Venice (Italy)

Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world, so book a flight and get lost in the labyrinth of back streets, enjoy a gondola ride through the canals and surround yourself with amazing history. Click here to buy Lonely Planet Italy & Digital Chapters> Click here to buy Lonely Planet Europe & [...]

San Marino (Italy)

A long, long time ago, before cars and ipods, lived a Christian stonemason named Marinus. The year was 301 A.D and, as the story goes, one day Marinus decided to climb a mountain. He reached the top of Mt.Titano to discover a small community of Christians, persecuted for their faith by the Emperor Diocletian. Welcome [...]

San Marino, Italy. The Oldest Republic in the World

A long, long time ago, before cars and ipods, lived a Christian stonemason named Marinus. The year was 301 A.D and, as the story goes, one day Marinus decided to climb a mountain. He reached the top of Mt.Titano to discover a small community of Christians, persecuted for their faith by the Emperor Diocletian. Welcome to San Marino, the world’s oldest republic and Europe’s third smallest state after the Vatican and Monaco. Beautiful views from the top of San Marino. © theitchmag.com The 657m climb to the top of Mt Titano in the Apennines is a great introduction to the stunning views surrounding the City of San Marino in Italy, and a little taster to what you’ll see when you finally reach the top. Only 10 km from Rimini and one-tenth the size of New York City, the country of San Marino is close to the major beach resorts of Italy’s Adriatic coast, and the perfect day trip or short break. Art on the streets of San Marino. Photo © theitchmag.com * San Marino is about 24 square miles. It is the third smallest country in Europe, after Vatican City and Monaco, and is the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world. * San Marino is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It also enjoys a budget surplus and no national debt. * 30,000 people live in San Marino – about 1,000 of them are foreigners, mostly Italians. * Italian is San Marino’s official language (or Emiliano-Romagnolo) and the euro is the official currency. * With no border formalities, passage from Italy to San Marino is seamless. Foreign visitors may enter without showing a passport. If you’d like your passport stamped as a souvenir, there’s a 5-euro charge. Click here to buy Lonely Planet Italy & Digital Chapters> Click here to buy Lonely Planet Europe & Digital Chapters>

Italy

Italy has to be one of the most authentic countries to visit in Europe. With 44 Unesco World Heritage sites and delicious cuisine a trip here has all the ingredients for a holiday of a lifetime.   If it’s beauty you’re after, take a trip to the awesome world of Italy, where art, food, beautiful [...]

Venice: The Floating City (Italy)

St. Mark’s Campanile. Now is a good time to go to Venice. Despite the fact that the city is sinking, the Italian government has drawn up draft plans to charge tourists an entrance fee to visit the city. An entrance fee? I maybe be wrong, but Venice is certainly not a theme park. What do you think? Anyway, Venice really is built on water. The people of the Veneto region built the city on a salt marshland at the mouth of the Adriatic Sea, and the official date of the birth of Venice is the 25 March 421. Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world, so book a holiday and get lost in the labyrinth of back streets , enjoy a romantic gondola ride through the canals and surround yourself with amazing history. Many famous people were born in Venice including the playwright and lover Giacomo Casanova, the explorer Marco Polo, and composer Antonio Vivaldi. The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain and spice trade) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. This made Venice an extremely wealthy city throughout most of its history. It is also known for its several considerable artistic achievements, and history of excellence in most of those aspects, notably during the Renaissance period. Photography © www.itchimages.com Here are a selection of attractions for you to enjoy in Venice. Romance in Piazza San Marco St. Mark’s Square : Simply known as ‘The Piazza’, the important historic buildings surrounding this square are a testament to the power and wealth of the Venetian Empire. St. Mark’s Basilica Venice’s most famous church is nicknamed ‘Church of Gold’ for its opulent design and gilded interior mosaics. Doge’s Palace This palace was the center of power in Venice. From here the Doge and the government of Venice ruled over the Venetian Republic. Grand Canal Once described as ‘the most beautiful street in the world’, this wide, winding canal is lined with beautiful historic buildings. Arsenal In its heyday, Venice’s Arsenal was the largest shipyard in the world, playing a crucial role in the city’s role as a naval power. Bridge of Sighs This legendary bridge connects the palace of the Doges with the prison cells at the other side of the Rio di Palazzo. Ca’ d’Oro This 15th century palazzo, known as Ca’ d’Oro or House of Gold, is one of the most beautiful buildings along Venice’s Grand Canal. Campanile di San Marco St. Mark’s Campanile – Venice’s tallest bell tower – is one of the city’s most recognizable buildings. Gondola Once an essential means of transportation, the gondolas today are one of Venice’s biggest tourist attractions. The summer may be the worst time to visit: it’s sometimes very hot and often humid, the canals usually smell (in the most literal sense), there are occasional infestations of flies, and there are more tourists than usual. Spring and fall are probably best, a compromise between temperature (expect 5-15°C in March) and the tourist load. Between November and January, you may manage to feel you have Venice all to yourself, an interesting and quiet experience. That said, if you’ve never been to Venice, it’s better to go in summer than not to go. You won’t regret it. Many cities are far worse in summer, and Venice has no cars, hence no smog. Gondolas, Venice Venice, the world’s only pedestrian city, is easily walkable, and the absence of cars makes this a particularly pleasant experience. However, walking and standing all day can also be exhausting, so it is best to pace yourself. The Rialtine islands – the ‘main’ part of Venice – are small enough to walk from one end to the other in about an hour. If you want to get around a bit more quickly, there are numerousVaporetti (water buses) and water taxis. Because Venice is on a lagoon, the water plays a crucial role in transportation. The most popular way to approach Venice is by boat or train. These are best and most inexpensive ways to get around this beautiful and historic city . Venice Tip 1: Vaporetti: Also called motoscafi, these waterbuses run almost non-stop, and there’s rarely a long wait for the next one. Venice Tip 2: Traghetti: The Grand Canal has only three bridges that cross its 2 ½ mile length, but that needn’t mean you have to keep walking back and forth between them. A system of seven gondola ferries, or “traghetti,” offer a quick way to get from one side to the other. Venice Tip 3:  Water Taxis: These are motorized boats that operate like taxis do in America, traveling from point A where they pick you up, to point B where they drop you off. They offer leather-upholstered seating and private drivers, and are a far cry from the often-crowded vaporetti. This is the most expensive way to travel Venice, however, with a one-way trip from Marco Polo airport to a hotel in central Venice costing around €100. Carnival masks, Venice Venice’s Carnevale celebration is one of the most lively and colorful carnival festivals in Italy, held 40 days before Easter. The Venetians don festive masks and costumes for a 10-day street party. The Redentore Regatta is an important festival in July held on the Grand Canal. Food Specialities of Venice and the Veneto: Seafood is a big part of Venetian cuisine as are polenta and rice. Seppia , cuttlefish, is popular and risotto nero is a rice dish colored with its ink. Try zuppa di pesce fish soup here, too. Radicchio trevisano , red chicory, comes from nearby Treviso. Cicchetti , little appetizers, are found in the bars in Venice and are often eaten before lunch (similar to Spanish tapas ). Hotels in Venice