

The Etruscans were the first major civilization and the most powerful people in northern Italy by the 6th century BC, overriding the indigenous population of Ligurians, Latins, and Sabines.  Though little is known about this group, it is determined that the people were sophisticated, organized and successful traders throughout the Mediterranean from their base in Central Italia. Tomb frescoes in Umbria and Lazio depict a refined and luxurious culture with highly developed systems. Carefully constructed and highly decorated cities can still be seen in Tuscany and Lazio, confirming the impact of their influence even today.

While the Etruscans thrived to the north, the Greeks occupied the southern tip of Italy, which became known as Magna Grecia. The extremely successful Greek settlements introduced the grapevine and olive to Italy and established a high-yielding agricultural system. Cities like Siracusa and Tarentum were wealthier and more sophisticated than those on mainland Greece, dominating trade in the central Mediterranean, despite competition from Carthage. Ruins such as the temples of Agrigento and Selinute, the fortified walls around Gela and the theatres at Siracusa and Taormina in Sicilia attest to a great prosperity. Magna Grecia became an enriching influence on the culture.

Displacing both the Etruscans and the Greeks was a small kingdom in the center of Italy called Rome. From relatively humble beginnings, ancient Rome would take control of most of the known world.  Called the “Prussians of the ancient world” for their militarism, they first showed their might in two decades of bloody war against Carthage in North Africa, and Hannibal over possession of Sicilia. After defeating Carthage, Rome spread its influence across the Mediterranean. When it outgrew its kings, Rome became a Republic, but the Republic was not to last. The end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire occurred largely through the hostility of two great generals, Pompey and Julius Caesar, who became a dictator after his defeat of Pompey. Following Caesar’s murder on the Ides of March in 44 B.C., civil war ensued and was won by Caesar’s grandnephew and adopted son, Octavian, who became the first emperor, Caesar Augustus. His regime turned Rome into a glowing marble city the likes of which the world had never seen. Extensive traces of the Roman Empire can be seen through Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, but there can be little to compare with the power of seeing the ruins of the Forum in Rome, the heart of all that power, glory, and myth.

The issue of papal or imperial supremacy was to polarize the country for centuries, with almost every part of Italy torn by struggles between Guelphs (supporting the pope) and Ghibellines (supporting the emperor).  Meanwhile the cities of Lombardy and Tuscany used the political confusion to grow in strength. The Comuni started to flourish in commerce, art and politics and soon became independent powers. This is the era of the famous artists as Dante and Giotto.

By the 13th century, Italy had become the crossroads of the Mediterranean with a banking and commercial culture based on the great seafaring empires of Venice and Genoa and powerful Florence. The Papal State continued to loose power in the peninsula and shortly after the election of the French Pope Clement V in 1305, the papacy moved to Avignon in France.  But soon a plague fell on Italy killing a third of the entire population.

In the 15th century Italy experienced a flourish of art and scholarship unmatched in Europe since the days of Greece and Rome.  It was during this time that the Rinascimento (Renaissance) was born -- an explosion of magnificent artistry and the spread of humanism, a new philosophy promoting the dignity of the human individual.  Architects turned from the Gothic to the Classical models for inspiration, art produced a generation of master artists like Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo. Backed by the patronage of the wealthy Medici and Visconti families, art and culture blossomed.

The disruption of unity was not, however, without outside aggression from the French King Charles VIII, who took part in an attack against Naples, from Spain, the Austrian Empire that conquered part of northern Italy, and from Napoleon who conquered Italy in 1800 and crowned himself King of Italy.  Though initially perceived as the great liberator of Italy, this image was quickly changed as he took many of the most important art masterpieces away to Paris, implemented high war taxes and conscription.

The fall of Napoleon led to the Vienna Congress of 1815 and the restoration of the ruling class by the Austrians. Yet the years between 1820 and 1849 became years of revolution. The last period had given Italians a sense of national feeling for the first time, but uprisings began in Sicilia, Napoli, and Piemonte when King Ferdinand introduced measures that restricted personal freedom and destroyed many farmer' livelihoods.

In 1848, patriots rose up against the Austrians in Milan and Venice, the Bourbons in Sicily and the Pope in Rome, and a republic was declared. In May 1860, Garibaldi and his red-shirted “Mille” (a thousand people) landed in Sicily, beat the Bourbon forces and started a march across the peninsula.  On March 17, 1861, the kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, with Victor Emmanuel II as king and Cavour as prime minister, uniting all the territory except Venice and Rome, both of which would enter some years later.

When Victor Emmanuel II died in 1878 his son, Humbert I, succeeded to the Italian throne. During his reign, Italy concluded the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, marking the division of Europe into two hostile camps.  Assassinated by an anarchist in 1900, Humbert’s son ascended the throne.  Meanwhile, prompted by the examples of France and Britain and by the desire to distract attention from economic and social problems at home, the government had launched a colonial program. In early 1885 an Italian expedition occupied a portion of East Africa.

When World War I began in August 1914, the Italian government brushed aside the Triple Alliance and declared its neutrality. Subsequently, after having signed the secret Treaty of London with the Allied powers, Italy declared war on Austria and the Ottoman Empire, and then declared war against Germany about a year later. The Italians and their allies assumed the offensive, culminating in their smashing victory in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto in autumn 1918. Shortly after the Austro-Hungarian government and the Allies signed an armistice.  Italian casualties during the war totaled more than half a million. In the treaties that followed, Italy acquired the Trentino, Trieste, and the South Tyrol, but did not get all the territory promised in the Treaty of London.

From 1919 to 1922 Italy was torn by social and political strife, inflation, and economic problems, aggravated by the belief that Italy had won the war but lost the peace. Armed bands known as the Fascisti (Fascists) fought Socialist and Communist groups in Rome, Bologna, Trieste, and elsewhere. On October 24, 1922, the Fascist leader Benito Mussolini, emboldened by the support of conservatives and former soldiers, demanded that the government be entrusted to his party and King Victor Emmanuel III satisfied him.  Although given extraordinary powers to restore order, Mussolini initially governed constitutionally. He headed a coalition government in 1923 that included Liberals, Nationalists, and Catholics, as well as Fascists. But after violent rebellions and the murder of the Socialist Party deputy Matteotti in 1924, Mussolini moved to suspend constitutional government. He proceeded in stages to establish a dictatorship, forbidding the parliament to initiate legislation and making himself responsible to the king alone.

During the world economic depression that began in 1929, the Fascist government increasingly intervened to prevent the collapse of a number of industries. The construction of new factories or the expansion of old ones without governmental consent was prohibited. The government reorganized the iron and steel industries, expanded hydroelectric plants, and embarked on other public works projects. The military was also expanded and strengthened.

In 1935 Italian invasion of Ethiopia upset European alignments and brought the Fascist and the Third Reich of Germany’ dictatorships into close accord providing for joint action in support of their commons goal. This disastrous alliance with Hitler’s Nazi Germany led to Itali's defeat in WWII. Fortunately the Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943 and shortly after the Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies.

Meanwhile Mussolini escaped to the north helped by the Germans, and founded the Italian Social Republic. The partigiani (the Italians rebels) caught Mussolini in April 1945 as he was attempting to escape to Switzerland through mountains surrounding Lake Como and shot him with his mistress.  A referendum in 1946 made Italy a democratic republic and an economic revival followed.

In 1949 Italy became a charter member of NATO, followed by its entrance to the  European Union (1952/58).  In 1955 Italy joined the United Nations, and joined the growing political and economic unification of Western Europe as a signatory to the Treaty of Rome in 1956, and the adoption of Euro in 1999.

Italy’s history, despite its struggles, is marked by the innovation of many things we enjoy today.  Over 2,000 years ago, ancient Romans invented conveniences like window panes and were responsible for inventing concrete and paved roads, candles, metal locks and the first daily newspaper dating back 59 B.C.  Schools, paid for by the Roman government, were opened more than 1900 years ago and today that concept is known as public schooling.  Forks were invented in Tuscany more than 900 years ago; in 1935 Italy invented the first mechanical clock and more than 700 years ago Italians came up with the idea of eyeglasses.

Gugliemo Marconi invented the first radio, and at 20 years old made the first successful broadcast. The Italian scientist, Galileo made the first thermometer in 1592 and in 1800, Alessandro Volta invented the first battery.  Musical notation was invented in Italy more than 1,000 years ago. Opera and the first modern orchestra originated in Italy about 400 years ago; Bartolomeo Cristofori built the first piano about 300 years ago

Political and social unrest through the centuries has never thwarted the spirit of the people of Italy to pursue their innate passion for freedom, creativity and self-sufficiency.  The history of Italy’s ever turbulent past serves as the foundation and strength of the country today.

Known as “Wanda, the cat lady”, she has reached the considerable number of 26 cats, every one with a name and a story, all of them under the same roof. Wanda tells that after the death of her husband, cats are her mission, her life’s reason, her sun.

They helped her to overcome sad periods when she was blue. Cats… what a passion!

To read more about Naples :  All About Naples Culture & Naples Guided Sightseeing tours.

It covers every aspect of the emigration phenomenon, from the economic, social and cultural points of view. The museum is laid out in chronological order and covers themes such as recruiting, boarding, housing, types of work, integration and discrimination.

Also available are materials of scientific value, such as letters, period newspaper, and objects pertaining to the everyday life of the emigrant. In the speech given for the inauguration of the Museum, the President of Italian Republic – Giorgio Napolitano - remembered the “extraordinary flow of emigration from Italy that is a key chapter in the History of Italy. […] It was an extraordinary flow of emigration which had spread traces of the Italian presence in the whole world”.



To read more about Rome:  All about Rome & Museums Visits & Guided Sightseeing Tours.

The Greeks knew this region by the old name of Lucania, and prospered here for centuries before the Romans. The new name dates back to the 10th century, when it was renamed Basilikos by the Byzantine Emperor. The population density is, nowadays, very low in comparison to other Italian regions, due in much part to emigration to other parts of Italy.

Countries like the United States have also found themselves host to emigrants from this region throughout the centuries. Agriculture plays a very important role here, and many colourful festivals celebrate the agricultural seasons. Basilicata has hundreds of rock churches, many of them with ancient frescoes clinging to the stone walls. The region has two beautiful national parks, located in the Appenino Lucano, cutting Basilicata in half.  

Matera is an absolute unique city, famous for its extraordinary “sassi” (stones). A guide can take you to the most interesting sites, including cave houses and cave churches. Call us to arrange your journey to this amazing and still wild region.

To read more about Basilicata:  All About Basilicata & Travel.

Probably designed by Bramante for Francesco I Sforza, Duke of Milan, work on the site began in 1463, and several additions and redesigns since then have created a multi-form structure, topped by a cupola. The fame of the church is found in an artistic jewel, located in the refectory: the masterpiece Last Supper, by Leonardo DaVinci. During WWII, Allied planes on a bombing run hit the church and convent on the night of 15 August 1943.

Thankfully, the walls holding the Last Supper had been sandbagged by the Italian authorities and the painting was saved for future generations. The rest of the church was not as fortunate, and was restored in the years afterwards.

In addition to the Last Supper, Santa Maria delle Grazie was also the keeper of Titan’s work, The Crowing with Thorns. After Napoleon’s conquest of Milan in 1797, that particular painting found a home in the Louvre.

To read more about Milan:  All about Milan & Lombardy Travel.

                                                                      Tommaso De Poi
                                                                  CEO Trips2Italy Group

This Cicero Newsletter feature :

- MILAN : THE LAST SUPPER AND SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE

- SOUTH OF ITALY : BASILICATA, A LAND OF MYTH AND FABLE

- ROME : THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ITALIAN EMIGRATION

- ITALY CURIOSITY : THE ITALIAN CAT LADY

Palazzo Reale

Built by the Balbi family in the 17th century, Palazzo Reale is an important example of an aristocratic home.  Enormous in size and splendor the palace -- once the Royal Palace of the Savoy family (1825) -- maintains its simple but elegant façade and peaceful hanging gardens where one can quietly enjoy the elegant baroque architecture.  A monumental staircase leads to the aristocratic floor where rooms are richly filled with frescoes, paintings, original furniture and picture galleries and where the magnificent ballroom can be seen.  Today, the building is the regional seat of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage, selected for its beauty and private access to the sea.

Palazzo Ducale

Originally built to house the first city council, the building was a symbol of power. Its imposing neo-classical façade designed by Tagliafichi was a first of its kind in Italy and though it has been through several fires and destructions that changed its original shape and proportions to what is seen today, it remains an imposign building.  Closed for year,s the palazzo was reopened in 1992 for the Columbus celebrations and today is a dynamic multi-purpose cultural center with antique shops bars, restaurants, book stores, and the place where important international exhibits are held.

Palazzo del Principe

The Palazzo del Principe is the only ”royal palace“ in the long history of the Republic of Genoa. Built between 1529 and 1533 by Andrea Doria, the final structure is the result of works commissioned by the heir and admiral Giovanni Andrea I.  One of the several frescoes painted to celebrate the life and the triumphs of the Doria family is here, portreying Doria as Neptune, god of sea. Here, too, is the Galleria Aurea with its decoration made up of precious 16th-century laces.

The Lighthouse

Built in 1543 in the harbor of Genoa, it is the symbol of the city and one of the oldest lighthouses still in use with its light seen as far as 40 miles away.  The tower’s exterior consists of two towers with a staircase of 375 steps inside leading to the top.  Damaged and restored a number of times, visitors may climb to the first tower’s terrace where a stunning scenic view of the city can be viewed. A promenade has recently been completed.

Old Port

The old port has once again has become the focus of the city’s interests.  No longer a naval and trade center, it is now the used as a multifunctional tourist and cultural center. It’s modern appearance blends both modern, functional elements with older ones. At times these older elements are interpreted in a modern key, as is the case with the futuristic outline of the “Bigo” scenic elevator, whose design was inspired by the mast of a sailboat.  Visitors can take a large, rotating elevator up forty meters from where they can take in the magnificent and charming view of ancient Genoa and the port.  Also in this area are The Aquarium, National Antarctic Museum, the City of Children, and De Amicis Library.

Genoa Aquarium

Housed in a building on the Spinola Bridge, The Aquarium, one of the biggest and most up-to-date sea parks in Europe, reproduces the Mediterranean sea, oceans, pole, and tropic habitats in fifty nine tanks, allowing more than five hundred sea species to thrive and breed. One of Italy’s main attractions, with over a half million visitors each year, the special tanks allow visitors to observe the habits of sharks, penguins, jelly-fish and the others inhabitants of the sea.  Two large tanks allow visitors to “pet” the skates and stingrays.

The City of Children

An amazing playground for children 3 to 14 years old, The City of Children is both a place to have fun and get educated, where children learn through interactive play.  Located in the old port of Genoa, children participate in experiences like contributing to the construction of a house or discovering how the human body works and what genetics is about.

Galata, Museo del Mare (Museum of the Sea)

Part of the restoration of the old industrial port area, the Galata building is home to the Sea and Navigation Museum. Designed by architect Guillermo Vàzquez Consuegra it preserves the integrity of this oldest surviving building on the dock by maintaining the original overlapping arches that meet the sea -- necessary for receiving boats to be repaired. The Museum follows the evolution of the port and the city starting from the late medieval period, demonstrating the importance of the sea to the city of Genoa.  

Commenda di Pré

Built in 1000AD as a hospital and a refuge for the crusaders who had been sent to the Holy land and a shelter for pilgrims going to Jerusalem, this imposing structure with its three levels of open galleries has kept some of its interesting medieval features.  There are spherocubical headbands on the ground floor, 15th century wooden flooring decorated with prints on the middle floor, and beautiful frescoes with battle insignia and coats of arms from the nobility on the top level.  At one time a part of the building served as the apartment of the Knight commander. Attached to the Church of Giovanni di Pre, it is interesting to note that up until 1731 people could only enter the church through the Commenda, though under what criteria certain people were given entrance was never clearly defined.

The Strada Nuova (new street)

Once known as the Strada Nuova and then as the Via Aurea, this is considered one of the most monumental roads of Italy and was used as a model for subsequent expansions throughout the city.  Thirteen important buildings look onto this road, built between the mid-sixteenth century and the first twenty years of the eighteenth century for the aristocratic families of the time.  The buildings reflect the extraordinary wealth of the Genoese nobility and are a masterpiece of Genoese architecture. Today, some of these buildings are private property or banking headquarters, others are public buildings, and some have been converted into museums.  In true Genoese style, the buildings are richly decorated and open up to beautiful and unexpected gardens of water ponds, frescoed walls and terraces.

Church of Saint Stefano

One of the most important examples of Romanic architecture in Genoa, the church, founded in the 5th century, stands on ancient ruins. Its shape is unique in its rectangular plan with only one nave, the octagonal dome made of bricks and the bell tower which probably was used as a guard post before the church was built. Throughout the centuries stucco work, marble, mosaics, courtyards and three great arches were added. A series of frescoes depicting the martyrdom of many saints decorate the walls – originally used to let novices leaving for the missions that they, too, could experience the same fate.

Church of San Lorenzo

This church, dedicated to S. Lorenzo became the cit's cathedral in the 10th century after it was deemed to be safer in its location inside the fortified walls built in 864 AD.  Used first by the Christians, it was the main stage of the political and civil life of the city in medieval times.  In the 12th century the holy building was rebuilt with Romanesque style and in 1133 the church was made the seat of the archbishop. During the centuries many renovations and addition were made, though the original Romanesque style remained predominant. Of note are the three black and white striped marble portals on the front that are sculpted with stories of the Virgin Mary and similar to those on the Cathedrals in Chartres and Rouen. The sculptures can be traced back to 13th century Franco Norman craftsmanship and provide the most interesting example of the French gothic style in Italy. In February 1941, caught in the terror of WWII, a bomb hit the cathedral destroying part of the casing, but remained miraculously unexploded.  Many treasures are kept in the Cathedral.

Museum of the Treasures of Saint Lorenzo Cathedral

Holding treasures from as far back as the twelfth century, the museum has been the recipient through the centuries of official and private donations, contributions from the state and church, and the spoils of war.  Located inside the Duomo, and includes a series of underground rooms covered with Promontorio Stone, a typical material of the medieval Genoa. Today, it is considered one of the best examples of a modern museum.  It is a treasury of silver and jewel works of art from the 9th century to today, reliquaries, processional arks, crucifixes, vestments, jewels, and other sacred objects. Of particular interest are the Sacro Catino from the 9th century made of green glass (once believed to be emerald), the Ark of the Ashes of John the Baptist (15th century) made of gold covered silver, and the Piatto di San Giovanni (1st century), believed to have held the head of the Saint (patron of Genoa) after he was beheaded. The museum is not only rich in history, art and cultural value, but is also a beautiful representation of fine architecture.

Diocesan Museum in the St. Lorenzo Cloister

Inside the Cloister of San Lorenz's Canons, next to the Cathedral, is the Diocesan Museum. Erected in the 12th century, it contains altarpieces, wooden pieces of furniture, silver objects and ornaments collected all over the territory of the Diocese of Genoa.

Church and Convent of St Agostino and the Ligurian Museum

Dating back to the 8th century, the Augustinian convent complex, includes two cloisters --one a late medieval triangular one, the other a 17th century quadrangular one -- and a gothic church that is the only one among large Genoese churches from the 1200s to have been entirely preserved and where important medieval and seventeenth-century frescoes can be admired.  The cloisters house the Ligurian Museum, an exhibition of Genoese sculpture from the High Middle Ages to the modern age, several frescoes and an introduction to Genoa’s ancient origins.

Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno

A cemetery that is as famous for the people whose rest there as it is for its eclectic mix of art styles.  Built between 1844 and 1851, here lie famous figures like Mazzini, Bixio, Constance Lloyd -- the wife of Oscar Wilde, the actor Gilberto Govi and Caterina Campodonico, a peanut monger who saved money over her lifetime to have a statue built alongside those of the city’s illustrious figures. The cemetery is a work of art whose paths, galleries, staircases and chapels are exquisite examples of Neoclassicism, bourgeois Realism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco.

Colombus Home and Saint Andrea Cloister

The home where the famous seaman spent part of his youth dates back to the to the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century and was built on the remains of the house of the seaman, which was destroyed in the naval bombing of 1684 by the French fleet.  The church of the elegant Saint Andrea Cloister, also destroyed, is close to Columbus’ home.

Museum of Palazzo Reale

Inside Palazzo Reale, the Genoa residence of the Savoy royal family, visitors can admire works of the most important Genoese painters and of Guercino, Luca Giordano, Van Dyck, and Jan Roos.  Excellent examples of baroque and rococo furnishing, and the Throne and Hearing Room with 19th-century Savoy furniture can also be seen here.

Risorgimental Museum Mazzini

Once the home of Giuseppe Mazzini, the important historical and prominent political figure for the Italian Risorgimento (unification), it is today a museum displaying finds and objects from that period.

Palazzo Bianco and its Gallery

A splendid white facade marks this town palace as you walk down Via Garibaldi, once one of Geno's most important streets. Completely restored in 2003-2004, the palazzo houses a fine collection of 17th-century art that includes Italian, Flemish and Spanish masterpieces that includes the works of Rubens, Van Dyck and Caravaggio. There is also a collection of Genoese painting. 

Palazzo Rosso and its Gallery

Palazzo Rosso, which owes its name (The Red Palace) to the color of the outside plaster, is one of the biggest and most important ancient aristocratic residences of the city and one of the last built in the Strada Nuova, now Via Garibaldi.  Built in the seventeenth century for the Ridolfo brothers and Gio Francesco Brignole Sale, it was donated in 1874 to the city by Duchess of Galliera, the last of the line in her family, with the stipulation that the art collections and official noble apartment be used as a museum. Beautiful rooms are lavishly decorated with frescoes by Ligurian artists from the seventeenth century and with sculptures, mirrors, porcelain and paintings from the 15th to the 17th centuries.  Among the masterpieces are paintings organized by school of art.  There is also an important photographic archive with more than 200,000 photographs. The museum is a splendid representation of the history of Genoa and Liguria from the middle of the nineteenth century until today. I's worth noting that the Ligurian republi's annexation to Napoleo's empire was signed in this building.

Loggia of Banchi or Loggia the Merchants

Built between 1589 and 1595, Saint Pete's Loggia in the trade center of the old city, it became the seat of the Italian Goods Stock Exchange until it was bombed and the almost destroyed in 1942.  In 1950, after it was renovated, the Loggia was reopened and dedicated to cultural activities.

Teatro Stabile of Genoa at Corte and Duse Theaters

Considered one of the most important and technologically advanced Italian public theaters, the Teatro Stabile of Genoa, founded 1951, holds productions of its own shows and independent productions.  The theater houses its own smaller theater, the Teatro Duse, as well as an adaptable stage, the Piccolo Teatro della Corte.  An Actor’s School, Museum and Library of Acting are also part of the complex. Genoa is also home to other theaters like the historic Carlo Felice Theatre and the independent Teatro della Tosse.

Events

Feast of San Giovanni Battista

In June the procession from the Cathedral of Saint Lorenzo to the Porto Antico with the participation of the Casacce, the ancient Genoese confraternities is held.

International Poetry Festival Palazzo Ducale

Eighteen days of poetry, music, exhibitions, and tours of the old center.

Genova Film festival

An International film review in the Old Porto area is held the first week of July.

Nervi International Ballet Festival

Ballets with artists from all over the world perform at this festival the first week of July.

International Boat Show, October

Held in the convention center of the Fiera Internazionale di Genova this international event attracts boat lovers from all over the world to a display of new and second-hand boats and equipment.

Regata delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare

Genoa hosts this antique boat race once every four years in June, when the 4 ancient maritime republics- Venice, Pisa, Amalfi, Genoa- battle against one another for civic pride. Brightly colored standards fly high, as sailors clad in traditional costumes man the decks of decorated boats, themed for a proud historical moment from each city..

Piazza della Cisterna

One of the most attractive sights in San Gimignano, the square, an exquisite example of medieval architecture, is beautifully paved with bricks.  At the center of the square is a well that gives access to the underlying cisterna (well).

The Duomo or the Collegiata and the Saint Fina Chapel

Built in the 12th century, the Collegiata, still referred to as the Duomo by locals, opens onto a beautiful square connected to Piazza della Cisterna.  Filled with art that remains from its days of importance as a cathedral it is a treasure of altars, chapels, freizes, frescoes and paintings that were commissioned from the most famous artists by San Gimignano’s citizens.  

Here can be seen a beautiful Romanesque interior with tiger-striped arches and a galaxy of gold stars, the wooden statues of Gabriele and Annunziata by Jacopo della Quercia and decorating the naves, 14th-century frescoes with scenes from the Old and the New Testament and the Last Judgement.  In the Cappella di Santa Fina, one of the most beautiful chapels of the Tuscan Renaissance, a glorious cycle of frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio describes the life of a local girl named Fina, who became the town’s patron saint.

Palazzo del Popolo with the Civic Museum and Torre Grossa

The Palazzo del Popolo (People’s Palace) built between 1288-1323, is the home of the Town Council and the Civic Museum.  Decorated with great frescoes and furnishing dating from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, it is also the home of the town’s tallest tower -- Torre Grossa.  From the balcony above the entrance the Podestas (persons responsible for the Municipality) took their oaths.  From here, a superb view of the towers, the ancient fortress, several piazzas, and the Tuscan landscape can be seen.

Sant’Agostino Church

This beautiful 13th-century Romanesque-Gothic church retains the characteristics of its original architectural style and it is as rich in art. The High Altar is dominated by "The Coronation of the Madonna and the Saints", painted in 1483 by Piero del Pollaiolo.  Benozzo Gozzoli’s frescoes, “Episodes from the life of St. Agostino” adorn the Chancel and frescoes by Sebastiano Mainardi, painted in 1500, can be seen on the Chapel walls and vaults.  The church’s terracotta floor is the work of Andrea della Robbia.

Via San Matteo

A section of the Via Francigena, the medieval highway to France that was largely responsible for the flourishing wealth of the town, is lined with palaces and towers and is a true representation of medieval San Gimignano.

The Museum of Medieval Torture

Axes, swords, chastity belts, spiked collars, guillotines, the rack, an Iron Maiden, and even a primitive electric chair – torture devices used in the Middle Ages – are housed in the Torre del Diavolo (Devil’s Tower)

Fortress di Montestaffoli

Built by the Florentines in 1353 this tiny, crumbling fortress was destroyed by Cosimo d'Medici.  Though today only one of the original towers remains, its courtyard continues to attract street artists and musicians.  On summer nights there are weekly screenings of movies.

Torre Grossa

The tower, 54 meters high, dominates the Palazzo del Popolo. Finished in 1311, it is decorated with stone coats of arms of the podestà (historical local authority figures).

The Museum of Sacred Art

The Museum, created in 1915, includes works of art such as wooden sculptures dating from 14th century, psalm books and the best craftsmanship pieces from convents and the Duomo, as well as donations by private citizens.

Etruscam Museum, the Spezieria dello Spedale di Santa Fina and the Raffaele De Grada Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art

On exhibit are archeological findings from digs in the surrounding area and especially from Ranza and Cellole.  Objects of common use, such as plates, bowls, vases, buckles and necklaces can be seen along with the cinerary urns in a style similar to those in Volterra.  Also in this same complex is the Spezieria dello Spedale di Santa Fina, a little museum that demonstrates techniques of the antique pharmacy, and the Raffaele De Grada Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, a small space for exhibitions.

La Porta delle Fonti (Springs’ Gate) and the Medieval Wash-Houses

The Porta delle Fonti opens onto the countryside and leads to the ancient washhouses once used for drawing water and washing linen. The construction, which dates back to the 14th century, consists of ten Romanesque and ogival arches and was built upon the site of a 9th century well. The Porta delle Fonti was part of the second circuit of walls.

Events

Film Festival, summer

Held in the summer at the open-air cinema, the film festival is located in the public park Rocca of Montestaffoli.

International Festival of Saint Gimignano July-August

A series of performances and events including poetry, work, theater, ballet, classical music concerts, and movies.

Ferie delle Messi and the Giostra dei Bastoni

This centuries old pre-harvest festival showcases the Knights of Santa Fina as they joust and parade through the city streets. Vendors selling crafts, local food specialties and antiques line the streets, while fireworks and musicians round out the weekend's entertainment.