Tourist Attractions in Italy

Gondolas are perhaps the most "touristy", well known things to do in Venice (or even in all of Italy).

Unique Suggestions: We ended up taking a night time gondola ride, and were so glad we did! It was a little bit chilly, but it was quiet and enchanting. Half the time all we could hear was the gentle lapping of the water against the gondola and the gondolier calling out when we rounded corners. Every so often, we would see some of the few tourists crossing bridges who would wave to us. In fact, we caught the gondolier as he was covering the gondola and getting ready to close for the night - he was one of the last four gondolas operating. Seeing the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge at night was breathtaking - the bridge all lit up was beautiful, and the canals were all but empty (none of the congestion you get during the day). The experience was worth every penny, to me.

The idea of private beaches just does not appeal, these beaches are kept very clean and beds and umbrellas all nicely matching and uniform. But really if you are on a budget which most of us travellers are, then who is going to pay £25 or more to lie on a beach. The local municipals have a section of the beach which is available free to all and these were the busiest parts of the beach, although I did notice that these parts were not as "pristine" as the private ones.

Fun Alternatives: The Alternative is to find quiet secluded spots that are not frequented by the snob element.

I am well aware that a storm of protest might result now, and even if these women I am referring to here find this, they should look deep into the mirror and maybe they realise that there is a point to what I write now. Maybe, but most probably maybe not.
Some time after my trip to Venezia I looked for books about this magic city. That’s how I found “1000 days in Venice”, obviously Marlena di Blasi’s first book of this 1000-day-in-(somewhere Italy) series. I didn’t warm towards it after the first couple of pages and thought it might vanish after a while, but it didn’t. Quite contrary – it got worse with every page. The book was or is about one of these crappy romantic stories “woman goes to Italy, falls in love with a local, marries, and...” In her case I deeply doubt that it was love but more something like an ice-cold calculation to find a way to make business (she collects recipes and seems to be writing cook books). The way she describes how she chases her husband around to organise this or that for her (American) life she is used or wants to have or for her recipe collection might amuse feminists but I found this downright disgusting (and I have some characteristics of feminism...). The end of the story in which she constantly complains about the city they live (Venezia), is that they leave Venezia and set out to “look for their dream house” somewhere else. I think the next station is Toscana, then comes Orvieto and obviously she has also drained a village in Sicilia as well. All these relocations result in a book of this “1000 days in..” series. Same story. Chasing her husband around, trying to make friends among the locals, worm the secret recipes out of them, get bored and leave again.. I found it even symptomatic that she seemed to have announced a “gastronomic tour through Umbria”, given one forum post in the Italia forum. No wonder that the posters look for these tours without avail. She is already gone... I seriously hope that she goes back where she comes from and won’t terrorise any more Italian village with her presence. I have not bought any more books of her but browsed through the Orvieto one in a bookstore, it was exactly the same style.

A similar kind of crappy trashy story was transformed into the book “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes. This is even more falling into the category of these cheap penny dreadful dime novels where foreign woman is betrayed at home, needs distraction, goes to Italy, finds a house, renovates it with the help of Polish emigrants, finds an Italian, shipwrecks the relationship, finds a writer of the same nationality as her and happily lives after. Place: Cortona. Did she ever ask herself why she does not let the house renovation be done by locals??? Did she ever ask why she messed up the relationship? Maybe she thinks she lives on another planet, but definitely not in Italy. No, I haven’t bought her book (I would rather give the money to charities) but have browsed through it in a bookstore. It is a pure waste of money to even consider to think about buying this book. She does not describe Italia but her own unhealthy perception.

Unique Suggestions: There is zero need to buy these books, a waste of time and money.

When I read the book “La Bella Figura” by Beppe Severgnini I almost died of laughter because he describes exactly the books of these two women, without mentioning their names though. But is it obvious. That’s the quote out of his book I am referring to:
## Almost all modern accounts of the country fall into one of two categories: chronicles of a love affair, or diaries of a disappointment. The former have an inferiority complex toward Italian home life, and usually feature one chapter on the importance of the family, and another on the excellence of Italian cooking. The diaries take a supercilious attitude toward Italian public life. Inevitably, there is censure of Italian corruption, and a section on the Mafia.
By and large, the chronicles of love affairs are penned by American women, who display love without interest in their descriptions of a seasonal Eden, where the weather is good and the locals are charming. The diaries of disappointment tend to be produced by British men, who show interest without love. They describe a disturbing country populated by unreliable individuals and governed by a public administration from hell.###

Fun Alternatives: This “love without interest” Severgnini describes is exactly the most critical issue with so many of the books that have been written by foreigners (women mostly). Unfortunately half of the world falls for these books and rushes of foreigners similar like during the time of the gold rush are invading “poor” Italia and look for these idyllic landscapes and towns.
But there are countless books which don’t fall into these categories, starting with the books of Beppe Severgnini. I loved his “Bella Figura” one, because he is quite frank with his compatriots but without insulting. He just writes about the plain reality, but in a funny and enjoyable way. Other books are the one of Luigi Barzini, “The Italians”, a very amusing book or the books of Dario Castagno about his life as tour guide in Toscana with very lovely and passionate descriptions of the region and its locals. Books by foreign women which do not fall in the category of utmost trash? I am afraid that I did not yet find one.
For German speaking, the books of series Lesereisen by publisher Picus or the series Gebrauchsanweisung by publisher Piper are excellent to read.

Easter weekend at the Vatican is a fond memory... Hundreds of tourists waiting to enter the Vatican and people wishing to see the Pope. If you don't mind direct sun, a bursting bladder and lines of people herded like cattle to the slaughter then try to see the Vatican on Easter weekend.

Unique Suggestions: Expect a long wait in line and keep conversational skills honed. Chatting with those around you will make the time go by faster and fill you in on things you should and shouldn't see.

Me and my wife went to Rome back in March-2007 and it was great, i've heard winter is one of the best times to go to Rome, all i can say... goto Google maps, search for Rome... the image you'll see there (satellite) will show a lot of brown dusty areas... well that's because that picture was taken in summer time... now imagine all those areas in a nice green color... it's true that it rains a lot... but just live the adventure and i can assure you 100% you'll get the mos beautilful views of the city and gardens in winter time than in summer time. i hope this helps you. One last advice if you decide to go to Rome... when you visit the Spanish Steps... be aware of the gipsys by the main staris... don't stop for any reason... even if they step up right in front of you... keep walking, if you have to push them away from you, do it but dont stop.

i'm not trying to scare you but that was the only bad experience i had when in Rome. we where there for 11 days and we couldn't see everything in the city there's a lot of things to do in Rome.

Fun Alternatives: Please se the picture i'm attaching, while in Rome. this picture ws taken before we go down the stairs. The red circles on the left and right sides of the picture are to identify 2 gypsys, the circle in the middle is to identify a possible victim. The way they saw how they work... the one on the right aproaches to you with a baby in her arms and steps right in front of you begging for money making you to stop, a natural reaction would be to go around her (that's what they want you to do), as you try to go around she'll keep standing in front of you making you go to a side and she'll keep pushing untill you are agains the wall and she'll be in front of you still begging (and probably with the baby crying), what you don't know is that the other woman (the one on the left) already try to steal from your pockets, and they'll keep trying untill they get something from you, unless you keep walking straight, push them if needed (don't hit them, just push them away firmly enough to make them know you are not going to fall in their game). One way to know when they take something from someone it's because as soon as they take it, the one who did will disapear and the rest will start to clap or to whistle, to alert the others they've got something and they must leave the area. I hope this helps you or anyone and if you want to know more details on this topic don't hesitate and contact me.

thanks.

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You came to Venezia to marvel at their glass manufacturing mastering? And want to bring some glass souvenir back home? Then please understand that this is not a third world country and that the artists’ pieces do cost some money. There are marvellous small pieces for good value (like pendants or bowls, ear rings and small animals, and even “sweets” made of glass), but you just can’t get a set of wine glasses or mirrors or any of the real work for under 50 Euro. So make sure you buy glass art that was made in Murano and NOT in China. By now, Chinese plagiarists also jumped on this train and are trying to copy Murano work. Some dealers in Venezia are (sorry) stupid and betraying enough to buy this crap and sell it as “made in Murano”, but it is not. If I want to buy Chinese crap, I’d go to China but nowhere in Europe or any other continent.

The best way to avoid to be taken in on fake “made in Murano” is to visit a glass manufacturing site in Murano, but on our own (not with some touts), look at how the masters work and let them explain what kinds of skill and material and “production steps” is necessary to result in such marvellous work. Then you are able to differ between Chinese crap and real Murano artwork.

Fun Alternatives: The real artwork has a logo, called Vetro Artistico Murano, and should be handed you over with the purchased good. The vase in my main photo was 95 Euro, about 20 cm in height.

If you want to learn more about Murano glass art and the artists, check the websites below. The good and reliable glass manufacturers on Murano are listed, with links to their website, partly also with specific art work.

The heart of Venice - Murano
Murano's maestro factories

And don't miss what Venezia's Tourist Information board tells about the Made in Murano campaign:
Made in Murano.
They write that last November, a Murano dealer was condemned for having sold chinese crap as Made in Murano. Congratulations Venezia and Murano for taking such dramatic measures ! I wish more companies would be like you and not whimpy candy-a@@es as some I know when it comes to have to counteract against counterfeiters.

Beware of free-lance tour guides positioned outside St. Peter's Basilica! They attract unsuspecting foreign tourists with their promotion on free guided walking tour of St. Peter's Basilica. They are definitely not sanctioned by St. Peter's Basilica as admission to St. Peter's Basilica is free.

Each one of them will lead a group of approximately ten tourists. The tour is usually conducted in English and lasts approximately half an hour. Of course they will explain to you and provide you with all the important details of the various popular attractions inside St. Peter's Basilica. At the end of the tour just outside the entrance to St. Peter's Basilica, they will ask for a small donation for their effort. This is when everyone in the group starts to disperse. A good samaritan may probably donate two or three euros to the tour guide out of pity!

Unique Suggestions: Disperse from the walking tour group before the tour guide asks you for a small donation.

Fun Alternatives: Do not join the guided walking tour in the first place unless you are willing to pay for the simple service of the free-lance tour guides.

We consider climbing up the Leaning Tower of Pisa a tourist trap. Most foreign tourists were not satisfied after climbing up the tower! It is certainly not worth the 15.00 euros admission fee to climb up the staircases to the top!

During the summer months, the queue to climb up the tower is extraordinarily long. You may have to wait between half an hour and one hour for your turn to climb up the tower. It is because only certain number of persons are allowed at the viewing platform at any one time to avoid congestion and for safety reasons due to the heavier weight!

When you reach the viewing platform you are rewarded with only the view of the city of Pisa which doesn't mean anything as the tower is not very high! Furthermore you climb the staircases up the tower at your own risk! Certain parts of the staircases certainly look rather haphazard and in disarray and do not look in particularly good condition!