Ciao Italia!!! (Part II)

In last month’s issue of the Singapore Law Gazette, I took you on a tour of Southern Italy. Now to complete the journey, let me guide you through the Northern regions of Italy.

Northern Italy

Venice

Venice, fondly known as ‘Europe’s Jewel in the Crown’, is a fairytale city that floats on a lagoon dotted with palaces, bridges and domes. A city so beautiful that one would think that it was the centre of the world. Everything is a feast for the eyes, so geared towards sheer aesthetic beauty. No movie, brochure picture or guidebook platitude can truly do credit to it.

Most tourists head straight to Piazza San Marco in the heart of the city and nicknamed the ‘most beautiful drawing room of Europe’ by Napoleon. On one side of the square stands the majestic Basilica of San Marco, a Byzantine and Romanesque wonder. Next to the Basilica is the pink-and-white gothic Doges’ Palace. Stop to admire the Bridge of Sighs which was built as a passageway between the Doges’ Palace and the prison in 1600.

A must do is a gondola ride on the Grand Canal. Your ride will take you past Marco Polo’s House and under the famous Rialto Bridge. And if you appreciate fine Venetian glassware, then no trip is complete without purchasing Venice’s exquisite Murano glassware.

If time permits, you have to go to Harry’s Bar! The place where ‘Papa’ (Earnest Hemingway) drank with his cronies and absorbed the feel of Italy. This is a truly fine (and very expensive!) restaurant.

Don’t leave Venice without eating gelato at least once. They come in light and fruity, creamy and rich, and there are so many flavours to choose from, some of them unusual and exotic.

Florence

No trip to Italy is complete without visiting the cradle of the Renaissance. The city of Dante and Botticelli is simply breathtakingly beautiful. Be prepared to have a love affair with this city as you walk around. Stop at the Piazza Michelangelo for a superb view of Florence.

Continue to the city centre to admire the richly-decorated pink, white and green marble façade Duomo with its orange-tiled dome, the lofty Gothic church of Santa Maria and the Doors of the Baptistry, a matchless work of bronze, which took 27 years to complete. At the Piazza della Signoria, stands a copy of the famous Michelangelo’s David, a colossal nude statue, depicting triumph over tyranny together with the Rape of the Sabine Women. These Roman statues are works of art to be viewed with awe!

Take a stroll along the banks of the Arno towards the Ponte Vecchio which is the oldest surviving bridge in the city, having been built in 1345. This is where the young and old Florentines gather.

Florence is a shopper’s paradise and is also famous for leather goods. Designer labels like Gucci, Prada and Fendi can be purchased at affordable prices.

Milan

One word comes to mind, ‘chic’. This best describes fashion’s capital city which truly lives up to her name as being the most cosmopolitan and stylish.

Situated at the navel of Milan is one of the world’s largest Gothic church, the Plazza del Duomo. One cannot help but marvel at all the marble spires crowning her and the innumerable statues. The stained glass windows are so vibrant in colours and details that they light up the inside of the Duomo.

The other top attractions would be Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ at Santa Maria delle Grazie and the imposing Castello Sforzesco which is a palace and fortress. Behind the castle is Parco Sempione, a 47-hectare park. Also worth seeing are the world famous ‘La Scala’ Opera House and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a very old and grand shopping arcade, so impressive to look at and which houses a number of great shops and restaurants.

Pisa

Land of Galileo Galilei and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa! I would recommend that you spend your time, effort and creativity getting the best photographs taken! Strike up the most popular pose — ‘I am holding the Tower up’ and show it off when you get home. Continue to explore the Baptistry and Duomo at the Field of Miracles before diving into the line of shops to purchase reasonably priced souvenirs for your loved ones and friends.

Verona

A wonderful walking city, with several enticing piazzas connected by pedestrian-only streets, the Veronese are fond of their evening stroll. The dress code for la passagiata is ‘swank’, as Italians of all ages try to cut una bella figura. So try to find a nice balance between comfortable and stylish clothing and shoes and you can enter this parade as an active participant, rather than an awkward, T-shirt, jeans-and-sneakers outsider.

Verona is called Piccolo Roma which means little Roma. You can find the second largest Roman Arena in the world here which is still in used for concerts and musicals like Aida.

Most people are attracted to Verona because of its link to the famous Shakespearean couple, Romeo and Juliet. Stroll through the ancient market square to Casa di Giulietta to see Juliet’s balcony which is in a small courtyard. Don’t miss out on the wonderful graffiti on the walls. The pure vibrant colours depict words of love. Look closely and you may find a scrawling from a long time ago!

San Marino

A picturesque tiny country in the Apennine Mountains is Europe’s oldest republic and one of the smallest with a population of roughly 25,000. It prints its own stamps, mints its own euros, and stamps passports on presentation (and payment) at the tourist office. It also boasts an imposing and extravagant town hall, Palazzo Publico and the Basilica del Santo. Visitors to the country must be fit, as one is required to climb to over a hundred steps to reach the town centre. The panoramic views of the Po valley and the Adriatic from anywhere on the hilltop known as Mount Titano make it worth your while.

Bologna

Known as one of the most distinguished university cities in Europe, the entire city is a treat. It spreads out from the magnificent Piazza di Maggiore. All roads in Bologna lead to this magnificent piazza and the two main shopping streets. You will feel transported back to the 12th century with its gothic buildings and palaces and the ruby colonnaded street fans. As you approach the Piazza, your eyes will be drawn to the Fountain of Neptune. This baroque masterpiece was erected in 1640 and is the focal point of the city.

Bologna’s medieval streets are thronged with students, professors and locals who enjoy strolling through the colonnaded streets. This is a city as lovely as Florence but with a fraction of the tourist traffic where you can see the real Italy and get caught up in the evening ‘passeigetta’ or take a coffee break at a sidewalk table and watch the world go by.

Gloria James