Italy is about walking through an archive of human achievements. From the ancient regime through the medieval and Renaissance to the modern and post – modern, all of these periods have left an incredible mark on the various cities of Italy.
Your search could begin in Rome, where 2500 years of history lives in harmony with the present. The core of Rome called the “Cento” is the soul of ancient Rome. Get heady with history as you start unraveling the mysteries of the years gone by. You can feel the might and power of this Cathedral as you see the imposing peach and gold palaces, the quite piazza and glorious fountains.
As you try and make sense of the mass of marble fragments scattered in Roman Forum, don’t get frustrated, just consider that the center of the then known world!
Enter the world of games of 80 A.D. at the Colosseum, to witness the striking marble face, decorated stuccoes and an ingenuous system of awnings to provide shade is laudable. And at night under the yellow floodlight it presents a magical sight.
However, a sight to be taken in is the Baths of Caracalla, an ancient version of a swanky athletic club with huge pools, decorated halls and libraries. Also visit the Treato di Marcello, a theatre with a capacity of 20,000 spectators, built by none other than Julius Caesar. Don’t forget the eternally favorite Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel or the St. Peter’s Basilica for its ornate dome.
But now you must head for Florence, again built by Julius Caesar. This was the main crucible of the Italian Renaissance wisdom. This was the seat of the powerful Medici Family, a patron of art and culture. And when you see the works of Giotto, Boticelli and Raphael, you’ll know why the Italian Renaissance was the birth of modern thoughts.
If Michelangelo’s artistry has captured your hearts, stroll along the Via Calzaiuoli to Piazza delta Signoria, the heart of Florence and you will feel that you are walking over the remnants of Rome and Medieval Florence.
For yet another change of the Italian kind visit the city of Milan, the commercial capital of Italy, the Mecca for fashion buffs and also the home to Piazza del Duomo, the largest churches in the world ornate with fretted marble statues, spires and flying buttresses.
Milan is also the city of Leonardo da Vinci, and if you thought he was just a famous painter, you will be surprised at his protean genius; he was an Italian polymath, an architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, writer, and Milan is the place to get a whiff of all that this genius bestowed Italy with.
Before you close your chapter on Italy you might be caught in two minds whether to leave or stay back. But as you say arivederci and retrace your steps back into your own world, you will realize that this experience you will cherish for a long long time to come.
Italy Travel and Tourism Information Guide
Italy Hotels Italy Tour Guide Italy Travel Agents
