Italy - Our Top 10

During our nearly one month stay in Italy we were able to visit an array of different regions and cities. To wrap up our trip, before moving onto Vienna and Berlin, here are our top ten Italian experiences.

Ancient Rome

No trip to Italy is complete without visiting the Colosseum. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, it is not only extremely impressive, even by today's standards, but also a testament to the building acumen of the ancient Romans. If that wasn't enough, you can walk in the footsteps of Augustus, Caesar, and the rest of Rome's important historical figures in the ruins of the Roman Imperial Forum and Palatine Hill.

The Colosseum - the centre of Ancient Rome

Cinque Terre

Five cities perched on the Ligurian coast caused us to forget everything - blog posts, TV, calling home, and even bickering - if only for a few days. Rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these five cities still seem to operate the same way they have for hundreds of years, oblivious to the millions of tourists flocking to see them every year.

Riomaggiore - our home for 4 days

Pompeii and Herculaneum

Perhaps the best opportunity to step back nearly 2000 years and explore a fully functioning Roman city - from palaces and temples to storefronts, cafeterias, and small family homes. Ironically, by being destroyed, Pompeii and Herculaneum survived, untouched and avoided the slow degradation of generation upon generation building on top of each other. 

Pompeii - destroyed but not gone

Burano

A photographer's playground, with it's brightly painted houses and winding canals, Burano provides the authenticity that Venice is now missing. Even as water buses deposit groups of tourists on the island hourly, it somehow manages to retain a laid back, peaceful feeling.  

 

Burano - full of colour

Sculpture

With the likes of Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Bernini (wait, he wasn't a ninja turtle), the Italians easily dominate in the field of sculpture and there's no better place to bask in the glory of their masterpieces than Florence. The Uffizi, Bargello, and Accademia museums feature works by these famous sculptors as well as many others. 

Giasone - one of our favorite sculptures in Italy

The Vatican Museum

Our favorite Italian museum (that we've visited), and a serious contender for best overall, the Vatican Museum won us over with it's collections which are large both in size and scope. From ancient Egyptian artifacts, to Greek and Roman sculptures, classical and modern paintings, and the museum's architecture, the museum offers something for everyone - and it's also home to the Sistine Chapel. 

The Raphael Rooms - one of art's great achievements

Pizza

Naples may be credited with the invention of this tasty dish, however we found restaurants throughout the country serving up mouth watering versions. Our favorites were Senzanome, in Florence, and Dar Poeta, in Rome. 

Pizza at Senzanome

Montemartini

Unable to get enough sculpture in Florence, we added a trip to the Montemartini Museum to our Roman itinerary and were blown away at the exhibition space - a historic electric plant. The contrast between the soft white marble sculptures and dark metal engines, valves, and pipes is gorgeous and provides a great photo opportunity as well. 

Juxtaposition at Montemartini

Basilica San Marco

Unrivaled for the title of most opulent by anything we've seen to date, Basilica San Marco makes up for what it lacks in size and scale with an abundance of sparkling gold mosaics. The lavish exterior, situated next to the equally stunning Doge's Palace, and mosaic covered interior leave visitors with a true understanding of how rich and powerful this republic really was. 

Basilica San Marco - one of the best in the world

The Pantheon

Was it famous before Dan Brown included it in his best selling novel Angels and Demons? If so, it's impossible to tell now, as visitors flock to the site hoping to glimpse a hidden symbol, or at least Raphael's tomb - which actually isn't that easy to spot. However for us, the building's architecture is the real draw. 

The Pantheon - an architectural marvel

A reminder, many more photos from our time in Italy, as well as the entire trip through Europe can be found on our Flickr page.

Hope you enjoyed our list...think we missed anything? Let us know!

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They Loved Hercules!

Hopefully you've already checked out our post on our trip to Pompeii, but if not you can read it over here. 

Our second stop of the day after Pompeii was the similarly-devastated ancient city of Herculaneum. Although it has always lived in Pompeii's shadow, Herculaneum offers a very different (and overall, probably better) experience than Pompeii. Other than the fact that they were both Roman cities and destroyed forever by the eruption of Vesuvius, they have very few similarities.

The excavations sit just below the modern city of Ercolano

Many of the buildings are still fairly intact

Herculaneum (named after Hercules...a guy they seem to have really taken a liking to) was a coastal port city located between Naples and Pompeii. Unlike Pompeii, it was not pelted by flying rock and ash; instead, it was covered, from the bottom up, with a pyroclastic flow of boiling mud. This resulted in very little damage to the buildings, compared to those seen in Pompeii, and amazing preservation of the site itself. Many of the buildings have multiple stories and extremely well preserved frescoes, mosaics, and sculpture. There's even a lot of the wood (doors, beams, etc.) still intact after being instantly carbonized by the intense heat. 

Some of the frescoes - amazingly preserved after all this time

Pottery still where it was found

Cofferred arch details still intact

Wood instantly carbonized by the intense heat

Another nice feature of Herculaneum is the fact that it is in the middle of a bustling city. This means that it is largely inaccessible to tour groups and buses. When we arrived at Herculaneum, there were probably only 20 other people at the site which meant that we got to explore and take photos in relative peace. 

Calli by a pot!

Travis by some wall paintings!

The site is much smaller than Pompeii, mainly due to the fact that a city surrounds it on all sides, but does have some extremely impressive buildings including the College of the Augustales with its frescoes depicting myths of Hercules, and the Villa of the Papyri with its library containing 1785 carbonized papyrus scrolls. 

Small place for worship

Floor mosaics

Some beautiful columns

Much of the excavations have stopped in favor preservation efforts, mainly due to the unfortunate location of the site under the modern day city. Some buildings have even been covered back up using modern mining techniques to try and preserve them until they can be safely excavated.

Statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus - a major benefactor to Herculaneum

At the end of the day, we enjoyed each site for different reasons, but the combination of the two into one exhaustive daytrip proved to be all the more rewarding. The vastness and location of Pompeii combined with the completeness and preservation of Herculaneum are truly amazing in their own right and worth of the millions of tourists that visit them every year.

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Lens to the Past - Pompeii

In the year 79 AD, the two seemingly ordinary Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were forever immortalized by one of the most catastrophic volcanic events in recent history. Mount Vesuvius' eruption not only created two of the most fascinating and unique archaeological sites in the world, it also created a lens through which we can gaze upon how life would have been in an actual Roman city. Spectacular Roman archaeological sites are littered all across Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, but few can provide the kind of information that Pompeii and Herculaneum can.

Pompeii's streets seem to stretch on forever

Our first stop for the day was Pompeii, easily the most visited of the two and definitely the largest site. According to most scholars, Pompeii was an affluent and important city in the Roman Empire before its extraordinary demise. While estimates vary, it seems that the city had approximately 12-15,000 inhabitants, 2000 of whom died the day of the eruption. However, gazing out over the remains it's easy to imagine the city as much larger as the buildings, pubic squares, and roads appear to stretch on forever. 

Wandering through the 2000 year old houses is extremely rewarding

The preservation and restoration of some of the buildings is amazing

Pompeii was rained down on by ash, rocks, and other debris for 6 hours on the day of the eruption, knocking down roofs and walls, and leaving the city buried under 25 feet of debris until its rediscovery 1700 years later. 

The culprit, Vesuvius, in the background

With advancements in technology and further site excavation, more and more is being learned about Pompeii, the eruption of Vesuvius, and everyday Roman life. DNA analysis continues to be run on skeletons found there, and the results shed light on everything from relatedness of people found together to general health to trends in population dynamics (heights, occupations, etc,). 

Some of the unbelievably preserved frescoes

Colors and detail in the surviving frescoes

Much of the site is still off-limits and being studied

Upon entering the site, we were immediately blown away by the sheer size of the city. Block after block seem to stretch on forever and make the city seem larger than the accepted estimates. We decided not to follow any route in particular and just wandered aimlessly through the houses, brothels, eateries, temples, and amphitheaters that have all been uncovered.

The main amphitheater of Pompeii

We were amazed at how well preserved some of the mosaics, frescoes, and architectural elements of the structures were. And then there's the stuff removed from the buildings. Plaster casts of some of the victims, sculptures, fountains, and endless amounts of pottery still remain on site, many kept in a fenced off area that you can still look into.

Some objects still remain where they were found

Sculptures found on the site

The number of intact pieces of pottery is unbelievable

The "posterboy" of Pompeii

With the new cards and passes available in the region of Campania, visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum are now cheaper and easier than ever. We decided to pick up the 5 site card which gives entry to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabiae, and Boscoreale for just 20 Euro per person. Even if you only go to Pompeii and Herculaneum (which we did) you still save 2 Euro per person. 

**Don't worry, our Herculaneum post is on its way tomorrow! 

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Sorrento's Secret

Some of our favorite sites while traveling are those that we've stumbled onto accidentally. The quirky locales known only to the locals that can't be found in any guidebooks. While wandering through Sorrento looking for pizza one evening (we'd been told to try Pizzeria Da Franco by our B&B owner) we were surprised to find such a site, a block off the main square and a few hundred feet below street level.

Reclaimed by nature, it's still possible to make out the rough shape of a building forgotten in the deep valley bottom while life continues only a hundred feet away. We were intrigued so, after snapping a few photos and filling our bellies with delicious pizza, we turned to the internet to answer some of our questions.

Unfortunately, as is often the case with the lesser known or forgotten sites, there wasn't a lot of information online and what we were able to find has become a bit muddled in the translation from Italian to English. It seems that at one time this moss covered building was a mill. Initially built in the 900's to grind wheat, a sawmill was eventually added for use by Sorrento cabinet makers, and finally a public wash house.

From what we can understand, the 'Old Mill' was eventually cut off from the sea by the creation of Tasso Square in 1866 and as a result humidity in the deep valley increased to an unbearable level. As a result, the site was abandoned. However this story has a happy ending as the valley bottom flora, including a rare breed of fern, now thrive in the new micro-climate.

Hoping for a better look, and some adventure, we tried to locate a way down into the valley but came up empty. From reports online, it seems the area is completely cut off from the streets above and therefore impossible to visit. Although we were a bit disappointed, perhaps it's best to leave the 'Old Mill' to nature and simply admire the site from above.

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A Day on the Amalfi Coast

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy attracts millions of visitors every year. They come to enjoy the sunny weather, see the sparking blue waters of the Mediterranean, and explore the cities that cling to the coast along the 40km stretch of road. We knew that we couldn't pass up the chance to see some of these cities up close and after a little research (and some advice from our B&B owner in Sorrento) we decided to narrow our visit to two areas, Amalfi and Ravello. 

We boarded the bus in the morning with expectations of a twisty and turny ride from Sorrento to Amalfi, however we weren't prepared for how narrow the hairpin turns really are, requiring a three (or five) point turn in some areas. I can honestly say that there are only a handful of jobs I wouldn't do, and "Amalfi Coast Bus Driver" has got to be near the top of that list. How he managed to maneuver the bus around dubious right-angle blind corners, past parked cars and oblivious tourists, and squeeze between cars in the oncoming lane and the cement barrier I will never know. All I do know is that I am a pretty easy-going guy and am usually hard to rattle, but my legs felt like jello when I got off that bus. 

Winding road and nerve wracking driving aside, the views along this stretch of road are stunning, and easier to enjoy through the bus' large windows than while focusing on the road in a rental car. Like Cinque Terre and Santorini, the colorful cities are perched in seemingly impossible positions and painted in bright pink, orange, and yellow hues. 

Amalfi and the coastal road

The city of Amalfi

After a slight mechanical malfunction in Positano (the bus doors stopped opening and closing automatically meaning people had to hold them shut while driving and open them to let people on and off), we arrived in Amalfi just in time for lunch.

Amalfi was once a real maritime power and proof of this can still be seen through the Duomo, a magnificent Cathedral with some real treasures inside. After paying the 3 euro entrance fee (a great deal as we got a nice 10-page booklet explaining much of what we would see), we entered into the Cloister of Paradise, a beautiful white-columned Arab-inspired cloister where the elite of Amalfi used to be buried. 

The facade of the Amalfi Cathedral

Original frescoes in the Cloister of Paradise

Upon leaving the cloister, we entered the Cathedral itself which is made up of three main parts. First is the original 9th Century Romanesque Basilica of the Crucifix, which currently holds a museum containing relics found on the grounds and gifted to the families of Amalfi during its most prosperous times. Second is the Crypt of St. Andrew, which houses (you guessed it) the remains of St. Andrew, brought to the Cathedral in 1206 from Constantinople for safekeeping. The final part of the Cathedral is the "new" 13th century Basilica, decorated sumptuously in Baroque style. 

Painted ceilings in the Crypt of St. Andrew

The interior of the "new" Basilica

The exterior of the Cathedral is just as impressive. 62 wide stone steps lead visitors up to its entrance, huge bronze doors forged in Constantinople in the 11th century guard the treasures inside, and a beautiful Romanesque Belltower rings on the hour. 

The Romanesque Belltower

Our experience in the Cathedral was made all the more memorable by the presence of an Eastern Orthodox religious tour group that was there at the same time as us. While in the Crypt of St. Andrew, they broke out into full singing and praise. Taken off guard at first, we decided to just sit down nearby and enjoy the free entertainment. Even as we were leaving the second Basilica we could still hear them singing away down in the Crypt.

The tour group singing in the Crypt of St. Andrew

The rest of Amalfi is just as fantastic as the Cathedral, and is complete with a beach, a promenade, and some lovely streets housing interesting shops and lovely restaurants. We settled on a simple slice of pizza that we enjoyed on the steps of the Cathedral, where we enjoyed one of our favorite past-times - people watching.

While Amalfi is bus and bustling, Ravello is quite and tranquil. Perched high above Amalfi, it can be easily reached by public bus in about 25 minutes. Ravello is the kind of place that makes you want to slow down and relax. Panoramic views can be had from nearly everywhere in the town, and small streets and alleys are just waiting to be explored. It also has a very nice Duomo from the 13th century as well as two very famous villas - Cimbrone and Rufolo. For those who love a nice hike you can also hike all the way back down to Amalfi in just a couple of hours. 

The understated Duomo of Ravello

The 13th century Villa Rufolo

We decided just to take some time and explore. The temperature was a bit cooler and made it nice to just walk around and peek in on the way of life of the people there. We watched kids play soccer in the main square, using the Cathedral as a substitute for a goal; we admired the lovely villas that inspired the likes of DH Lawrence, TS Eliot, Richard Wagner, and Winston Churchill; and we strolled the narrow walkways lined with vegetable gardens, monasteries, and small restaurants. 

Vineyards in Ravello

After a couple hours relaxing in Ravello it was time to head back to Sorrento. A quick bus ride back down the hill connected us with the bus back just as the sun was setting. If I thought the ride there was harrowing, well just imagine my pleasure to do it in the dark. Needless to say, I was extremely relieved when our bus finally pulled into Sorrento and I could get back to my preferred mode of transportation - my feet. 

We would have liked to visit more of the towns along the coast. We passed Positano, Praiano, and a few others during our bus rides, and all of them looked just as amazing as Amalfi and Ravello. In the end, however, what we did get to experience was fantastic and we loved (almost) every minute of it.

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Heading South

After a few weeks in northern and central Italy, we reached the southern tip of our journey – Campania. We’ve heard that the south has its own flavour and culture which was immediately evident as we tried to catch a train to our hotel in Sorrento. After missing the first train due to a surplus of people over available space – passengers were so stuffed into the train the doors wouldn’t  close – the next train was delayed multiple times while we waited on the platform, carefully watching our belongings*.

Aside from being poorer than the rest of Italy – an environment in which crumbling infrastructure, increased theft, and organized crime thrive – the south runs on a time table all its own, a fact we quickly realized waiting for our first of many trains. As a result, trying to fit too much sightseeing into one day was immediately quashed by a delayed train, cancelled train, or broken down bus (all of these actually happened).  Being forced to slow down, go with the flow, and accept the inevitable, we were thankful for the four full days we had in the area and, with Sorrento as our home base, we were perfectly situated for day trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast. 

From Sorrento, looking out across the bay to Naples

The ancient site of Herculaneum

Amalfi's stunning architecture

Although the south often receives criticism for its higher crime rates and insane drivers, we didn’t encounter any problems while visiting, and the combination of multiple world-class attractions and incredibly affordable prices made it a great backpacking destination. Best of all, our off-season visit meant that the overly visited sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum were nearly deserted and catching a bus to and from Amalfi was without line-up, leaving us more time to wander and take photos.

If having great weather, wonderful food, budget-friendly prices, and some amazing things to see wasn't enough to convince you - the people are great too. Friendly, outgoing, and talkative, the people are really what makes this place unique. We had gerat experiences from the second we arrived, from people helping us to decipher the trains, to a shop owner explaining all the intricacies and differences between the various types of buffalo mozzarella, to our fantastic hosts who gave us great advice on places to eat and things to see. The people are really what makes this place unique.

We would have loved to have kept on our southerly path into Sicily, but our limited time meant that we had to leave that for a future adventure. Instead, we opted to return north and wrap up our time in Italy getting lost in the canals of Venice before heading to Austria. 

The small city of Amalfi

A small vineyard in Revello, on the Amalfi coast

We will get into more detail on the things we got to see and do in the next couple of days, but hopefully some pictures will hold you over until then!

*We later learned the delays and unpredictable transit schedules in the area are due to labour strikes. Striking employees have gone without compensation for three months –  considering this, the trains actually run quite well seeing as the employees are so disgruntled.

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