Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for italy
Italy’s Early Roman Splendor
By Linda Tancs
Located in the northeastern Italian province of Udine, Aquileia was established in 181 B.C. as a Roman military colony along an essential trade route that connected Milan and Rome. One of the largest and wealthiest cities of the Early Roman Empire, much of it lies unexcavated. For this reason, it is considered the greatest archaeological reserve of its kind and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can visit Aquileia as a day trip from Venice or Trieste.
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Baths of Caracalla
By Linda Tancs
Situated near the Appian Way, the Baths of Caracalla (Thermae Antoninianae) represent the ruins of one of the largest and most impressive thermae built in antiquity in Rome. The complex was initiated by the emperor Septimius Severus in A.D. 206 and completed by his son, the emperor Caracalla in A.D. 216. Its rectangular shape is typical of imperial baths, which also included spaces for walking, studying and sports. They were once covered with marble and decorated with valued works of art unparalleled in ancient times. Take Line B, Circo Massimo stop, to get there.
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The Ulysses Riviera
By Linda Tancs
Named for its mythological origins, Italy’s Ulysses Riviera is a coastline running from San Felice Circeo to Minturno that’s known for its natural beauty and archaeological sites. One of its beautiful seaside towns is Gaeta, which dates to Imperial Rome. Not surprisingly, it boasts a protected area with Roman ruins, which is set within Monte Orlando Park. Its most stunning attraction is arguably the Sanctuary of the Split Mountain—an 11th-century Benedictine monastery built into the cliffs and grottoes of the park. Its appearance today reflects renovations dating to the 17th century that incorporate Neapolitan and Spanish baroque styles. Popes, kings, bishops and saints have been counted among its visitors. You can reach the sanctuary from the city center of Gaeta going through Via Munazio Planco and following the indications along the road.
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Fishermen’s Island
By Linda Tancs
Accessible only by boat, Fishermen’s Island (Isola dei Pescatori) is the northernmost of Italy’s Borromean islands in Lake Maggiore. The only one to be inhabited year round, it’s particularly known for its fish cuisine given the island’s history as a fishing village. The Church of San Vittore is a national monument, which still has its original apse with a single lancet window dating from the 11th century. The interior includes wooden busts of the apostles Peter and Andrew, the patron saints of fishermen.
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Path of the Gods
By Linda Tancs
The Path of the Gods (or Sentiero degli Dei in Italian) is a clifftop trail above the Amalfi Coast. Widely regarded as one of the best hiking trails in Italy, the trek runs from Bomerano, near Agerola, to Nocelle in the province of Positano on the slopes of Mount Pertuso. All along the route you can admire the panorama of the Amalfi Coast and Capri. Legend has it that the the name of the trail comes from Homer’s Odyssey, recounting the gods who once rushed to Ulysses from the sirens of Capri and mapped out this path in the process.
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An Italian Village in South Tyrol
By Linda Tancs
Bruneck (Brunico) is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. It boasts a hilltop castle dating to the 13th century with restored rooms and a museum exploring mountain culture in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. The museum, MMM Ripa, is one of six mountain museums set up by mountaineer Reinhold Messner and is a permanent exhibition at the castle. The castle is a short walk from the Brunico train station; a museum ticket will grant you access to all six mountain museums within a one-year period from date of issue.
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A Taste of South Beach in Tuscany
By Linda Tancs
Miami’s South Beach is an area well known for its Art Deco district. You could think of Italy’s seaside city of Viareggio as a kissing cousin. It boasts the same architecture, one of the most famous structures being the Gran Caffè Margherita. Start your tour at the intersection of Via Pietro Mascagni and Viale Alfredo Belluomini and head south on the promenade that runs parallel to the beach.
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Italy’s Marble Mountains
By Linda Tancs
The Apuan Alps is a mountain range in northern Tuscany. Known as a marble-rich area, the luxury stone has been excavated there since ancient Roman times, particularly in Carrara, which is one of the highest producing marble sites on Earth. The mountain range is protected as part of the Apuan Alps Regional Park, where you’ll also find Mount Forato, boasting one of the country’s largest natural arches. The park’s visitor centers are located at Equi Terme in Lunigiana, at Bosa di Careggine in Garfagnana, in Massa and in Seravezza.
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A Towering Pinocchio
By Linda Tancs
Carlo Collodi is the pen name of the Italian novelist responsible for the character Pinocchio. He reportedly spent a considerable amount of time in Collodi as a child, which is why the locale lays claim to the famous author. It’s where you’ll find Pinocchio Park, where you can walk through the story on themed paths taking visitors past statues of characters in the order in which they appear in the book. You’ll first be greeted by a towering wooden Pinocchio, touted as the tallest wooden Pinocchio in the world. It stands 63 feet tall if you count the 11-foot-high plinth. Collodi is easily reached by train or car from Florence.
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Oak of the Witches
By Linda Tancs
Heralded as a national monument, there’s a thriving 600-year-old oak tree in Capannori, Italy. In addition to its age, what’s enchanting about it is its size—over 65 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 13 feet and a crown diameter of 131 feet with gnarled branches stretching horizontally. Legend has it that witches met at the oak and danced on it, causing it to reach horizontally rather than vertically. The tree is so distinctive that it’s recorded on NATO maps as a military point of reference.
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