Browse through the postcards and let yourself be seduced by the promise of unforgettable experiences.

Let’s start from the invitation to enjoy the joys of a holiday by one of the most famous Roman mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina (on the UNESCO World Heritage List).

Ancient Greek settlements have miraculously remained intact with imposing remains in breathtaking landscapes.

The list of archaeological parks is incredibly rich, the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento (on the UNESCO World Heritage List) is among the most famous. It was named Akragas in ancient times and was defined as “the most beautiful city of those inhabited by man” by the Greek poet Pindar.

The Greek Theater of Taormina, perhaps the best known and most admired Greek theater in the world, hosts theatrical performances, concerts and ballets, all of which is enhanced by the magnificent view of the gulf and Mount Etna. This chic resort town is the ideal destination for those wanting a taste of Sicilian dolce vita.

Over the centuries Sicily has known the domination of different peoples and cultures, each one leaving a mark of its passage which has merged with others creating a landscape and a history unique in the world.

There are traces of the passage of the Arabs who taught the Art of Gardens and Fountains.

The Norman court of Roger II shows us the dimension of pure sparkling light which emanates from millions of golden mosaic tiles. The Palatine Chapel in Palermo in on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Sicilian Baroque is a triumph of stone laces, opulent decorations, sense of scenography and color. The late Baroque cities of Val di Noto are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It is said that its excellent cuisine keeps people coming back year after year. Even this alone is worth a visit to Sicily, a joy and a delight for the palate and … the eyes!

Sicily is art, history, traditions and … breathtaking nature. Let yourself be overwhelmed by the dizzying beauty of towering volcanoes rising out  of  the turquoise water perfect for swimming. The Eolie Islands are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Breath deeply and enjoy to the full a relaxed way of life which makes you want to turn your visit to the island into a permanent holiday.

The nobility of ancient Rome is sometimes said to have been born with the city itself and it has been present in many shapes and forms, and with different nuances, over the course of the centuries. 

One of the oldest noble families is the Colonna family, documented in Rome as far back as the 12th century and which, after no less than 31 generations, is still present to this day. Among its most illustrious exponents is Pope Martin V (who reigned from 1417 to 1431) and who put an end to the papal crisis, as known as the Western Schism, a standoff that lasted for almost a century between duly elected pontiffs and antipopes, who attempted to usurp papal power and prerogatives. 

Another famous representative of this family was the poetess Vittoria Colonna, who lived in the first half of the 16th century and was a friend and muse of the divine Michelangelo. Another Colonna who should be mentioned is Marcantonio II, a condottiere and admiral in command of the papal fleet that won the Battle of Lepanto in 1571; a victory so prestigious that the king of Spain, Philip II, appointed Marcantonio II viceroy of Sicily.

The history of Roman noble families goes back many centuries. In 1861 Rome was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy and following this, in 1870, there was an important caesura which marked the end of the Papal State: the temporal power of the Pope was decreed.

This was a hard blow for the aristocracy linked to the papal court, whose most important families – Colonna, Orsini, Borghese, Aldobrandini, Chigi, Sacchetti, Massimo, Pallavicini, Patrizi Naro Montoro, Ruspoli – had distinguished themselves over time as condottieri, cardinals, bankers, military men, and patrons in the service of the reigning pope, as well as, as we have seen, counting elected pontiffs. 

The nobility that served the pop was called “black nobility” because of the color of the court dress they were required to wear during official ceremonies. 

Following the events of 1870, there was a great divide amongst the noble families: on one hand, the “black nobility”, those who remained loyal to the pope, and the “white nobility”, those who did not. 

Black also symbolized the color of mourning against what they had called “an armed aggression against the Holy City,”. As a sign of mourning, as well as protest, they closed the gates and windows of their palaces, even matting them with black drapes and only used the back doors to enter their homes. 

The pontiff at the time, Pius IX, obviously did not recognize the new state and, like the black nobility, also locked himself in the Vatican Palaces in protest. This protest lasted about sixty years, a period that historians have called the Roman Question. The dispute ended in 1929 with the signing of the Papacy.

Piedmont is a land of mountains, forming the border between Switzerland and France.

The region’s name also refers to the mountainous landscape, as “pied” stands for foot and “mont” for mountain, describing perfectly its position at the foot of the Alps, with over 1,350 kilometers of slopes dedicated to snow sports and 50 skiing stations located in stunning scenery with the highest peaks and largest glaciers in Italy! Set at the foothills of the Alps in the northern part of Piedmont, the lake district counts a number of water bodies of glacial origin such as Lake Maggiore and Orta Lake. With the opening of the railroad line going to Switzerland in early 1900, Lake Maggiore become a trendy international destination with luxury hotels and beautiful botanical gardens, set around the town of Stresa and Pallanza, and immersed in the middle of the lake, the marvelous Borromeo Islands become famous for their splendid palaces, ancient villas and gardens made up of over two thousand varieties of different species. Prominent guests stayed there throughout history, including Napoleon, royal families, and Hemingway. Many illustrious guests arrived with the Orient Express that stopped at Stresa’s train station on the line London- Paris-Milan-Venice-Istanbul line, bringing elite tourism. Piedmont is also renowned for the incredible succession of vineyards blanketed hills dotted with castles and small towns in Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato recognized UNESCO World Heritage sites. The world-famous vineyards represent one-sixth of the total vineyards in Italy. This prosperous territory offers rich wines, and aromatic wine truffles along with a remarkable mouth- watering selection of exquisite cheeses and chocolate threats. The local food’s savor and wine can be experienced everywhere in the region: in one of 46 Michelin-star restaurants, traditional trattorias, wine bars, wine cellars, historic cafes, or high-altitude refuges. But it is not yet over! The natural heritages include 96 protected areas and UNESCO has declared multiple sites in the Region, such as the residences of the Royal House of Savoy, the Sacri Monti of Piedmont, and Lombardy a group of chapels created between the 16th and 17thcenturies, dedicated to the Christian faith and integrated into the surrounding natural landscape of hills, forests, and lakes. UNESCO also includes Prehistoric Pile dwelling around the Alps. And, of course, Turin, the former capital of Italy, is unmissable for its world-class museums! The Royal House of Savoy left a notable historical inheritance and influence throughout the city with prized works of architecture and stunning museums that include the world’s first museum of Egyptian artifacts, and the Automobile Museo, which the Times magazine rates among one of the 50 best museums in the entire world. As well, as Turin the birthplace of Italian Cinema. The iconic Mole Antoneliana stands as a symbol of the city itself and holds the stunning museum of the Cinema, considered by many the very best of the multitude of museums in Turin. An awesome collection of royal palaces and museums, top wines and food elegant cafes, 5 UNESCO sites, and beautiful landscapes sceneries with rolling hills, vineyards, lakes, and snow-capped mountains made Piemont one of the most beautiful regions in Italy. What are you waiting for?

Through most of the Middle Ages, their status declined as Christianism became officially the state religion in Rome and in the entire Europe, but they were never expelled from the city and some Jews  had still the possibility to prosper as merchants and were often held in high regard as physicians, even by the Popes.

Tragedy struck in 1555 when Pope Paul IV established the Ghetto, a small walled area with three gates closed from outside, forcing the Jews to live in few acres in one of the most unhealthy and decrepit district of Rome, next to the river Tiber, under the constant threat of floods. About 3000 Jews lived in Rome at the time, many more, who previously lived in other towns in central Italy, were forced to move inside the Ghetto and later a great number of Jews expelled from Spain and South Italy,  joined the Roman community. They all lived in great poverty and in cramped conditions, they could have only one synagogue for all the different communities therefore the main building secretly housed five different small synagogues. The Jews were allowed to leave during the day but they had to wear yellow hats or scarves in order to be identifiable. On Sundays all men were also required to attend mass and listen to sermons standing outside the Catholic Churches that surrounded the Ghetto.  The enforced isolation allowed the creation of strong community bonds and the development of a distinct and unique Roman Jewish culture. All the restrictions were finally abolished in 1870 when Rome became the capital of modern Italy, the Jews were granted full citizenship, the Ghetto walls were torn down, the entire district was modernized and retaining walls were built along the Tiber in order to protect the area from floods. Finally in 1904 a monumental Synagogue, the Tempio Maggiore di Roma, was built and today its square dome is one of the most popular landmark of Rome’s skyline.

In 1938 Fascism imposed racial laws then in 1943, when the Nazis occupied Rome, the Jewish community suffered greatly: 2000 Jews were arrested and sent off to concentration camps, only few survived but nearly 10.000 Jews were able to escape by going into hiding, helped by Italian citizens.

Today the Jewish district is considered a  very pleasant and popular area of Rome by locals and tourists as well, it is located in the city center and it is surrounded by ancient monuments, its streets are lined with restaurants, many of which are kosher, wine shops, bakeries but also art galleries. Every festive moment is celebrated by traditional foods, Judeo-Roman cooking is internationally appreciated, its ingredients come from simple foods eaten by the poor: vegetables like artichokes, chicory and endive, fish like sardines and anchovies, inexpensive cuts of meat but also ricotta cheese, honey and candied fruit. Despite the fact that today many Jews live in other neighborhoods, the Ghetto remains a primary gathering place for the Jewish community who has finally rediscovered its own unique culture and history.

Paola Barbetti-Bohm

Since 1492, Spain which ruled in Sicily, expelled the Jews from its entire domain. At the end of the last century, the incredible and totally accidental discovery of an ancient mikveh thought to be one of the oldest in Europe, excited archeologist and historians, and spurred the revival of Jewish life on the island.  This precious and large ritual bath was discovered in Ortygia, the oldest neighborhood in Siracusa, the ancient Greek town in the southeast of the island

the ancient Greek town in the southeast of the island, has its own Giudecca (Jewish quarter) that used to have 12 synagogues and, just before the Spanish edict, counted a community of at least 5,000 Jews.  Developed on the Eastern side of Ortygia, the Giudecca is a labyrinth of narrow stone-paved alleys crowned by tiny balconies with wrought-iron railings and vases of geraniums and basil.

In 1986, a remarkable treasure was discovered: an abandoned mikveh likely dating all the way back to the Byzantine era, which is thought to be the most ancient in Europe. During the conversion of a crumbling building into a hotel on via Alagona – an area that was completely uninhabited and uninhabitable, covered in rubbish and vandalised – the architects found an unusual arrangement in the pavement of a courtyard, a stone’s throw from the close John the Baptist’s Church. Underneath the courtyard hid a ceiling and an underground chamber.  It took almost 160 truckloads of debris to uncover a 58 steps limestone staircase, divided into three flights of stairs that reached down to a large room entirely carved into the bed-rock, 18 meters below the surface and full of mud and brimming water, with four large square pilasters that supported a perfect cross-vault, with a barrel-vaulted ambulacrum that encircled all four pilaster (that survived Sicily’s strongest earthquake on record in 1693) and with a bench all round the room: most importantly that water that turned out to be fresh and emerging from five mikva’ot in perfect preservation conditions.  Possibly, after the Spanish monarchs’s Edict of Expulsion in 1492, Jews in Syracuse decided to preserve the bath by covering it up with dirt so that it would not end up in the hands of Christians.

An inscription on a stone in the apse of the close church of St. Giovannello, had been noticed by the owner of the place, Amalia Daniele di Bagni, who undertook the restoration works with attentive care, “I had always believed to be Arabic”, she wrote.

Antonella  Mazzamuto, professor at the University of Architecture in Palermo, came to visiti and translated the Hebrew inscription: “To the Synagogue of Siracusa/founded with justice and faith”.  The inscription spoke of the “Synagogue of Siracusa”, so the church of St. Giovannello might have been the old synagogue or it must have been very close. However,  professor Mazzamuto believes that more than this and a second inscription in Hebrew discovered later, it’s the presence of pure and fresh water and the mikva’ot depth, moreover provided with a few steps to facilitate immersion, that proves that this amazing and ancient place used to be a Jewish Mikveh.

Paola Barbetti-Bohm

Maybe not.  But we believe in “Repetita iuvant”, or repeating does good, as the Latin saying goes. And so we gladly remind you that Tuscany offers historic treasures, one-of-kind in the world.  The region sparkles with art cities like Florence, pearl of the Renaissance and homeland of Michelangelo and Leonardo, Siena, one of the most charming medieval cities, famous for its horse-race, the Palio,  Lucca with its medieval wall still intact and  Pisa, San Gimignano, Arezzo: picturesque little hamlets with infinite cultural heritage. Tuscany is unique for its  unmistakable landscapes, its rolling hills and the perfect geometry of vineyards and olive trees, such as those in the renowned Italian regions typical of Chianti and Val d’ Orcia.

Sea lovers can enjoy wonderful beaches and clear water along theTuscany coastline and the amazing marine protected islands: Elba and Giglio. There’s the Baratti Gulf, Punta Ala and Monte Argentario, the list is endless.

Tuscany offers unlimited entertainment options to satisfy all needs and tastes – art and architecture, a relaxing vacation,  food and wine and sports and outdoor activities.  From northern to southern Tuscany, from the Apuan Alps to the Maremma nature reserve, from Garfagnana to Casentino, many are the trails for trekkers, experts or beginners. Hikers can also retrace the journey of the pilgrims on their way to Rome along the Via Francigena with its fair share of monasteries, breathtaking views and quaint villages. Bicyclers are spoilt for choice: they will find countless itineraries suitable for racing and mountain-biking on roads with little traffic, that twist and turn magnificent landscapes. A hot air balloon flight above Val d’Orcia an out of the ordinary experience. Or it might be lovely to discover Tuscany slowly, aboard old steam trains with tours in Mugello and Garfagnana.  Bikers will be thrilled to explore on the always populaìr Vespa.

Those who favour a slow-travel and well-being experience can choose one of the many thermal resort, like Saturnia, in the Maremma area, Rapolano, Sorano, Chianciano, natural hot springs of Bagni di San Filippo or  enjoy a memorable thermal holiday resort in Montecatini.

Tuscany alone boasts some of the most prestigious wines in the world. Foodies and wine lovers, can follow the many “Wine Routes” which meander throughout in the region, from the hills surrounding Florence to the Chianti area, passing through the Etruscan Coast.  Along these pathways you can stop in a local winery or “agriturismo” to sample wine and the tasty cuisine at wonderful villas.  You can learn traditional recipes by taking part in one of the cooking classes held throughout the region.

Last but not least,  shopping fans are in the right place! high-fashion boutiques abound in Florence and Siena. Here are many of Tuscany’s fashion shopping outlets and countless shops where you can buy a range of artisan handicrafts:  leather in Florence, alabaster objects in Volterra, wool in Casentino, pottery in Montelupo, glass in Colle Val d’Elsa and much more.

If you happen to be in Tuscany on specific days of the year you should not miss the featured events: the famous historical reenactment of Palio the Palio di Siena (every year on 2 July and 16 August; the Carnival of Viareggio, with its famous papier-mâché floats, the “Scoppio del Carro”- explosion of the Cart, a folk tradition reenacted every year on Easter Sunday in Florence and the Saracen Joust in Arezzo, an equestrian tournament of medieval origin.

And just a couple of hour drive from Florence and 1 only from Pisa, you find the fabulous coastline of  Cinque Terre, better known as the Italian Riviera, (UNESCO Heritage Site since 1997, along with the lovely towns of Portovenere and Palmaria).  The Cinque Terre, meaning the five lands) is five lovely port villages, beautifully isolated in the most seductive stretch of the Italian Riviera, totally traffic free, surrounded by hills covered by vineyards and olive trees and edged with jagged cliffs overlooking a superb clear sea water; their names are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Cornilia and Monterosso.  In the Middle Ages these little towns, whose economy was based on fish, olives and grapes, were called the Five Castles. The tiny communities that lived here, were well-protected from the Turkish pirates raids because of their geographical location.

This ten kilometre stretch of Italy’s Riviera, which offers a unique traffic-free charm, that the happy result of its natural isolation, has made tourism the main activity of this area:just sun, sea and pebbles.  Italy at its most relaxed.  Choose a home-base among the five “Terre”, each with its distinct personality and all perched on the picturesque and hilly terrain.

The best way to approach the Cinque Terre is by train, The Cinque Terre Express  that ties the Five little villages to one another, by boat or simply by hiking along the several tracks. The first train line, cut into this tough coastal zone in late 1800s, just after the unification of Italy,  was considered an engineering marvel for those days and literally connected this isolated area of the country to the outside world.

The Cinque Terre is hikers’ paradise, as its towns are connected by scenic trails. Some of the trails are rough but manageable for all  levels of trekking. First stop in Corniglia, the only village not adjacent to the sea; for this reason it is even more remote than the other “Terre” and offers relaxing vibes.  The “Via dell’Amore” – Walkway of Love – the most famous of the Cinque Terre tracks is also the easiest stretch of the hike, offering spectacular Mediterranean views. You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that many artists and romantics are drawn to this region. Don’t miss to explore the several, small squares offering plenty of bars for “focaccia genovese” – a delicious flat bread – and “trattorie” – restaurants to sample the best Ligurian food like pasta col Pesto and anchovies, cooked in a variety of ways.

Italy’s Cinque Terre is an irresistible mix of nature, culture and human activity. It is not the only treasure of the small and beautiful Ligurian region: the list of beauties is long and rich.  Portofino, exclusive destination for international jet setters, is located east of Genoa, famous for its pastel houses, its small port and bays; Dolceacqua, a tiny medieval hamlet in the backcountry on the western side of the region, has been made famous by Claude Monet, who was captured by its suggestive bridges; il “Golfo dei Poeti” – La Spezia Gulf, was the preferred destination of writers and artists such as Lord Byron, George Sand, P.B. Shelley and the Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio; Sanremo, is elegant seaside resort, famous for its music festival that take place every year in February, for its Carnival and for its beaches and seafront.; Camogli, nestled in the rocks in the Gulf of Paradise, a charming village, rich in hiking trails such as the one that takes to the San Fruttuoso Abbey.  Last but not least comes Genoa, Liguria’s main city, a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2006, thanks to its “Strade Nuove” – New Streets.  These four streets in the old town, date back to the late 16th/early 17th century. Genoese aristocracy built their “Palazzi dei Rolli” here: wonderful noble villas in Renaissance and Baroque style that reveal the grandeur of the city to the world.

Pitigliano is situated about 105 miles northwest of Rome and is reachable driving up the winding road to the hill town, 1026 feet above sea level; when people first see it, they might be reminded of the real Jerusalem. With its parapets, ceramic tile roofs and multitiered buildings perched on layers of red volcanic tuff stone, this ancient village resembles a sparkling, pint-size Holy City.

Pitigliano, which was originally founded by the Etruscans, was once home to a thriving Jewish population that had settled there in the early part of the 16th c. They came manly from the nearby Lazio region, which bordered the anti-Semitic Roman papal dominions that periodically drove out Jews.

As soon as you walk through the main gate into the old city, the atmosphere brings you back to the Middle Ages, passing the Orsini family palace, a 14th c. fortress, now a museum and the even older church of San Rocco; the remnants of a 17th c. aqueduct built by the Medici family runs through town.

It is well known that the Jews and the Christians of Pitigliano had led a peaceful coexistence.  In the 16th century, Count Niccolò Orsini IV, a member of the feudal Orsini family, ruled the village that at that time in history was an independent fief whose inhabitants were mainly peasants.  Although the Count was catholic, he thought Jews, mostly bankers and artisans, could help revitalize Pitigliano’s lagging economy.   So, while Jews in places like Umbria and Lazio were imprisoned or exiled, in Pitigliano they worked as moneylenders, carpenters, cobblers and tailors.

The good will change somewhat after the Medici family, which was appointed by the Pole, took over this and other independent counties: in 1622, the Jews in Pitigliano were confined to a ghetto, men were required to wear yellow hats and women yellow badges on their slaves.  Still, the relationship between Jews and non-Jews was friendly: in 1773, after the Medici died out, the liberal Catholic Habsburg Grand Duke of Tuscany, Pietro Leopoldo officially recognized the Jews of Pitigliano, which meant they could come and go as they wished.  In 1799 the ghetto was desegregated and by 1850 there were about 400 Jews in town, roughly 10% of the population.  But 11 years later that population began to shrink when the Jews of a unified Italy were granted equal rights and allowed to move freely anywhere in the county: it was the Emancipation period and many of them left for Florence, Rome or elsewhere.  By 1938, when the fascist racial laws were applied, only 60 Jews were living in Pitigliano.  Some of them, including Mrs Elena Servi, 90 years old and today the last Pitigliano born Jew left, credited their survival during WWII to the Catholic farmers in the valley who protected them from the Germans and the Italian fascists; others hid in caves for months.  At the end of the war only about 20/30 Jewish families were left in Pitigliano.

Although services are no longer held held in the neighboring synagogue, it is open for viewing and sometimes weddings and bar/bat mitzvah take place here; the gold and white building with its carved pews, wooden tevà and Aron hakodesh, was restored to its 1589 splendor after the roof collapsed in 1961. The historic ghetto mostly located underground, is a rare evidence of the Jews’ lives during those centuries where visitors can see the mikveh, the wine cellar, the oven for baking matzah and dye-works.

While the Jewish Community here basically does not exist anymore, there is no mistaking the Jewish influence in Pitigliano: “sfratti” – stick-shaped biscuits filled with ground walnuts.honey, nutmeg, orange peel and wrapped in dough – are local delicacy. The word “sfratti” is derived from sfratto, meaning eviction in Italian.

Legend has it that the police would hit the doors of the Jews’ homes with some sticks to force them into the ghetto: the Jews transformed their pain into something edible! (a good place to get some sfratti is the “Panificio” – bakery – del Ghetto, near the Synagogue.  Hebrew words have also penetrated the local dialect: gadol, i.e., Hebrew for big, has morphed into “gadollo” in Pitigliano and kasher, a variant of kosher, means loosely, nice or OK. Many houses still have mezuzas.

The Jewish quarter is only a block and the rest of the village is very small; it took no more than a couple of hours to wander the ghetto and the labyrinth of alleys, winding stairways, piazzas and shops in the historic district.

Who knows what’s going to happen to this fascinating place in 20 or 30 years..for sure, “we must preserve the past as long as possible”, never stop to say Elena Servi.

When the ghetto was at its height, just in the 17th c., 5,000 Jews from Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the Ottoman Empire carved out tiny, distinct fiefs, each maintaining its own synagogue, all of them crammed into an acre and a quarter of alleys and courtyards.  Confinement was a burden, but it also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange unparalleled in the diaspora.  Jan Morris, a Venice devotee and one-time resident wrote in his World of Venice, “the city was a “treasure-box” full of ivory, spices, scents, apes, ebony, indigo, slaves, great galleons, Jews, mosaics, shining domes, rubies and all the gorgeous commodities of Arabia, China and the Indies.  Jewish merchants and bankers were vital to the flow of these commodities, but as Venice declined, the Jewish presence dwindled. By the outbreak of WWII, Jewish Venice had shrunk to 1,200 residents.  Today, with the city’s total population hovering around 58,000 (down from 150,000 before the war), there are about 450 Venetian Jews left, only a handful of them residing in the ghetto, that today belongs to the city of Venice – it does not belong to the Jews.  The ghetto has become part of the panorama of Venice.

This fragrant herb that originated from Asia and Tropical Africa, was actually well-known in Liguria and in the rest of Italy as a common ingredient for salads and seasoning tomato sauces and other dishes, quiete likely since the 17th c. In contrast, basil was virtually unknown in the United States until the late 1900s. A legend connects basil with scorpions, possibly because the creatures can often be found sheltered under the plant; in other lore, a tale says that the use of basil as the main ingredient for pesto sauce is due to the inspiration of a monk living in the S.Basilio convent situated in the hills near Genova: the convent’s patron saint is said to have compelled the monk to call this precious herb “basilico” (baixacò in genoese dialect) and to create the sauce that’s loved the world over today.

Verona at the base of the Alps near the Adige river, is another leading city of this extraordinary region.  Ancient Romans considered Verona an ideal, last stop before heading north over the Alps and in the city center it’s still possible to admire the well preserved “Arena”, the fourth largest amphitheater in the Roman world. Today, the “Arena” di Verona is a popular and charming venue for artistic and cultural events and it currently hosts Verona’s famous Summer Opera Festival. Piazza Erbe, a medieval square surrounded by narrow alleys is the city’s food and herbs market place. Enjoy the pleasure to wander along these ancients lanes and why not, get lost, admiring the outside walls of the houses that are still beautifully decorated by 16th c. frescoes, a peculiarity of this area that earned Verona the nickname “painted city”.  Verona used to be one of the wealthiest cities in Europe for centuries, as its surviving castles, fortified walls, gorgeous medieval churches and ornate family tombs still witness.  Shakespeare drew inspiration from the local history for his tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, therefore, one of the most popular attractions is the famous romantic Juliet’s balcony

Like the rest of Veneto, the city of Padova was ruled by Venice for centuries and you can still admire the winged lion of St. Mark throughout the city, in the churches and on the city walls. Padova was nicknamed the “brain of Veneto” for its prestigious university founded in 1222, one the first and most renowned in Europe, a sort of haven for free thinking intellectuals who went there to learn and study from every corner of the world. The great scientist Galileo Galilei called the 18 years that he spent as a part of the university’s faculty the best period of his life. Don’t miss to visit  Europe’s oldest surviving anatomy theatre, built in the late 1500s.  In the historical center of Padova you can also stroll along medieval narrow streets and incredible 17 miles of porticos to find your way to one of the most important pilgrimage churches in all the world: the Basilica of Sant’ Antonio. The Basilica was built as a shrine for the tomb of the Saint in 1232 and filled with magnificent artworks and statues by the Renaissance master, Donatello.

The majestic  and UNESCO World Heritage Palazzo della Ragione was once Padova’s medieval law court. It is now surrounded by a vibrant food market which is known for having the freshest and  most delicious selection of herbs, fruits, vegetable and cheese. Last but not least, the Scrovegni Chapel, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is filled with precious 14th c. frescoes painted by the great master Giotto and is one of Italy’s most beloved art treasures.  The Stories of Mary and Jesus are created with an intense realism: lush nature and detailed animals were used as a magnificent background for the religious scenes, making this unique artist, the first modern painter Veneto is also blessed by an extraordinary wine-making culture rooted in a two-thousand-year-old tradition; from the Valdobbiadene area located in the province of Treviso that is primarily known as the home of the Prosecco Superiore DOCG with its incredible floral aromas and sharp fruity notes, to the Amarone, a rich and romantic red wine made with partially dried grapes and aged for a minimum of two years in wood, not to mention the red wine region of the Valpolicella. The best way to discover the great variety of Veneto wines is to hit the road, travelling off the beaten paths, going from vineyard to vineyard along the foothills, visiting wineries, meeting and chatting with local producers who would gladly provide information about local food products and suggest combinations with local wines.  The “Wine Roads” wind through historical, artistic and natural places that will never stop fascinating its many visitors.  Another unmissable venue is the Lake Garda; well positioned a few hours from Venice and en route to Milan, it presents a wonderful choice to stay and explore for a few days: Sirmione with its 13th c. Castello Scaligero and the Grotto of Catullo, ruins of a roman residential villa, the lovely hamlet of Lazise that in May holds a medieval festival with town people in costumes, not to mention Bardolino and Limone sul Garda. A trip in Veneto would not be complete without visiting the incomparable city of Venice, that was the greatest seaport in late medieval Europe and the continent’s commercial and cultural link to Asia.   Venice is unique environmentally, architecturally and historically, and in its days as a republic the city was styled la “Serenissima” (the most serene or sublime). It remains a major Italian port in the northern Adriatic Sea and is one of the world’s oldest tourist and cultural centres. Since the fall of the Venetian Republic in late 1700s, the city has held an unrivaled place in the Western imagination and has been endlessly described in prose and verse.  The luminous spectacle of ornate marble and frescoed palaces, bell towers, and domes reflected in the clear waters of the lagoon under a blue sky has been painted, photographed, and filmed to such an extent that it is difficult to distinguish the real city from its romantic representations. A  visitor arriving in Venice is still transported into another world, one whose atmosphere and beauty remain incomparable.  In 1987 this amazing and delicate gem and its lagoon were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The list of venues to see is huge and extremely rich: San Marco square and basilica, the Doges Palace, Ca’ Rezzonico, Palazzo Mocenigo, Palazzo Fortuny, Palazzo Grassi, the Accademia Museum, Venice’s amazing basilicas, the wonderful small islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, the picturesque area of the Jewish Ghetto and its five, amazing synagogues, and if you want to jump to Modern Art, don’t miss the superb Peggy Guggenheim Collection who lived and died at Palazzo dei Leoni, and the Biennale di Venezia, one of the most important Contemporary Art Events in Europe, founded in late 1800s, not to mention the Venice International Film Festival at the Venice Lido, the oldest in the world dating to 1932.  But perhaps, the best way to breath Venice’s essence is wandering aimlessly and getting lost among its numerous, striking alleys and bridges.