| When considering touring Italy, most visitors | | | | back to the Roman era, sophistication and great |
| probably want to see the major cities of Florence, | | | | beauty. The ancient heart of the city contains a |
| Rome, Venice. Without a doubt, these are the | | | | huge amphitheatre built by the Romans in the 1st |
| highlights for a reason. But smaller towns can | | | | century AD. This arena, one of the largest outside |
| provide a better understanding of Italian history | | | | of the Roman coliseum, is now restored and used |
| and offer their own fascination. These places | | | | as an opera house during the summer season. It |
| were the backdrop for the struggle for power | | | | makes up one side of the Piazza Bra, the gracious |
| that comprised much of the drama of Italian | | | | town square. The tourist information office is also |
| history.Cremona, founded by the Romans in 218 | | | | located there.Even if you don't come during the |
| BC, is quite simply the violin capital of the world. | | | | opera season, there is the lure of romance at 23 |
| The streets are lined with the shops of makers | | | | Via Cappello, Juliet's House. The story of Romeo |
| of all manner of stringed instruments. You can | | | | and Juliet has some basis in truth. The house and |
| see a demonstration of violin-making and make a | | | | its balcony form a popular attraction. Verona also |
| visit to the collezione di Palazzo Comunale where | | | | has intimate street markets lined with buildings still |
| the town collection is on display. These beloved | | | | showing their early frescoes (Piazza delle Erbe) |
| instruments - the oldest by Andrea Amati dates | | | | and elegant shopping streets paved with marble |
| back to 1566 - are played regularly to keep them | | | | (Via Mazzini).Called the capital of the Este family, |
| in good physical condition.It's hard to miss the | | | | who flourished around the 13th to 15th centuries, |
| town's connection with Stradivarius, who is | | | | Ferrara is famous for its wide streets and |
| perhaps the most famous of the illustrious line of | | | | Renaissance palaces. Originally a medieval town, |
| violin-makers of Cremona. The Stradivarian | | | | by the end of the 1400s the city was sufficiently |
| Museum contains objects from his workshop, | | | | prosperous that Duke Ercole I commissioned an |
| there's a statue to him on the Piazza Stradivari | | | | architect to create a new Renaissance city and |
| and there's the Tomb of Stradivari in the Piazza | | | | join it to the older medieval section. The project |
| Roma. The International Violinmakers School is | | | | included constructing new palaces, villas and parks |
| also located in Cremona at the Palazzo Raimondi. | | | | with a clearly more modern and airy feel. Here |
| If you aren't on a tour, your first stop should be | | | | again, try to arrange for a tour of the castles. It |
| the tourist information office in the Piazza del | | | | is the history, the stories of the people who lived, |
| Comune, for a map and information.Parma is the | | | | loved and fought that brings meaning to these |
| next stop and it is indeed the home of the famed | | | | stone buildings.Ferrara is best known for its |
| Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. | | | | University founded in 1222, among the oldest in |
| Although famous for its food, Parma was once | | | | Europe and the Scrovegni Chapel with its frescoes |
| the capital of a grand duchy ruled over by the | | | | produced by the artist Giotto. There are 36 |
| Farnese family. It was, for a time, a possession | | | | frescoes depicting the lives of Mary and Jesus. |
| of Austria. It is also known for a scent produced | | | | Plant lovers will probably want to visit the |
| locally, Violetta di Parma.The town associated with | | | | Botanical Garden founded in 1545 containing rare |
| the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi is Roncole | | | | plants and the old library and botany collection of |
| where he was born. It has since changed its | | | | the University.Without a doubt, Venice deserves |
| name to Roncole-Verdi in his honor. His home is | | | | its reputation. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful city. |
| the main attraction of the tiny village. His | | | | Built on 117 separate islands, Venice has an |
| professional career began when Antonio Barezzi, a | | | | extensive water bus system (as well as water |
| wealthy merchant, asked him to move to | | | | taxis) rather than ground transportation. It has |
| Busseto and become a music teacher for his | | | | narrow paths, houses whose front doors literally |
| daughter, Margherita. Barezzi became not only | | | | open onto the water and no cars and around |
| Verdi's patron, but also his father-in-law when | | | | every corner is a canal and a bridge and one |
| Verdi married Margherita in 1836. A monument to | | | | magnificent building after another. But it is also a |
| Verdi overlooks the town square, which is also | | | | tourist magnet with all the problems that go with |
| the site of the annual Verdi Festival. There is, of | | | | that popularity.The cruise ships pull in and disgorge |
| course, a museum to the famous son and a tiny | | | | thousands of visitors who line up to visit St. |
| gem of a theatre built in his honor. It is said that | | | | Mark's Basilica, buy gelato in the Piazza San Marco |
| Verdi never actually set foot in the theater which | | | | and stroll along the Grand Canal. And for some |
| opened in 1868. Verdi was against building it, | | | | reason you won't be able to understand, they like |
| saying the theater was too expensive and would | | | | to feed the pigeons and have their picture taken |
| be useless in the future. But the town fathers | | | | covered in birds. Venice is also a big city with the |
| went ahead regardless of his resistance. He was | | | | hustle and bustle of commerce. Part of that |
| absent at its opening even though one of his | | | | commerce is the lucrative tourist trade. There's |
| most famous operas, Rigoletto, was performed. | | | | no shortage of shops catering to visitors selling |
| The elegant theater has been restored and | | | | Venetian masks, Murano glass and more.Venice is |
| reopened, but in a sense Verdi was right. It only | | | | divided into sestieres or boroughs. The most |
| holds 300 people.As you journey from one city to | | | | famous is San Marco which contains the major |
| another, it soon becomes clear that the history of | | | | sights. Visit the Galleria dell'Academia with its |
| Italy is intertwined with the story of the | | | | collection of Venetian masters and the Peggy |
| Gonzagas, one of the richest and most powerful | | | | Guggenheim Gallery with its more modern works. |
| families. Mantova was the seat of that dynasty. | | | | Stand near the Bridge of Sighs that links the |
| The 500-room Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) took | | | | Doges' Palace to the old prisons.The pity of |
| centuries to build. The Palazzo Te, built by | | | | Venice is that it is sinking into the lagoon. During |
| Federigo Gonzaga for his mistress, stands outside | | | | rains the water can rise up and cover the piazzas, |
| of the walled part of the city. Mantova has | | | | seep into hotel lobbies and threaten the viability of |
| ancient stone churches, many small shops, lovely | | | | a beautiful marvel of engineering. And in the |
| squares and sidewalk cafes.If it isn't already, | | | | summer it is overrun with tourists. But see it |
| Verona may become your favorite city. It has | | | | anyway. It is worth it. |
| everything, tumultuous history, ruins stretching | | | | |