No one will hand you a million dollars just because you are nice
Imagine being able to afford your own private island? David Copperfiled owns his own island called Musha Cay located in the Exuma Chain in the southern Bahamas. It was on this private island that a 21-year old girl claimed last year that David Copperfield raped her.
We’ve discussed traveling to various locations in Italy in previous posts. The locations we’ve discussed, Rome, Venice, Florence and Tuscany all are places we hope one day to explore. For now, we are just trying to learn about some of the world’s most traveled places. Once we can afford to actually travel we will at least have some ideas of the sights we should see.
This is the final piece in the “Travel Italy” series. It is about Naples—the land of pizza.
The historic city of Naples, Italy is the place where pizza originated. Not only that, it is also the place where romantic guitar and the mandolin were created. Naples is the second most populated city in Italy, with over 3.8 million people. The city hosts many historical museums like the Naples National Archeological Museum. This contains artifacts from the Roman Empire and artifacts from the Greek and renaissance period.
Naples is also known for its ancient castles, one of the most famous one is the Castel Nuovo. It was built during the time of Charles I, the first king of Naples. The Museo di Capodimonte, a famous art gallery and museum, attracts many tourists from around the world. It showcases paintings dating back from 13th to 18th century. These works of arts are from Raphael, Titian, Simone Martini, El Greco, Caravaggio, and other famous artists.
Other well-known museums are the Certosa di san Martino which used to be a monastery complex and the Pietrarsa railway museum which hosts the city’s railway history. The city of Naples also boasts a lot of magnificent churches and religious structures. One of these is the Cathedral of Naples which is considered as the most important place of worship in the city. Every September 19, the church hosts the Miracle of Saint Januaruis (the city’s patron saint). This annual event attracts thousands of people to witness the miracle of their patron saint’s dried blood turning into liquid.
In this modern times when people tend to erase the rich historic past, Italy has preserved its quaint beauty with the restoration of ancient buildings, historic landmarks, and significant monuments. Italy is a city that is truly a living art.
Other Travel Italy posts
Image: Bay of Naples
If you are planning a trip to Rome, Italy here’s a short note about some of what the location has to offer. This is a continuation of “Travel Italy”.
Rome Italy is the place where the Vatican city is located. An ancient city that still harbors remnants of its past, the place is brimming with beautiful places such as monuments, fountains, and churches.
The Vatican city is a sovereign state, meaning it has independence from the city of Rome even though it literally surrounds the Holy city. In Vatican city, there are many interesting places to see—these are the Vatican library and museum, the Sistine chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the Raphael rooms. Works from Leonardo da Vinci, Giotto, and Botticelli can also be found in the Vatican.
Rome is surrounded by beautiful gardens and magnificent villas—the most famous is the Villa Borghese with its large opulent landscape, museums, and buildings. Colosseum, one of the most famous symbols of ancient Rome, is the largest amphitheater ever built by the Roman Empire. This was a place for gladiators to fight, and it can accommodate over 50,000 spectators.
The list of important monuments of ancient Rome includes the Pantheon, the Trajan’s market and column, the catacombs of Rome, the pyramid of Cestius, the Bocca della Verita, the Roman Forum, the Domus Aurea, the Circus Maximus, the baths of Caracalla, and the arch of Constantine.
Image: Temple d’esculape dans la Villa Borghese à Rome
More from the “Travel Italy” series:
There are certain expectations that come with wealth. One of these expectations is that you will have knowledge of the world. Traveling is part of the “culture” of wealth, which is not to say only wealthy people travel; but certainly one generally needs to have a good deal of money to make a habit of traveling.
The fact that I don’t have a passport should give you a pretty good idea of how much traveling I do; but I’ve made a note to myself to get a passport before the end of the year, because I plan to start traveling as early as 2009; and one of the first places I plan to visit is Italy.
I’ve always been fascinated with Italy, though I can’t really say why. In this continuation of “Travel Italy” I will share some information about Venice Italy. As I see it, just because you can’t travel to Venice doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to know a little something about the place.
Venice—a place where romance blooms
A city which is known for its canals and gondolas, Venice can definitely make anyone fall in love with its splendor. With beautiful streets and quaint buildings lining up along the canals, the exquisite charm of the city brings a romantic mood for tourists.
Located at the northern part of Italy, the city stretches across 110 small islands in the Venetian lagoon along the Adriatic Sea. During the Medieval and Renaissance period (13th-17th century), Venice was an important center of commerce and art. The city of canals was built 600 years ago by its original inhabitants to protect themselves from land-based attacks. They diverted all the major rivers flowing into the lagoon which prevented sediments from accumulating around the city. Due to this, they had created a deep lagoon environment.
The buildings of Venice are constructed on wood piles that were closely packed together. The structures are often threatened by flood tides from Adriatic sea between autumn and early spring. During 20th century, when many artesian wells were built for local water resource, the city began to sink. It was then discovered that water extraction causes it to subside, and so during the 1960s, artesian wells were banned. This was an effective solution as recent studies suggest that Venice is no longer sinking. However, the city is still threatened by frequent low floods.
One of the most interesting features of the Venetian countryside is the villas of the Veneto, as these were rural residences of nobles during the past. These have also beautiful gardens that used to be the venue for social gathering of the elites during the middle age. The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) declared these villas as World Heritage Site (being of cultural and natural importance to the common heritage of humanity) because of its rich architectural design and its colorful historic past.
Also Read:
As explained in “Travel Italy“, I have decided to share some material I collected for a book I planned to write a while back. The material was written for me by a freelance writer whom I prefer to call my research assistant because it makes me sound important (tongue in cheek). I’m currently focusing on Italy, but I’ll be sharing material about London and Paris as well. Then later on maybe I’ll get some material on additional countries and share those as well. Maybe you already know all there is to know about Florence Italy, but some of us aspiring rich girls have never been to Florence or any other place in Italy or Europe for that matter. Until such time as we can afford to travel like the ultimate rich bitches (no offense to anyone who doesn’t like my use of the “B” word.) a little education about some of the world’s most traveled regions couldn’t hurt.
Florence with its rich historic past
Florence boasts with its baroque buildings, remarkable galleries, and striking churches. The city of Florence lies on the Arno river and used to be the center of Medieval European trade and finance. Today, the place is known for its art and architectural design that dates back from the middle age.
The must-see place in Florence is the magnificent domed cathedral called Santa Maria del Fiore (also known as Duomo). The church, which was built 600 years ago by Filippo Brunelleschi, is a famous tourist spot that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Other well-known churches in Florence are the Battistero di San Giovanni, the Basilica di Santa Croce, the Basilica di San Lorenzo, the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata, and the Chiesa di San Marco.
The travelers should also see the old bridge called Ponte Vecchio. This is the only bridge that has survived the catastrophe of World War II. First constructed hundreds of years ago by its original inhabitants called Etruscans, the bridge’s most striking feature is the multitude of shops upon its edges. At the center of this magnificent city is the famous marble sculpture called Bartolomeo Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune. This masterpiece is a breathtaking view that will enthrall every one with its beauty and charm.
If someone wants to have a taste of the rich historic past of the city, he or she must visit the Uffizi gallery which is considered as one of the finest galleries in the world. One of the most famous squares in Florence is the Piazza della Signoria which used to be the heart of social life in the medieval city. What is interesting to note is that this is the only square in the world which has the most incredible large numbers of historic monuments.
In 1982, the historic center of Florence was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its medieval walls which were built in the 14th century to protect the city from its enemies.
Note: UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) world heritage sites are places in the world that are regarded to be culturally or naturally important to the common heritage of humanity.
Also read:
Venice—a place where romance blooms
In continuation of “Travel Italy” ,Tuscany is said to be one of the most visited places in Italy, known for its vineyards and winery.
There are six localities in Tuscany that have been made UNESCO protected sites. UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) protected sites are places in the world, such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or cities that are regarded to be of culturally or naturally important to the common heritage of humanity. The regions in Tuscany that are UNESCO protected are: the historical center of Florence, the historical center of Siena, the square of the Cathedral of Pisa, the historical center of San Gimignano , the historical center of Pienza and the Val d’Orcia.
Because Tuscany is the exact birthplace of renaissance period, it has a rich heritage that includes painting, architecture, and sculpture. There are many museums in this region that showcases the rich historic and cultural past of its people.
The region is known for its agricultural products such as Chianina cattle, and its wide varieties of olive oil. Tuscany is the birthplace of Dante Alighiere, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci, famous renaissance men that have been regarded, even in this modern day, as the world’s greatest thinkers.
I have never been to Italy but I’m told Italy is one of the most beautiful places in the world. My research assistant (really just a guy I paid to write up some material for a planned book) assures me that, with its rich historic past and amazing culture, it is easy to fall in love with Italy, which he calls a remarkable country.
Because aspiring rich ladies ought to know as much as they can about the world’s most traveled regions, even while they are too poor to afford to travel to these esteemed places, I have decided to share some of the material I’ve collected. If you’re planning a trip to Italy you might find some useful information as you prepare for your travel. Otherwise read to educate yourself if for no other reason.
Italy Part 1
Located in Southern Europe, Italy shares its northern boundaries with Austria, France, Switzerland, and Slovenia.
The climate of this country is very diverse. The northern areas have tropical climate while the southern part has various weather depending on the region’s altitude. Regions that have high altitudes are often cold, wet, and snowy. Regions that are near the coast have mild winters and have often dry and hot summer.
This is a place that is ideal for someone to reflect and to be enthralled by the mystifying beauty of Italy, as this place offers many tourist attractions such as art museums, opera houses, restaurants, historic landmarks, and beautiful countryside. The country is also the birthplace of renaissance period which is the rebirth of classical ideas that happened during the 15th and 6th centuries. Visiting Italian cities will give the traveler a sense of mystery and charm. With its remarkable architectural designs and other remnants of its rich and colorful past, the place can bring memories of the time when kings and noblemen ruled and flourished.
Go to Italy Part 2 – > Tuscany—a place of sweet wine
