Veneto and Emilia-Romagna

ABOUT THE DESTINATION:

Venice, often described as the "City of Canals" or the "Floating City," is a unique and enchanting destination in northeastern Italy. Built on a network of over 100 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon, Venice is renowned for its picturesque waterways, elegant bridges, and stunning architecture. The city is a masterpiece of art and culture, with landmarks such as St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and the Rialto Bridge showcasing its rich history and artistic heritage. Visitors can explore the narrow winding streets, known as "calli," and discover hidden gems in the form of quaint cafes, artisan workshops, and charming squares known as "campi." Venice is also famous for its annual Carnival celebration, where elaborate masks and costumes fill the streets with color and festivity. Despite challenges such as rising sea levels and overtourism, Venice remains a symbol of romance, intrigue, and timeless beauty, captivating visitors with its magical atmosphere and timeless allure.

ABOUT THE DESTINATION: Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Saint Anthony's cathedral. Saint Anthony's Basilica is the best-known tourist site in Padova. Built immediately after "The Saint's" death in the 1200s, it houses his tomb and notable relics. • St. George's Oratory. A beautiful, frescoed, and generally empty hall on the south side of the piazza next to the Basilica di Sant'Antonio. • Roman ruins, including an Arena. The Arena is smaller and less impressive than those in Verona or Rome, but well-located in a lovely and well-maintained park. • Palazzo della Ragione is the large building located between Piazza della Frutta and Piazza delle Erbe. Its ground floor hosts small market shops. • Jewish Ghetto, it's located between "Piazza della Frutta", the "Duomo" and "via Roma". Characterized by narrow streets and many small art galleries and bars where to enjoy a "spritz". • Palazzo del Bo' is the main university building. Padova's university is the second oldest in Italy. • Botanic Garden - the first Botanic Garden in the World, operated by the University of Padova, and on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997.

ABOUT THE DESTINATION: Set amid endless vineyards and cypress groves, this melange of Roman ruins, pink palazzi and fanciful sepulchres has a romantic beauty that is difficult to over-praise. Shakespeare set Romeo and Juliet here, and would likely be amused to know that his imaginary lovers have become Verona’s hottest tourist attraction. Nonetheless, Verona has more to offer than just Romeo and Juliet. In Verona’s centre, Brà square, there is the almost perfectly preserved Roman Arena. Up via Mazzini from the Arena is piazza delle Erbe, where corny gadgets are sold amid the Renaissance palazzo of former Veronese merchants and has a lively atmosphere with pretty cafes and dazzling restaurants. Through an arch on the right are piazza dei Signori and the Tombs of the Scaligeri, the peculiar Gothic remnants of della Scalla, Verona’s medieval tyrants. The equestrian statue of Cangrande I, head of the Scalla clan is a glorification of raw power and can be visited at the museum of Castelvecchio. But if you are an incurable romantic, at 23 via Cappello you’ll find Juliet’s house, where lovers graffiti their hopeful pleas. The house where Romeo used to live is now a bar. This ancient city exudes history from every brick and is well worth a visit.

ABOUT THE DESTINATION: "Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its prosciutto ,cheese, architecture, music and surrounding countryside. It is home to the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is divided into two parts by the stream of the same name. The district on the far side of the river is Oltretorrente. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Museo Glauco Lombardi is a particularly interesting and well done museum documenting the life of Maria Luigia, second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duchess of Parma. • Piazza Duomo is where you'll find the city's cathedral and the baptistry, both built in the late 12th century. The baptistry was designed by Benedetto Antelami and is constructed from a pink marble called rosso di Verona. • Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi is where the original Roman Colony, founded in 183 BC. Today the modern square contains shops and restaurants, as well as the Palazzo del Governatore with a facade dating to 1760 and an astronomical clock. • Palazzo de la Pilotta is a sixteenth century complex of buildings constructed as court to the famed Renaissance Farnese family."

ABOUT THE DESTINATION: People have strained themselves over the years inventing nicknames for wondrous Bologna: la Dotta, the learned, for being the home of Europe’s oldest university, an institution which still attracts thousands of students; la Grassa, the fat, for being a gastronomic marvel with more and better restaurants than many world capitals; finally Bologna Rossa, due to its leftist politics. Stroll among the endless miles of porticos which grace the burnt-orange buildings, and catch the energy which hums quietly in the streets. Check out the elegant galleries of vie dell’Indipendenza and via Ugo Bassi. At piazza Nettuno and Maggiore the crowds gather under the Corinthian columns of the Palazzo del Podestà, shifting in the afternoon with the shade to the steps of the Basilica of San Petronio, a huge Gothic structure with a spectacular doorway. In the fountain outside, the bronze Neptune and Attendants splash happily. The two towers to the west of piazza di Porta Ravegnana are considered the symbol of the city. You can climb the taller of the two for a great view of Bologna and the Po valley. The capital of the Emilia-Romagna region is rich in history, art, culture, cuisine and music, and is often overlooked in favour of the country’s more well-known tourism honeypots nearby but is all the more appealing for it.

ABOUT THE DESTINATION: Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Saint Anthony's cathedral. Saint Anthony's Basilica is the best-known tourist site in Padova. Built immediately after "The Saint's" death in the 1200s, it houses his tomb and notable relics. • St. George's Oratory. A beautiful, frescoed, and generally empty hall on the south side of the piazza next to the Basilica di Sant'Antonio. • Roman ruins, including an Arena. The Arena is smaller and less impressive than those in Verona or Rome, but well-located in a lovely and well-maintained park. • Palazzo della Ragione is the large building located between Piazza della Frutta and Piazza delle Erbe. Its ground floor hosts small market shops. • Jewish Ghetto, it's located between "Piazza della Frutta", the "Duomo" and "via Roma". Characterized by narrow streets and many small art galleries and bars where to enjoy a "spritz". • Palazzo del Bo' is the main university building. Padova's university is the second oldest in Italy. • Botanic Garden - the first Botanic Garden in the World, operated by the University of Padova, and on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997.

ABOUT THE DESTINATION:

Venice, often described as the "City of Canals" or the "Floating City," is a unique and enchanting destination in northeastern Italy. Built on a network of over 100 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon, Venice is renowned for its picturesque waterways, elegant bridges, and stunning architecture. The city is a masterpiece of art and culture, with landmarks such as St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and the Rialto Bridge showcasing its rich history and artistic heritage. Visitors can explore the narrow winding streets, known as "calli," and discover hidden gems in the form of quaint cafes, artisan workshops, and charming squares known as "campi." Venice is also famous for its annual Carnival celebration, where elaborate masks and costumes fill the streets with color and festivity. Despite challenges such as rising sea levels and overtourism, Venice remains a symbol of romance, intrigue, and timeless beauty, captivating visitors with its magical atmosphere and timeless allure.