Butler County resident recalls trip to Italy
A visit to Italy is a trip through thousands of years of history. More than one local guide referred to Italian history as a lasagna — layers and layers of the past stacked atop one another like tiers of cheese and pasta.
That was evident on our arrival in Venice after a short flight from Pittsburgh to Montreal followed by an 8.5-hour flight across the Atlantic. Taking a water taxi from the airport across the Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea, the towers and buildings of Venice slowly appear as if rising up from the water itself.
Venice is built on 117 islands, which explains its famed canals and gondolas, as well as its nickname, “the floating city.” Venetians are quick to point out the canals are neither stagnant because they are regularly refreshed by ocean tides nor are they used as sewers because that would hurt tourism, on which the city’s 48,000 inhabitants depend.
Venice’s 150 canals mean there are no cars and trucks in its narrow streets, called calli. All goods are delivered by boat and taken to their destinations by hand cart. Wandering through the calli, travelers come across open squares called campis. These were originally fields, often with a fountain in the center. Today they are lined with shops and open air eateries offering seafood and pasta.
As first-time travelers to Italy, my wife and I opted to sign up for a tour led by our personable tour guide, Giulio Passariello, who made the tour a memorable one.
One of Venice’s most famous landmarks is St. Mark’s Square, which contains the Doge’s Palace dating from the days of the vanished Venetian Republic and St. Mark’s Basilica.
At one end of the square are two pillars, thought to have been brought there from Constantinople in the 12th century. One column is topped with the winged lion of St. Mark, symbol of the Venetian Republic, the other with St. Theodore, the first patron saint of Venice.
Tradition states the space between the columns was used for gambling and later became the site for executions. Even today some Venetians won’t walk between the columns to avoid bad luck.
Another famous feature of St. Mark’s Square is the Bridge of Sighs, which spans the Rio di Palazzo canal connecting the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to the New Prison. It’s one of the most famous bridges in Venice and is so named because prisoners would be escorted across the bridge from the palace to begin their captivity in prison, allowing them one last look at the outside world.
Venice is also famed for its Murano glass, a tradition dating to 982. By the 13th century, glassmakers had shifted their operations to Murano Island, where glassmakers continue to operate under strict guidelines mandating how the glass is made and the raw materials to be used.
The Venetian Republic ended in 1797 when Napoleon’s French army forced the city to accept a new pro-French government, after which the French looted the city of many of its artworks.
Traveling south from Venice, travelers pass through the Romagna region onto its Po Delta, the traditional border between the Venice and Ravenna regions. The delta’s waters have long been home to clam farmers.
Leaving the Po Delta, we arrived at Borgo Conde, a wine resort atop a hill surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. It provided home base for daily excursions into the Tuscan countryside. There we dined on pasta dishes with names such as garganelli and strozzapreti (priest stranglers) and sampled wines.
One trip was to the city of Ravenna, home to the beautiful mosaics in the Basilica of St. Vitale and the tomb of Dante Aligheri, author of “The Divine Comedy.” The octagon-shaped basilica holds a large, well-preserved Byzantine mosaic from the time of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Justinian and his empress, Theodora, are depicted in the mosaics as well as scenes from the Bible.
We also visited the Republic of San Marino which meant leaving Italy altogether. The world’s fifth-smallest country has withstood efforts by popes, princes and Napoleon to annex or occupy it. Today tourists clamber over walls, gates and fortifications in the capital’s Old Town section or take in sweeping views of the rolling hills of the Romagna countryside. For some reason, many San Marino shops sell either perfumes or air soft guns.
Our next stop was Florence, home to Duomo di Firienze, one of Italy’s largest churches. Another must-see is the Uffizi Gallery, which holds paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance period including Sandro Boticelli’s “Birth of Venus.”
A visit to the neighboring village of Chiusi provided a deep dive into the history of Italy. Chiusi was once part of the Etruscan Dodecapolis, a group of ancient settlements.
Chiusi contains the Labyrinth of King Porsenna, which actually is an underground water system. A museum contains relics and urns holding the remains of Etruscan notables. The urns are topped with human-headed lids representing the deceased. They are a bit unnerving.
Our tour ended in Rome, which was quite a shock after the tranquil Tuscan countryside. The city of 4 million is a traffic nightmare. Every parking space is filled, and the narrow streets are crammed with trucks, cars, buses, motorbikes and bicycles weaving in and out of lanes. Men in suits and ties roll down the street on scooters.
We had the impression Rome’s famous sites — such as the Trevi fountain, the Colosseum and the Spanish Steps — were all close to one another. Not so. They are scattered all over the sprawling city.
Outside Rome, visitors can — literally — bury themselves in the history of the early Christian church in the Catacombe San Callisto. Its 20 kilometers of tunnels contain the tombs of 16 popes, dozens of martyrs and thousands of early Christians.
No trip to Rome would be complete without a visit to the Vatican Museum. It contains an incredible collection of paintings, tapestries and sculptures gathered over the centuries. Its highlight is the Sistine Chapel, with its incredible Michaelango frescos. Unfortunately, visitors are forbidden to take photos or talk in the chapel, and are only allowed to spend 15 minutes inside.
Our last night in Rome included a visit to the Trastevere quarter on the west bank of the Tiber River. With its narrow, winding streets and dozens of bars and restaurants, as well as an influx of university students, Trastevere has a bohemian atmosphere. A progressive dinner through its restaurants ended with a delicious gelato.
A 12-day stay in Italy barely scratches the country’s history and regions. But the hospitality of the Italians and the amazing food and wine left us wishing for another, longer stay.
