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Italy PDF ebook Edition 11th Edition Release Date Feb 2014 Pages 976 Useful Links Want more guides? Head to our shop Trouble with your PDF? Trouble shoot here Need more help? Head to our FAQs Stay in touch Contact us here PDF © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this PDF ebook is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above – ‘Do the right thing with our content’. For symbols used on maps, see the Map Legend. How to Use This Book Look for these symbols to quickly identify listings: These symbols give vital information for each listing: Must-visit recommendation Sustainable or green recommendation No payment required SURVIVAL GUIDE Your at-a-glance reference Vital practical information for a smooth trip. 937 D IR EC TO R Y A – Z FO O D 936 D IR EC TO R Y A – Z D I S C O U N T C A R D S Austrian Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 844 01 41; www. aussenministerium.at/rom; Via Pergolesi 3); Milan (%02 78 37 43; www.aussenministe- rium.at/mailandgk; Piazza del Liberty 8/4) Canadian Embassy (www. canadainternational.gc.ca/ italy-italie) French Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 68 60 11; www. ambafrance-it.org; Piazza Farnese 67); Milan (%02 655 91 41; www.ambafrance-it. org/-Milan-; Via della Moscova 12; mTurati); Naples (%081 598 07 11; www.ambafrance-it. org; Via Francesco Crispi 86) Turin (%011 573 23 11; www. ambafrance-it.org; Via Roma 366) German Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 49 21 31; www. rom.diplo.de; Via San Martino della Battaglia 4); Milan (%02 623 11 01; www.mailand.diplo. de; Via Solferino 40; mMos- cova); Naples (%081 248 85 11; www.neapel.diplo.de; Via Francesco Crispi 69) Irish Embassy (%06 585 23 81; www.ambasciata-irlanda . it; Villa Spada, Via Giacomo Medici 1 , Rome) Japanese Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 48 79 91; www. it.emb-japan.go.jp; Via Quintino Sella 60); Milan (%02 624 11 41; www.milano.it.emb-japan. go.jp; Via Cesare Mangili 2/4; mTurati) Dutch Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 3228 6001; www. olanda.it; Via Michele Mercati 8); Milan (%02 485 58 41; Via Gaetano Donizetti 20) New Zealand Embassy/Con- sulate Rome (%06 853 75 01; www.nzembassy.com; Via Clitunno 44); Milan (%02 7217 0001; www.nzembassy. com/italy; Via Terraggio 17; mCadorna) Slovenian Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 8091 4310; www. rim.veleposlanistvo.si; Via Leonardo Pisano 10, Rome); Trieste (%040 30 78 55; Via San Giorgio 1) Swiss Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 80 95 71; www. eda.admin.ch/roma; Via Barnaba Oriani 61, Rome); Milan (%02 777 91 61; www. eda.admin.ch/milano; Via Palestro 2; mTurati) UK Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 4220 0001; ukinitaly. fco.gov.uk; Via XX Settembre 80a, Rome); Milan (%06 4220 2431; Via San Paolo 7; mSan Babila); Naples (%081 423 89 11; Via dei Mille 40) US Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 4 67 41; italy.usembassy. gov; Via Vittorio Veneto 121, Rome); Florence (%055 26 69 51; italy.usembassy.gov; Lungarno Vespucci 38, Flor- ence); Milan (%02 29 03 51; http://milan.usconsulate.gov; Via Principe Amedeo 2/10; mTurati); Naples (%081 583 81 11; italy.usembassy.gov; Piazza della Repubblica) Food For detailed information on eating in Italy see the chap- ters Eat & Drink Like a Loca l (p 39 ) and The Italian Table (p 924 ). Gay & Lesbian Travellers Homosexuality is legal in Italy and well tolerated in th e major cities. Overt displays Anything over the limits must be declared on arrival and the appropriate duty paid. On leaving the EU, non - EU citizens can reclaim any value-added tax on expensi ve purchases. Discount Cards Those under 18 and over 65 may get free admission to many galleries and cultural sites and visitors aged be- tween 18 and 25 often qualif y for a 50% discount (some- times only for EU citizens). Special discount cards are issued by cities or regions, such as Roma Pass (www. romapass.it; 3 days €34), which offers free use of public tran s- port and free or reduced ad- mission to Rome’s museums . In many places around Italy, you can also save mone y by purchasing a biglietto cu- mulativo, a ticket that allows admission to a number of associated sights for less tha n the combined cost of separa te admission fees. The European Youth Card offers thousands of discount s on Italian hotels, museums, restaurants, shops and clubs , while a student, teacher or youth travel card can save money on flights to Italy. Ma ny cards are available from the Centro Turistico Studen- tesco e Giovanile (CTS; www. cts.it), a youth travel agency with branches throughout Italy. The latter three cards are available worldwide from student unions, hostelling organisations and youth trav el agencies such as STA Travel (www.statravel.com). Electricity Electricity goes by the Europ e- an standard of 220-230V, wi th a frequency of 50Hz. Wall ou t- lets typically accommodate plugs with two or three round pins (the latter grounded, th e former not). 230V/50Hz Embassies & Consulates For foreign embassies and consulates in Italy not listed here, look up ‘Ambasciate’ or ‘Consolati’. Some countries also run honorary consulate s in other cities. Australian Embassy/Consulate Rome (%06 85 27 21; www. italy.embassy.gov.au; Via Anto- nio Bosio 5); Milan (%02 7767 4200; www.austrade.it; Via Borgogna 2; mSan Babila) 230V/50Hz PRACTICALITIES Weights and measurements Me tric Smoking Banned in all enclosed public spaces Newspapers The major national dailies are centre-left; try R ome-based La Republicca, and the liberal-conservative , Milan-based Corriere della Sera. Radio Tune into Vatican Radio (w ww.radiovaticana.org; 93.3 FM and 105 FM in the Rom e area; in Italian, English and other languages) for a rund own of what the pope is up to; or state-owned Italian RAI-1 , RAI-2 and RAI-3 (www.rai. it), which broadcast all over the country and abroad. Comm ercial stations such as Rom e’s Radio Centro Suono (www. centrosuono.com) and Radio Città Futura (www.radiocittafutura.it), N aples’ Radio Kiss Kiss (www.kisskissnapoli.it) and Mi lan-based left-wing Radio Popola re (www.radiopopo- lare.it) are all good for contem porary music. TV Channels include state-run RAI -1, RAI-2 and RAI-3 (www.rai .it) and the main commercia l stations Canale 5 (www.canale5.me diaset.it), Italia 1 (www.italia1.medias et.it) and Rete 4 (www. rete4.mediaset.it) run by Silvio Berlusconi’s Mediaset comp any, as well as La 7 (www.la7.it). YOUTH, STUDENT & TEACHE R CARDS CARD W EBSITE COS T ELIGIB ILITY European Youth Card (Carta Giovani) europeanyouthcard.org; cartagiovani.it €11 und er 30yr International Student Identity Card (ISIC) www.isic.org US$ 25, UK£9, €13 full-time student International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) US$ 25, UK£9, €10–18 full-time teacher International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) US$ 25, UK£9, €13 under 26 yr EATING PRICE RANGES The following price ranges u sed throughout this book refer to a meal of two cours es, a glass of house wine, and coperto (cover charge) for one per son. € under €25 €€ €25–45 €€€ over €45 These gures represent a h alfway point between expensive cities such as Mi lan and Venice and the considerably cheaper town s across the south. Indeed, a restaurant rated as midra nge in rural Sicily might be considered dirt cheap in Mi lan. Note that most eating establishments add coperto of around €2 to €3. Some also include a service charg e (servizio) of 10% to 15%. UNDERSTAND Get more from your trip Learn about the big picture, to make sense of what you see. and included people’s prim ary residences, and there- fore shouldered most of th e blame. Berlusconi’s Trials & Tribu lations However, sensationally, in the summer of 2013, Ber - lusconi was successfully co nvicted of tax fraud, having exhausted the appeals pr ocess. The Supreme Cour t upheld his one-year sente nce, but sent another par t of the sentence – the five- year bar on holding publi c office – back to the Court of Appeal, so at the time of writing he was still ab le to continue in politics . Though it’s worth conside ring that successful convic - tion may not be the end of Berlusconi as a leader: Beppe Grillo, who is unab le to stand for governmen t due to a manslaughter ch arge following a car acci- dent, continues to lead the Five Star Movement from the sidelines. Berlusconi has been facing trial over several cases, including tax evasion and bribery, but the most sensa - tional trial is ‘Rubygate’. In it, Berlusconi is accused o f paying for sex with Karim a El Mahroug, a nightclub dancer nicknamed Ruby R ubacuori (Ruby Heartsteal - er), while she was still 17 and therefore an underag e prostitute. The encounters reputedly took place at so - called bunga bunga session s; sex parties held at sever- al of Berlusconi’s villas. Be rlusconi is further accused of providing false informa tion to a Milan police chie f in order to release El Mahr oug from detention on un- related theft charges (he allegedly claimed she was the granddaughter of Pre sident Mubarak of Egypt) . In May 2013 a prosecutor in Milan told a court tha t Mr Berlusconi paid Ruby € 4.5 million in late 2010. Despite his prosecution a nd the numerous other ongoing cases, the former cruise-ship crooner insist s that the claims are part of a plot orchestrated by the political left. But could it be that Italy’s tumultuous relationship with Il Cavali ere (‘the Knight’) is finally in its death throes? The Economy The country is suffering ec onomically and ordinary I tal- ians are feeling the pain o f austerity measures coup led with seemingly perpetual recession. In addition gove rn- ments continue to be frag ile and divided. As taxes a nd prices have risen, opportu nities for employment ha ve shrunk and wages flatlin ed; life in Italy is bleak for many. In 2013, one news s tory among many seemed to encapsulate the woes of t he country: a couple in th eir 60s from Civitanova Marc he committed suicide, una ble to struggle on any longer o n their small pension. 2013 Elections The rise of former comed ian Beppe Grillo’s Five St ar Movement, backed by 1 in 4 voters in the February 2 013 elections, is an indication of how disillusioned Itali ans are, particularly the young , with traditional politics. R e- sults from the election we re inconclusive, resulting i n a hung parliament. Though ex–prime ministe r Silvio Berlusconi did no t take office in 2013, he reta ined a hold on power, as E n- rico Letta’s new right-left coalition depends on the s up- port of Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PdL) moveme nt. It may seem incredible to outsiders, observing Berl us- coni’s scandal-mired life, b ut opinion polls continue to put the PdL movement ou t in front. The Dreaded IMU Besides Berlusconi’s relat ive charisma and the co un- try’s fear of change, Berl usconi’s enduring popula rity may have been in part du e to his promise to repay the unpopular Imposta Muni cipale Unica (IMU), a tax on properties. Never mind t hat Berlusconi’s governm ent originally introduced the t ax (to apply to second hom es and commence in 2014). T he subsequent prime min is- ter, Mario Monti, accelera ted the introduction to 20 12 93 would be Italian 4 would be Albanian & Eastern European 1 would be North African 2 would be Others if Italy were 100 people Roman Catholics Muslims Other Religions Other Christians 87 1.5 3.5 4 belief systems (% of population) 91 ITALYROME USA population per sq km ≈ 30 people POPULATION : 61.5 MILLION AREA: 301,230 SQ KM NUMBER OF UNESCO WOR LD HERITAGE SITES: 45 AVERAGE CUPS OF COFFE E PER PERSON PER YEAR: 600 Best Contemporary Son gs ‘Le Radici Ca Tieni’ (Sud Sound Sys- tem; 2003) Radical southern gr oup sing about not forgetting your r oots in a ragga-traditional music mash up. ‘Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)’ (Domenico Modugno; 1958) Inf ernally catchy, eternally sunny Eurovis ion hit. ‘Ride on Time’ (Black Box; 1989) Seminal Italo-house track storm ed the dance oors in the late ’80s . ‘Albachiara’ (Vasco Rossi; 1979) The poetic, rock Italian singer-songw riter’s biggest hit. Best Blogs Beppe Grillo (www.beppegrillo.it/ en/) Game-changing comedic a nd political musings of controversi al comedian turned political leade r. Italian Politics with Watson (http:// italpolblog.blogspot.se) Clear-c ut and insightful discussions of po litical intrigues and intricacies. La Tavola Marche (www.latavola marche.blogspot.co.uk) Americ an expat chef and food writer write on local cuisine and delicious recip es. The Blonde Salad (www.theblonde- salad.com) In uential fashion b log- ging by a Milanese student. Italy may be the beautiful coun try, but, regardless of their poli tics and circumstances, lo- cals join in lamenting its state, c oncurring that the country is in an economic and political quagmire. Politics have long bee n a problem, with notoriously un stable governments – Ber- lusconi, with a record five-year s tretch, was the longest serving p rime minister since WWII. Unemployment rose from 6.2% in 2007 to 10.9% in 2012, wh ile Italy’s public debt had soared above 130% of GDP in 2 013 Italy Today 875 874 ON THE ROAD Your complete guide Expert reviews, easy-to-use maps and insider tips. R O M E & LA Z IO R O M E R O M E & LA Z IO R O M E & LA Z IO Why Go? Even in a country of exq uisite cities like Italy, Ro me is special. An ancient capit al that has triumphed th rough three thousand years of t umultuous history, it’s a beauti- ful, chaotic sprawl of haun ting ruins, monumental ba silicas and awe-inspiring art. Bu t while history reverbera tes all around, modern life is live d to the full – priests in de signer shades walk through the V atican talking into smartp hones, scooters scream through medieval alleyways, fashi onable drinkers sip aperitivi on baroque piazza s. A busy cultural calendar and thriving und erground scene ensure the re’s al- ways something going on. But for all its appeal, Rom e can be exhausting and w hen it all starts to get too much , it’s time to change gear an d head out of town. The surroun ding, often overlooked La zio re- gion offers natural beauty and cultural riches rangin g from sandy beaches and volcan ic islands to ancient ruins , Etrus- can tombs and remote hill top monasteries. Rome & Lazio Top Roman Sights With so many world-class monuments, galleries and muse- ums in Rome, it can be di fficult to decide which to v isit. To help you, here’s our select ion of must-see sights. The Colos- seum is an obvious choic e, as are the Vatican Mus eums – one of the world’s great mu seum complexes and home to the Sistine Chapel. Adjacent to the museums, St Peter’s B asilica is the most important chu rch in the Catholic world and a treasure trove of Renaissa nce and baroque art. If you like baroque art, yo u’ll love the Museo e Gall eria Borghese and Piazza Navo na. Not far from the piaz za, the Pantheon is the best pre served of Rome’s ancient monu- ments. For the city’s finest ancient art check out the Museo Nazionale Romano: Palaz zo Massimo alle Terme a nd the Capitoline Museums on Piazza del Campidoglio. Nearby, ancient ruins lie littered across the atmospheric P alatino (Palatine Hill). And, of course, to ensure th at you return to Rome, be s ure to throw a coin into the Tr evi Fountain. DAY TRIPS FROM ROME The surrounding Lazio regi on harbours some excep- tional sights, most within ea sy day-trip distance of the capital. Nearest of all are th e beautifully preserved ruin s of Ostia Antica, ancient Rome’s m ain port town. To the east of Rome, and easily accessible by bus or car, Tivoli is home to Villa Adriana, t he vast summer residence of the emperor H adrian, and Villa d’Este, famed for its fabulous foun tains. Slightly further aeld , Lazio’s Etruscan treasures are quite special. The easi- est to get to are in Cerveteri, but p ush on up to Tar- quinia and you’ll be rewarded with some truly amazing frescoed tombs. On Rome’s southern doorstep, the charming town of Frascati is popu lar with day-tripping Romans who come to take the hilltop air and taste the local porchetta (herb-roasted pork) an d white wine. Outstanding Works of Art Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Si stine Chapel are among the world’s most famous w orks of art. Raphael’s great masterpiece La Scuola di Atene (The School of Athens) hangs in the Stanze di Raffaello (Rap hael Rooms) in the Vatican Muse ums. Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture s at the Museo e Galleria Borghese show a genius at the top of his game. Caravaggio’s St Matthew cycle in the Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi features his sig nature chiaroscuro (the bol d contrast of light and dark) s tyle. CATACOMBS Visit the creepy cata- combs on Via Appia Antica to see where Rome’s pioneering Christians buried their dead. Hundreds of thousands of tombs line the pitch-black tunnels. Best Viewpoints Il Vittoriano (p 78 ) Dome of St Peter’s Basilica (p 105 ) Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta (p 98 ) Gianicolo (p 124 ) Lazio’s Hidden Gems Monastero di San Benedetto (p 160 ), Subiaco Palazzo Farnese (p 158 ), Caprarola Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Palestrina (p 159 ) Civita di Bagnoregio (p 158 ) Resources 060608 (www.060608. it) Rome’s official tourist website. Coopculture (www. coopculture.it) Information and ticket booking for Rome’s monuments. Vatican Museums (http://mv.vatican.va) Book tickets and avoid the queues. Auditorium (www. auditorium.com) Check concert listings for the Auditorium Parco della Musica. When to Go Apr Sunshine, Easter celebra- tions, Rome’s birthday, and azaleas on the Spanish Steps. May–Jul Rome’s festival calendar gets into full swing as summer temperatures soar. Sep–Oct Still warm but the crowds die down and RomaEuropa theatre festival rolls into town. F DNOSAJJMAMJ Rome °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm 0 8/200 2/50 4/100 6/150 10/50 0/32 -10/14 30/86 20/68 Best Places to Eat L’Asino d’Oro (p 132 ) Open Colonna (p 133 ) Pizzarium (p 136 ) Enoteca Provincia Romana (p 126 ) Colline Emiliane (p 129 ) Best Places to Stay Palm Gallery Hotel (p 125 ) Blue Hostel (p 123 ) Hotel Sant’Anselmo (p 124 ) Arco del Lauro (p 124 ) Villa Spalletti Trivelli (p 123 ) Rome ........................... 66 Lazio ........................... 151 Ostia Antica ................ 151 Tivoli ...........................153 Cerveteri .....................154 Tarquinia .....................154 Civitavecchia ..............155 Viterbo ........................155 Castelli Romani ..........158 Palestrina ...................159 South Coast............... 160 Isole Pontine............... 161 63 4 easy-to-use sections PLAN YOUR TRIP Your planning tool kit Photos & suggestions to help you create the perfect trip. Festa dell’Uva e del Vino In early October the wine town of Bardolino is taken over by wine and food stalls. (p 288 ) VinItaly Sample exceptional, rarely exported blends at Italy’s largest annual wine expo. (p 392 ) Museo del Vino a Barolo Ex- plore the history of wine throug h art and lm at Barolo’s wine museum. (p 221 ) Colli Orientali and Il Carso These two wine-growing areas i n Friuli Venezia Giulia are making international waves for their Friuliano and blended ‘super- whites’. Taste test at an osmize (rustic pop-up). (p 413 ) Valpolicella and Soave Wine tastings in these two Veneto regions are free and fabulous. (p 395 ) Alto Adige’s Weinstraße A valley trail where native grapes Lagrein, Vernatsch and Gewürz - traminer thrive alongside well- adapted imports pinot blanc, sauvignon, merlot and caberne t. (p 324 ) Villas & Palaces Palazzo Reale di Caserta As seen in Star Wars; the Italian ba- roque’s spectacular swansong. (p 663 ) Rome Don’t miss Palazzo e Galleria Doria Pamphilj (p 90 ), Palazzo Farnese (p 84 ) and Palazzo Barberini(p 89 ). Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte Art and blue-blooded ego collid e at this hilltop palazzo in former royal capital Naples. (p 653 ) Palazzo Ducale The doge’s Venetian palace comes with a golden staircase and interroga- tion rooms. (p 340 ) Villa Maser Andrea Palladio and Paolo Veronese conspired to create the Veneto’s nest country mansion. (p 392 ) Reggia di Venaria Reale Pied- mont’s sprawling Savoy palace inspired French rival Versailles. (p204) Palazzi dei Rolli A collection of 42 Unesco-protected lodging palaces in Genoa. (p 166 ) Villa Romana del Casale See where the home decor obses- sion began with this Roman villa’s 3500-sq-metre mosaic oor. (p 824 ) Il Vittoriale degli Italiani Gabriele d’Annunzio’s estate would put a Roman emperor to shame. (p 283 ) Markets Porta Nolana Elbow your way past singsong shing folk, fra- grant bakeries and bootleg CD stalls for a slice of Neapolitan street theatre. (p647) Pescaria Shop for lagoon speci- alities in Venice’s 600-year-old sh market. (p 367 ) Mercato di Ballarò Fruit, sh, meat and veg stalls packed under striped awnings down cobbled alleys: Palermo’s mar- ket is more African bazaar than Italian mercato. (p 773 ) Porta Portese A modern commedia dell’arte takes place every Sunday between vendors and bargain hunters at Rome’s mile-long ea market. (p 146 ) Arezzo On the rst weekend of every month, Arezzo hosts Italy’s oldest and biggest antiques market. (p 559 ) Luino Straddling the eastern shore of Lago Maggiore, Luino i s home to one of northern Italy’s largest ea markets, held weekl y on Wednesdays. (p 267 ) Porta Palazzo Turin’s outdoor food market is the continent’s largest. (p 209 ) Islands & Beaches Counting all its offshore islands and squiggly in- dentations, Italy’s coastlin e stretches 7600km from th e sheer cliffs of the Cinque Terre, down through Rimini’s brash resorts to the bijou islands in the Bay of Naples and Puglia’s sandy shores. Puglia Italy’s best sandy beaches, including the gorgeou s Baia dei Turchi and the cliff - backed beaches of the Gargano . (p 704 ) Aeolian Islands Sicily’s seven volcanic islands sport hillsides of silver-grey pumice, black lava beaches and lush green vineyards. (p 785 ) Borromean Islands Graced with villas, gardens and wander - ing peacocks, Lago Maggiore’s trio of islands are sublimely re ned. (p 261 ) Sardinia Take your pick of our favourite beaches, including the Aga Khan’s personal fave, Spiag - gia del Principe. (p862) Procida Pretty, pastel-hued Pro- cida makes cinematographers swoon. (p 672 ) Rimini Swap high culture for raves on the beach in Rimini. (p464) Elba This island sits at the heart of the Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano, Europe’s largest marine park. (p 524 ) Gardens Italy’s penchant for the ‘outdoor room’ has been going strong since Roman Medieval Hill Towns Asolo Perched mountainside in the northeast Veneto region, Asolo’s nickname is ‘the town o f 100 vistas’. (p 392 ) Umbria and Le Marche Medieval hill towns galore: start with Spello and Spoleto, and end wit h Todi and Urbino. (p 566 ) Montalcino A Tuscan hill town lined with wine bars pouring the area’s celebrated Brunello wine s. (p 551 ) Erice Splendid coastal views from the hilltop Norman castle make this western Sicily’s most photogenic village. (p 829 ) San Gimignano Skyscraping towers make this picture-perfec t town look like a medieval Hong Kong or Manhattan. (p 544 ) Ravello Lording over the Amal Coast, this cultured jewel has wowed the best of them, from Wagner to Capote. (p 693 ) Maratea A 13th-century borgo (medieval town) with pint-sized piazzas, winding alleys and startling views across the Gulf o f Policastro. (p 748 ) Puglia From the Valle d’Itria to the sierras of the Salento, Pugli a is dotted with biscuit-coloured hilltop villages. (p 704 ) Wine Tasting From Etna’s elegant white s to Barolo’s complex reds, Italian wines are as varied as the country’s terrain. Sample them in cellars, ov er long, lazy lunches or dedi- cate yourself to a full-blow n tour. Tuscan wine routes Discover why Chianti isn’t just a cheap table wine left over from the 1970s. (p 538 ) / G ET T Y IM A G ES © / G ET T Y IM A G ES © (Top) Antiques market, Arezzo (p559) (Bottom) Ravello (p693), Amal Coast 27 P LA N Y O U R TR IP I F YO U L I K E … 26 P LA N Y O U R TR IP I F YO U L I K E …1 2 3 4 All reviews are ordered in our authors’ preference, starting with their most preferred option. Additionally: Sights are arranged in the geographic order that we suggest you visit them and, within this order, by author preference. Eating and Sleeping reviews are ordered by price range (budget, midrange, top end) and, within these ranges, by author preference. 1 Sights r Beaches 2 Activities C Courses T Tours z Festivals &Events 4 Sleeping 5 Eating 6 Drinking 3 Entertainment 7 Shopping 8 Information & Transport % Telephone number h Opening hours p Parking n Nonsmoking a Air-conditioning i Internet access W Wi-fi access s Swimming pool v Vegetarian selection E English-language menu c Family-friendly # Pet-friendly g Bus f Ferry j Tram d Train I SBN 978 -1 -74220 -729 -2 9 781742 207292 99725 Umbria & Le Marche (p566) Sicily (p765) Sardinia (p831) Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria (p704) Abruzzo & Molise (p621) Emilia-Romagna & San Marino (p429) Florence & Tuscany (p472) Liguria, Piedmont & the Italian Riviera (p162) Rome & Lazio (p62) Milan & the Lakes (p238) Friuli Venezia Giulia (p403) Naples & Campania (p638) Venice & the Veneto (p332) Trento & the Dolomites (p300) Italy THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Cristian Bonetto Abigail Blasi, Kerry Christiani, Gregor Clark, Duncan Garwood, Paula Hardy, Virginia Maxwell, Brendan Sainsbury, Helena Smith, Donna Wheeler Welcome to Italy . . . . . . . . .6 Italy Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Italy’s Top 18 . . . . . . . . . . .10 Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 20 First Time Italy . . . . . . . . 22 What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 24 If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Month by Month . . . . . . . 29 Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Outdoor Experiences . . . 46 Travel with Children . . . . 54 Regions at a Glance . . . . .57 ROME & LAZIO . . . . . 62 Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Lazio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Ostia Antica . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Tivoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Cerveteri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Tarquinia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Civitavecchia . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Viterbo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Castelli Romani . . . . . . . . 158 Palestrina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 South Coast . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Isole Pontine . . . . . . . . . . . 161 LIGURIA, PIEDMONT & THE ITALIAN RIVIERA . . . . . . . . . . 162 Liguria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Genoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Around Genoa . . . . . . . . . . 177 Riviera di Levante . . . . . . . 179 Cinque Terre . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Around Cinque Terre . . . . 191 Riviera di Ponente . . . . . . 193 Piedmont . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Turin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 The Milky Way . . . . . . . . . . 212 Southern & Eastern Piedmont . . . . . . 214 Varallo & the Valsesia . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Valle d’Aosta . . . . . . . . . 227 Aosta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Courmayeur . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso . . . . . . . . . . 235 Valtournenche . . . . . . . . . 237 MILAN & THE LAKES . . . . . . . 238 Milan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Around Milan . . . . . . . . . . .260 The Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Lago Maggiore . . . . . . . . . 261 Lago d’Orta . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Lago di Como . . . . . . . . . . 269 Lago d’Iseo . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Lago di Garda . . . . . . . . . . 279 The Po Plain . . . . . . . . . 288 Bergamo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Brescia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Mantua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294 Cremona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 TRENTO & THE DOLOMITES . . . . . . 300 Trentino . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Trento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Rovereto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 Brenta Dolomites . . . . . . .308 Val di Non, Val di Sole & Val di Rabbi . . . . . . . . . . 313 Val di Fiemme . . . . . . . . . . 315 Val di Fassa . . . . . . . . . . . . 316 Alto Adige (Südtirol) . . . . . . . . . . . . 317 Bolzano (Bozen) . . . . . . . . 317 Merano (Meran) . . . . . . . . 322 Val Venosta (Vinschgau) . . . . . . . . . . . . 325 Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio . . . . . . . . . . . 325 Val Gardena (Gröden/ Gherdëina) . . . . . . . . . . . . 326 Alpe di Siusi & Parco Naturale Sciliar-Catinaccio . . . . . . . 327 Val Badia & Alpe di Fanes . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Val Pusteria (Pustertal) . . . . . . . . . . . . .330 PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD C A R C U LT U R E / G ET T Y IM A G ES © CLASSIC ITALIAN DESIGN P284 C H R ISTO P H ER G R O EN H O U T / G ET T Y IM A G ES © CINQUE TERRE P183 Contents VENICE & THE VENETO . . . . . . 332 Venice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 The Veneto . . . . . . . . . . . 379 Brenta Riviera . . . . . . . . . .380 Padua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 Vicenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .386 Verona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389 Verona’s Wine Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395 Prosecco Country . . . . . .396 Veneto Dolomites . . . . . . . 397 FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA . . . . . . . . . . . 403 Trieste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405 Muggia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 Il Carso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 Gorizia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 Palmanova . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414 Aquileia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 Grado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 Around Grado . . . . . . . . . . 417 Laguna di Marano . . . . . . 417 Lignano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 Pordenone . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 Sacile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419 Udine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419 Cividale del Friuli . . . . . . . 425 San Daniele del Friuli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .426 North of Udine . . . . . . . . .426 Tolmezzo & Carnia . . . . . . 427 Tarvisio & the Giulie Alps . . . . . . . . . .428 EMILIA-ROMAGNA & SAN MARINO . . . . 429 Emilia-Romagna . . . . . . 431 Bologna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431 West of Bologna . . . . . . . .443 East of Bologna . . . . . . . . 455 San Marino . . . . . . . . . . 470 FLORENCE & TUSCANY . . . . . . . . . 472 Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475 Northwestern Tuscany . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508 Pisa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .508 Lucca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515 Viareggio . . . . . . . . . . . . . .520 Pietrasanta . . . . . . . . . . . .520 Livorno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521 Isola d’Elba . . . . . . . . . . . . 524 Central Tuscany . . . . . . 526 Siena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527 Chianti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538 Val d’Elsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544 Val d’Orcia & Val di Chiana . . . . . . . . . . . 551 Southern Tuscany . . . . . 556 Massa Marittima . . . . . . . 556 Città del Tufa . . . . . . . . . . . 557 Eastern Tuscany . . . . . . 559 Arezzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559 Sansepolcro . . . . . . . . . . . 562 Cortona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .564 UMBRIA & LE MARCHE . . . . . . . 566 Umbria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567 Perugia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567 Torgiano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578 Lago Trasimeno . . . . . . . . 578 Todi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581 Assisi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583 Spello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .590 Gubbio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591 Spoleto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594 Norcia & the Valnerina . . . . . . . . . . . 598 Orvieto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599 Le Marche . . . . . . . . . . . 605 Ancona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .605 Parco del Conero . . . . . . .609 Urbino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610 Pesaro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614 Grotte di Frasassi . . . . . . . 615 Macerata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615 Ascoli Piceno . . . . . . . . . . 617 Monti Sibillini . . . . . . . . . . 619 Sarnano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .620 ABRUZZO & MOLISE . . . . . . . . . . 621 Abruzzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624 Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624 Sulmona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624 Parco Nazionale della Majella . . . . . . . . . . . 627 Scanno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628 Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .630 Pescara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631 Chieti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633 Vasto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .634 Molise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634 Campobasso . . . . . . . . . . .634 Around Campobasso . . . . 635 Saepinum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635 Isernia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635 Around Isernia . . . . . . . . .636 Termoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .636 Albanian Towns . . . . . . . . . 637 NAPLES & CAMPANIA . . . . . . . . 638 Naples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641 Bay of Naples . . . . . . . . 663 Capri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .663 Ischia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 670 Procida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 672 South of Naples . . . . . . 673 Ercolano & Herculaneum . . . . . . . . . . 673 Mt Vesuvius . . . . . . . . . . . . 675 Pompeii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676 Sorrento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 682 West of Sorrento . . . . . . . 685 Amalfi Coast . . . . . . . . . 686 Positano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687 Praiano & Furore . . . . . . .690 Amalfi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 691 Ravello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693 South of Amalfi . . . . . . . . . 695 Costiera Cilentana . . . . 699 Agropoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .699 Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano . . . . . . . . . . 702 PUGLIA, BASILICATA & CALABRIA . . . . . . . . 704 Puglia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705 Bari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707 Around Bari . . . . . . . . . . . . 711 Promontorio del Gargano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 714 Isole Tremiti . . . . . . . . . . . . 720 Valle d’Itria . . . . . . . . . . . . 721 Lecce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726 Brindisi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731 Southern & Western Salento . . . . . . . . 734 Basilicata . . . . . . . . . . . . 739 Matera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740 Potenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 747 Appennino Lucano . . . . . . 747 Basilicata’s Western Coast . . . . . . . . . 748 Calabria . . . . . . . . . . . . . 749 Northern Tyrrhenian Coast . . . . . . . 750 Cosenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751 Parco Nazionale della Sila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 753 Ionian Coast . . . . . . . . . . . 758 Parco Nazionale dell’Aspromonte . . . . . . . . 759 Reggio di Calabria . . . . . . 759 Southern Tyrrhenian Coast . . . . . . . 762 SICILY . . . . . . . . . . . 765 Palermo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 769 Around Palermo . . . . . . . . 782 Tyrrhenian Coast . . . . . 783 Cefalù . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 783 Aeolian Islands . . . . . . . 785 Lipari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 785 Vulcano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 788 Salina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 789 Stromboli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 791 Ionian Coast . . . . . . . . . 793 Taormina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 793 Catania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798 Mt Etna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .804 Syracuse & the Southeast . . . . . . . . 805 Syracuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . .805 Noto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813 Modica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814 Ragusa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 816 Central Sicily & the Mediterranean Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 817 Agrigento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 817 Western Sicily . . . . . . . . 821 Marsala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 821 Selinunte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825 Trapani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825 ON THE ROAD JA V IER S Á N C H EZ / G ET T Y IM A G ES © Contents Erice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 829 Segesta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .830 SARDINIA . . . . . . . . 831 Cagliari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835 Around Cagliari . . . . . . . 841 Villasimius . . . . . . . . . . . . .842 Costa Rei . . . . . . . . . . . . . .842 Nora & Around . . . . . . . . .843 Costa del Sud & Around . . .843 Iglesias & the Southwest . . . . . . . . 844 Iglesias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .844 Around Iglesias . . . . . . . . . 845 Iglesiente Coast . . . . . . . . 845 Carbonia & Around . . . . . 845 Sant’Antioco & San Pietro . . . . . . . . . . . . .846 Costa Verde . . . . . . . . . . . . 847 Oristano & the West . . . 847 Oristano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847 Barumini & Around . . . . .850 Sinis Peninsula . . . . . . . . .850 North Oristano Coast . . . 851 Alghero & the Northwest . . . . . . . . 853 Alghero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 853 Around Alghero . . . . . . . . . 856 Porto Torres . . . . . . . . . . . . 857 Stintino & Parco Nazionale dell’Asinara . . . 857 Sassari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 857 Around Sassari . . . . . . . . .860 Olbia, the Costa Smeralda & the Gallura . . . . . . . . . . . 861 Olbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 861 Golfo Aranci . . . . . . . . . . . .862 Costa Smeralda & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 862 Santa Teresa di Gallura . .863 Palau & Arcipelago di La Maddalena . . . . . . . .864 Nuoro & the East . . . . . 865 Nuoro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 865 Supramonte . . . . . . . . . . . 867 Golfo di Orosei . . . . . . . . . 870 Ogliastra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 871 Italy Today . . . . . . . . . . . 874 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 876 Italian Art & Architecture . . . . . . . . . 892 The Italian Way of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .912 Italy on Page & Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . 920 The Italian Table . . . . . . 924 Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . 932 Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 945 Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 953 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 961 Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . .974 SPECIAL FEATURES Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 3D Roman Forum Illustration . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Shakespeare’s Veneto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 Chianti Wine Tour . . . . 540 3D Pompeii Illustration . . . . . . . . . . 678 Renaissance Art . . . . . . 898 Via Sacra Tempio di Giulio Cesare Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) Colonna di Foca & Rostrum The free-standing, 13.5m-high Column of Phocus is the Forum’s youngest monument, dating to AD 608. Behind it, the Rostrum provided a suitably grandiose platform for ponti cating public speakers. Tempio di Saturno Ancient Rome’s Fort Knox, the Temple of Saturn was the city treasury. In Caesar’s day it housed 13 tonnes of gold, 114 tonnes of silver and 30 million sestertii worth of silver coins. Arco di Tito Said to be the inspiration for the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the well-preserved Arch of Titus was built by the emperor Domitian to honour his elder brother Titus. Basilica di Massenzio Marvel at the scale of this vast 4th-century basilica. In its original form the central hall was divided into enormous naves; now only part of the northern nave survives. Casa delle Vestali White statues line the grassy atrium of what was once the luxurious 50-room home of the Vestal Virgins. The virgins played an important role in Roman religion, serving the goddess Vesta. Curia This big barnlike building was the offi cial seat of the Roman Senate. Most of what you see is a reconstruction, but the interior marble oor dates to the 3rd-century reign of Diocletian. Arco di Settimio Severo One of the Forum’s signature monuments, this imposing triumphal arch commemorates the military victories of Septimius Severus. Relief panels depict his campaigns against the Parthians. Tempio di Castore e Polluce Only three columns of the Temple of Castor and Pollux remain. The temple was dedicated to the Heavenly Twins af- ter they supposedly led the Romans to victory over the Etruscans. Casa d White sta 50-room role in Ro JO N AT H A N S M IT H /G ET T Y IM A G ES © LO N ELY P LA N ET/G ET T Y IM A G ES © D U N C A N G A R W O O D © LO N ELY P LA N ET/G ET T Y IM A G ES © D U N C A N G A R W O O D © Admission Although valid for two days, admission tick- ets only allow for one entry into the Forum, Colosseum and Palatino. Julius Caesar RIP Julius Caesar was cremated on the site where the Tempio di Giulio Cesare now stands. LO N ELY P LA N ET/G ET T Y IM A G ES © TOP TIPS » Get grandstand views of the Forum from the Palatino and Campidoglio. » Visit first thing in the morning or late afternoon; crowds are worst between 11am and 2pm. » In summer it gets hot in the Forum and there’s little shade, so take a hat and plenty of water. Roman Forum In ancient times, a forum was a market place, civic centre and religious complex all rolled into one, and the greatest of all was the Roman Forum (Foro Romano). Situated between the Palatino (Palatine Hill), ancient Rome’s most exclusive neighbourhood, and the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill), it was the city’s busy, bustling centre. On any given day it teemed with activity. Senators debated aff airs of state in the Curia , shoppers thronged the squares and traffi c-free streets, crowds gathered under the Colonna di Foca to listen to politicians holding forth from the Rostrum . Elsewhere, lawyers worked the courts in basilicas including the Basilica di Massenzio , while the Vestal Virgins quietly went about their business in the Casa delle Vestali . Special occasions were also celebrated in the Forum: religious holidays were marked with ceremonies at temples such as the Tempio di Saturno and the Tempio di Castore e Polluce , and military victories were honoured with dramatic processions up Via Sacra and the building of monumental arches like the Arco di Settimio Severo and the Arco di Tito . The ruins you see today are impressive but they can be confusing without a clear picture of what the Forum once looked like. This spread shows the Forum in its heyday, complete with temples, civic buildings and towering monuments to heroes of the Roman Empire. SURVIVAL GUIDE UNDERSTAND SISTINE CHAPEL, ROME P66 Cultural Riches The French may rightfully brag about Paris, but Italy’s showstopping cities include Venice, Florence and Rome. Epicentre of the Roman Empire and birthplace of the Renaissance, this sun-kissed over-achiever groans under the weight of its cultural catalogue: it’s in Italy that you’ll find Michelangelo’s David and Sistine Chapel frescoes, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and the classic villas of Andrea Palladio. And we haven’t even mentioned the chariot-grooved streets of Pompeii, the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna, or Giotto’s revolutionary frescoes in Padua. Bella Vita In few places do art and life intermingle so effortlessly. This may be the land of Dante, Titian and Verdi, but it’s also the home of Prada, Gualtiero Marchesi and Renzo Piano. Beauty, style and flair furnish every aspect of daily life, from those immacu- lately knotted ties and perfect espressos, to the flirtatious smiles of striking strangers. The root of Italian pathology is a dedication to living life well and, effortless as it may seem, driving that dedication is a reverence for the finer things. So slow down, take note, and indulge in a little bella vita. Buon Appetito It might look like a boot, but food-obsessed Italy feels more like a bountiful table. From delicate tagliatelle al ragù to velvety can- noli, every bite feels like a revelation. The secret: superlative ingredients and strictly seasonal produce. And while Italy’s culinary soul might be earthy and rustic, it’s equally ingenious and sophisticated. Expect some of the world’s top fine-dining destinations, from San Pellegrino ‘World’s 50 Best’ hot spots to Michelin-starred musts. So whether you’re on a degustation odyssey in Modena, truffle hunting in Piedmont, or simply swilling pow- erhouse reds at Rome’s International Wine Academy, prepare to swoon. Luscious Landscapes Italy’s fortes extend beyond its galleries, plates and wardrobes. The country is one of Mother Nature’s darlings, its geography offering rarely rivalled natural diversity. From the north’s icy Alps and glacial lakes to the south’s volcanic craters and turquoise grottoes, this is a place for doing as well as seeing. One day you’re tearing down Cour- mayeur’s powdery slopes, the next you could be riding cowboy-style across the marshes of the Maremma, or diving in coral-studded Campanian waters. Not bad for a country not much bigger than Arizona. If you get it right, travelling in the bel paese (beautiful country) is one of those rare experiences in life that cannot be overrated. Welcome to Italy 6 D A V ID C TO M LIN S O N / G ET T Y IM A G ES © Why I Love Italy By Cristian Bonetto, Author Italy’s 20 regions feel more like 20 independent states, each with its own dialects, traditions, architecture and glorious food. From nibbling on knödel in an Alto Adige chalet, to explor- ing souk-like market streets in Sicily, the choices are as diverse as they are seductive. Then there’s the country’s incomparable artistic treasures, which amount to more than the rest of the world put together. It’s hard not to feel a little envious sometimes, but it’s even harder not to fall madly in love. 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cu lin ar y ep ic en tr e (p 43 1) Ve ni ce Co un t m ill io ns o f m os ai c te ss er ae a t S an M ar co (p 33 6) D ol om ite s Sc al e It al y’ s m os t a w es om e gr an it e pe ak s (p 30 8) La go d i C om o Cr ui se L om ba rd y’ s V IP A lp in e la ke (p 26 9) G ra n Pa ra di so H ik e ac ro ss h ig h- al ti tu de pa ss es (p 23 5) It al ia n R iv ie ra V ill ag e- ho p al on g th e Ci nq ue T er re (p 18 3) It al ia n A lp s Sk i P ie dm on t’s M ilk y W ay (p 21 2) 10 00 m 15 00 m 20 00 m 25 00 m 50 0m 30 0m 10 0m 0 EL EV AT IO N It al y 0 20 0 km 0 10 0 m ile s #e 4 4 4 4 4444 44 4 4444 4 44 44 4 44 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 44444 4 4 4 44444444 4444 4 4 4 444444 4 4 4 4444 4444 44 4444 #^ #_ #\ #\ R R #\ #^ #^ #^ #\ #\ #] #^ #\ #^ #^ #^ #^#\ #^ #^ #\ #^ #] #^ #^ #_ #^ #^ #^ #\ #\ #] #\ #\ #\ #\ #] #\ #\ #\ #\ #] #] #\ #\ #\ #\ #^ #^ #_ #] 38 °N 39 °N 11°E 40 °N 36 °N 41 °N 42 °N 10°E 37 °N 36 °N 9°E 8°E 7°E 12°E 13°E 14°E 15°E 16°E 17°E 18°E 19°E C A LA B R IA B A S IL IC AT A P U G LI A P U G LI A M O LI S E A B R U Z Z O Va lle d 'It ri a Ae ol ia n Is la nd s Io ni an Se a G ol fo d i O ro se i Pa rc o N az io na le de lla S ila Pa rc o N az io na le d' A br uz zo , La zi o e M ol is e Pa rc o N az io na le de ll' A sp ro m on te Pa rc o N az io na le de l C ile nt o e Va llo d i D ia no M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A G ol fo d i Sq ui lla ce G ol fo d i Ta ra nt o G ol fo d i G ae ta M AL TA M t E tn a M t V es uv iu s Am al fi Co as t An na ba TU N IS K el ib ia B iz er te Costa Verde Co st a R ei Co st a de l S ud Ty rr he ni an C oa st Io ni an Co as t Pr om on to ri o de l G ar ga no Ta or m in a S ca nn o S al in a Er ic e S an ta T er es a di G al lu ra Pa la u S tin tin o A ja cc io P om pe ii B ar um in i Le cc e Te rm ol i M ar sa la C ef al ù A gr op ol i Ti vo li Pa le st ri na Sa nt 'A nt io co N ot o Va st o Po rt o To rr es Vi lla si m iu s Su lm on a So rr en to C ar bo ni a M od ic a C iv it av ec ch ia O lb ia Ig le si as A lg he ro Ca m po ba ss o Tr ap an i M at er a O ri st an o Is er ni a Pa le rm o Co se nz a N ap le s Re gg io d i Ca la br ia Ca ta ni a N uo ro Ra gu sa Sy ra cu se Sa ss ar i Ca gl ia ri Po te nz a Ag rig en to RO M E VA LL ET TA Si nn i Ba se nto N et o Ag ri Se le TU N IS IA A LG ER IA (F RA NC E) Co rs ic a S IC IL Y SA R D IN IA Pa nt el le ri a U st ic a Sa lin a Po nz a Vu lc an o St ro m bo li Li no sa Ca pr i Is ch ia #÷ #÷ #÷ #÷ #] #\ R om e Ca tc h up o n th ou sa nd s of ye ar s of h is to ry (p 66 ) A m al fi Co as t Jo in A -li st er s on th is sp ec ta cu la r co as t ( p6 91 ) Tu sc an y In du lg e in a rt a nd v in e- la ce d la nd sc ap es (p 47 2) N ap le s Ex pe ri en ce I ta ly a t i ts m os t i nt en se (p 64 1) Po m pe ii Po nd er th e fa lle n m ig ht y in P om pe ii (p 67 6) Le cc e D is co ve r th e Fl or en ce of th e so ut h (p 72 6) M t E tn a Cl im b th e ho m e of Ti ta ns (p 80 4) Sa rd in ia Sw im in s ea c av es a nd se cl ud ed c ov es (p 83 1) Italy’s Top 18 10 Eternal Rome 1 Once caput mundi (capital of the world), Rome was legendarily spawned by a wolf-suckled wild boy, grew to be Western Europe’s first superpower, became the spiritual centrepiece of the Christian world, and is now the reposi- tory of over two and a half thousand years of European art and architecture. From the Pantheon (p79) and the Colosseum (p67) to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel (p112) and countless works by Caravaggio, there’s simply too much to see in one visit. So, do as countless others have done be- fore you: toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain (p89) and promise to return. Below left: St Peter’s Basilica Virtuoso Venice 2 Step through the portals of Basilica di San Marco (p337) and try to imagine what it might have been like for a humble medieval labourer glimpsing those glit- tering gold mosaic domes for the first time. It’s not such a stretch – seeing the millions of tiny gilt tesserae (hand-cut glazed tiles) fuse into a singular heavenly vision can make every leap of human imagination since the 12th century seem comparatively minor. Below right: Domed roof of Basilica di San Marco W IB O W O R U S LI / G ET T Y IM A G ES © B R EN T W IN EB R EN N ER / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 11 Touring Tuscany 3 Italy’s most romanticised region, Tus-cany was tailor-made for aesthetes. According to Unesco, Florence (p475) contains ‘the greatest concentration of universally renowned works of art in the world’, from Brunelleschi’s Duomo to Masa- ccio’s Cappella Brancacci frescoes. Beyond its museums and flawless Renaissance streetscapes sprawls an undulating won- derland of regional delights, from the Gothic majesty of Siena, to the Manhattan-esque skyline of medieval San Gimignano, to the vine-laced hills of Italy’s most famous wine region, Chianti. Below: Ponte Vecchio, Florence Amalfi Coast 4 Italy’s most celebrated coastline is a bewitching blend of superlative beauty and gripping geology: coastal mountains plunge into milky blue sea in a prime-time vertical scene of precipitous crags, sun-bleached villages and lush forests. While some may argue that the pe- ninsula’s most beautiful coast is Liguria’s Cinque Terre or Calabria’s Costa Viola, it was the Amalfi Coast (p686) that Ameri- can writer John Steinbeck described as a ‘dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and...beckoningly real after you have gone’. Right: Positano, Amalfi Coast N IC O TO N D IN I / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 3 12 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 Ghostly Pompeii 5 Nothing piques human curiosity quite like a mass catastrophe and few can beat the ruins of Pom- peii (p676), a once-thriving Roman town frozen in time 2000 years ago in its death throes. Wander through Roman streets, snoop- ing around the forum, the erotically frescoed brothel, the 5000-seat theatre and the sumptuous Villa dei Misteri, and ponder Pliny the Younger’s terrifying account of the tragedy: ‘Darkness came on again, again ashes, thick and heavy. We got up repeat- edly to shake these off; otherwise we would have been buried and crushed by the weight’. Left: Statue at the Casa dei Vettii, Pompeii R IC H A R D I’A N S O N / G ET T Y IM A G ES © W ITO LD S K R Y P C Z A K / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 4 5 13 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 Mighty Museums 6 Browse through any art-history textbook to highlight seminal move- ments in Western art, from classical to metaphysical. All were forged in Italy by a roll call of artists including Giotto, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Bernini and Cara- vaggio. Find the best of them in Rome’s Museo e Galleria Borghese (p113) and Vatican Museums (p109), Florence’s Uffizi (p477), Venice’s Gallerie dell’Accademia (p345), Milan’s Museo del Novecento (p243) and Naples’ Palazzo Reale di Ca- podimonte (p653). Below: Uffizi Gallery, Florence Tackling the Dolomites 7 Scour the globe and you’ll find plenty of taller, bigger and more geologically volatile mountains, but few can match the romance of the pink-hued, granite Dolomites (p300). Maybe it’s their harsh, jagged summits, the vibrant skirts of spring wildflowers or the rich cache of Ladin legends. Then again, it could just be the magnetic draw of money, style and glamour at Italy’s most fabled ski resort, Cortina d’Ampezzo (p401). Whatever the reason, this tiny pocket of northern Italy takes seductiveness to dizzying heights. JEA N -P IER R E LES C O U R R ET / G ET T Y IM A G ES © G LEN N VA N D ER K N IJFF / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 6 7 14 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 Savouring Emilia-Romagna 8 They don’t call Bologna (p431) ‘la grassa’ (the fat one) for nothing. Many of Italy’s classics call this city home, from mortadella and meat-stuffed tortellini, to its trademark tagliatelle al ragù. Shop for produce in the deli-packed Quadril- atero, and side-trip-it to the city of Modena (p443) for world-famous aged bal- samic vinegar. Just leave room for a trip to Parma (p448), hometown of par- migiano reggiano cheese and the incomparable pro- sciutto di Parma. Wherever you plunge your fork, toast with a glass or three of the region’s renowned Lam- brusco or sauvignon blanc. Neapolitan Street Life 9 Nowhere else in Italy are people as con- scious of their role in the theatre of everyday life as in Naples (p641). And in no other Italian city does daily life radiate such drama and intensity. Naples’ ancient streets are a stage, cast with boisterous matri- archs, bellowing baristas and tongue-knotted lov- ers. To savour the flavour, dive into the city’s rough- and-tumble Porta Nolana market, a loud, lavish opera of hawking fruit vendors, wriggling seafood, and the irresistible aroma of just- baked sfogliatelle (sweet- ened ricotta pastries). Escaping to Paradiso 10 If you’re pining for a soothing retreat, wear down your hiking boots on the 724km of marked trails and mule tracks traversing Gran Para- diso (p235). Part of the Graian Alps and the first of Italy’s national parks, Gran Paradiso’s pristine spread encompasses 57 glaciers and Alpine pastures awash with wild pansies, gentians and Alpenroses, not to men- tion a healthy population of Alpine ibexes for whose protection the park was originally established. The eponymous Gran Paradiso mountain (4061m) is the park’s only peak, accessed from tranquil Cogne. TO N Y C FR EN C H / G ET T Y IM A G ES © A N D R EW P EA C O C K / G ET T Y IM A G ES © D A N ITA D ELIM O N T / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 98 10 15 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 D A M IEN S IM O N IS / G ET T Y IM A G ES © M A R EM A G N U M / G ET T Y IM A G ES © xx xx 11 12 16 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 Sardinian Shores 11 The English language fails to accurately describe the varied blue, green and, in the deep- est shadows, purple hues of Sardinia’s seas. While models, ministers and permatanned celebrities wine, dine and sail along the glossy Costa Smeralda, much of Sardinia (p831) remains a wild, raw play- ground. Slather on that sunscreen and explore the island’s rugged coastal beauty, from the tumble- down boulders of Santa Teresa di Gallura and the wind-chiselled cliff face of the Golfo di Orosei, to the windswept beauty of the Costa Verde’s dune- backed beaches. Top left: Spiaggia Scivu, Costa Verde Hiking the Italian Riviera 12 For the sinful inhabitants of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore – the five villages of the Cinque Terre (p183) – penance involved a lengthy and arduous hike up the vertiginous cliffside to the local village sanctu- ary to appeal for forgive- ness. Scale the same trails today, through terraced vineyards and hillsides smothered in macchia (shrubbery) and, as the heavenly views unfurl, it’s hard to think of a more benign punishment. Living Luxe on Lago di Como 13 If it’s good enough for George Clooney, it’s good enough for mere mortals. Nestled in the shadow of the Rhaetian Alps, dazzling Lago di Como (p269) is the most spectacular of the Lombard lakes, its vain Liberty-style villas home to movie moguls, fashion royalty and Arab sheikhs. Surrounded on all sides by lush greenery, the lake’s siren calls include the gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril, Villa Carlotta and Villa Balbianello, which blush pink with camellias, azaleas and rhododen- drons in April and May. Above: Villa Balbianello R IC H A R D I’A N S O N / G ET T Y IM A G ES © xx13 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 17 Skiing the Alps 14 It might be Italy’s smallest and least populous region, but what the Valle d’Aosta (p227) lacks in width it more than makes up for in height. In- deed, this picture-perfect valley is ringed by the icy peaks of some of Europe’s highest natural skyscrap- ers, from Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, to Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso. It’s equipped with some of the best skiing facilities on the continent, and hit- ting the slopes here is an international affair, with hair-raising descents into France, Switzerland or Piedmont from the A-list resorts of Courmayeur, Cervinia and Monterosa. Savoy Palace Envy 15 It wasn’t all Florence and the Medici or Rome and the Borghese, darling. In Turin (p197), Savoy princes had a similar penchant for extrava- gant royal palaces. While Turin’s Palazzo Madama and Palazzo Reale are sucker-punching enough, they barely hold a candle to Italy’s mini-Versailles, the Reggia di Venaria Reale. In fact, Duke Carlo Emanuele II’s oversized hunting lodge is one of the largest royal residences in Europe, its mammoth €200-million restoration involving the preservation of 1022 sq metres of frescoes and 139,400 sq metres of stuc- co and plasterwork. Above top right: Reggia di Venaria Reale Murals & Mosaics 16 Often regarded as just plain ‘dark’, the Italian Middle Ages had an artistic brilliance that’s hard to ignore. Perhaps it was the sparkling hand-cut mosaic of Ravenna’s Byz- antine basilicas (p460) that provided the guiding light, but something inspired Giotto di Bondone to leap out of the shadows with his daring naturalistic frescoes in Padua’s Cappella degli Scrovegni (p381) and the Basilica di San Francesco (p583) in Assisi. He gave the world a new artistic language and then it was just a short step to Masac- cio’s Trinity (p485) and the dawning light of the Renais- sance. Above right: Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna A LES S A N D R O R IZ Z I / G ET T Y IM A G ES © R U S S ELL M O U N T FO R D / G ET T Y IM A G ES © C H R IST IA N A S LU N D / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 1514 16 18 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 Baroque Lecce 17 There’s baroque, and then there’s barocco leccese (Lecce baroque), the hyperextravagant spin-off defining many Puglian towns. Making it all possible was the local stone, so soft that art historian Cesare Brandi claimed it could be carved with a penknife. Craftspeople crowded facades with swirling designs, gargoyles and strange zoomorphic figures. Queen of the crop is Lecce’s Basilica di Santa Croce (p728), so insanely detailed the Marchese Grimaldi said it made him think a lunatic was having a nightmare. Below: Basilica di Santa Croce Scaling Mount Etna 18 Known to the Greeks as the ‘col-umn that holds up the sky’, Mt Etna (p804) is not only Europe’s largest volcano, it’s one of the world’s most ac- tive. The ancients believed the giant Tifone (Typhoon) lived in its crater and lit the sky with spectacular pyrotechnics. At 3329m it literally towers above Sicily’s Ionian coast. Whether you tackle it on foot or on a guided 4WD tour, scaling this time bomb rewards with towering views and the secret thrill of having come cheek-to-cheek with a towering threat. D A N ITA D ELIM O N T / G ET T Y IM A G ES © D EA / R . C A R N O VA LIN I / G ET T Y IM A G ES © 17 18 P LA N Y O U R TR IP ITA Ly ’S TO P 18 19 # # # # # Milan GO Dec–Mar (skiing), Jan & Sep Rome GO Apr–May, Jul & Nov–Dec Venice GO Feb–Mar & Sep–Nov Naples GO May–Jun & Sep Palermo GO Sep–Oct Dry climate Warm to hot summer, mild winter Warm to hot summer, cold winter Mild summer, cold winter Cold climate When to Go High Season (Jul–Aug) ¨ Queues at big sights and on the road, especially in August . ¨ Prices also rocket for Christmas, New year and Easter . ¨ Late December to March is high season in the Alps and Dolomites . Shoulder (Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct) ¨ Good deals on accommodation, especially in the south . ¨ Spring is best for festivals, flowers and local produce . ¨ Autumn provides warm weather and the grape harvest . Low Season (Nov–Mar) ¨ Prices up to 30% less than in high season . ¨ Many sights and hotels closed in coastal and mountainous areas . ¨ A good period for cultural events in large cities . Currency Euro (€) Language Italian Visas Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days (or at all for EU nation- als); some nationalities need a Schengen visa . Money ATMs at every airport, most train stations and widely available in towns and cities . Credit cards accepted in most hotels and restaurants . Mobile Phones European and Australian phones work; others should be set to roam- ing . Use a local SIM card for cheaper rates on local calls . Time Central European Time (GMT/UTC plus one hour) Room Tax Visitors may be charged an extra €1 to €5 per night ‘room occupancy tax’ (see p933) . Need to Know For more information, see Survival Guide (p931) 20 Useful Websites Lonely Planet (www . lonelyplanet .com/italy) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more . Trenitalia (www .trenitalia .com) Italian railways website . Agriturismi (www .agriturismi . it) Guide to farm accommodation . Slow Food (www .slowfood .com) For the best local producers, restaurants and markets . Enit Italia (www .italiantourism . com) Official Italian-government tourism website . Important Numbers To dial listings in the book from outside Italy, dial your international access code, Italy’s country code (%39) then the number (including the ‘0’) . Italy’s country code %39 International ac- cess code %00 Ambulance %118 Police %113 Fire %115 Exchange Rates Australia A$1 €0 .69 Canada C$1 €0 .71 Japan ¥100 €0 .75 NZ NZ$1 €0 .61 Switzerland Sfr1 €0 .81 UK UK£1 €1 .19 US US$1 €0 .73 For current exchange rates see www .xe .com . Daily Costs Budget: Less than €100 ¨ Dorm bed: €15–30 ¨ Double room in a budget hotel: €50–110 ¨ Pizza or pasta: €6–12 Midrange: €100–€250 ¨ Double room in a hotel: €110–200 ¨ Lunch and dinner in local restaurants: €25–50 ¨ Admission to museum €4–15 Top End: More than €250 ¨ Double room in a four- or five-star hotel: €200–450 ¨ Top restaurant dinner: €50–150 ¨ Opera ticket €40–200 Opening Hours Opening hours vary throughout the year . We’ve provided high- season hours; hours decrease in the shoulder and low seasons . In this guide, ‘summer’ times generally refer to the period from April to September or October, while ‘winter’ times run from October or November to March . Banks 8 .30am–1 .30pm and 3 .30–4 .30pm Monday to Friday Restaurants noon–2 .30pm and 7 .30–11pm or midnight Cafes 7 .30am–8pm Bars and clubs 10pm–4am Shops 9am–1pm and 4–8pm Monday to Saturday Arriving in Italy Fiumicino airport (Rome; p148) ¨ Express train: €14; every 30 minutes, 6 .38am to 11 .38pm ¨ Bus: €4 to €7; 5 .35am to 12 .30am, plus night services at 1 .15am, 2 .15am, 3 .30am and 5am ¨ Taxi: €48 set fare; 45 minutes Malpensa airport (Milan; p258) ¨ Express
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