DK Italy

Italy

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DISCOVER ITALY

t Vernazza, Cinque Terre

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Welcome To

Italy

t A picturesque canal in Venice lined with boats.

Magnificent piazzas, turquoise seas and rolling hills – Italy has it all. And that’s before you add iconic art, more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than anywhere else on earth and the Italian knack for la dolce vita. Whatever your dream trip to Italy entails, this DK travel guide is the perfect companion.

Italy only became a fully unified country in 1870 – before that it was a competitive collection of rival city states. Happily for the visitor, their conflicting allegiances and histories resulted in an extraordinarily rich variety of architecture and art not seen anywhere else in Europe. From the mighty structures of ancient Rome and Pompeii to the charming Teutonic mountain villages of the north, and from the elaborate Gothic palazzi of Venice to the refined Renaissance churches of Florence, a tour along the Italian peninsula is a roller-coaster ride through European history.

The landscape, too, is incredibly diverse. Ski the spectacular slopes of the Dolomites or witness volcanic pyrotechnics on the summit of Mount Stromboli. Lose yourself in the wilderness of the maquis-clad Sardinian mountains or spot wild ibex in the rocky valleys of the Gran Paradiso national park. Bask on the beaches of Puglia or sip vintage wine overlooking the vineyard-cloaked hills of Tuscany. Whatever experience or adventure you choose, Italy will deliver generously.

Italy can easily overwhelm with the sheer number of unmissable cities, towns, villages and archaeological and natural sites that pepper the peninsula. We’ve picked out themes and planned itineraries to whet your appetite, broken the country down into easily navigable chapters and created colourful, comprehensive maps to help you plan the perfect visit. Whether you’re staying for a weekend, a week or longer, this DK travel guide will ensure that you see the very best the country has to offer. Enjoy the book, and enjoy Italy.

1 Flowers in bloom in Monti Sibillini national park, Umbria.

2 Traditional Italian food.

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Reasons to Love

Italy

Evocative ancient ruins, romantic cities, picturesque vineyards and unforgettable food: there are so many reasons to love Italy. Here, we pick some of our favourites.

1 The Aperitivo

t There’s no better way to fill the hours before dinner. Designed to excite your appetite, this Italian tradition consists of a bitter or sparkling drink served with savoury snacks ranging from olives to little antipasti.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

2 Cruising Down the Grand Canal

t Everyone should glide down Venice’s great waterway at least once in their life. Take the slow boat, Vaporetto 1, and stand on the deck for the best views – not only of the ornate palace façades, but to get a glimpse of everyday life in this unique waterborne city.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

3 Pizza

t Probably originating in Naples, pizza is, of course, now available all over Italy. Thick crusted in Naples, thin in Rome, sold by the slice or folded over as a calzone, pizza comes in endless varieties. Wherever you eat it, you can be sure it will be fresh from the oven.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

4 The Passeggiata

t In every town, village and city in Italy, locals put on their finery and head out for an evening stroll. They might do a little window shopping or stop for an aperitivo, or bump into friends, but the main purpose of the passeggiata is to see and be seen.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

5 The Palazzo

t From grand Gothic façades to Renaissance townhouses, palazzi give Italian cities much of their beauty. Built to showcase the wealth and taste of the country’s most influential families, many have been turned into museums and hotels.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

6 Markets

t In a country that prides itself on its food, you’ll find a colourful array of fresh produce in markets throughout Italy. Some are held in dedicated market buildings, others outside, and most have great street food stands nearby.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

7 Piazza San Pietro at dawn

t Designed by Bernini, Piazza San Pietro is one of the most magnificent public spaces in the world. To see it at its best, get up at dawn and explore without the crowds.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

8 Vespas

t Launched in 1946 as a budget-friendly post-war getaround, the Vespa (wasp) became ubiquitous after Audrey Hepburn leapt on the back of one in Roman Holiday (1953).

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

9 The Duomo

t The cathedrals (or duomi) of Italy are repositories for some of the world’s greatest art. They cover every architectural style and era, from Byzantine to Baroque.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

10 Beaches

t Italy has around 7,500 km (4,660 miles) of shoreline, and its coast is one of the most varied in Europe, with sandy beaches, volcanic bays, dramatic cliffs and rocky coves.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

11 The Piazza

t From intimate squares to grand open-air drawing rooms, Italy’s piazzas are an essential feature of everyday life. Most are lined with pavement cafés, while others host daily markets.

Discover Reasons to Love Italy

12 Visiting Vineyards

t In Italy, wine isn’t just a drink, it’s a capsule of history, culture, geography and identity. Visit regional vineyards for convivial tastings of unique and unusual vintages.

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Explore

Italy

This guide divides Italy into three distinct regions: northern Italy, central Italy and southern Italy. These regions have been divided into 20 colour-coded sightseeing areas, as shown on the map above.

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Italy Itineraries

t Villa Balbianello, Lake Como.

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Discover A Grand Tour of Italy

2 Weeks

A Grand Tour of Italy

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Discover A Grand Tour of Italy

t Florence’s Duomo.

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Italy For

Ancient Archaeology

From Etruscan painted tombs to prehistoric finds, Italy is one of the most astonishing destinations on earth for anyone interested in archaeology. Sicily and Southern Italy, once Magna Graecia, hold many ancient Greek ruins, while lovers of Roman civilization should target Rome, Pompeii and Herculaneum.

t Colourful Etruscan fresco at the Tomb of the Leopards, Lazio

Etruscan Tombs

The Etruscans were Italy’s first major civilization, living here from around 900 to 27 BCE. Etruscan artifacts can be found in the Vatican Museums and Villa Giulia, but to best understand this culture, visit a necropolis. Decorated with feast scenes, the Tomb of the Leopards in the Museo Archeologico e Necropoli in Tarquinia is particularly beautiful.

Camuni Carvings

The extraordinary rock carvings of the Val Camonica in Lombardy were created by people who settled in the valley during the Neolithic period (1000–400 BCE). Known to the Romans as Camuni, these people produced some of the finest rock art in Europe. To see the best engravings, head for the Parco Nazionale delle Incisioni Rupestri.

Roman Life

Remnants of Ancient Rome can be found everywhere in Italy, from Aquileia and Aosta in the north to Herculaneum and Pompeii in the south. The latter were both preserved in a thick layer of ash when Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, and today present a vivid picture of Roman life. Of course, Rome has a glut of sites, which are best discovered on a walking tour of the city (www.romefreewalkingtour.com).

Greece in Italy

In the 8th century BCE, Greeks began to settle in Sicily and southern Italy. Several of the great intellectuals of Classical Greece, including Empedocles and Archimedes, were in fact Sicilian, and by the 4th century BCE Siracusa was the most powerful city in the region. For a taste of the city’s zenith, check out the summer festival of Greek drama at the Greek Theatre. It’s easy to forget that you are not in Greece, when exploring the Valley of the Temples and its Museo Archeologico Pietro Griffo.

Nuraghic Giants

Sardinia is home to around 7,000 nuraghi, truncated stone structures dating from 1800 to 300 BCE and built by a mysterious Mediterranean people. Start your journey into nuraghic history at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale G A Sanna in Sassari, then head for Mont’e Prama. This necropolis is guarded by an entire stone army of giants.

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Italy for Renaissance

Masterpieces

The 14th to 16th centuries saw an explosion of the arts in Italy thanks to the wealth of the peninsula’s prosperous city states, in particular Rome – the power centre of the Christian Church. Cardinals, merchants and aristocrats alike flaunted their power through the patronage of talented artists, and left behind a unique collection of Renaissance masterpieces.

t The Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling

Fabulous Frescoes

Although this art form has existed since antiquity, fresco will forever be associated with the Renaissance and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. Michelangelo was initially reluctant to accept the commission from Pope Julius II in 1508, as he had little experience in fresco, but four years later, he had completed the 366 figures that can be seen on the ceiling today. Other Renaissance frescoes to seek out include Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Corregio’s Assumption and Il Pordenone’s Adoration of the Magi.

Statuesque Sculptures

Renaissance sculptures were often executed on a large scale. Michelangelo’s colossal statue of the young biblical hero David is the perfect example. The choice of subject was popular at the time, with David representing Florence as a warning to the Goliath of Rome. The influence of Classical Greek and Roman art is also evident in Pietro da Cortona’s Rape of the Sabine Women and Ammannati’s Fountain of Neptune (see Piazza della Signoria).

Perfect Paintings

The Renaissance saw a revival of Neoplatonism, which espouses that the contemplation of physical beauty leads to an understanding of spiritual beauty. This philosophy infuses The Birth of Venus, Botticelli’s depiction of the Roman goddess of beauty, which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery alongside Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch and Michelangelo’s The Holy Family. Feeling inspired to create your own masterpiece? Take a painting holiday (www.paintingholidayitaly.com).

Did You Know?

Fresco means fresh in Italian. The process involves applying paint to wet plaster before it dries.

DISCOVER Italy Your Way

Renaissance artists

Giotto (1270–1337)

Re-introduced realism into medieval art.

Botticelli (1445–1510)

Renowned for his mythological subjects.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)

An artist, inventor and architect.

Michelangelo (1475–1564)

Considered the best artist of his age.

Titian (1488–1576)

The first to paint for patrons all over Europe.

Artemisia (1593–1653)

Many of her paintings feature mythological and biblical women.

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Italy’s Incredible

Architecture

Italy is Europe’s architectural powerhouse, bursting at the seams with classical temples, brooding castles and dazzling basilicas, all highlighting the country’s rich history. Although most famous for its monumental Roman architecture and temples, the country also features a vast variety of Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Modernist architecture to admire.

Baroque Buildings

In the Counter-Reformation, architecture aimed to inspire awe, with highly decorated features, including twisted columns and grand staircases. Turin was constructed by some of Baroque’s biggest names; take a tour of the city to discover the work of Guarino Guarini and Filippo Juvarra (www.somewhere.it).

Contemporary Construction

In the 21st century, Italian architecture has taken on a sustainable and ethical bent. This is most visible in Milan’s Bosco Verticale, which is covered in over 800 trees. Elsewhere, check out Zaha Hadid’s Messner Mountain Museum Corones, which is carved into the mountainside.

Mussolini’s Monuments

Fascist architecture is characterized by its simplicity, symmetry and scale – take Como’s Casa del Fascio, which is a perfect rectangle, with a height half the length of its base. Milan was Mussolini’s adopted city and has a huge number of Fascist buildings. Guiding Architects Milano run tours of the city (www.ga-milano.it).

Renaissance Symmetry

Bramante’s masterpiece at San Pietro in Montorio in Rome is the embodiment of the Renaissance ideals of order, precision and symmetry, which were believed to reflect the perfection of God. Consisting of two concentric shells, the dome of Florence’s Duomo also exemplifies the era’s penchant for geometry.

Glitzy Gothic

The pointed arches and intricate stonework of Gothic architecture were imported from France by the Cistercian monastic order, who sought to build taller and lighter buildings. Adopted by palace architects in Venice, it is exemplified in the delicate lacy stone embroidery of the Palazzo Ducale. Here, the style is combined with Byzantine and Moorish influences. Join a Hidden Doge’s Treasure Tour to get under the skin of this wonderful building.

Romanesque Landmarks

The rounded arches that typify the Romanesque style had their origins in ancient Roman basilicas, and re-emerged from the Dark Ages in buildings such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Interiors were usually simple, like those of their Roman predecessors, making great play of stone, geometry and light, elements clearly visible in Pisa’s famous landmark. Florence’s octagonal Baptistry also uses geometry to great effect and is thought to have been built on top of a Roman temple to Mars.

Insider Tip

Modern Venice

To see another side of Venice, away from the Gothic, Moorish and Renaissance buildings, take a tour with Viaggi di Architettura (www.viaggidiarchitettura.it).

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Italy for

Foodies

The gastronomic traditions of Italy are a vibrant mosaic, with specialities differing from one town to the next. Here, we talk you through the must-eats and must-drinks of each region, so you know what to order and where.

Florence and Tuscany

Rich bean soups, toasted bread topped with chicken liver pâté, and steaks from prized Chianina cattle dominate here. Start your evening chatting to regulars over crostini and a glass of Chianti at wine bar Fiaschetteria Nuvoli (Piazza dell’Olio 15, Florence). Then, order ribollita (bread and vegetable soup) at Il Latini or Chianina steak at Trattoria Mario (trattoriamario.com).

Puglia and Sicily

Puglia is one of Italy’s biggest producers of fresh produce, while Sicily’s long history of invasions is reflected in its rich and varied cuisine. Order burrata (buffalo cheese with a creamy centre) in Puglia and accompany it with a glass of Salice Salentino wine. In Sicily, arancini (stuffed, deep-fried rice balls) are perfect for lunch, and Savia, in Catania, makes some of the best (lnx.savia.it). In search of a sweet treat? Pasticceria Oscar in Palermo serves up classic Sicilian cannoli.

Rome and Lazio

The traditional cuisine in this central region is based on cheap cuts of meat and offal, along with simple pasta dishes. Despite this simplicity, we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed by the pizza bianca sandwiches (cooked pizza base, sliced and stuffed) or spaghetti alla carbonara at Lo Zozzone. It’s not all meaty either – look out for carciofi alla giudia (deep-fried artichokes), which pair perfectly with a dry Frascati wine.

Venice and the Veneto

Savouring cicchetti e ombre (traditional snacks with a glass of wine) or sipping a tart Aperol spritz, while overlooking a Venetian canal: bliss. These waterways are responsible for many of the local delicacies – the region’s history as the nexus of trade between the east and the west lent it sweet-and-sour sauces and a penchant for seafood. Risotto al nero di seppia (squid-ink risotto) and bigoli in salsa (pasta with onion and anchovies) are the local must-eats.

Naples and Campania

This region is home to the classic Mediterranean diet, based on vegetables, tomatoes and olive oil. But this is also where pizza was born. The ideal Neapolitan dinner would encompass mozzarella di bufala (soft cheese made from buffalos’ milk), a classic pizza margherita at Da Michele, washed down with a glass of Aglianico or Greco di Tufo, and then sfogliatelle (shell-shaped filled pastries) at Pasticceria Andrea Pansa (www.pasticceriapansa.it).

Milan and Northwest Italy

Risotto, truffles and polenta are popular inland, while coastal Liguria is famous for its seafood, olive oil and basil. Order pesto pasta in Genoa, risotto in Milan and cacciucco (seafood casserole) in Livorno. Earthy Barolo and rich Barbaresco grace local wine menus, while bitter-sweet Campari makes for the perfect apéritif. Cin cin!