Ciao Italia

Italy. It is a country that I have loved even before I saw it. I know it is hard to perceive but I developed a love for the place months before my actual visit. I guess you can say that it is ironic because I started to form a longing for Italy when I visited the Louvre Museum in Paris. There I saw wonderful frescoes by Boticelli who, although I’ve heard of before, was virtually a stranger for me. In my interest, I decided to buy a book and learn more about the artist and his works. And there I learned that most of his works are housed in the Uffizi gallery in Florence. The more I read about him, the more I wanted to see his work in person. Thus, I promised myself that I would one day see Florence and see Boticelli’s splendid creations with my own eyes.

It took me some time, but I was finally able to go to Italy. It was a tour I made on my own. A decision that would have intimidated the faint-hearted but it only strengthened my resolve. I told myself that if I don’t do this now, I will never be able to go. So, I continued my plans knowing that I will be travelling alone.

My first stop was Rome and I guess it’s only fitting that I first see the Colosseum. It is an impressive structure, one that will not fail to excite one’s heart. Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating since a different person might wonder what the fuss is all about for a bloke of stone. But for me, I felt like threading on one of the greatest places of the history of mankind. And I guess you do just that since the Roman Empire was considered as a great one. Once you are inside, you’ll be humbled by the vastness and intricacy of the place. I then moved on to the Church of San Clemente. It is a medieval basilica, full of paintings and has a beautiful gilded ceiling. One level below is an old Christian church from the 4th century and yet below it is a church of Mithraic origin. I visited next the Santa Maria Sopra Minerva church. This church has a very plain façade made distinct only by an elephant sculpture designed by Bernini. Inside the church, the ceiling is designed with blue and gold and it makes a good contrast to the opulent collection of paintings inside. I then head off to the nearby Pantheon. I arrived there at night so a lot of people are gathered at the fountain outside. When you go in, you’d be awed by the great dome that is open at the top. This is a marvelous example of a great Roman architecture. The place was superbly designed and when you get inside, you get a sense of vast space. The focal point of my day was my visit to the Trevi Fountain. If there is one place in Rome that I would love to see again, this would be it. Nothing can prepare me for the beauty of the Trevi Fountain at night. One minute I was walking in a crowded street, then the next minute I saw this beautiful fountain adorned by lights and surrounded by a lot of people. It was breathtaking and totally romantic.

I also visited the Borghese Museum, famous for its collection of Bernini sculptures. To be truthful, I was enticed to this museum for the Boticelli paintings it supposedly contain. However, when I got inside, I only found a single work by Boticelli. I am glad though for the effort I made as I was able to see a lot of Bernini’s sculptures. There was David posed to throw his stone for Goliath, then there was Apollo and Daphne excellently portrayed as lovers. Bernini’s sculptures are remarkable in that their smoothness and intricate attention to detail give them a quality notable of all of the artist’s work. The nearby Piazza del Popolo is also worth a visit. Here, tourists and residents alike spend the afternoon lounging under the sun. The church of Santa Maria del Popolo at the edge of the plaza merits a visit for its Cappella Chigi, decorated by Raphael.

I also saw the Roman Forum. It is consisted of ruins that will inspire awe in everyone. It is hard to imagine how the place looks like before. Too bad I was not able to get hold of those books where it shows you the ruins as they are and there’s this decorated plastic that you can put on top of it that shows how they were in their original form. Tough luck. The Palatine Hills is a good place to rest after a frantic visit of the Forum. It boasts of a good view of the surrounding areas and of the Roman Forum itself.

Acting like a tourist, I also head off to the famous Spanish Steps. I was expecting more grandeur than what I saw but I was sorely disappointed. Although it is a nice place for a meeting or a tryst. I went up the steps and was rewarded by a good aerial view of the surrounding areas. I then head off to Piazza Navona to see Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. The sculptures, supposedly depicting the Danube, Nile, Plate and Ganges, are wonderful and moving. It is located in the center of the very lively Piazza Navona and a good place for rest.

The last place I visited in Rome is the Vatican City. It took me more than a good hour before I got inside the Basilica. However, the wait is worth the splendor of the Basilica’s interior. The first sculpture I saw was Michelangelo’s Pieta and it comes up to its reputation well. The bronze altar canopy, created by Bernini, is simply wonderful. The gilded ceilings, the beautiful chapels within the Basilica, are just a few of the good things to expect within. We visited the Vatican Treasures Museum and it is filled with a lot of souvenirs like golden chalices, rings adorned by different types of precious stones, capes and crowns used by prior popes and a lot more riches of the Vatican. Going out of the museum, we were lucky enough to witness a procession of the Bishop who celebrated the mass inside the Basilica. He blessed our little gathering and after they passed, we were allowed to go on our way. I tried my best to see the Vatican Museum particularly the Sistine Chapel. However, by the time I got there, the place is closed for lunch and if I wait, I will miss my flight. I figured that I will definitely go back to Italy anyway, so, I’ll see it the next time I’m there.

The 2nd city I visited is Florence. It is a more intimate city and walking is a nice past time. I am lucky because my hotel is near the train station and near the city center. Thus, I am able to explore the city at my leisure. The first place I visited is the Piazza del Duomo. I saw the colorful Duomo and its Campanile. The multicolored façade is unique and fantastic, a sentiment that one can attribute to the whole city. Directly in front is the oldest building in Florence, the Baptistry, swarmed by tourists for its eastern door, dubbed by Michelangelo as the Gates of Paradise. And Indeed the door is beautiful. It is composed of ten panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament. I entered the Duomo next to see how the interior comes up to its attractive exterior and was disappointed to see that it is too plain in comparison. However, the frescoes adorning the large dome is a colorful interpretation of the Judgement Day. I then queued for the visit to the dome created by Brunelleschi. It was a rigorous 472 steps and frightening for me. I am afraid of heights and I only tried to climb because it was reputed that the view from the top of the dome is incomparable. I was okay at the start because I am able to see someone in front of me and some people were also walking behind me. However, there was a time when I lost sight of people in front and at the back and I was climbing a spiral stairs when I wanted to stop but I can’t for fear of falling. I almost lost my nerve but I continued on because I was too afraid to stop. Whew, just imagine how relieved I was when I got to the top! I was shaking all over and my heart was beating really fast. But I was so glad that I tried to climb because the view from the top is spectacular. It gives you a view of the city of Florence from all sides, including the mountainous towns nearby. Simply breathtaking. I can just imagine how the city looks like at night. Enchanting and totally romantic.

My next visit led me to San Lorenzo church and the Medici Chapels. Oddly enough, I can’t recall a distinct work from there except for Michelangelo’s tomb for one of the Medicis. Although, located at the side of the chapel is a leather factory where tourists can view wallets, bags, jackets and other products. There is a large collection of items to choose from but I cannot tell if they are fairly priced. Florence is well known for its leather industry because of their affordable price and soft texture. This is also the city where Salvatore Ferragamo base his business in Italy.

I tried to visit the church of Orsanmichelle to see the supposedly miraculous painting of the Madonna and Child. But I was sorely disappointed for it was closed. I tried to visit it for several days but I was not lucky.

The Piazza della Signoria, home to the famous Palazzo Vecchio, is a lively plaza where tourists gather and residents usually meet. It is adjacent to the Uffizi gallery but I didn’t go there yet as I scheduled it on a different day. Instead, I head off to Ponte Vecchio (old bridge), Florence’s most famous bridge. If you traverse the bridge, you’d wonder what the fuss is all about since what you will see throughout are jewelry shops. Although a lot of tourists flock to this site to look at the goods being offered, you must walk away from the place to see how it looks like. It is good to look at from a distance although I must say that the postcards and books made it look more grand than it seems. I walked towards the direction of the Uffizi gallery as I have to pass here also to get to my next stop, the Santa Croce church. This is a beautiful church, tucked away from the most usual tourist spots. My walk towards it brought me through one of the oldest quarters of the city. It was quiet and relieving after the hustle and bustle of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio. In front of the church is the Piazza Santa Croce, where you’ll find a lot of students busy with trying to capture the church through a drawing, and other residents just sitting at the plaza passing their time away. Of course, not a minute passed before a hoard of tourists come along to enter the church. At that time, I was already anxious because I can’t seem to find a church where one can pray. Most of the churches are tourist spots and not conducive for a short meditative prayer. However, the Santa Croce church was able to fit my need for prayer. The church is visited by tourists because a number of famous personalities are buried there. Some of them are Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and Rossini. The church is also filled with beautiful frescoes from different Italian painters.

Galleria degli Uffizi. The height of my visit in Florence started the next day with my visit to this famous museum. The queue to get inside is horrendous and I was so glad that I made a reservation. It costs more but it’s worth it because it could take about two or three hours before a person without reservation can enter. For this visit, I did not spare any expense. Like a typical tourist, I rented an audio guide for the history of the paintings I am about to see. Up the stairs, through the hallway, I entered the first room of the Uffizi. Room 3 – 6 are mostly works from the Byzantine period. Since I prefer Renaissance art, I quickly moved to the adjoining room to find most of Fra Angelico’s work. Fra Angelico largely influenced Boticelli in his work. And as depicted in the book I read, his paintings are simply magnificent and moving. The paintings depict religious scenes or figures and hearing some of the explanation can really move a person to strengthen their faith. It was good that video camera was allowed inside the gallery as I was able to capture his work through film. Then I moved to room 9 where part of Boticelli’s work is shown. It was a good introduction to rooms 10 – 14 that hold a large collection of the artist’s work. I excitedly moved to the Boticelli room. And it is hard to put into words the gladness that I felt to see his paintings in person. His paintings are simply wonderful. Most of the tourists crowded over The Birth of Venus and La Primavera. However, I got stuck in his painting of the Madonna and child. The way he painted the face of the virgin is beyond beauty. He gave the virgin’s face an ethereal quality that makes it so wonderful to look at. I returned not less than four times to stare at the painting. I cannot explain how wonderful his paintings are. His Birth of Venus and La Primavera live up to their reputation. It is an understatement to say that I was overwhelmed by all his work. I don’t know how else to explain it. I so loved his work that I didn’t want to leave anymore. I returned several times and I think it was noticed by the employee assigned within that room. She recognized me already after my third return and she smiled at me, probably wondering why I kept on returning. One other artist that I noticed in the museum is Titian. His Venus of Urbino is so real and enticingly feminine. The museum is filled with paintings from other famous artists like da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo. However, after seeing Boticelli, my curiosity to see more waned.

I also visited the enchanting church of Santa Maria Novella. The façade is outstanding and colorful. I was hoping to see the Trinity fresco created by Massachio however, the painting is under renovation. It was reputed that this painting was visited by the Florentines in 1427 for the it apparently created a picture of three-dimensional space in a solid wall. It’s a pity that I wasn’t able to see it.

At a time, I found myself at a loss for things to do. I decided to travel out of Florence and visit the beach. I impulsively bought a one-way ticket to Viareggio, a city noted for its beautiful beaches. The travel from Florence to Viareggio took more than an hour. The Italian countryside is breathtaking. There are several towns surrounded by mountains and some are perched on top of hills or at the base of a mountain. They are so beautiful. When I got to Viareggio, I was so unhappy to find that the information center is closed and no one in the station speaks English. Not knowing where to go and how to go to the center, I decided to just go back to Florence instead of subjecting myself to a day of losing direction. However, I so enjoyed the train ride to and from Florence. It was like a rest for me since I’ve been in a sort of a frenzy to see everything at such a limited time.

I then head off to Padua and Venice. I visited Padua for a single reason only : Saint Anthony. He is the patron saint of our family and to see his basilica in Padua was my second reason for travelling to Italy. When I got to the Basilica, I entered with bated breath. I felt a tension within me heightened by the knowledge that I am finally fulfilling a promise I made to Saint Anthony. I can hardly suppress the emotion I felt that day. I walked around the beautiful basilica in awe of the whole place. When I came to Saint Anthony’s chapel, I felt compelled to enter at once and give respect to our patron saint. There I saw the beautiful sculptures depicting the saint’s life. And in the center is the tomb holding his remains. I queued along with the many others who wanted to touch his tomb. When my chance came, I felt an overwhelming emotion of happiness and gratitude. I am not ashamed to admit that I cried while I was praying to Saint Anthony. I felt happy and content.

Venice is a lovely island. I traveled to Venice by train and as we got closer, I saw that the whole city is surrounded by water. The first thing I did was smile. I love Venice already. A friend of mine commented that we seem to enjoy seeing beaches and other body of water more than landscapes or monuments. Which I believe is true. Although I like seeing towns surrounded by the mountains at one side and the sea at the other side. I think that’s the perfect scenery for me. The first thing I did in Venice is to ride their regular ferry and see their Canal Grande. But of course, in my haste to get to the boat, I didn’t check which boat I was going to. Thus, I found myself traversing the Canale Della Guidecca instead. It’s a good thing that the ferry also goes to Piazza San Marco or it would have been a complete disaster.

I liked riding their ferries. And the water does not smell bad as others thought it does. Although the water’s color is mossy green, it is not pungent. It does not smell like the crisp smell of the sea that you get from other beaches but, it’s not really bad.

I first visited Piazza San Marco, Basilica di San Marco, Palazzo Ducale and Ponte dei Sospiri. The Palazzo Ducale or Doge’s Palace was not only home for the ruling doges, secret police or legal courts, but also to prisons and torture chambers. I read that Casanova was once held in one of the dungeons inside the palace. The Ponte dei Sospiri or the Bridge of Sighs was reputedly named for the sighs of condemned men being led from the palace to the city’s prisons. The Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square is the most famous plaza in Venice. The plaza is dominated by several cafes, reputedly the most expensive in the city. Be warned though that not only is the plaza filled with tourists, its main occupants are pigeons. And they take up a big part of the plaza. If you walk through them, you might find yourself surrounded by several flying birds, which could be very disconcerting. Although some tourists try to walk to them and get the pigeons to stand on their arms. Other features of the plaza are the two columns near the waterfront. The place in between was once an area of execution and Venetians still consider it an unlucky place to walk. The Basilica di San Marco holds the remains of St. Mark. I am not a fan of mosaic art but the mosaics covering the exterior and interior of the basilica are wonderful. It’s a pity because tourists were not allowed to linger inside due to the numerous people who visit the basilica. I did not venture into the Loggia dei Cavalli, St. Mark’s external balcony, or to the museums for lack of time.

I next visited Santa Maria della Salute. The Salute is a beautiful church inside and out. The story says that this church was built in honor of the Virgin for saving the Venetians from the plague. The high altar inside the church features a sculpture of the Virgin Casting Out the Plague. The sacristy is filled with beautiful paintings from Titian, most of them portraits of saints. Notable also is a large painting by Tintoretto called Feast at Cana.

Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. This is a wonderful Gothic church built for the Franciscans. The church contains a large collection of paintings dominated by three great Italian Renaissance paintings. The most noticeable of these three is the large Assumption painting by Titian located at the high altar. It is a glorious painting that totally dominates the whole church. The second painting is Bellini’s Madonna and Child with Saints. There is a restrained beauty in this painting that will not fail to tug at your heart. The third painting is another work of Titian, the Madonna di Ca’ Pesaro. The portraits in this painting are so real and the Virgin is simply beautiful. One other work in this church that left a good impression on me is the Frari’s choir. It is magnificent and unique. The choir is made of wood and contains three level of seats. The most decorative are the highest seats doubly larger than the first two levels. The wood carvings are exquisite. Each seat is decorated with carvings of religious figures.

My guidebook said that a visit to Scuola Grande di San Rocco is a must. I almost skipped this place but I am glad I didn’t. In visiting this place, I chanced upon a great Venetian artist, Tintoretto. The place contains three rooms : Sala dell’Albergo, Sala Grande and lower hall. A collection of 54 paintings from Tintoretto is distributed within the Scuola. The most notorious painting is located at the ceiling of the Sala dell’Albergo, the Glory of St. Roch. A contest was held in Venice for a commission on paintings to decorate the Scuola. Tintoretto won the commission by bringing a finished painting, when his rivals only brought sketches. He secretly had the painting placed in the ceiling before the judges’ arrival. This work though is overshadowed by his large Crucifixion painting, considered as one of Italy’s best. It is a very moving painting and I got another example on how churches use paintings as a medium to strengthen a person’s faith. The Sala Grande will not fail to amaze. Imagine a whole room whose ceilings and walls are filled with paintings. They are made more beautiful by the gilded frames surrounding each one of them. It was breathtaking. The lower hall is equally impressive. Tintoretto was already in his sixties when he created the paintings in this room.

I like the Rialto Bridge better than Florence’s celebrated Ponte Vecchio. It is more beautiful and more appealing. The bridge was created during the 16th century and is shaped like an inverted V.

Torcello. I was told to move heaven and earth to get to this island. Well, no theatrics was needed as I just had to buy a round trip tickets for the trip. I loved the one hour boat ride. We passed through the San Michele, Venice’s island cemetery. Creepy. Torcello is almost deserted but for a few residential houses and three tourist spots, if you can call them that. The Santa Fosca church is a very simple church and bare of any decoration. Somehow I liked it for its simplicity. Then there’s the Museo dell’ Estuario, Torcello’s art museum. It’s a small museum that’s dedicated to the history of the lagoon. The place that makes visiting Torcello worthwhile is the Santa Maria Assunta church. This small church is filled with fantastic mosaic art. It also has a campanile that gives you a very nice view of Torcello and the nearby Burano. I loved the view from up high. Although I wasn’t able to go out for a better view and my sight was limited to the small windows that are lined with wires, probably placed there to keep out birds.

All in all, the city that most captured my heart is Venice. It is said that this is the city for lovers and I think it is true. As the Austrian guy I talked to said, what could be more romantic than meeting someone at the famous Rialto? Intriguing. There is an old Italian proverb that says, “At Florence, you think; at Rome, you pray; at Venice, you love; at Naples, you look”. I think this proverb says it all.

There are others things to love about Italy. First and foremost are the people. A lot of Italians are so beautiful that you’d wonder if Gods and Goddesses are roaming around the place. I had an experience in Santa Maria del Popolo where I was shocked by the beauty of a gorgeous guy inside the church. There I was innocently looking at the place when suddenly, a guy sitting near a chapel looked up and I was stunned by his angelic face. I probably wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if he announced himself as the Archangel Gabriel. Of course, I would wonder about the man’s sanity but beautiful people are easy to forgive.

Then, there’s the famous gelato. If you go to Italy and never had a taste of their ice cream, then half of the world has been lost to you. Their gelato is the best there is. Never a day passed when I was in Italy that I didn’t treat myself to a gelato. Then there’s their pizza and their pasta. Yummy! They sure know how to make the best pizza and pasta. And of course, the espresso. Someone told me that if a tourist orders a café, he will be given a cappuccino instead of an espresso. I guess I am lucky because I always get the espresso. The Italian coffee is so good. Of course, the serving is so small, you can finish it in one gulp. Which I think is how the locals drink their coffee. But I got used to the French’s way of drinking coffee, slowly savoring the taste. Espresso was always a part of my meal. Just like the gelato, I can’t get enough of it.

My love for Italy extends up to the books that I read. I am now reading Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose and Carlo Levi’s Christ Stopped at Eboli. Although I have to read the English version of these books, I believe I am able to capture the thoughts of the Italians who wrote them.

Although I traveled alone, I enjoyed my visit in Italy. There were times when I longed for someone to talk to, to share how I feel about each places I visited. And it was disappointing when you have no one to discuss your emotions with right at the moment when you’re feeling it. However, my tour has got me acquainted with a lot of people from different parts of the world. Most of the people I talked to are Filipinos, either traveling there as tourists or are working there and have lived in Italy for a long time. Others came from the U.S., Canada, Austria. I enjoyed talking to strangers because it cultivates my ability to communicate and sustain a conversation. And I’m glad I had that experience. Most of the people I talked to voiced out their opinion and said that they really enjoyed talking to me. Don’t worry, I was not forcing them or paying them to say that. I guess sometimes, you just have to experience travelling alone and see how you’ll fare on your own.

I know that I will be back again to this country. Not just because I want to but because I have a conviction within me that this will happen. Now that I have seen what Italy has to offer, my love for it has grown stronger than before. I want to explore it more and learn about its people and its culture. Someday, I know I will be back again to see my beloved Italy. And then I would be able to say again Ciao Italia!*




* Ciao in Italy is an informal way of saying hello and goodbye