Travel To Italy – Rome And Venice

Where does one begin to start when discussing Italy. Well, if you intend to travel there, Rome and Venice are good places to start.

Rome

Perhaps you’ve heard of it? It goes without saying that Rome has a rather prominent past. Lets see, in Rome you will find…[deep breath]…the Vatican, Coliseum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Church of Saint Agnese, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and a guy name Allassandro. Just making sure you’re paying attention. Indeed, Rome is filthy with historically significant attractions. It seems you can’t turn around without bumping into something an Emperor built, captured or destroyed. For those willing to risk potential wrath, there are also the new Divinci Code tours, which take you to the locations found in the book.

In all serious, Rome is a city you should visit at least once in your life. No article could ever do it justice, so I’ll just stop here.

Venice

I fondly refer to Venice as the floating city even though it is apparently sinking. If you’ve seen Venice is movies or televisions shows, the depictions are accurate. Piazza San Marco looks exactly the same, birds and all. The Grande Canal is, well, a grand canal with incredible houses lining it and boats putting up down this water way. Built on mudflats in a lagoon, the city doesn’t really have much room to grow. It just seems paralyzed in time.

Once you’ve conquered the tourist attractions, it will be time to get serious about Venice. The best way to do this is stand in front of your hotel or hostel, determine which direction the tourist attractions lie and start walking in the opposite direction. While you may feel like you’re driving the wrong way on a freeway for a few minutes, you’ll eventually start getting into real Venice.

An entirely different side of Venice will appear and you’ll love it. You’ll find little cafes with locals happy to talk to you [and non-tourist prices]. In fact, the Venetians will tend to hold you in high regard since you’re a tourist who is bypassing the tourist areas. This, of course, will logically lead to a whirl of introductions to this nephew, that son of a brother and so on. Next thing you know, you’ll be complaining about Italian politicians and how things used to be better in the past.

While Rome and Venice are excellent travel destinations, you can’t really go wrong in Italy. For the adventurous, set your itinerary with the old map on a wall and dart technique.

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Travel To Italy – Rome And VeniceWhere does one begin to start when discussing Italy. Well, if you intend to travel there, Rome and Venice are good pl

Have A Weekend Break In Rome

The weekends around the Easter are the busiest times in Rome as this city comes alive for the most crucial week in the calendar of Roman Catholics.

The events start in St Peter's Square on Palm Sunday with the blessings of the public Mass and palms. On the morning of Thursday, the Pope preaches the morning Mass in Vatican Basilica. The best known "Mass of the Lord's Supper" takes place later in that evening where the Pope washes the feet of the 12 priests symbolically. The highlight of Good Friday is the "Via Crucis" procession of the Pope from Colosseum up Monte Palatino. The cross stations are detailed in various languages for the benefit of the many onlookers and the huge cross along with the burning torches lights the sky.

But it is Easter Sunday which is perhaps the busiest day when St Peter's Square is packed with visitors, waiting for the public Mass in the morning followed by the Easter blessing and address by the Pope. The conclusion of that benediction is declared by the bells of St Peter's which are quickly answered by cannons at the Castle of St Angelo.

The day after Easter is called "Pasquetta" or the Little Easter and it's where the celebrations actually begin. A number of Catholics head to the outskirts of the city along with their people to enjoy picnics in the surrounding towns and countryside and everywhere else around the country concerts, fairs and dances are held.

Florence

For more than 300 years, Florence has enjoyed Easter with the exploding cart or "Scoppio del Carro". A elaborate, huge cart is dragged through the streets by white oxen, strewn with flowers until they reach the Basilica di Santa Maria in the historic centre of the city. One steel wire links the cart to a High Alter present within the cathedral and, accompanying the Mass, the Archbishop sends a rocket designed in the shape of a dove down a wire into the cart, igniting fireworks hidden within it. This is followed by a lively costumed parade.

Siciliy

Easter in Sicilly (or the "Sa Pasca Manna") is the most crucial festival of the year. One of the most awesome processions in Sicily takes place in the Castelsardo on the Easter Monday. The lights in the town are put off and this procession, called the Lunissanti, winds its way through this town from St Mary's church, lit up only by torches. The other processions of Easter take place in the Castelsardo on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

Catenanuova holds the annual Festival for Easter (30th of the March to 8th of the April 2008) with attractions, street entertainment and processions for all the family.

Sardinia

In Cagliari there are ceremonies and processions both in the surrounding streets and local churches all through the Easter week.

In Oliena on Easter Sunday, the residents line the streets to enjoy the 'S'Incontru at a moment when the two individual processions - one carrying a statue of Christ, meet with the other carrying the Virgin Mary.

Go to Rome over Easter and enjoy a remarkable European cultural break.

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