Milan

The City of Milan

 Milan is the capital of Lombardy, has a population of 1.3 million people. This city is one of the biggest cities in Italy, the soul of the country and one of the most stylish cities of the planet, situated in the plains of Lombardy. Milan has an ancient city center with high and interesting buildings and palazzos. These reasons are because many people from all over the world want to see the city of glamour.

The city is one of the world's major commercial and financial centers, and one of the wealthiest cities in the European Union. It is the biggest industrial city of Italy with many different industrial sectors. Milan is one of the world capitals of fashion, between New York City, Paris, London, Tokyo, in design; it is a magnetic point for designers, artists, photographers and models. Indeed the English word milliner is derived from the name of the city. The Lombard metropolis is famous for fashion firms and shops (via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo, reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall. Another famed Milanese product is the traditional Christmas sweet cake, called Panettone. Milan is also famous for the Alfa Romeo motorcar and for its silk production; but on the whole relies on its directional functions for the whole of Lombardy, its once proud and strong industrial base having been externalized throughout the region in the 60s-70s of the last century. The city hosted among other events the World Exposition in 1906, the FIFA World Cup in 1934 and 1990, the UEFA European Football Championship in 1980, and has submitted a bid to BIE to host the Universal Expo 2015.

Milan is situated in mediterrean area, and his climate is typical of this region. The weather is divided into very hot summer season up to very cold winter, Italy's climate is predominantly Mediterranean, Alpine in the far north; hot and dry in the south. Winter in Milan is comparatively mild but foggy, with temperatures ranging from zero to 8 degrees Celsius. Summer can be very humid with brief thunderstorms; temperatures range from 14 to 29 degrees. From March through April temperatures range from 6 to 18 degrees. From October through November they range from 6 to 17 degrees.

Milan History

Strategically situated at the gateway to the Italian peninsula, Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy have been the argument of constant disputes over the centuries. Celts, Romans, Goths, Lombards, Spaniards and Austrians have all controled the city at some stage of its history and for the most part, the city has capitalised on its position and has emerged today as the undisputed economic and cultural powerhouse of a united Italy, not without occasionally fighting back against foreign dominators.

Milan's origin goes back to 400 B.C., when Gauls settled and defeated the Etruscans against Celts who were about to overrun the city.

In the year 222 B.C. the city was conquered by Romans and was appended to the Roman Empire. After 313 A.D., the year of the Edict of Tolerance towards Christianity, many churches were built and the first bishop was appointed, Ambrogio was such an influential person that the church became the Ambrosian Church (7 December is a holiday to honour Sant’Ambrogio). In 1300 the Visconti family which are noblemen from Bergamo, Cremona, Piacenza, Brescia and Parma ruled and brought a period of glory and wealth to the city. The Duomo was built in 1386 and became the symbol of Milan.

The Visconti And Sforza Families:
The Sforza family assumed the Castle and the power of the Visconti family and finally Milan got peace after many years of war against Venice and Florence. Under the Sforza duchy the city began the development of sciences, art and literature. Ludovico il Moro (Ludovico Sforza) called Leonardo da Vinci and “il Bramante” to his court.

Spanish And Austrian Domination:
In the early 16th century (the last years of Sforza rule) northern Italy was one of the territories contested by the Spanish and the French monarchies. Francesco Sforza ruled under the tutelage of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (a Habsburg and King Charles I of Spain), but when Francesco died in 1535, Charles assumed direct power so began 170 years of Spanish domination which transformed the once-proud independent Duchy of Milan in the neglected capital of a province administered, guarded and taxed by foreigners. It was a time of no development and the city was also oppressed by the scourge of plague in 1630. Fortunately in the second half of the 17th century Milan's religious and cultural life was given fresh vigour thanks to the initiatives of Borromeo family, especially Carlo and Federico. Then, the great European wars of the early 18th century assured the Austrian domination of the city, which completely changed in all society fields (economic, public, cultural, artistic, administrative, scientific) thanks to the improvement given by the Habsburg dynasty.

The Napoleonic Era:
It was thanks to this climate of enlightenment that Napoleon was received so enthusiastically by the Milanese when he marched into the city in May 1796, many optmist at that time saw him as the symbol of the democratic reform spirit. After Napoleon fall in 1814, the Congress of Vienna restored Lombardy to Austria, but Austrians were no longer enlightened reformers and the Milanese remained largely hostile to Austrian rule; hostility that found a musical outlet in some of Verdi's early operas and that finally exploded in the heroic Cinque Giornate of 1848 (five days of street fighting). However , owing to the military incopetence of Carlo Emanuele of Piedmont, the uprising failed and the Austrian forces re-entered the city which was placed under their commander-in-chief Count Joseph Radetzky's control.

The Kingdom Of Italy:
It was just in 1859 that the Austrians were run out of the city and Milan was appended to the Kingdom of Piedmont which became the Kingdom of Italy two years later. The liberation passed through the pressure of combined military intervention by the French and the Piedmontese and the decisive action of Risorgimento hero Giuseppe Garibaldi and his guerrilla troops. Since the seat of governement had to be Rome, from this time on Milan was chosen as the economical and cultural capital of Italy. To celebrate its new free status a great number of grandiose building projects were undertaken, for example the construction of the great Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the San Vittore prison, the Cimitero Monumentale and the San Gottardo tunnel.

Fascism & post-war period:
The fascist party was based in Milan in 1919 encouraged by the tumultuous climate created by numerous strikes supporting socialism grew. The population did not try to resist the dictatorship, except some industrial workers and intellectuals. But it was in this period that pompous works and examples of innovative architecture were built; the Central Station and the Triennale are two of them.

During the war Milan was devastated. At the end of World War II Lombardy was instrumental in the boom that transformed Italy from a relatively backward, agricultural country to an industrial world leader. The city became a major financial centre and the region's new-found wealth attracted myriad workers from the south of Italy in a wave of immigration. It is nowadays the major center for commerce, finance, publishing and recently media, design and fashion. 

Eating in milan

In Milan you will find everything you were looking for, enough to satisfy every taste and affordable for every pocket. Traditional Milanese cooking is made up of simple, meager dishes and perhaps for this reason it was banished during the ambitious 1980s. It has only recently returned to popularity. Food in workaholic Milan, at lunchtime at least, is more a necessity than a pleasure, with the city centre dominated by sandwich shops (called paninoteche) and fast-food outlets. Anyway, don't worry: many good restaurants can offer you a suitable and appetizing meal. The Milanese people have now returned to their origins, enjoying the tastes with the pleasure that one feels when one returns home after a long trip. Now there are trattorias, inns and restaurants (including luxury ones) everywhere that offer traditional Milanese dishes to eat.

One of the many aperitifs that you can try out during happy hour is the classical Negroni, which is a little "aggressive" but is especially loved by the Milanese, made with Bitter Campari, Gin, red Martini and ice, that must be tried with a few snacks. If you are thinking to visit this city, don't miss out on the chance to try some typical food that you can find here in their original version. 

Nightlife in Milan

Milan is not only the capital of fashion, business, this place is also the city in which nightlife means much more than a simple drawn-out dinner. The nightlife in Milan is really thrilling. There are many bars, lounge bars, wine bars, pubs, cafés, bistrots, pubs, wine cellars, live music bars and lots of others besides.

The Milanese night scene is so massive and changes all the time, just like everything in this eclectic city. There are clubs that are furnished in hi-tech style, or that are inspired by the Savannah, with leopard-skin chairs, palm trees and pretend elephants' heads. Wine bars in minimal Japanese style and others that make you think you are in Bollywood, if you go by their music and furnishings. There are atmospheres for all taste and for states of mind: the Milanese love variation, and if there are still any habitués around, most Milanese people prefer the excitement of the unforeseen and new experiences. There are so many possibilities to choose from for spending your evening. Clubs in Milan live on "word of mouth": all they need to do is attract a few opinion leaders of night life and they've won!. One interesting thing is that Milanese night life begins very early: you don’t have to wait for dusk to be with your friends and enjoy yourself.

Other important element is happy hour, that the Milanese cannot go without for anything on Earth. From 6 pm to 9.30 pm in Milan you can drink cocktails accompanied by substantial buffets with several courses, pasta, meat or fish, in all the clubs in Milan. All this for about 5-7 Euro per cocktail.

Some places that you shouldn't miss if you are in Milan:

• Rolling Stone Disco
  Via Corso XXII Marzo 32
  Description: Bus 45, 73 Tram 12, 27. It is the right place for those who love rock music, and rock concerts.
• Magazzini Generali Disco
  Via Pietrasanta 14
  Description: Bus 90, Tram 24. Metro Lodi. This is a dance club, an exhibition space and a concert venue. Many important artists have performed there, for example Wyclef Jean.
• Hollywood Disco
  Corso Como 15
  Description: Metro Garibaldi.Very frequented by celebrities such as models, fashion designers, football players, and stars of tv.
• Shu
  Via Molino delle Armi, Milan, Italy
  Description: Shu is one of the hippest and trendiest bars in Milan. It has a sci-fi decorating theme, with large gold hands supporting the high ceiling. They have a happening happy hour. Happy hour is a big deal in Milan, and pretty much all the bars and clubs in the city have great specials and big crowds, you don't need to wait until after dusk to start partying!
• Il Gattopardo Café
  Via Piero Della Francesca
  Description: Metro Bullona. It is placed in a deconsecrated church and tou could dance in the nave.
• Casablanca Café
  Corso Como 14
  Description: Metro Garibaldi. This is a disco bar and restaurant that offers commercial house music.
• Tocqueville Disco
  Via Tocqueville 13
  Description: Metro Garibaldi, Tram 11, 29, 30, 33. The scene remember the 70s decor, it offers commercial house music. Very frequented by VIPs.
• Nausicaa Disco
  Via Tirano 14
  Description: It offers commercial, hip hop, and latin music.
• Alcatraz Disco
  Via Valtellina, 25 (closed from Monday to Thursday)
  Description: It is all in one: discotheque, pub, restaurant and concert hall. There are international concerts in a place which was an industrial factory before.
• Old Fashion Disco
  Viale Alemagna 6 (closed on Sunday) Metro 1 or 2; Tram 1; 27; 18; bus 57; 61; 70; 94
  Description: It is situated in the same building of the Triennale in Parco Sempione. It is an elegant disco-pub and it is crowded in summer. It has a garden and an open-air dance floor, as well as a restaurant.
• Nuova Idea International Disco
  Via de Castilia Gaetano 30
  Description: It was founded in 1975 as a gay disco and since that time there are people from all over the world celebrating the nights.
• Old Fox Pub
  Via Cesare da Sesto 23
  Description: It is a typical english pub that offers draught beers and cocktails
• Musical Box Pub
  Piazza Chiaradia 9
  Description: Very nice pub with beers and cocktails.
• Aliby
  Via Crispi 2
  Description: It is a disco pub from about 22.00 pm til on. It offers aperitives too at 18.00 pm.
• Frog café
  Via Savona
  Description: It is an ethnic pub. Very good cocktails
• Antik
  Via Ascanio Sforza 47 Navigli
  Description: English pub. It offers cocktails beers and also happy hour.
• Europe Café
  Via Vigevano 13
  Description: Typical european pub, draught beers and cocktails.
• El Beverin
  Via Brera 29
  Description: Nice atmosphere and nice people, singers and actors frequent this pub.
• The Biz Café
  Via Corso XXII Marzo 23
  Description: This is an American bar, it offers happy hour too.
• Movida
  Via Ascanio Sforza 41 Navigli
  Description: American pub. Nice atmosphere happy hour too.
• Arcobaleno
  Via Ascanio Sforza
  Description: It is an Irish pub in Navigli. Very nice pub good beers.

 

Milan Weather Information

 Milan has very foggy winters and very humid and muggy summers. Milan also suffers from thunder and lightening in the summer. Though Italy possess a predominantly Mediterranean climate, Milan's winters (December - February) qualify as brisk, with lows below freezing.

The mountains protect the city from the worst of the Northern European winter, however. Summer (May-Sept) can be hot and muggy. In August, most of the city heads to the beaches to escape the 30°C-plus (86°F-plus) heat; you'd do well to follow suit. 

Maps 

Genoa

Genoa Travel Guide

Genoa or Genova is as multilayered as the hills it clings to. The Genoa's name comes from Genua, founded by the two headed Giano, protector of ships and coins. This was a city of two faces, which looks both inland and towards the sea. Genoa, as well as being full of mythical origins, has always been a crossroads of traffic and culture, between continental Europe and the Mediterranean, thanks to it natural position and the initiative of its inhabitants.

A city rich in art and a major seaport, of flourishing trade and commercial exchange, Genoa is one of the most extraordinary cities in Italy. Long ignored by conventional tourist routes, Genoa offers its visitors incredible attractions and a stunning artistic heritage. Maybe it’s this ancient port’s earthy atmosphere that puts the tourists off, or maybe it’s just that in Italy they are spoilt for choice. Whatever the reason, visitors are missing out on somewhere special. Genoa, once the equal and arch-rival of Venice, has a medieval old town to rival any in Europe.

The main features of central Genoa include Piazza de Ferrari, around which are sited the Opera and the Palace of the Doges. There is also a house where Christopher Columbus putatively was born. Its medieval old town, the biggest in Europe, is an intricate labyrinth of alleyways, where among the shops, restaurants, and local stores, visitors can catch sight of the city's noble past in its 16th century palazzos, baroque edifices, and Romanesque churches, looming over the little piazzas.

Strada Nuova (now Via Garibaldi), in the old city, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2006. This district was designed in the mid-16th century to accommodate Mannerist palaces of the city's most eminent families, including Palazzo Rosso (now a museum), Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Grimaldi and Palazzo Reale. The famous art college, Musei di Strada Nuova and the Palazzo del Principe are also located on this street.

The city center is a manageable extension but it's a bit of a steep climb from the port to the old town (centro storico) via narrow, unmapped caruggi, medieval streets punctuated by treasure-filled churches and stylish boutiques. Gorgeous antiques are displayed in the frescoed entrance to a 16th-century palace at Galleria Imperiale, at the bottom of via Scurreria, off piazza di Lorenzo. Eventually, the caruggi lead to the city’s main squares: piazza Banchi, once a grain market, now filled with flower compartments and second-hand record shops; the revamped piazza de Ferrari, with the Palazzo della Borsa, a major exhibition center, on its south-east corner; and the neighbouring piazza Matteotti, with the imposing Palazzo Ducale, once home to Genoa’s ruler, the Doge, and now an exhibition hall. Rubens has two works in the Gesù church nearby, itself a 16th-century baroque masterpiece.

City of Genoa

Genoa (Genova in Italian, Zena in Genoese) is a city of northwest Italy on the Gulf of Genoa and a seaport in northern Italy. The city has an approximate population of 620,000 and the urban area has an approximate population of 890,000. The population is homogeneously Italian. Southern and northern Italians alike have flocked to the city during the late 1900's. An estimated 95.3% of the population is of Italian origin. But there has been a sharp increase of immigrants mostly from South America, Eastern Europe, and a very meager number from Asia. The city, characterized by one of the largest historical centers in Europe, is the core of the Italian Riviera. Activity of the tertiary sector, settled in the downtown, is primarily related to the commercial port, one of the most important in the Mediterranean Sea.

Now many things are changing towards a better use of the territory with a keen view to the environment and so becoming more interesting for tourists. Arriving to the Ligurian area, the town is really worth a visit as many ancient Renaissance buildings, famous museums and very good restaurants are all within an easy reach. The Old Town is the biggest in Europe and one of the best preserved old cities in the world. Great palaces, property of the ancient powerful Genoa families are now museums open to the public. Genoa has been elected Cultural Capital for the year 2004 by the European Parliament Commission.

Between Genoa's notable buildings are the Cathedral of San Lorenzo (rebuilt in 1100 and frequently restored), the palace of the doges, the richly decorated churches of the Annunciation and of St. Ambrose (both 16th cent.), the medieval Church of San Donato, many Renaissance palaces, and the Carlo Felice opera house (19th cent.). The city is surrounded by old walls and forts, and the steep and narrow streets of the harbor section are very picturesque. The 16th-century Lanterna [lighthouse] is an emblem of Genoa. The Old Port was redesigned in 1992 by Renzo Piano; a modern aquarium and tropical greenhouse (the Bolla) are there. Genoa has several museums and a university (founded 1243). 

Genoa Aquarium

Genoa Aquarium is the biggest in Europe and one of the most important worldwide, and with one and a half million visitors each year it is one of Europe’s leading cultural attractions. The Aquarium is an eloquent tribute to Genoa's link with the sea and surrounding coastal waters.

The aquarium's 59 tanks reproduce marine and terrestrial habitat from throughout the world and provide a home for more than 6000 animals belonging to 600 different species at same time respect their biological equilibrium. While it is first and foremost a tourist attraction, the Aquarium also has a mission to increase public awareness of environmental problems.

Inside, the immense tanks form virtual walls of water among which visitors can wander accompanied by the sound of waves, currents and echoes from the deep. The most spectacular ones are those housing the sharks, the dolphins and the seals are amazing to watch. Very impressive is the reproduction of a coral reef from the Caribbean with an incredible variety of coral, plants, peculiar sea creatures and brightly colored fish. During the summer and on weekend you might find the Aquarium pretty crowded, nevertheless, visits are made easier by long-opening hours and no lunch-time closings.

How to get there:

• From Conference Centre: Volabus to Stazione P.Principe and then normal bus, or Sheraton shuttle.
• By car: "Genova Ovest" mortoway Exit, take the overground to "Piazza Cavour" exit.
• By train: from "P.Principe" Station (bus n.1-3-7-8-38); from "Brignole" Station (bus n.12-15).

 

Genoa Eating & Drinking

Genoa is one of the most important towns for what it is known as the Mediterranean cuisine. It is very rich in ingredients and flavors, and often very labor-intensive. Genoise cooking is dedicated mainly to the natural products that have always existed in the area which stretches between the mountains and the sea. The Ligurians use very simple ingredients, which by themselves seem insignificant, but when combined together, they truly accentuate and bring out each ingredient's individual qualities to produce a final result of superb flavor harmony: mushrooms, pine nuts, walnuts, and a great variety of aromatic herbs.

The base of all recipes is Ligurian olive oil, delicately flavored and perfect for preparing tasty sauces. The most known of these is pesto, a sauce made of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. The best choice to accompany meat dishes is "salsa verde" (green sauce), made of parsley and pine nuts, while salsa di noci (walnut sauce) goes perfectly with pasta and ravioli.

Diverse kinds of focacce and torte salate (a kind of vegetable and cheese pie) are typically Genoese treats. These dishes are eaten both as meals and as appetizing snacks: from the simple focaccia all'olio (focaccia with olive oil) to focaccia filled with cheese, no one can resist the tempting smell of this Ligurian specialty! You can't leave without having tried the farinata, a unique kind of focaccia made from chick-pea flour.

Fish truly occupies a principal place on the menus of Genoese restaurants. A true masterpiece of Ligurian cuisine is the cappon magro: a very elaborate dish made of various kinds of fish and boiled vegetables, and seasoned with a sauce of herbs and pine nuts.

Other local recipes are the fritto misto (mixed deep-fried seafood), l'insalata di pesce (seafood salad), triglie (mullet) alle genovese, stoccafisso in agrodolce (cod in sweet and sour sauce), with pine nuts and raisins. Mussels are omnipresent, alla marinara or stuffed with meat, cheese, eggs, or marjoram. Finally, the queen of the Ligurian sea; the anchovy, which can be eaten cold, but is best when stuffed.

Between the desserts, one of the most distinctive is "pandolce", a treat found on every table at Christmastime. Genoa is famous for its pastries: Canestrelli, amaretti, Baci di Dama (little walnut pastries), and Gobeletti, little short breads filled with quince jam. 

Nightlife in Genoa

On first impressions, life after dark looks sparse but a bit of time rooting around in the old town will turn up a good choice of convivial bars and small clubs, some of them with live music.

The best source of information on nightlife is the local daily paper Il Secolo XIX ; in summer you can supplement this with Genova by Night, the tourist office's free what's-on guide. The student magazine La Rosa Purpurea del Cairo also has information on music, theatre and cinema; it's published monthly and is available from bars and some Via Balbi bookshops in term-time.

There are plenty of bars along the seamy waterfront Via Gramsci, in between the strip joints and brothels, but more attractive places to drink can be found on the side roads off Via XX Settembre and around Piazza delle Erbe. Moretti on Via San Bernardo is a beery student dive; Le Corbusier , Via San Donato 36r, is consistently popular; Epr? Rosse , Via Ravecca 54r, is a characterful wine-bar. The Britannia pub at Vico Casana 76r, off Piazza di Ferrari, has pints of Guinness and burgers and chips. The Louisiana club on Via San Sebastiano has live trad jazz most nights from around 10pm, but you'll find more happening joints tucked away in the southern part of the old town: the Quaalude , beneath the "Massari" signboard at Piazza Sarzano 14, is an underground club that features live bands and/or dance parties on Fridays and Saturdays - ask around in local bars for the latest news.

Theatre and opera in Italy
The two main theatres in Genoa are the Teatro della Corte, Via E.F. Duca d'Aosta, and the Teatro Duse, Via Bacigalupo, who advertise their performances on the same hoardings around town and sell tickets to both venues (tel 010.534.2200, The two main theatres in Genoa are the Teatro della Corte, Via E.F. Duca d'Aosta, and the Teatro Duse, Via Bacigalupo, who advertise their performances on the same hoardings around town and sell tickets to both venues (tel 010.534.2200, www.teatro-di-genova .it.net ). The Teatro Carlo Felice in Piazza de Ferrari (tel 010.589.329, www.carlofelice.it ), is Genoa's main opera house ; its performances are often oversubscribed, but it's still worth an enquiry. Chamber music concerts take place in some of Genoa's palaces over summertime.

 

Florence

Introducing Florence

Florence is considered one of the most magnificent cities in Italy, as well as the world. Located in the heart of Tuscany, the tourist can find fields of sunflowers, miles of vineyards, rolling hills and mountaintop castles. This place is the Renaissance capital of the world, its famous sons are Leonardo Da Vinci, Dante Alighieri, Machiavelli, Fra Angelico and Michelangelo. It is a destination not to be missed.

Florence has an exceptional artistic patrimony, celebrated testimony to its secular civilization. Cimabue and Giotto were considered the fathers of Italian painting, they lived in this place, along with Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, reformists of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, founders of the Renaissance. The Italian Renaissance, Europe's richest cultural period, began in Florence when the artist Brunelleschi finished the Duomo, with the huge dome. Ghiberti and the Della Robbia; Filippo Lippi and l'Angelico; Botticelli and Paolo Uccello; the universal geniuses Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Their works are exhibited in the city's many museums and known around of the world. Boccaccio wrote his 'Decameron' in Florence. From the 13th to the 16th century it was a seemingly endless source of creative masterpieces and Italian genius. During the Italian Renaissance Florence constructed its renaissance palaces and squares, turning it into a living museum. Many squares, such as Piazza della Signoria exhibit famous statues and fountains.

Probably Florence is a city of incomparable indoor pleasures. Its chapels, galleries and museums are an incomparable treasure, apprehending the complex, often elusive spirit of the Renaissance more fully than any other place in the country. The most famous museum in Florence is the Uffizi which houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Rubens. Other great art museums include the Pitti Palace, Galleria dell'Accademia and Palazzo Vecchio. Florence is also home to some of the biggest churches in Italy, including the famous Duomo of Florence, San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce.

The surroundings of Florence have many things to offer to the visitor. You can explore this region for weeks without being bored. For these day trips the city of Florence is the perfect starting point. 

 

City of Florence

Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany, it enjoys of a population of around half a million inhabitants, this city is located on the banks of the Arno, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. Florence possess industries and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. Being on the main national railway lines, it is easily accessible from most important places both in Italy and abroad. The Florence "Vespucci" airport, where both national and international airlines stop, is located 5 Km. from the city centre. The main motorway, A1, connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway A11 to the sea joins it to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also motorway which connects Florence to Siena. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers.

The Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, is one of the most beautiful countrysides in Italy and a famous wine production area. Tourism and crafts produce abundant sources of income (jewelry, embroidery, footwear, leatherwork, ceramics, wrought-iron and basket work, lace and reproduction furniture).

Florence attracts a high proportion of international travelers to Italy. The city is a live centre of culture, and coordinates periodical exhibitions and art festivals. Industry, though consisting generally of small and medium-sized firms, has fairly important precision engineering, optical, pharmaceutical, chemical, metallurgical, publishing and textile sectors. The economy of Florence is based mainly on the services sector, as the city is an important commercial centre. The traditional centuries-old banking and financial sector continues to flourish.

Florence is a complicated city for beginners, the total volume of people crammed into this centre of this Renaissance city can be overwhelming. But visiting out of season, when the queues are shorter and all is more calmed. Nearly all of the main sights in Florence lie within the "centro storico". However, there is so much classic art that even given the city's small size, it's impossible to see it all in a short visit. Go for quality, not quantity and don’t feel as if you have to see it all. 

Florence History

The history of Florence started with the establishment in 59 BC of a colony for Roman former soldiers, with the name Florentia. Julius Caesar had allocated the fertile soil of the valley of the Arno to his veterans. They built a castrum in a chessboard pattern of an army camp, with the main streets, the cardo and the decumanus, intersecting at the present Piazza della Repubblica. This pattern can still be found in the city center. Florentia was situated at the Via Cassia, the main route between Rome and the North. Through this advantageous position, the settlement could rapidly expand into an important commercial center. Emperor Diocletian made Florentia capital of the province of Tuscia in the 3rd century AD.

For the sake of defense, the city was set at the confluence of two streams, the Arno and the Mugnone, where the oldest populations had previously been located.

Rectangular in plan, it was enclosed in a wall about 1800 meters long. The built-up area, like all the cities founded by the Romans, was characterized by straight roads which crossed at right angles. The two main roads led to four towered gates and converged on a central square, the forum urbis, now Piazza della Repubblica, where the Curia and the Temple dedicated to the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva) were later to rise. Archaeological finds, many of which came to light during the course of works which "gave new life", to the old city center, have made it possible to locate and identify the remains of various important public works such as the Capitoline Baths, the Baths of Capaccio, the sewage system, the pavement of the streets and the Temple of Isis, in Piazza San Firenze. At that time the Arno was outside the walls, with a river port that constituted an important infrastructure for the city, for in Roman times the river was navigable from its mouth up to its confluence with the Affrico, upstream from Florence, and the first bridge in Florentine history was built in all likelihood somewhat upstream from today's Ponte Vecchio, around the first century B.C..

Thanks to its favorable position and the role it played in the ambit of the territorial organization in the region and it soon superceded Arezzo as the leading center in northern Etruria, the city expanded rapidly. Economic power was the driving force behind the urban growth of the young colony. Commercial activity and trade thrived thanks to the fact that important communications routes, land and water, intersected at Florentia and offer an explanation for the presence of those oriental merchants, probably on their way from Pisa, who first introduced the cult of Isis and then, in the 2nd century, Christianity.

The earliest indications of the Christian religion are bound to the cults of the deacon Lorenzo and the Palestinian saint, Felicita and so the first Florentine churches were built: San Lorenzo consecrated in 393, the first diocese, and Santa Felicita, whose origins go back to the 4th and 5th centuries. However, the Florentines do not seem to have had a bishop prior to the late 3rd century. The first one recorded is San Felice who participated in a Roman synod in 313.

The surge in artistic, literary, and scientific investigation that occurred in Florence in the 14th-16th centuries was precipitated by Florentines' preoccupation with money, banking and trade and with the display of wealth and leisure.

In addition, the crises of the Roman Catholic church (especially the controversy over the French Avignon Papacy and the Great Schism), along with the catastrophic effects of the Black Death, led to a re-evaluation of medieval values, resulting in the development of a humanist culture, stimulated by the works of Petrarch and Boccaccio. This prompted a revisitation and study of the classical antiquity, leading to the Renaissance. Florence benefited materially and culturally from this sea-change in social consciousness.

Florence Arrival

Thanks to its two international airports at Florence and Pisa, Tuscany is well connected with Italy and also with Europe and beyond, the main gateways to this beautiful region. However, Tuscany is not limited to its regional airports, excellent rail link can make flying to and from surounding airports at Bologna (and Bologna Forli), Milan (Linate and Malpensa) and Rome (Fiumicino and Ciampino) very easy. Florence's Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci, 5km northwest in Perètola, is linked to SMN station by ATAF city bus #62 (every 25min; L1500/0.77) and SITA buses (hourly; L6000/3.10). Details to parking.

Florence has a number of train stations that link the main areas of the city. The principle train station is Santa Maria Novella also it is called Firenze SMN, located right in the city centre, in Piazza Stazione, front of the Santa Maria Novella Church. High-speed, long-distance trains connect Florence Santa Maria Novella with other Italian and European cities via the the main north south line running from Milan to Rome. In general train travel is relatively inexpensive and rapid. Connections from Florence to Rome and Milan are excellent, and Rome is roughly 1 hour 40 minutes away, and Milan is 3 hours away on the high speed trains.

The main motorway (A1) connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway to the sea (Autostrada del Mare) joins it to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also the Superstrada (a dual-carriageway) which connects Florence to Siena.

The city's largest tourist office is at Via Cavour 1r (Tel: 055 290 832; Fax: 055 276 0383), about 3 blocks north of the Duomo. Outrageously, they now charge for basic, useful info: 50€ (65¢) for a city map (though there's still a free one that differs only in lacking relatively inane brief descriptions of the museums and sights), 2€ ($2.60) for a little guide to museums and 1€ ($1.30) each for pamphlets on the bridges and the piazze of Florence. The monthly Informacittà pamphlet on events, exhibits, and concerts is still free. It's open Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 6:30pm and Sunday from 8:30am to 1:30pm.
 

Best of Florence

Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy, located just across the main railway station which shares its name. From its front view, the church of Santa Maria Novella is one of the city's most beautiful buildings, and inside it has yet more fabulous Renaissance frescoes, by Uccello, Ghirlandaio and others.

Bóboli Gardens
For a break from the streets, take a picnic into the meandering paths of the Bóboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace, before entering the city's number two art gallery.

Brunelleschi's Dome
What Masaccio did for painting, his contemporary Brunelleschi did for architecture; he created the cathedral's amazing dome, which offers a stunning view of the city.

San Miniato al Monte
Walk across the Ponte Vecchio and turn left to reach the marble-fronted church of San Miniato - the building itself is exquisite, and you get a classic view of Florence from its front door.

Benvenuto
Benvenuto looks more like a delicatessen than a trattoria from the street, but the groups waiting for a table give the game away; the gnocchi and arista are delicious.

Santa Croce
Santa Croce is a wonderful Gothic basilica containing superb frescoes by Giotto and others, with tranquil cloisters adjoining.

The Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the gratiest museums in Italy and the world.

The Brancacci Chapel
Encapsulating the dawning of the Renaissance, Masaccio's set of frescos in the Brancacci Chapel of the Carmini church is worth a visit, however long you have to wait to get in.

Vivoli
Vivoli serves up the finest Florentine ice cream; search it out in tiny Via Isola delle Stinche.

Fiesole
The little hill town of Fiesole is a great place from which to survey the city of Florence; and you'll get a taste for the more bucolic pleasures that await elsewhere in Tuscany. 

Florence Eating & Drinking

The region of Florence has one of the most versatile and varied-form cooking traditions in Italy. Florentine food in particular, is essentially based on simple, natural ingredients, deriving from the traditions of peasant food and is therefore, wholesome and tasty, featuring more often than not broths and stews. The three main symbols that define Tuscan gastronomy are wine, olive oil and bread. This special gastronomic art has recently been reconsidered by the world of more sophisticated cuisine. Cereals, bread, vegetable and oil (which must be extra-virgin), tasty soups, roast and grilled meat (the famous "bistecca and grilled chicken"), boiled meat, cheese, an abundance of vegetables and fresh fruit, salamis and cold meats, and typical vegetable dishes are the basis of many recipes that just have to be tried in one of the many restaurants in Florence.

Of course you will find several restaurants focused on international specialties, but once you are in Florence, we strictly recommend tasting the Italian.

Maybe you cannot talk about Tuscan cuisine without mentioning the wines, wines are famously substantial, Chianti in particular. It is said Chianti wines were first invented back in 1860. Today they are produced across the region and exported on a massive scale. Chianti Classico however only comes from the area between Florence and Siena and every bottle proudly bears the growers label of a black cockerel on a gold background. 

Florence Nightlife

Florence offers a lot of opportunities for entertainment, with many clubs, pubs and discos. Florence's nights can be spent not only inside a club but even on the road looking at the marvelous monuments illuminated by the moon, or simply walking throughout the roads looking at artists that sing and play with you. Don't forget to go to see the beautiful view of Florence by night from Piazzale Michelangelo. The city's sizeable population of British and American students ensures a supply of English-language films, and the highbrow cultural calendar is filled out with seasons of classical music, opera and dance to rival the best in Europe.

Clubs and pubs are located almost in the centre of the city, around the Cathedral or in other famous squares of the city you can find many small places where you can enjoy of a beer or a glass of the best Chianti wine. Most of them are Irish pubs but, you don't worry there are also English one, American, and even Spanish and if you want to taste Tuscan specialities you absolutely have to spend an evening in an Enoteca. Entry to clubs is expensive at around €13, although tickets usually include a free drink at the bar. In the centre there are even some little discos, don't worry about dressing, you can enter anywhere without problems. If you don't want to close yourself in a pub go for a walk under the stars and go to listen to the street musicians.

You might find information in English about concerts and shows at the kiosks in Piazza Repubblica and inside the Palazzo Vecchio; otherwise, consult the tourist offices, check out advertising hoardings around town or get hold of the Firenze Spettacolo monthly listings magazine. 

Florence Weather

Florence encompasses many diverse terrains and landscapes and the rules change from one zone to the next. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers. You can be sure that July and August in Tuscany will be hot, sometimes stiflingly so, thanks to the humidity levels that can make Florence and the major cities of Tuscany veritable hothouses.

The climate changes around the day in the middle of August (feragosto), when the first rains are expected and with them a beginning of a decrease in temperature. September can still be very hot in October, this is a perfect month to visit Tuscany and Florence, blue skies without the packed cities and the intense heat. But, some like it hot! November has night-time temperatures really start to drop, with crisp autumn days to accompany the main olive harvest throughout Tuscany. Winter in Tuscany can be cold and wet but spring always seems to come quickly. March is azalea and camelia time, whilst April and May are sometimes very wet months.  

 

 

 

Aeolian Islands

Introducing Aeolian Islands

The Aeolian islands (Isole Eolie) are a group of attractive islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea about 25-50km north of Sicily in Italy. Formerly off the beaten track, this diverse group of volcanic islands is becoming more popular and can be very busy during July and August. 

 

 

 

 

Regions

Stromboli from the sea

• Lipari - the main island and the main town (called Lipari as well) is the transportation hub, with plenty of hotels and makes a good base.
• Vulcano - right next to Lipari, this island is dominated by the Gran Cratere volcano cone giving off clouds of sulphurous gas. This peak gives great views. The island is popular for its beaches and mud baths.

• Vulcano - right next to Lipari, this island is dominated by the Gran Cratere volcano cone giving off clouds of sulphurous gas. This peak gives great views. The island is popular for its beaches and mud baths.
• Salina is lush and hilly - great for a relaxing walk. Some of the film Il Postino was shot here.
• Panarea - a smaller, upmarket island with great views across to Stromboli.
• Stromboli - the most remote of the islands, it is little more than a volcano rising out of the sea. Popular for trips out at night to see magma spurting out of the cone.
• Filicudi and Alicudi lie to the West and are much less visited, particularly Alicudi, which is still primarily agrarian. 

Talk

Although local dialects of Sicilian are spoken among the locals, the traveller will find that standard Italian is also spoken by most people. Those involved in the tourist trade may also speak some English, German, or French. Cellular telephone coverage is dependable in the settled areas, but access to the internet is rare. There are a few internet cafes in Lipari Town. 

Get in

There are frequent car ferries and much quicker hydrofoils from Milazzo and Messina on Sicily , and from Reggio di Calabria on the mainland, to and between the islands. Most call first at Lipari, and then proceed to the other islands. Ferries are frequent in summer, with fewer during spring, autumn and winter and a reduced service year-round on Sundays. For timetables see SIREMAR, Ustica Lines  and NGI . It is important to check the timetables in advance, and to allow plenty of time for connections, as boats can be early or late.

A few car ferries a week also continue on to Naples and during the summer hydrofoils run to and from Naples, Cefalù, Palermo and Messina.

The Aeolian Islands are quite remote, which is part of their appeal. No air travel is available to the archipelago, except for the very expensive helicopter service which runs during high season from the Catania airport. For more information see Air Panarea . Most international travellers, then, will arrive at the airport of either Palermo or Catania airport in Sicily, or Reggio di Calabria, across the straits of Messina on the mainland.

Although the Reggio airport is relatively near the port, boats from Reggio are infrequent. Likewise, only a few ferries per day run from Palermo during high season, and the airport is far from the city. These ports are best used by the traveller who is already in Italy, as is Naples, a much longer boat trip that is convenient for travelers arriving by plane or train in Naples from points north. For the traveller arriving directly from abroad, numerous budget airlines have routes from around Europe to Catania. From there, one can take the train, or an express bus, to Messina, connecting to a boat; or, at Messina, one can connect to a second train or bus to Milazzo, which has by far the most boat departures. Although it is convenient to change trains in Messina, the Milazzo train station is a few miles from the port. On the other hand, the bus from Catania arrives at the train station, while the bus for Milazzo departs from a separate bus station a few blocks away. Ask for help at the information booth outside the train station. One express bus per day departs from Catania airport for Milazzo, but arrives there so late as to miss the boat for certain of the islands. One may wish to spend the first night in Lipari, with its charming town, and then depart for the outlying islands. As another alternative, the car rental agencies have special deals allowing the traveller the use of a car one-way from Catania to Milazzo - inquire in advance as these deals may not be available without reservations. The car rental agencies in Milazzo are a few blocks from the port.

Get around

The larger islands, Lipari, Vulcano and Salina have quite good bus services. Timetables are available at the tourist offices in each island's port. Those islands also have scooters for rent, and are the only of the islands with comprehensive systems of roads. Panarea and Stromboli are small enough to have no roads or automobiles to speak of; Panarea in particular is completely accessible by foot. Alicudi and Filicudi are so remote that they have little in the way of developed tourist industries or infrastructure. On those islands, transport from the port, and scooter rental, should be arranged with one's inkeeper. Boat rental is also popular for touring the periphery of each island; although the small boats for rent are not adequate for travel between the islands, but are popular for the excursion from Panarea to the islets of Basiluzzo and Drauto.

See

Vulcano is the first port of call for ferries from Milazzo. As well as the spectacular view of the narrow channel between this island and neighbouring Lipari, you're also greeted with the strange sight of a stack of sulphurous oozings, right by the harbour, with an accompanying smell! Disembarking, you can follow the road between the said stack and a huge red rock, sulphurous fumes hissing out of the side of the pavement, to one of the island's main attractions. Next to the beach, the locals have created a hollow in the volcanic clay that is filled with yellow mud. After bathing in the mud, you can swim in the sea and wash it all off. Swimming here is a very special experience, because the fumaroles extend right out into the sea, bubbling up hot gas and giving the sensation of being in a jacuzzi, in the blue Mediterranean!

The other main attraction on Vulcano is, you guessed it, the volcano! A steep climb from the town, you can walk to the summit of the island for a spectacular view of the other Aeolian Islands. If you have closed footwear, you can traverse the active vents on the north side of the main crater on your way to the top. Here, a great deal of steam and smelly gas is given off, and you can observe large sulphur crystals in the vents. Be careful not to burn your feet on the hot rocks and steam.

Lipari is relatively pedestrian in comparison with exotic Vulcano. Fortunately, it has less exotic prices, and the large main town has a nice old quarter and a decent quota of non-tourist shops. Among the attractions on Lipari is the pumice quarry, reached from the main town by an infrequent bus service. This is right by the sea, and has a nice rocky beach where, interestingly, many of the rocks tend to float off into the sea!

Stromboli is the most spectacular of the islands, as it's the only one that is currently volcanically active. In fact, its's the only volcano in the world that is known to have been continuously active throughout recorded history. The approach by ferry from Lipari takes one past the sheer sides of the island that rise towards the summit crater, which is permanently shrouded in clouds of its own making. Stromboli town has pretty narrow streets and, further from the centre, beautiful black sand beaches in rocky coves. The must-see attraction is the night-time climb up to the crater. The going is tough (you will be climbing approximately 850m) but you will see an amazing sunset and the eruptions are incredible. The trip is rounded off by running down the volcanic ash slopes, in the dark! 

Do

Most visitors to Vulcano spend time in the mud baths near the port. Entry is inexpensive. You may find it worthwhile to purchase a token for the shower. The water gives you a powerful sulphorous odor which lasts for a few days. 

Abruzzo

Best known for its dramatic mountain scenery, Abruzzo’s landscape is surprisingly diverse. There are ancient forests in the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, a vast plain extends east of Avezzano and the coastline is flat and sandy. 

Many towns retain a medieval look. Chief among them, L’Aquila and Sulmona are worth visiting, while the numerous hill-top castles and isolated, sometimes abandoned, borghi (villages) exude a sinister charm, lending credence to Abruzzo’s fame as an ancient centre of magic. Witches, wizards and snake-charmers were members of a tribe known as the Marsi, which lived around modern-day Avezzano.

Abruzzo is one of the twenty italian regions. It is situated in the central part of Italy, to the east of Rome on the Adriatic Sea. Abruzzo's western border lying less than 50 miles due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Although geographically more of a central than southern region, ISTAT (the Italian statistical authority) considers it part of Southern Italy, a vestige of Abruzzo's historic association with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Abruzzo is one of the most sparsely populated regions on the Italian peninsula. Always a wild and empty region, since the Second World War it has depopulated further, as people have left the land, and the traditional mainstay of sheep farming, for the cities and for America. A vacation in Abruzzo offers a taste of the unspoiled Italy. 

Provinces

Abruzzo is divided into four provinces:

• L'Aquila
• Teramo
• Chieti
• Pescara

The four provinces feature 305 municipalities: L'Aquila comprises 108, Teramo 47, Chieti 104, Pescara 46.

Cities

• Chieti
• L'Aquila
• Pescara
• Sulmona
• Teramo

The regional capital of Abruzzo is L'Aquila. L'Aquila, The main city, contains an imposing 16th century castle; other noteworthy monuments include the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle, a fountain with 99 spouts (one for each of the villages that founded the city) and the pink and white marble Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio with its Holy Door and Gothic interior. Other churches worth to be visited are S.Maria Paganica and S. Maria del Soccorso.

Pescara is 6.5 miles of a seaside promenade with wide sandy beaches. It is a very popular resort town like a very important, Pescara pinewood Montesilvano.

In Sulmona, a medieval town famous for its confetti (sugared almonds) visit the 11th-century cathedral of San Panfilo and the 13th-century church of San Francesco delle Scarpe.

Teramo is between the highest mountains of Apennies and has both sunny beaches of the Adriatic Sea and in a different season can be covered in snow. 

Other destinations

Out of the three geographical areas (Marsica, Appennino and Sub-Appennino), one third of the region is designated either as national or regional park areas.

This region, where the north of Italy meets the south, is also one of the most beautiful in the country. Bordered by the Apennines to the west and fringed by the Adriatic on the east, it has some of Italy's most unspoiled scenery. In the Gran Sasso it has the highest mountain of the Apennine range. Stand atop the Gran Sasso and you have views of both the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian (Mediterranean) Seas, across the entire width of Italy. You could journey through the Abruzzo's valleys for days, never encountering another person, and when you travel up to the broad mountain plains of the Abruzzi, you'll meet the eerie sight of entire abandoned hill towns. Plan your holiday in Abruzzo with plenty of time to walk, drive and explore.

In the past decade, Abruzzo has increased in tourism tremendously, along with other Italian Destinations. Castles and Medieval towns are very well tourist attractions near the town of L'Aquila. Abruzzo is also known for its ski because they have 21 attractions only hours from Rome. The ski resorts can mountain heights can compare to one of the Aplines. However, Abruzzo is known for cross country skiing. Abruzzo is picturesque in its scenery. Many old villages were abandoned and remain largely intact and the country side is rich with historic sites. It is often said that Abruzzo has as many castles as it does sheep. Most of this sleepy region has remained lock in medieval times making Abruzzo the first stop for those seeking to take a glance at the past or a chance to see nature as it was hundreds of years ago, unspoiled and perfect.

If you do not like to ski, Abruzzo offers an abundance of Beaches as well. Abruzzo’s 129 km. long sandy coastline is home to a many popular beach resorts, among them Vasto on Abruzzo’s southern coast; mid-coast are Silvi Marina, whose sands are considered among the best in Italy, Giulianova, Francavilla al Mare and Pineto, and on Abruzzo’s northern coast are Alba Adriatica and Martinsicuro.

• Gran Sasso National Park (Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e dei Monti della Laga)

• Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise)

• National Park of the Majella  (Parco Nazionale della Majella)

• Sirente Velino Regional Park  (Parco Naturale Regionale Sirente-Velino)

The Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, an impressive national park founded in 1922, is host to every variety plant and animal imaginable and considered the most important park in Italy. No other park in Italy is better developed for camping and recreational activities. Great stands of beech, oak, and birch can be found in the park a long with beautiful wild flowers of every color and design. The brown bear of the region along with wolves, eagles, and large wild cats find refuge in the park, making Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo a haven for vanishing species.

Understand

In the Middle Ages the region began to be called Abruzzo, from the Latin Aprutium. Then the region was divided into two parts: Further Abruzzo and Hither Abruzzo. In 1860, with the Unity of Italy, the region of Molise was added to Abruzzo and they were called Abruzzi and Molise. In 1963 Abruzzo and Molise became separate entities once more.

Though Italians once thought of Abruzzo as a remote region separated from Rome by the Appenines, a modern expressway system has opened the region to tourism. Most of Abruzzo lies within a few hours of Rome and is covenient for day trips from the capital as well as Naples. Abruzzo's more populous east is made up of vast sandy beaches that stretch along the Adriatic; its west of hills that rise quickly to mountains. The mountaineous region of l'Aquila, which lies nearest Rome, contains castles, ancient ruins and spectacular mountain vistas.

Abruzzo's main city and administrative town, L'Aquila, is a beautiful city in a picturesque mountain setting which makes it a great destination start for exploring the region. Pescara is pleasantly modern and offers all the features to be found in a city on the Adriatic: business, shops, entertainment. Chieti is full of history and nicely layered along the hill on which it is situated. Teramo is interesting and lively. Smaller charming town such as Sulmona and Scanno should also not be missed.

The region is 65% mountain 34% hills and the remainder flat land. The region has four provinces and each have a distinct climate. The province of L'Aquila is totally characterized by mountains, in the Chieti area it is rolling hills, while in Pescara and Teramo the areas are covered by a mixture of mountains and hill. 

Get in

There is an international airport (Abruzzo International Airport) in Pescara, a large city on Abruzzo's Adriatic coast. Abruzzo International Airport is served by low cost airlines with low fare flights from and to London, Barcelona and Frankfurt. A24 and A25 are the codes indicating the two motorways allowing easy access to destinations along the coast and to many internal areas of Abruzzo, including all four main cities. Private and public transport by car or bus from and to Rome are therefore excellent. Abruzzo can be reached by train from Tiburtina railway station in Rome, a journey which offers truly picturesque views of the valleys in the Appenines and of some charming hill towns in Italy.

Venere (book direct) has listings for user rated and reviewed hotels on the Abruzzo coast. Venere is a site I often use for booking hotels in Italy. It has photos and descriptions of the hotels and location maps. For vacation apartment rentals and villas, check Abruzzo Villas. They also have listings for agriturismo accommodation and bed and breakfast.

Driving

There are 3 main autostrade that connect Abruzzo to the rest of Italy; these are toll roads and you can check the charges of the tolls you will pay on AutoStrada Italia for your journey in English here.

A14 -This is a coastal road that runs from Bologna in the North, to Bari in the South, and runs through each of Abruzzo’s coastal provinces.

A24 – This runs from Rome through to Teramo via L’Aquila.

A25 – This runs from L’Aquila through to Pescara. 

Get around

Trains and buses run regularly from Rome and through Pescara and L'Aquila, these journeys through the mountains can be spectacular and highly recommended. See Trenitalia  for details. From there, most towns can be reached by local buses, 

In order to visit the more rural areas, a car is recommended if you want to reach relatively unknown villages in remote locations of Abruzzo.

If you intend to travel from Rome to Abruzzo, the station you will catch your Express or Stopping coach will be from Staz. Tiburtina. Expect to pay about €15 return for an Abruzzo destination. When arriving to Abruzzo, the best way to get to the remote areas from here is to rent a car.

The coast can be explored by train or bus, since all comforts of modern travelling are available.

There is a bus network which connects all four major cities: Pescara, L'Aquila, Chieti, Teramo. 

See

The Abruzzo region is a remote region often overlooked by tourists. It has spectacular natural scenery, medieval castles and villages, monasteries, and Roman ruins. Two-thirds of the Abruzzo's land is mountainous with the rest being hills and coast. A third of the region is designated as national or regional parkland. Bordering regions are the Marche to the north, Lazio to the west, Molise to the south, and the Adriatic Sea to the east.

Much of the Abruzzo region is in national or regional parks. Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo is a large protected area with good hiking and biking trails. Its seven visitor centers have trail maps and information. Guided tours can be arranged in Pescasseroli. Gran Sasso, the highest point in the Apennine Mountains, has hiking trails, spring wildflowers, and winter skiing.

Pescara, on the Adriatic coast, is the largest city in the Abruzzo region. Although it was badly bombed during the war, it's now a good example of a modern Italian city and still retains some historic elements. Pescara has a nice seaside promenade, 20 km of sandy beach, great seafood restaurants, and lots of nightlife. The Museum of the Abruzzi People has a huge collection of artifacts about life in the Abruzzo from prehistoric times through the 19th century. Pescara has a few other museums and several good churches and buildings, too. In July, Pescara holds an international jazz festival. 

Do

Beaches. Abruzzo’s 129 km long sandy coastline (interrupted in places by pebble beaches) is home to many popular beach resorts. Beaches worth visiting are in Fossacesia and Vasto Marina, on Abruzzo’s southern coast; Silvi Marina, Francavilla al Mare and Pineto, further north; finally, travelling north, shortly before Le Marche, Alba Adriatica and Martinsicuro close the list of seaside resorts which are considered among the best in Italy. Beaches of Abruzzo are pristine and the waters of the Adriatic are warm. Lifeguards are operative full-time on most italian beaches, during the summer season. It is best to follow posted warning signs and status flags describing the sea's condition on the day you decide to take a swim. Most beaches have corded off bathing areas - pass these at your own risk, as the waters deepen significantly very quickly.

Skiing. Abruzzo has 15 ski resorts with 368 km of runs in 172 different ski tracks, all within a couple of hours drive from Rome. The most popular resorts are Roccaraso, Campo Felice, Campo Imperatore. Located on the highest altitudes of the Apennines, these ski areas are at heights nearly comparable to many resorts in the Alps. Because of their proximity to the Adriatic and winter precipitation patterns, they often have more snow than the Alps. Abruzzo also is popular for cross country skiing, especially on the high plain of Campo Imperatore in the Gran Sasso as well as the Piana Grande in the Majella.

Hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing and sightseeing. Abruzzo's extensive park system lies within two hours of Rome or less and includes natural beauty akin to national parks in the western United States. Within Abruzzo's parks lie some of Italy's most beautiful ancient hill towns rivaling those of Tuscany and Umbria.

ZOO. Near the little village of Civitella Casanova is a nice zoo: Parco Zoo La Rupe. It's built on a mountain with a beautiful view and it features many animal species.

Rock Climbing Abruzzo offers a great destination for rock climbing, beach combing, and mountain biking. Amazing rock climbing areas are: Petrellia Liri, Roccamorice, San Vito, Assergi, Monticchio, Capestrano, Fara Sam Martino.

Museums In L’Aquila, one can visit the National Museum of Abruzzi, with sections for paleontology, archaeology and medieval art (painting, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, lace, sacred ornaments, glass windows). Pescara has the Museum of the Folk Traditions of Abruzzo, which holds a didactic archaeologic exhibition. The Pinacoteca Civica in Teramo displays beautiful majolicas. Chieti’s National Museum of Antiquities houses important relics of the ancient Italics, Greeks and Romans, including some remarkable pieces such as the Warrior of Capestrano, of the fourth century B.C. 

Eat

In Italy, high consideration for food (and wine) quality and variety is a reason of pride. Regional cooking is a unique experience for the foreign visitor: in Abruzzo this is no exception. Here are some of the local specialities that you may enjoy:

Abruzzo's food is based on peasant dishes. Lamb is very popular inland and the Abruzzo produces pecorino (lamb's milk) and goat's milk cheeses. Pork is also used frequently and on the coast there are many fish dishes. Baked scamorza cheese is a common dish that can be a main course or appetizer. Saffron is used frequently.

• Spaghetti alla chitarra (square strands of pasta served with a tomato sauce)
• Fagioli e cotiche di maiale (stewed beans and pork rind)
• Prosciutto di cinghiale (wild boar ham)
• Testicoli di mulo (small round lean pork sausages; though the name seems anatomical, they are named that way as they are always sold in pairs)
• Pecorino d'Abruzzo (local sheep's cheese)
• Burrata (a truly rare delicacy - a ball of tangy cheese with a soft buttery center)
• Salame di fegato pazzo (spiced liver salami)
• Salame di fegato dolce (liver salami made with honey) 

Drink

• Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (a red wine)
• Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (a white wine)
• Rosatello aquilano (a rosé wine)
• Corfinio della Valle Peligna (a light white wine)
• Gran Sasso (one of the bitter digestive liqueurs that Italians are so fond of. Beware, the alcohol content is upwards of 70% proof)

Ratafia A wine from black cherries fermented in the summer sun (L'Aquila, the National Park of Abruzzo

Doppio Arancio (Double Orange) liqueur, a sweet taste of a homemade production of the Erminio Orsini firm of Giulianova, in activity since 1850's. 

NIGHTLIFE IN PESCARA

The night club scene in Pescara, Italy is gaining ground in the peninsula. Italy’s bars and clubs are hopping and the music scene is respected throughout Europe. Renowned for its traditional Italian shops, cafes and pubs, you are sure to fall for the vintage charms of Pescara. Pescara is essentially a holiday town, so there are plenty of drinking places along the seafront, intermingled between the multitude of pizzerias and seafood restaurants. The other key area to head to is the Old Town where in the balmy summer evenings, the bar crowds spill out onto the streets. During the summer, the beach is packed with partygoers, with many nightclubs having outside venues on the beach itself. Those looking for the chance to dance, need do no more than drive or walk along the beach and listen for whatever takes their fancy. Away from the seafront, the “Ex-Gaslini”, a former factory in Via Pindario is also becoming a central hub of Pescara’s nightlife.

SHOPS

STREET SHOPPING

L'Aquila Flea Market: "Antiquariato e artigianato in piazza" (At Piazza Santa Maria di Paganica, the second weekend of the month). There is also a private exposition center and playground for children.

Sulmona (Street flea market every year in July).

Pescara (Street flea market every year in July).

Papoli (Street flea market every year in August).

Castelli (Street flea market every year in July and August). Complete show of ceramic crafts.

Shops are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 or 4 p.m. to 7:30 or 8 p.m., with some variation in Northern Italy, where the lunch break is shorter and shops close earlier. Prices are reasonable and the quality of goods is usually high. Chain stores such as La Rinascente, Coin, Upim, and Standa are found in many Italian cities and towns.

Some excellent purchase options are: Clothes for men and women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts); lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver hems, alabaster, woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware.

It is advisable to carry merchandise purchased with you in order to avoid any inconvenience.