Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for italy
The Lords of Verucchio
By Linda Tancs
Verucchio is a small town in the province of Rimini, Italy. It’s known as the “cradle of the Malatesta family,” an Italian family that dominated Romagna from 1295 to 1500. One of the largest fortifications of the period is Rocca Malatestiana, also known as Rocca del Sasso (Fortress on the Rock) due to its position at the top of the rocky crag that dominates the whole area. The watch tower is an easy landmark, embedded with a clock to mark the hours below in the heart of the old town with Piazza Malatesta and the town hall.
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An Island Between Two Worlds
By Linda Tancs
Sandwiched between Tunisia and Sicily, Lampedusa is an island between two worlds. The last trace of Italian terrain before the African coast, it forms part of the Pelagie Islands, an island group that includes Linosa and Lampione. One of its most popular spots is Rabbit Island (Isola dei Conigli), a few hundred feet off the coast. Contrary to its name, there are no rabbits, but you will find a protected loggerhead sea turtle population and a beach considered by some to be the best in the world. Gastronomically, the island offers a mix of Sicilian and African dishes, particularly along Roma Street (Via Roma), where the majority of shops and restaurants are located. Lampedusa is served by air from many of Italy’s principal cities. You can also take a ferry or hydrofoil from Sicily.
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A Touch of Bourbon in Italy
By Linda Tancs
Italy’s Royal Palace of Caserta (and park) was commissioned by Charles of Bourbon III. A triumph of architecture and design, it borrows features from the palace and park of Versailles as well as villas in Rome and Tuscany. Its gardens are touted as one of the last great European gardens. Indeed, the scale of it is breathtaking, stretching for almost 2 miles from the palace to a waterfall in the forest. The gardens are at their best in spring and summer. The palace is 23 miles from Naples and 124 miles from Rome, easily accessible via train from either city.
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Hunchback Bridge
By Linda Tancs
Nestled in Italy’s Trebbia Valley, Bobbio is a medieval village between Milan and Genoa. It’s often referred to as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy; writer Ernest Hemingway even called it the most beautiful village in the world. Framed by the Apennines, one of its most popular attractions is the abbey founded in the 7th century by Saint Colombano, home today to the City Museum and the Abbey Museum. Another focal point is the Ponte del Gobbo (Hunchback Bridge), so named for the 11 unequal arches that give it an irregular shape. First documented in 1196, the 900-foot-long bridge is an entry point to this scenic locale. The best way to arrive is via car; otherwise, the nearest train station is in Piacenza, with regular bus service.
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A Giant in Italy
By Linda Tancs
Nearly three times the actual size of its subject, the Colossus of Barletta in Italy is a bronze statue of a Roman emperor (thought to be Theodosius II) in Barletta’s city center. An icon of the city, the 16-foot-high structure is also known as “the Giant.” Legend has it that the statue was found in 1204 on a rock in the port of Barletta following the sinking of a Venetian ship returning from a crusade. The more sensible explanation for its appearance is that it was transported to Puglia from Ravenna by imperial decree to serve as an embellishment. You’ll find it in front of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.
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The Emerald Coast
By Linda Tancs
Just like the French Riviera, Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) attracts the rich and famous. Indeed, the luxurious yachts anchored offshore attest to that. You’ll find many of them at the marina of Porto Cervo, the beating heart of this Italian island in the western Mediterranean. Created by Prince Karim Aga Khan for the jet-set, this resort community is equally accessible by the hoi polloi, who can enjoy enviable views from Stella Maris Church perched above the port. Inside, its charms include the Mater Dolorosa attributed to the Greek painter El Greco, an organ from the 17th century and local juniper wood pews. If you’re tempted to people watch, then you’ll want to be there this time of year.
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A Path Through Italy
By Linda Tancs
The Italy Trail (Sentiero Italia) is a hiker’s paradise through Italy. Encompassing around 4,300 miles, it’ll take you from the Alps in the north to the southern Apennines. In between are 20 regions, 655 passes, 360 villages, towns and hamlets and six UNESCO sites. It’s hard to imagine improving upon such a path, but a project is in the works to do just that. Known as the Path of the Parks (Sentiero dei Parchi), the route will expand the backbone provided by Sentiero Italia and connect all of Italy’s 25 national parks, including those on the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. The project’s completion is anticipated in 2033, so don’t strap on those hiking boots just yet.
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The Foliage Train
By Linda Tancs
The Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway runs 32 miles between Domodossola, Italy, and Locarno, Switzerland, passing over 83 bridges and viaducts. Just the mention of a route like that evokes scenic wonders, so imagine how colorful it gets during autumn. That’s when “the foliage train” operates, promising enchanting views enhanced by autumn’s foliage. Each train is equipped with full-length windows, too, so it’s doubtful that the journey will disappoint. You can reach the International Rail Station of Domodossola with Eurocity, interregionali and regionali trains operated by Trenitalia. On the Swiss side, Locarno can be reached by using the international railway lines Basel-Milano or Zurich-Milano, and the route is fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (Flex) and GA travelcard.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Wedded Bliss in Accettura
By Linda Tancs
Call it mat-TREE-mony—that is, a wedding of the arboreal kind. That’s right: a wedding of two trees, an oak and a holly. The unusual union is celebrated this time of year in southern Italy. Il Maggio di Accettura is an ancient pagan wedding festival celebrated in Accettura, a mountain village of about 2,000 people in the region of Basilicata. In case you were wondering, the oak is the groom and the holly is the bride. They’re cut, joined together (by the trunk of the oak and the top of the holly) and hoisted by a pulley over the main square of the town, followed by a procession of women wearing tiered headdresses made of candles and flowers. This centuries-old festival is undoubtedly one of the most unusual you’ll ever experience.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A Figure of Eight in Italy
By Linda Tancs
Castel del Monte in southern Italy strikes a perfect octagonal shape. That’s part of what makes it unique, an octagonal plan with octagonal towers at each angle. Commissioned around 1240 by German Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, this fortress on a hill is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lauded for its harmonious blending of cultural elements from northern Europe, the Muslim world and classical antiquity, its exterior limestone block is remarkably intact. Located in Andria near Bari, you can easily reach it by bus, train or car.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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