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– travels – italy /////
:: I T A L Y ::
Arno River cutting
through Florence, Italy, 2007
Some
say Italians invented tourism in the 16th century, perhaps
because Italians know how great their country and culture is. Italy has
been the home of many powerful cultures, including Byzantines, Etruscan and
Greeks, but especially the Roman civilization and Italian Renaissance
played an important role in world history. Rome has been the center of
Western Civilization as well as the Catholic Church. Today, around 1.1
billion people are Catholics, particularly in Portugal, Poland, Ireland,
Croatia, Congo Brazzaville, Angola, Philippines, Haiti, Dominican Republic
and all of South and Central America.
It
is safe to say, that no other country than Italy has given the world more
cultural icons; automobiles, architecture, fashions, operas, paintings,
sculptures, and Italian food. Who doesn’t like pizza and pasta?
We
visited Italy for one week together in 1999; furthermore Anders was there
fore five days in 2007. Italy is placed high on the list in terms of
European countries we want to explore.
Eventually
we will post more pictures and some text on our traveling in Italy; however
destinations outside Europe deserve our foremost interest.
Varese and Lombardi (1999)
In
1999 we drove to Italy to visit Hans, our big brother, who lived there
momentarily during his studies. We stayed in the small idyllic town of
Ispra at Lake Maggiore in the region of Varese. During our stay we also
visited Milano in Lombardi, a fantastic city.
Laveno Lake, Italy,
1999
S. Caterio del Sasso
Monastry, Italy, 1999
S. Caterio del Sasso
Monastry, Italy, 1999
Tuscany (2007)
In mid-February 2007, Anders spent five days in Pisa and Florence
together with his girlfriend. Pisa is above all known for its Leaning Tower
and the Campo de Miracoli, one of the most beautiful squares in the world.
Florence is the jewel of Renaissance Italy, packed with timeless beautiful
art and architecture.
 
Lunchtime near the Leaning Tower, Pisa, Italy, 2007
Battistero, Pisa, Italy, 2007
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy, 2007
Future places to go in Italy
Many
places! First of all, the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily
and Sardinia. But also places like the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Rome, San
Gimigano, Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, Aeolian Islands, Venice and the Tuscan
Archipelago (Elba, Giglio etc.).
Fast facts and hints
Daily budget: On the cheap: 30-40
Euros; more activities: 40-70 Euros
Pros: Italian food; easy to understand Italian if you
speak Spanish; more romantic than France...
Cons: It’s hard to
find cheap accommodation, even dormitories are rare; Admissions to
churches...
In a nutshell: “La dolce
vita” is not a utopian reality in Italy; Like visiting a Museum...
Roman Theatre, Fiesole,
Tuscany, Italy, 2007
Neptune by Ammannati,
Piazza della Signora, Florence, Italy, 2007
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