Places to visit

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This section gives information about a lot of the visitor attractions in some of Italy's major cities. Please either read Rome through to venice or choose a country or sub catagory from the list below.

 

Rome

Museums in Rome

Rome itself is the greatist open-air museum in Europe. However, besides ancient ruins and stunning architecture it offers a choice of museums and art galleries filled with paintings and sculptures of the Renaissance and the Baroque.
TheVatican Museums have exellent collections of both, as do, on a smaller scale, theCapitoline Museums.
Fine art can also be found scattered throughout Rome in museums, galleries an churches.

Vatican Museum
Vatican Museums house their fabulous masterpieces in palaces originally built for Renaissance popes such as Julius II, Innocent VIII and Sixtus IV.

Capitoline Museum
Splendid copies of Greek and Roman sculptures have been kept on the Capitoline Hill since the 15th century.
All master pieces are now housed in two palaces designed by Michelangelo:
- The Palazzo Nouvo
- Palazzo dei Conservatori

Roman Museums:

Palazzo Altemps
Piazza Sant'Apollinare 44
Phone 06/6833566 (Ticket-Office) 39967700 (Information and advance sale)

Crypta Balbi
Via delle Botteghe Oscure 31
Phone tel. 06/3996770

Etruscan National Museum of Villa Giulia
Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9, Rome
Phone 06/3226571-3201706

The Baths of Diocletian and the Octagonal Hall
v.le Enrico De Nicola 78
Phone 06/4882298 (museum) 39967700 (information and advance sale)

The Palatine Museums
Via di San Gregorio, Rome
Phone 06/69901100

 

Anthropology:

Museum of Rome in Trastevere
piazza Sant'Egidio 1/b
Phone 06/5816563 (Porter's) 5813717 (Offices)

Art:

Piazza Venezia Museum
V. del Plebiscito, 118 00186 - Roma
various permanent collections + temporary exhibitions (contemporary Art)

Complesso del Vittoriano - Museum of Risorgimento (Renaissance)
Via S. pietro in Carcere
open: 9.30am-7.30pm, fri-sat open until 11pm
web: www.amrcv.it

Borghese Gallery
Villa Borghese, piazza Scipione Borghese 5
Phone 06/8417645 (Museum) 32810-1 (Information and Booking Office)

National Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo
lungotevere Castello 50
Phone 06/6819111

National Gallery of Antique Art
Palazzo Barberini, via Barberini 18 Phone 06/4824184(Gallery) 32810-1 (Information and booking)

 

Specialized Museums:

National Museum of Pasta
Palazzo Scanderbeg, piazza Scanderbeg 114/120
Phone 06/6991119-6991120

Wax Museum
Piazza Venezia 67 (on side of SS. Apostoli)
Phone 67976482. open: 9am-8pm every day

The Rome Jewish Community Museum
Sinagoga, lungotevere Cenci
Phone 06/6840061

Numismatic Museum of the Italian Mint
Ministero del Tesoro, via XX Settembre 97
Phone 06/47613317

Palaces, Villas and Gardens

 

Palazzo del Quirinale – This has been the President of the Republic’s residence since 1948.


The beautiful Villas and luxuriant gardens in Rome are magical places for romantic walks:

The fountains:

Florence

The magnificent churches:

Museums and galleries to be seen:

A walk to discover Florence:

milan

From the ancient Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio to the huge, majestic Duomo:

A selection of the most interesting museums in Milan that must be visited:

Historical buildings and monuments

Royal palace
The Royal Palace, in Piazza Duomo, is a very old building that dates back to 1100 and which has been home to the most powerful men in Milan over the centuries, from the Viscontis to the Sforza family, the Spanish governors and Austrian rulers. Several temporary art exhibitions are held inside the building today.

Castello Sforzesco
The original center dates back to 1450, which was built on the wishes of the Duke Francesco Sforza. Over the centuries, the castle has undergone various changes, also due to the particular ups and downs that have seriously affected the structure.

The Monumental Cemetery
This great cemetery was built around 1860, in a Lombard style and some obviously Byzantine shapes. Among the statues, chapels and other works of art, we can find the graves of some of the most famous people from Italian and European culture, such as Alessandro Manzoni, Salvatore Quasimodo, Eugenio Montale and Maria Callas.

Columns of San Lorenzo
This is the only monument that dates back to the Roman era, which has managed to survive up to the present day. These sixteen columns that stand opposite the Basilica of San Lorenzo are all that remains of an ancient Roman temple, that probably dates back to the 2nd century.

Arco della pace
In the middle of Piazza Sempione there is this huge monument 25 meters high, that dates back to Napoleonic era. Arco della Pace is built in Neoclassical style, and is decorated with marble sculpture and Corinthian columns, and on the top there is a charming bronze “Sestiga”, a chariot drawn by six horses.

La Scala Theater
A Temple to Opera music, built at the end of the 1700s over the remains of the Church of Santa Maria della Scala, from which the theater then took its name. Some of the greatest names in opera have made their debuts in this theater: Rossigni, Donizetti, Bellini, Puccini and, in 1839, Giuseppe Verdi who moved to the Grand Hotel in Milan on that date where he continued to live until he died.

Naples

Churches and Museums


Cathedral-Duomo – this was built around the end of the 12th century. The Cathedral of Naples has undergone several restorations over the centuries, partly carried out to repair the damage from earthquakes and partly to increase its artistic beaut

Church of Santa Chiara – This church originated in 1300 and was restored after the Second World War during which it was damaged in air-raid bombing. It was returned to its original Provencal Gothic style. The funeral monument of Robert I of Anjou is to be noted. In the nearby Convent in Piazza del Gesù, there is a wonderful majolica-tiled Cloister to be seen.

Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore – This is a magnificent building dating back to the end of the 13th century, which was restored in the 17th century. Every Christmas a life-size nativity scene is set up inside the church.

Church of San Gregorio Armeno – A wonderful example of Neapolitan Baroque art. The church is completely covered inside with frescoes and has cloisters that were designed in 1580 with a beautiful marble fountain in the center.

Church of Gesù Nuovo – The opulent interior of this church, filled with multi-color marble and with altars inlaid with semi-precious stones such as agate, amethysts and lapis lazuli, are a sight to be seen.



The museums to visit to learn all about this city’s history and culture:

Historical buildings and monuments

The Royal Palace and Gardens – This is a wonderful Renaissance style area, dating back to the 17th century. It was the residence of the Spanish Viceroys. The royal gardens are full of tree-lined avenues, shaded by magnolias and Holm oak trees, with rare plants, statues and “secret gardens”.

Castel Maschio Angiolino – This castle was built towards the end of the 13th century on the instructions of the Anjou family, and became an important cultural center where artists and writers such as Giotto, Petrarca and Boccaccio stayed.

Castel dell'Ovo – A large fortress from the 12th century that is a dominant presence on the Naples seafront. It was a royal residence for many centuries, and played an important strategic role.

Reggia di Capodimonte – This palace, ordered by Charles of Bourbon and built in 1738, dominates the whole city and has a wonderful view of the Bay of Naples. The building had a dual role, as a museum and as a royal residence, right from the start.

Castel Sant'Elmo - Castel Sant'Elmo is a majestic, six-point star-shaped building that dates back to 1329 and which was first used as a prison. It is surrounded by ramparts and forts and stands over the city: there is a spectacular view from its terraces.

Places and charm

SpaccaNapoli – This road is called by this name (it literally means Split Naples) as, when seen from the top end, it literally splits the city into two parts. SpaccaNapoli is a long straight road, or several roads about 2 km long and just 6 meters wide.

Vomero – This is an extremely peaceful, relaxing area of the city just the opposite of SpaccaNapoli. The area is full of museums, monuments, shops and historical coffee shops.

Underground Naples – This is a "city under the city” that is exceptionally old: archeological digs have found artifacts dating back 5000 years. The Greeks built imposing funeral monuments underneath the city, while the Romans built aqueducts, caverns and tunnels.

Piazza del Plebiscito – This recently renovated square is the most magnificent in Naples: it is built in the form of an amphitheater and is surrounded by wonderful monuments such as the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, which is similar to St. Peter’s in Rome, the Royal Palace and the Galleria Umberto I.

Piazza Bellini – This is a spot that is full of life, filled with open-air coffee shops that crowd around the monument built to commemorate the composer of the same name and the archeological site that has brought to light the ancient Greek walls that once stood on the square’s site.

Piazza del Gesù Nuovo – This square is cut in two by SpaccaNapoli, the famous, ancient road in Naples. There are some of the city’s most important monuments here: Palazzo Pignatelli, the Guglia dell'Immacolata (a huge church spire), the Church of Gesù Nuovo, the Monastery of Santa Chiara.

Quartieri spagnoli – One of the most fascinating places in the city that has to be explored bit by bit in this tight-knit labyrinth of alleyways and streets. When Spanish rule began around 1530, the city underwent a lot of transformations: churches, palaces and roads were built, including the wonderful Via Toledo, which took its name from the viceroy Don Pedro di Toledo.

Via San Gregorio Armeno – This road is famous worldwide as the "nativity scene road”. In this road, which links the old city center to the main roads, there are some important monuments such as the San Gregorio Armeno Monastery.

Galleria Umberto I – This gallery was built at the end of the nineteenth century. Galleria Umberto is an imposing building with four wings in iron and glass and a wonderful, huge dome in the middle. The style is similar to that of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan.

Posillipo Hill – This hill, that is part of the sides of a crater, separates the Gulf of Naples from Pozzuoli dalla Grotta Romana. Since ancient times, this area has always been considered a residential area, where it is possible to rest from the efforts of city life.

PISA

Churches and Museums

Campo dei Miracoli. One of the most famous and admired squares in the world, it was requested by the city government at a time when Pisa was at its most splendid. 

The San Matteo National Museum hosts works originating from the main churches in the city and territory. The collection includes paintings, sculptures and ceramics.

Museum of Ancient Ships in Pisa. In 1998, during the works carried out in the area around Pisa San Rossore Station, the remains of the ancient port in Pisa were brought to light.

Piaggio Museum, in Pontedera. In three thousand square meters of exhibition you can admire the Vespa, Piaggio and Gilera collections. The most important part of the museum is the Vespa collection, with its 50 years of production.

The Duomo was built between the 11th and 12th centuries, but was later subject to various restructuring work, especially after the great fire of 1595. The facade forms a scenic backdrop, with four rows of columns and decorations in colored marble on the lower part.

The Leaning Tower represents one of the symbols of Italy around the world. Designed as a bell-tower for the cathedral, work began in 1174 based on a project by Bonanno Pisano. It was completed in the 14th century.

The Baptistery. Work began in 1152 on the construction of a new baptistery, which blends well with the cathedral in terms of position, size, materials and style.

Santa Maria della Spina. This small church on the banks of the Arno is an extraordinary gem from Gothic Pisa. The name derives from the fact that a thorn from the crown of Jesus Christ has been preserved here for centuries, now exhibited in the Church of Saint Chiara.

Church of San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno. This beautiful church was built between the 9th and 10th centuries and is one of the most splendid examples of Pisan Romanesque architecture in existence.

San Michele in Borgo It was built between the 10th and 11th centuries in a transition style of Pisan Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The beautiful facade above the trusses hosts three rows of arches, a rose window and a tabernacle with statues dating from the fourteenth century.

San Zeno Abbey Reopened in 2000 following intense restoration work, this abbey hosts contemporary art exhibitions and concerts. San Zeno Abbey is unusual in its curious mix of architectural styles and orientation, as is easily noted by its facade. The facade has an ornate Romanesque geometrical design.

The Palazzo Reale National Museum was prepared in 1989 to host numerous works of art belonging to the successive courts of the city government, including the Medici, Lorena and Savoia courts, as well as some private collections.

Historical buildings and monuments

Piazza dei Cavalieri was the political center of the Pisan Republic.  During the 16th century it was radically transformed by Giorgio Vasari on the wishes of Cosimo I De Medici and became the seat of the new military order known as the Knights of St. Stephen.

The “Lungarni” Quays. For centuries these quays were the heart of the city. Until the nineteenth century they were covered with piers and docks. These were later destroyed to reinforce the banks. The “Lungarni” are presented as a succession of beautiful noble buildings, interrupted by five bridges that unite the city.

The Camposanto Monumentale was founded in 1277 and completed in 1464. This cemetery is a cloister of vast galleries around the central area, which according to legend contains the "holy soil” from Palestine brought here by Pisan crusaders.

The Jewish Cemetery is located within Piazza dei Miracoli and dates back to 1648. It is one of the oldest Hebrew cemeteries in Europe. The inscriptions on the tombs are not only in Hebrew, but also in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Czech.

The Mural by Keith Haring Keith Haring (1958 - 1990) was a young American artist who was known worldwide for his "Subway Drawings”. Pisa’s mural, measuring 180 meters, can be found on a wall in the Sant’Antonio Convent near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. It is Haring’s only work to have been planned from the beginning as a permanent work and is entitled:

Venice

Churches

Santa Croce

Dorsoduro

San Polo


Castello


San Marco


Cannaregio

 

Buildings and monuments

Santa Croce

 

San Marco


San Polo


Cannaregio


Dorsoduro

Museums

The most interesting museums in Venice, divided into city areas, from the Galleria dell’Accademia to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum...


Santa Croce


Castello


San Marco

Dorsoduro

Places and charm

The most charming places that can be discovered walking around the city: from Piazza San Marco to the Ghetto...

San Marco

Dorsoduro


San Polo

Cannaregio

 

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ROME: ..Museums... Anthropology... Art... Specialized Museums... palaces, villas and gardens... Fountains

FLORENCE: ..Churches... A walk to discover Florence

MILAN: ..Charm ...Museums... Buildings and Monuments... Romance of Milan

NAPLES: ..Churches ...Buildings and Monuments ...Charm

PISA: ..Churches ...Buildings and Monuments

VENICE: ..Churches ...Buildings and Monuments... Museums ...Charm