Northern Italy
Explore
the fashion of Milan, the mythology of Verona and the historical magnificence
of Venice,
with
Alexandra Hansen
There’s a reason over 43 million tourists visit Italy each year, and
the North is as beautiful a region as any.
There’s so much to see and do in Italy, a country steeped in history and
beauty, and don’t even get me started on the food! One could easily spend
months traveling there, and just as long writing about it, which is why I’ve
broken up Italy into regions; starting with the North.
Milan is not only the fashion
capital, but also the financial and business centre of Italy. This wouldn’t
mean anything too important for tourists, except that it’s more expensive than
the rest of Italy so be prepared to budget! When arriving in the city it can be
slightly disappointing as the fashion and the glamour doesn’t jump right out at
you as one would expect. Take the time to wander around, visit the Galleria
Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade, with its beautiful glass dome roof and
boutique shops, and the ‘Golden Quad’, where you won’t be able to afford to buy
anything, but just watching the beautiful men and women flit in and out of
Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana is a treat! Ladies note: The men here in
their bespoke suits are reason in itself to come to Milan. The Duomo and Teatro
alla Scala are definitely worth a look, but the most popular tourist attraction
in the city is without a doubt Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. NOTE: You can only get in to see it by
appointment. I would love to be able to tell you how magnificent it was, but I
had not a guide such as this and missed out! FYI it is located in Cenacolo
Vinciano, so be sure to book in advance!
Verona, while not listed in the travel books as a must-see of
Italy, was one of my favourite spots. As a bit of a self-proclaimed literature
buff, I had long looked forward to the town that ol’ Bill Shakespeare used as
inspiration for Two Gentlemen of Verona
and more famously, Romeo and Juliet. Although
Shakespeare had never actually been to Verona, it does have the small-town
Italian charm that he was presumably looking for, and is not as tainted by the
tourism industry as many other Italian cities. The people here were the nicest
I came across, and the food and accommodation were not nearly as expensive as
Milan. The tourism industry here, while nowhere near as big as nearby Venice,
seems to exist solely as fodder for R&J fans. The town’s main (only?)
source of attraction is the story, which, real or fake has resulted in a number
of sights R&J fans such as myself can visit. Get your obligatory
I’m-on-Juliet’s-balcony tourist photo (as I did-left) at Juliet’s Casa. I’m not
sure the basis on which they know it was the
Juliet’s house, but it was said to be owned by a ‘Capuletti’ family, and it has
a balcony, so it must be, right?! Outside is the statue of Juliet whereby
rubbing her right breast is said to bring luck in love, and inside is a museum
containing costumes from Zafarelli’s film adaptation of the play, artwork, and
interactive computerised ‘Letters to Juliet’. Apparently for centuries people
have been writing letters to Juliet asking for advice or to grant them luck in
their love-lives and relationships. This can be seen all over the house, with
graffiti of two people’s names in love hearts all over the walls, written on
dried pieces of chewing gum, and on padlocks chained to the gates. I was nice
enough to pay homage to two of my best friends and their partners on the famed
walls wishing them luck and longevity in their relationships…one got engaged
two months later, and one broke up. So you be the judge! Other sites include
Juliet’s tomb and Romeo’s house (which is a mere plaque on the wall and not
really worth a visit if you ask me). Also worth a look is The Arena; the third
largest Roman amphitheatre in existence. 
Venice. Where does one begin with Venice? Breathtakingly beautiful
and idyllic, it is one of the few places that really lives up to your
expectations and the romanticism the Western world imposes on it. Made up of
117 islands, I had heard the canals smell something horrid in the summer, but I
didn’t smell a thing. Beware, it is the worst city in the world to get lost in,
the streets don’t really make sense, and you can’t merely follow the main canal
as most of the buildings protrude into the canal and impede the continuation of
the road. After taking a few hours at least to find our accommodation (there’s
also various street names replicated three or four times on different islands
just to confuse you further, and the suggestion after arriving by train to
‘just get a taxi’ was severely disheartened when we recalled the city was
afloat) we just wandered for hours around the tiny streets and canals taking it
all in. In terms of sight-seeing, the Doge’s Palace is worthwhile (and it’s
worth forking out the extra cash for the VIP tour where you’re taken into the
roof), and the area surrounding it, Piazza San Marco, is the main tourist area.
The Bell Tower on the same square offers supreme views and a good history
lesson on Venice and the various islands. The Venetians (they very readily tell
you) were a very dominating force in their day, ruling half of the
Mediterranean and subsequently the history in Venice is nearly as impressive as
the city itself. Peggy Guggenheim’s house/museum is well worthwhile, featuring
her grandest collections of work, and her grave. It is in Venice that I sampled
the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life (and I’ve been to Naples which is said to be the best!) and ate the most
expensive pasta I’ve ever had in my life. For all its splendour, one can only
spend a few days in Venice due merely to the expense. Surpassing Milan as the
most expensive city in Italy, don’t expect to get a full tummy for less than
€20. It’s also a good idea to buddy up, since a gondola ride for 45 minutes
will set you back €90-100, and they fit 5-6 passengers. It easy to see why
thousands everyday fork out the cost however; as you’ll never have an
experience quite like cruising down the canals of Venice in a gondola while
being crooned by an Italian in the full Venetian regalia!
