Posted by internetauthor on April 30th, 2011 — in Veneto
Easily one of the most romantic and sought after cities in Italy, Venice has amazing sights and experiences, but that doesn’t stop many tourists from making mistakes in this great city. Of course, it’s not entirely your fault since Venice has some rather gaping money pits designed to trap unsuspecting tourists.
Don’t Eat Early
You may be used to having dinner around six or seven back home, but if you try to eat around six in Venice, you’ll be subjecting yourself to foods designed for tourists on a tourist schedule. The best foods in Venice are prepared for other Italians who know that the hours from six to eight are for cocktails and that real dinner isn’t served until after eight o’clock in the evening. Find a restaurant with a lively bar scene around seven and join in – why not relax after a big day of tourism? Then, when the restaurant starts picking up around eight or nine, you can be sure you’re getting the most authentic meal possible.
Don’t Plan a Trip to Poveglia
If you’re into the haunts and scares of Italy, you’ll find them on the island of Poveglia. (more…)
Posted by internetauthor on January 15th, 2011 — in Veneto
In the 13th and 14th centuries, Verona was often referred to as ‘Little Rome.” The beautiful city was almost as popular for business as Rome and its importance earned it the nickname of piccolo Roma, or little Rome. While a landmark for business, Verona was well known for other reasons as well including its endless quarreling of residents and impressive artwork.
The Feuding of Verona
Shakespeare took a classic old story of star-crossed lovers and made it approachable and easy to remember. Romeo and Juliet takes place in fair Verona, but while fictional, the feud that split the two families wasn’t entirely false. Under the Della Scala family during the 14th century, Verona was well known for vicious feuding families as well. (more…)
Posted by internetauthor on January 8th, 2011 — in Veneto
The huge Gothic castle or palace in Venice is one of the most impressive museums in the region. The Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace was home to the elected ruler, Doge, of Venice for centuries. It was not only the home of the ruler, but the center of government as well. The Doge’s Palace was the home of the law courts, the center of the bureaucracy and at one time, even the city jail.
Palazzo Ducale
Originally built in the 19th Century, the Palazzo Ducale has been rebuilt and added to multiple times until 1420. When you visit the palace, you’ll see impressive statues and decorations both inside and out. Carvings of animals, flowers and visual depictions of the months of the year decorate the thirty-six columns along the front of the building. (more…)
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Posted by internetauthor on December 28th, 2010 — in Veneto
Easily the top destination for travelers to Venice, St. Mark’s Square is in the heart of the city and is truly a memorable site. The square is framed by three arcades along the sides, and the open side is home to St. Mark’s Cathedral. The cathedral is on the eastern end of the square. While the church is a huge attraction for tourists in its own right, spending the morning in St. Mark’s Square is an adventure in a class of its own.
St. Mark’s Square or Piazza San Marco
It’s lovely any time of the year, although it does get a bit dreary in the early spring and winter, the square is often considered the center of Italy, or at least Venice, and it’s usually crowded with tourists. Tourists aren’t the only one fighting for space around the piazza, pigeons have made a home there in large numbers as well. When walking through the square, be ready to do battle at times with the huge number of pigeons who make their home (and deposits) there. (more…)
Posted by internetauthor on November 20th, 2010 — in Veneto
The movie, Letters for Juliet was intriguing recently because it dealt so closely with the romance and intrigue of one of Italy’s most beloved icons. Romeo and Juliet was written by Shakespeare, but set in Verona – a thriving city in Italy at the time. The background for the Romeo and Juliet story actually dates back well before Shakespeare’s time to the early Greeks, but the fact remains – Romeo and Juliet are not real people. They didn’t actually have a star-crossed love affair. Yet this hasn’t stopped thousands of women from writing to Juliet every year.
In Letters for Juliet, an American stumbles across a group of women who take the letters written to Juliet and answer them. (more…)
Posted by internetauthor on October 2nd, 2010 — in Veneto
Venice is known for many things, but one of the most impressive is the gondola that floats peacefully down the canals throughout the city. For many of us, a ride in a gondola is an essential part of traveling to Venice – walk in the squares, take a romantic gondola ride, eat delicious food, etc. But unfortunately, the gondola ride you have pictured in your head rarely matches the one you’re likely to experience.
The Romantic Gondola Ride
When you picture the gondola ride, you see yourself snuggled up with your sweetie floating between ancient buildings (more…)
Posted by internetauthor on September 28th, 2010 — in Veneto
Venice is a must-see on a trip to Italy, but often tourists only plan to visit the city for a day at most – after all, it’s small enough to hit the high points in a few hours. However, there is much more to the city than a couple of churches and museums. If you find yourself in Venice, stay for a while – spend a few days in the city and you’ll be able to use Venice as a base to explore other cities in the area. Some popular day trips from Venice include:
Lagoon Islands – The islands of the Venetian lagoon are fascinating. Murano is famous for it’s blown glass demonstrations and you can find lace-making lessons or demonstrations on Burano. Torcello is a wonderful place to visit simply because it’s not especially crowded, but has a great deal to see and experience.
Verona – Hop a fast train and head to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Of course the story was alleged to be fictitious, but (more…)
Easily one of the most romantic and sought after cities in Italy, Venice has amazing sights and experiences, but that doesn’t stop many tourists from making mistakes in this great city. Of course, it’s not entirely your fault since Venice has some rather gaping money pits designed to trap unsuspecting tourists.
