A Roadtrip Through Italy
BOLOGNA
Bologna is the capital city of the largest region in northern Italy and seventh most populated with about 400,000 residents. Traces of humans go back to the 3rd BCE. Bologna has been ruled by many, and suffered from wars and decline. It remained a walled city until the 19th century, and to this day contains an immense wealth of important medieval, renaissance, and baroque artistic monuments.
I'm not sure what I really expected from Bologna. To be honest it wasn't really on my radar. Still, I was suprised to find a very modern city. It felt like parts of Manhattan to me. If/when I come back to spend a full month in Italy, Bologna is on the list. It's a very walkable place and has a great infrastructure. Not to mention beautiful buildings and beautiful men, I mean people. I can't say that the bolognese we had here was delicious. I think I make it better, however the rest of the food we had was yummy.
FLORENCE
Florence, the capital of the Tuscan region, is an impressive city. Once ruled by the Medici family, it was a center of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era. Florence is currently ranked in the top 15 of fashion capitals of the world. It's probably best known for The Duomo, the domed cathedral of the city that you see in photographs everywhere. It's known the cradle of the Renaissance for its monuments, churches and buildings. Honestly, the art here is unbelievable. From Michaelangelo's David to the gorgeous works of Rapheal, art and sculptures are at every turn.
Florence wasn't too crowded when I went (March) and the weather was cool but pleasant. The city gives a feeling of distinguished elegance. It's luxurious, sophisticated, cultured, lavish... just exactly what you expect it to be. It's almost overwhelming, so I suggest taking in the sites in small doses. I did a pasta making class here and it was amazing and so much fun. I also found my way into an Irish pub, because of course I did. Opera was invented in Florence in the late 16th century and can still be enjoyed there today at Opera di Firenze, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Amici Della Musica, as well as other venues. And let's not forget the food. The birthplace of pasta bolognese, there are so many wonderful restaurants to try, and some pretty great street food vendors as well.
PALERMO & MESSINA, SICILY
Sicily is the largest and most populated island in the Mediterranean Sea. Early signs of humans here date back to 12,000 BC. Separated from mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina, it has 922 miles of beautiful coastline. The interior of Sicily is mountains, and what beautiful mountains they are. Being a small island, as you drive through the mountains they completely surround you. Keep your eyes up as some of these mountains have active volcanos. All in all, a truly wonderful drive.
Sicily is mostly informal, as you'd expect in an island. The larger cities are quite different, and each have their own appeal. My sister and I had a bad experience in Catania, so there's not a lot to share. Other than we were victims of an overnight smash and grab (a lone lightweight jacket was all to be taken), where we spent most of the following day filing reports and getting a different rental car. But the drive from Catania to Palermo is simply gorgeous. Mountains and beautiful landscapes. Lots of long tunnels through those mountains, so if you suffer from vertigo beware. Palermo is lovely. The streets are lined with blood orange trees (or arancia rossa), free for anyone to pick. What a great idea. Those oranges make the best fresh squeezed I've ever had. The coastline is pretty, though like many islands and coasts in Euorpe, the cruise ships have affected the views somewhat. There are some darling shops, plenty of restaurants and some great hotels. Definitely worth a trip. Our last stop was at Messina, a port city. We stayed in a cute B&B right across from the Strait of Messina. A casual, pretty coastal town, Messina is the main port to ferry over to mainland Italy. We hadn't been on a ferry with a car before and it was a cool experience. We spent just one night but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
PERUGIA
Perugia, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I've ever seen, is the capital of the Umbria region, is located about midway between Rome and Florence and crosses the River Tiber. History dates Perugia back to the ancient Etruscans , many centuries BC. The Middle Ages saw many changes in leadership, mostly by force, where the leaders were known as "Your Lordship". Loaded with churches, palazzos, antiquities and Medieval Towers, its architecture is almost as beautiful as the natural surroundings.
Perugia, the city, is located atop some very windy, steep mountainous roads. Driving here is not for the faint of heart. But oh my goodness, the views! Overlooking the Umbrian countryside are palatial looking country estates, rolling hills with deep green grasses, cobbled roads, and sweeping vistas. Perugia's a small jewel, still retaining aspects of a fortified Medieval town. The streets are narrow and winding, sometimes making on sense at all. The buildings are sometimes elaborate, sometimes very simple. The food is still very Umbrian with traditional dishes like strangozzi, guinea fowl alla leccarda, Torta al testo and parmigiani di gobbi. We stayed at the beautiful 5-star Hotel Brufani Palace, and it was incredible. From the massages, to the restaurant, to the underground pool with glass floor so you can see the ancient ruins beneath, the whole experience was unsurpassed.The only thing I'd ever heard about Perugia is that it is beautiful. Let me just say, that word doesn't even come close.
ROME
Rome, the capital city of Italy, is the 3rd most populous in the EU. Rome is located in Central Western Italy along the shores of the River Tiber, with Vatican City (an independent country) inside its city boundaries. Rome's history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates Rome's founding at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement for almost three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe. Rome is filled with fountains and aqueducts, statues, obelisks and columns, bridges and catacombs.
Rome seamlessly combines the modern and the ancient, with ruins (Colosseum) and sleek hotels and buildings just moments apart. I was there in March and the weather was cool but comfortable, and the city had plenty of activity without feeling jam packed. Rome was a part of a three-week road trip through Italy, and I wasn't feeling particularly touristy while there, so I did few of the traditional touristy things. I saw the Colosseum, which is marvelous as you would expect. I explored the city. I shopped, I dined, I drank. As did many people around me. I even went to a salon and had my hair done. (The guy got the color perfect without even matching it up!) Rome wasn't my favorite Italian city but I enjoyed my time there and would make a stop if every traveling through Italy again.
SALERNO
Salerno is an ancient city with human settlements dating back to prehistoric times and has been continuously occupied since. It has a mediterranean climate with a hot, dry summer when tourism is at its highest. It's known for its tranquil atmosphere and ancient ruins, glistening beaches and nature parks, museums, cathedrals and medieval Old Town.
Salerno was very chill. It's beautiful, the exact beginning of the Amalfi Coast. So many scenic views. So many lovely hotels and shops. The food was delicious, the pastries divine. We drank and ate our way through the city, enjoying it so much we added an additional night. It's a laid back place, full of friendly people and smiling faces. And I can honestly say the Cacio e Pepe and the spaghetti Ameritriciana were the best I've ever had. I'd definitely add it to my roster again.
VENICE
Venice is built on 126 islands and connected by 472 bridges. There are no surviving historical records of when Venice was founded or how it was built. Between Autumn and early Spring Venice is often flooded by tides of the Adriatic pushing in. Venice hosts up to 60,000 tourists per day! Venice continues its ongoing fight to ban large cruise ships.
Venice is magical. It's everything I imagined and more. One of the most beautiful places I've ever been. After our long road trip we were starting to get travel fatigue and Venice was exactly what we needed. However, the first thing we learned was that there are no cars in/on Venice. I don't know why we didn't consider that, but we were ending our road trip in Venice anyway, so we turned the car in early. We also didn't account for how far we'd have to walk, and how many different sets of steps we'd have to take just to get from the boat to the hotel. With luggage (we both had a suitcase and backpack.). If possible, take the private water taxi, rather than the bus. We learned from our mistake and took one back to the airport. The streets are windy and confusing, but the beauty of the architecture and the charm of the shops made getting lost not matter at all. The local wines were great, the prosecco was delish, the pastries were outstanding, but nothing beat the panna cotta topped with pureed fresh strawberries. There's beauty everywhere. There are Italian music and Italian men. There are gondoliers. Like I said, magical. Oh and I didn't sell anything bad coming from the canals as I was told to expect.