This is 5 destination interest places in Italy,
almost of them very beautiful and make everybody want to go there. Ok, now check
this out guys !!!
The
Roman Coliseum
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The Flavius amphitheatre is the biggest
and most imposing in the Roman world, but is also the most famous monument in
Rome and is known as the "Colosseum"
or "Coliseum". Started
by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavia family, it was opened by his son Titus in 80
A.D.
The
highly ostentatious opening ceremony, lasted one hundred days during which people saw great fights, shows and hunts involving the killing of thousands of animals (5000 according
to the historian Suetonius). For the opening, the arena space was filled with
water for one of the most fantastic
events held in Roman times,
naumachias – real sea battles
reproducing great battles of the past.
But
why does the whole world call it the Colosseum?
This
name appeared for the first time in a famous prophecy of the medieval monk
Venerable Beda: “Rome will exist
as long as the Colosseum does;
when the Colosseum falls so will
Rome; when Rome falls so will
the world”. Perhaps he got the name from the enormous statue of the Emperor
Nero, “the Colossus” 35 meters
high, which stood right next to the amphitheatre and has now been completely
destroyed.
The Colosseum is one of the most imposing
ancient structures. Imagine it all white, completely covered in splendid travertine stone slabs. It is elliptic
in shape in order to hold more spectators. It had four floors; the first three
had eighty arches each; the arches on the second and third floors were
decorated with huge statues.
What
we see nowadays is just the skeleton
of what was the greatest arena in the ancient world. Three-fifths of the outer
surrounding brick wall are missing. In the Middle Ages, when no longer in use, the Colosseum was transformed into an enormous marble, lead and iron
quarry used by Popes to build Barberini Palace, Piazza Venezia
and even St. Peter's.
The
holes still seen in many columns are just the holes made to extract the lead
and iron used by the Romans for the nails inside the marble blocks.
The amphitheatre could hold up to seventy thousand spectators. The tiers
of seats were inclined in such a way as to enable people to get a perfect view
from wherever they sat.
Entry
was free for all Roman citizens,
but places were divided according to
social status, similar to seating divisions in today’s theatres; the
seats at the top were for the common people, but with distinct sections for men
and women, the nearer you got to the arena
the higher your social status; in the front row were senators, vestals, priests and - naturally - the emperor.
Like
modern sports stadiums, the Colosseum
gave spectators efficient protection from the sun thanks to its ingenious roof
covering, the “Velarium”. The
Velarium was an enormous linen tarpaulin hung by a system of ropes, winches and
wooden poles that girded the top of the outer wall. It took one hundred sailors from the Imperial
fleet to move it. They moved in perfect synchrony to the beating of a drum.
On
entering, we see the arena
straight ahead of us. The stage for shows, whose floor was once made from a
mixture of brick and wood, has now disappeared altogether. In its place you can
see the cellars which housed equipment used to prepare and carry out the games.
The
two underground floors housed the lifts and hoists with their counter weights,
of which we can still see the rails
today; they were the special effects of the time, used to hoist up
animals and gladiators who burst into the arena through trapdoors, suddenly
appearing in a burst of white dust giving
the audience great surprise effects.
A
complex system of hinges and lifts also allowed them to hoist up set-designed
backdrops, used for the hunting events.
The
shows taking place in the Colosseum
were both of a symbolic and solid nature and created a link between citizens
and their leader through common participation at important public events with the not unimportant function of
giving the people some fun to distract them from political problems.
Tastes of Lake Garda
Lake
Garda - like virtually anywhere in Italy - has its own treasure trove of tastes
and dishes made from local produce. As Italy is the largest wine-producing
country in the world, it's not surprising that both the red, white and rosé
varieties feature on the list of regional specialities, while even close to the
southern foothills of the Alps the fruit of the area also has a special place
in the culinary history and culture.
Wine
The north of Lake Garda is part of the Trento-Alto Adige
region and offers the distinctive Trentino dry white wines, as well as some
sparkling and dessert wines as specialities.
On the
eastern shore in the south is the major wine-producing area behind Garda and Bardolino. Bardolino
wine is a light red (it also offers a "chiaretto") and the town has a
popular wine festival at the end of the summer.
To the
south and west is the region of Lombardy, with the Garda and Garda Classico
DOCs in the area around the lake and between it and Brescia offering both red
and white wines.
Olives
Although olives are grown all around Lake Garda the main
concentration of olive groves is in the flatter southern areas.
Like
wine, olives have their own specific classification system and the Extra Virgin
Olive Oil from the Garda DOP is controlled by inspectors and certified by the
Ministry of Agriculture.
The
olive oil from the lake is considered to be the furthest north of all areas of
production and the olive oil produced has a light, fruity and non-acidic taste.
There is an olive oil museum on the road between Bardolino and
Lazise.
Lemons
Lemons have been grown all down the east coast of Lake
Garda and the farming dates back to the 15th century.
But it
is probably Limone,
with its lemon houses or "sardì" still visible from the ferry, which
has the closest association with the fruit.
The
Limone industry was fatally affected by a drop in price and competition from
other areas, but the traditional structures and ways of growing the plants have
been preserved in a number of areas and there is an interesting lemon house
museum which it is possible to visit.
Costiera Amalfitana 
The Amalfi coast is an area of great
physical beauty and natural diversity. It has been intensively settled by human
communities since the early Middle Ages. There are a number of towns such as
Amalfi and Ravello with architectural and artistic works of great significance.
The rural areas show the versatility of the inhabitants in adapting their use
of the land to the diverse nature of the terrain, which ranges from terraced
vineyards and orchards on the lower slopes to wide upland pastures.
Costiera
Amalfitana is an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with
exceptional cultural and natural scenic values resulting from its dramatic
topography and historical evolution. The area covers communes in the Province
of Salerno. Its natural boundary is the southern slope of the peninsula formed
by the Lattari hills which, stretching from the Picentini hills to the
Tyrrhenian Sea, separate the Gulf of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno. It
consists of four main stretches of coast (Amalfi, Atrani, Reginna Maior,
Reginna Minor) with some minor ones (Positano, Praiano, Certaria, Hercle), with
the mountain villages of Scala, Tramonti and Ravello and hamlets of Conca and
Furore behind and above them.
Palaeolithic
and Mesolithic materials have been found at Positano, and the area was favoured
by the Romans, judging from the villas of Positano, Minori and Gallo Lungo.
However, it was not intensively settled until the early Middle Ages, when the
Gothic War made it a place of refuge. Amalfi was founded in the 4th century AD.
A new Roman colony in nearby Lucania came under barbarian attack and the
inhabitants moved to the fertile and well-watered hilly area around modern
Scala. In the first written reference to Amalfi (596) it was already a
fortified town and the seat of a bishopric. It resisted Lombard attacks until
838, when it was conquered and looted by Sicardo. However, after his death the
following year the town declared its independence. The new republic was
governed by a ruler whose title had become Doge by 958. This political autonomy
enabled Amalfi to become a maritime trading power between the early 9th and
late 11th centuries, when the sea power of Byzantium was in decline and a free
market developed. Amalfi had a near-monopoly of trade in the Tyrrhenian Sea,
with vast networks of links, selling Italian products (wood, iron, weapons,
wine, fruit) in eastern markets and buying in return spices, perfumes, pearls,
jewels, textiles and carpets to sell in the West. The layout of the settlements
showed eastern influence: the closely spaced houses climbing up the steep
hillsides, connected by a maze of alleys and stairs, are reminiscent of the
souks of the Levant. A distinctive Arab-Sicilian architecture originated and
developed in Amalfi.
With
the eclipse of the mercantile importance of Amalfi by Genoa, Venice and, above
all, Pisa, and its conquest by Spain, it fell into an uninterrupted decline.
The only significant change to the landscape was the reinforcement of the
system of watchtowers along the coast, to give warning and protection against
Turkish attacks. The towns and villages of Costiera Amalfitana are
characterized by their architectural monuments, such as the Torre Saracena at
Cetara, the Romanesque Cathedral of Amalfi and its 'Cloister of Paradise', with
their strong oriental influences, the Church of San Salvatore de' Bireto at
Atrani, where the Dogi of Amalfi were elected, and Ravello with its fine
cathedral and the superb Villa Rufolo.
Inland
the steep slopes rising from the coast are covered with terraces, revetted with
drystone walling and used for the cultivation of citrus and other fruits, olives,
vines and vegetables of all kinds. Further inland the hillsides are given over
to dairy farming, whose roots are ancient in the area, based on sheep, goats,
cattle and buffalo. In some parts of the Costiera the natural landscape
survives intact, with little, if any, human intervention. It supports the
traditional Mediterranean flora of myrtle, lentisk, broom, euphorbia, etc.
Elsewhere there are stands of trees such as holm oak, alder, beech and
chestnut. Other biotopes shelter pantropical ferns, butterwort, dwarf palms and
endemic carnivorous species. The Costiera is also rich in wildlife. The higher
mountain areas are noteworthy for the characteristic mule tracks (mulattiere
). There are many small streams which in places drop over impressive waterfalls.
There is an immense diversity of landscapes, ranging from the coastal
settlements through the intensively cultivated lower slopes and large areas of
open pastoral land to the dramatic high mountains. In addition, there are
'micro-landscapes' of great scientific interest resulting from topographical
and climatic variations, and striking natural formations in the limestone karst
at both sea level and above.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Tower of Pisa is more accurately
referred to simply as the bell tower, or campanile. The Pisa tower is one of
the four buildings that make up the cathedral complex in Pisa, Italy, called
Campo dei Miracoli or Piazza dei Miracoli, which means Field of Miracles. The
first building constructed at Campo dei Miracoli, Pisa, was the cathedral, or
Duomo di Pisa, which rests on a white marble pavement and is an impressive
example of Romanesque architecture. The next building added was the baptistery
just west of the dome.Then work on the campanile began. Before the work on the
campanile was completed the cemetery, Campo Santo, was built. Piazza dei
Miracoli of Pisa is the most splendiferous assemblage of Romanesque
architecture in Italy. Faced in gray-and-white striped marble and bristling
with columns and arches, the cathedral, with its curiously Islamic dome and
matching domed baptistery, rises from an emerald green lawn. Flanking one side
of the piazza, the camposanto, or cemetery, is a gracefully elongated cloister
enclosing a burial ground with earth reputedly brought back during the Crusades
from Golgotha, the hill where Jesus was crucified, so that noble Pisans could
rest in holy ground.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the
piazza's crowning glory. Although only a third as high as the Washington
Monument, it was a miracle of medieval engineering, probably the tallest bell
towers in Europe. With 207 columns ranged around eight stories, Tower of Pisa
looks like a massive wedding cake knocked precariously askew by a clumsy giant
guest. The construction of Tower of Pisa began in August 1173 and continued for
about 200 years due to the onset of a series of wars. Till today, the name of
the architect is a mystery.
Lake
Como Holiday
where there is something to suit
everybody’s fancy!
The
area of Lake Como is a huge open air gym where you can practice all different
types of sports from skiing to mountain biking, horsing riding to
trekking. The upper lake area is paradise for sporty types and those who
love windsurfing and sailing. The upper lake wind is strong and is called ‘La
breva’ which ensures fun and enjoyment of these water sports.
Thanks to the many clubs and water
schools in this area of the lake your sure to find some new sport to
experiment! There are courses for adults and children.
One of the most important natural
reserves of the area is Pian di Spagna. Here you can have a fun day trotting
about between the reeds and trees with over 24 species of birds.
A brief boat trip
separates the coast of Ossuccio from the beautiful island Comacina. The only
island of Lake Como is Comacina. The island is beautiful all year round where
you’ll find an antique ambient with the brightly coloured fishing houses and
the romantic church of S. Giacomo. It is an area rich with history, art,
traditions and memories.
You
can arrive at fantastic Lake Como villas onboard wooden ‘Riva’ speedboats and
enjoy strolling around the picturesque gardens. This style of boat is
reminiscent of the 60’s and the famous Italian era of the ‘Dolce Vita’ where
popular film stars were photographed on board these luxurious speedboats on
Lake Como. There are fabulous villas dotted along the lake, with magnificent
architecture and traditional Italian gardens to visit.
Play Golf in the popular town of Lanzo
or Menaggio, situated on the banks of the lake with courses of 18 holes which
has been carved out of natural surroundings to create a most pleasant
atmosphere.
Play the narrow fairways, with challenging uneven terrain and let yourself be enchanted by the backdrop of the Alps far in the distance.
Play the narrow fairways, with challenging uneven terrain and let yourself be enchanted by the backdrop of the Alps far in the distance.
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