As the daughter of an Italian mother and a first generation Italian father, it is normal for me to hear “you are so lucky you have been to Italy before” from friends and acquaintances. Throughout my whole life, I have traveled to Italy copious amounts of times to visit my friends and family who live thousands of miles away. Almost every other summer I would navigate through many different parts of Italy visiting aging aunts (Zia’s), amusing cousins, overjoyed friends, and longing grandparents.
People have asked me with great eagerness which parts of Italy I cherish, and which areas I would recommend to travel to. It would take me a while to answer, because I honestly love all of Italy’s regions, cities, and towns. With careful thought, I have composed a list of regions and cities of which I think most people would enjoy. Each destination is rich in its delicacy and uniqueness, and will attract the minds of each person differently based on what that person is looking for in their journey.
Roma
Although it is the stereotypical destination to go to for your first time in Italy, Roma will be the city you will always return to and never forget. Roma has a way with charming its people, whether it has to do with its overflowing amounts of history and myths, or it’s beautiful architecture and artistry. Although we know much about Rome’s history today, it is breathtaking to know that we are still unearthing many secrets the city holds. Findings such as Emperor Nero’s buried palace, and the use of canals and aqueducts to create mock sea battles in the Colosseum are recent findings that have happened less than five years ago (Mueller, 2011).
Rome should also be visited for its vast expanse of art and architecture. Photos of art done by Michelangelo, Raphael, and da Vinci are nothing compared to the physical works of the artists, and it is the same with the architecture of the Sistine chapel, Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. Once you are face to face with these staples of Italy, you will find that the memory will never leave you. Rome is a magical city that should never be rejected as an option of travel. It should be the first place you visit when going to Italy.
Cinque Terre
Le Cinque Terre, or “The Five Lands,” are located in Northern Italy. Although all of Italy is known for its Mediterranean waters and abstract scenery, nothing can compare to le Cinque Terre. These five small islands, which belong in the region of Liguria, can be considered a small paradise with its clear aquamarine waters, quaint beaches, and towering cliffs layered with vibrant homes of pinks, yellows, and greens. Le Cinque Terre are perfect for those who love basking in the sun, exploring and shopping at small art shops. It is also the perfect area for new travelers to navigate because of its easygoing inhabitants and accessible train system. Not only are tickets cheap; the trains come every few minutes with train rides only lasting three to seven minutes.
Verona
The name rings a bell because it is the city in which Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet takes place. Verona was the last city I visited in Italy, and it took my heart for many reasons. The whole layout of the city is very romantic and charming with its ancient architecture being used today as homes, shops, and even concert halls today. The Arena is the third largest Roman Coliseum that was created by the Flavian Emperors, and just like the coliseums in Rome, it was created to entertain the public with gladiator battles (Source). However, the structure, unlike the coliseum in Rome is still used for events today. Opera and theater performances are constructed and presented during its Festival season, where stages and scenery is made and seating is arranged so people can enjoy the beautiful acoustics of the Arena.
The Balcony of Julietta is also an amazing sight to see. The balcony is small with patterns of simple, high relief designs of arches. Moroccan like windowsare placed in between the terrace, with worn out walls that show off the bricks that keep it stable from underneath. Tourists are allowed to write a message to Juliet and even stand on her balcony.
Fashion is another great staple in Verona, with Via Mazzini tiled streets fully dedicated to shops like Dolce & Gabbana, Stefanel, KIKOS, and Louis Vuitton it is easy to get lost into the glorious trends that Italy is well known for. Verona’s street artists/ musicians are also extremely skilled and amazing to watch. Painted faces and elaborate costumes become a regular occurrence when walking the streets of this northern city.
Siena
Siena is another city most people become infatuated in, mostly because of the rich traditions it still holds. A warm and happy city, Siena’s terracotta homes and apartments wash like a wave throughout their region with beautiful sunset tones. The people of Siena are extremely proud of their city and culture, the most well known part of Siena is their Piazza (town square). La Piazza is a major part of the city’s history because of the annual celebration of Palio. A 700- year old tradition, Palio is when the Sienese’s districts (contrada’s) compete with one another in bareback horse races. Although it is enjoyable, it is also extremely competitive and serious. All 17 contrada’s have their own flags, seats of government, constitutions, and geographical boundaries (thepalio.com). While dressed in the traditional clothing of medieval times, Sienese of all ages participate and help compete to win the Palio. Musicians and dancers flock the narrow streets of Siena, while professional jockeys proudly bring their horses to la piazza. Thousands watch their contrada’s horse in hopes of winning the race.
It is amazing to see the love for ones district during these games. The rivalry is so intense that one contrada can hate the other, even to the point where the wedding of a couple from different contrada’s can be seen as contradictory. But nevertheless it is what keeps Siena so distinctive.
Parma
If you have a special place in your heart for food then you may enjoy the city of Parma. Known as the world’s city of food, Parma specializes in many Italian delicacies that people all around the world indulge in. Parmigiano reggiano, better known as Parmesan cheese was conceived in the city of Parma and products like prosciutto and Barilla pasta are other valued products that are made in the city.
A quiet area of only 200,000 people, Parma is a great city to go to if you are looking to relax. Parma was also the home
of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi, a major political figure in the late 19th century who influenced Italians during their nationalistic movement (Classic FM, 2013). Verdi used his music and opera’s to express his nationalistic beliefs and became so famous for it that “Viva Verdi” slogans could be found painted on the streets of Italy.
Abruzzo/ Molise
This is a region of southern Italy that my family is from. I have spent most of my time in Italy here, in small towns that mostly consist of less than a thousand people. For those of you who love nature, such as fields, farmland, mountains, this would be your perfect destination. Abruzzo/ Molise is the most untouched region of Italy, although they have found rich resources of oil that could be drilled and eventually used as fuel, they instead choose to use wind energy with windmills that scale the borders of the mountains.
There are thousands of towns in these two regions that many will never see or hear of. My mother’s own town is hidden by a colossal mountain, which may have been a defense technique when it was built in the 16th century. That is what is so beautiful about this region, the amount of history that most people don’t know about. There are small amphitheaters strewed across the lands that were created before the times of the Romans, snow tipped mountains that can be hiked and explored, and diverse towns with beautiful dialects and friendly people.
This region of Italy is also the best place to go stargazing. My fondest memory of Italy is being woken up from a long drive at night to be woken to millions and millions of twinkling stars. It is easily accessible to go stargazing, and it extremely easy to find the Milky Way.
Sicily (Sicilia)
Finally Sicilia, the Italian island at the tip of Italy’s boot. Many Sicilians in the early 20th century emigrated from Italy to countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia because of the poor economy and lack of jobs in that time period. In that time period, Sicilians never classified themselves as Italians, only Sicilians. The region is different from the other regions of Italy in that it was conquered by many different ethnicities over the last thousands of years. Vandals and Goths, the Spanish, Arabs, and many others conquered and held land on this island, creating a distinguished culture for Sicily (bestofsicily.com).
Sicily of course has beautiful beaches all over where people can relax and they also have park and nature reserves where swimming, hiking and exploring is welcome. Mount Etna is also located in Sicily, a gorgeous but active volcano that sits among towns and homes. Sicily is not only known for its nature, but also for its ancient and medieval architecture. Buildings such as the temple Segesta built by the Greeks, and the Monreale with Arab and Byzantine art are symbols of a region, which became a big melting pot of cultures.
Italy is an easy country to fall in love with because of its abundance in history and easygoing atmosphere. Knowing about all of its beautiful destinations can sometimes be stressful because there are so many places to go to in such short amount of time. Hopefully my list has helped you decide which area you would most likely go to if you decide on visiting Italy. No matter where you go, I promise you will not be disappointed.
Resources
Mueller, Tom. "Secrets of the Colosseum." Smithsonian. 4 Jan. 2011. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
"Giuseppe Verdi." Classic FM. 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
"Civetta - Il Palio Di Siena." Il Palio Di Siena Civetta Comments. 5 July 2015. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
"Sicily Travel Guide - Best of Sicily Tours, Vacations, Holidays, Hotels, Dining, Tourism, Culture, Books. Tablet-friendly for IPad and Other Devices." Sicily Travel Guide - Best of Sicily Tours, Vacations, Holidays, Hotels, Dining, Tourism, Culture, Books. Tablet-friendly for IPad and Other Devices. Web. 2 Aug. 2015
