Standing next to the mammoth stone walls, surrounded by thousands of years of history, I found myself thinking that it was almost dreamlike. The scene had a surreal quality, almost as if I were standing on a set of a Hollywood movie. Even now when I look at the photographs we took I can’t shake the feeling that it was nothing more than an elaborate fairy tale.
This year my wife, daughters and I took the vacation of a lifetime to Italy with stops in Rome, Florence, Sienna, Venice, Cremona, and Verona. We visited so many wonders it is hard to describe them all.
How does one adequately describe the awe of walking into St. Peter’s Basilica with its soaring ceilings nearly twenty stories from the floor? What words can express the beauty of the Trevi Fountain or the canals of Venice dotted with gondolas and their singing gondoliers? Where can anyone find the words to convey the magnificence of Michelangelo’s David or Sistine Chapel?
Italy is home to so many beautiful works of art, so much stunning architecture, such gorgeous landscapes I can only return to my original thought that our trip felt like a waking dream.
Around every corner of the maze-like alleys of Rome we would discover another incredible piazza complete with an enchanting fountain or majestic sculpture. Everywhere we turned in Rome we would come across remnants of ancient times; in one alley we came found a single three-foot-high pedestal. On it, carved in pitted and weathered stone was a single, sandaled foot; obviously the only remnant of a once grand statue. Reminders of the once glorious empire were numerous; the ruins of the Forum, the Coliseum, the Pantheon, random fragments of statues and fountains.
Our journey took us to Florence where the streets were filled merchants displaying fine leather goods at bargain prices. We visited the Academia Gallery where we marveled at the beauty of Michelangelo’s David. The stone seemed to take on a life of its own, the detail so meticulous. We walked among the statues of the Piazza della Signoria, the works of Donatello, Bandinelli, and Ammanati. We explored the alleys for hidden treasures and were rewarded with a tiny fruit and grocery stand where we bought amazing olive oil, bread and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Later, at the hotel, we snacked on our find with glasses of robust Chianti as we reminisced about the day’s discoveries.
Venice was a delight that was for too short-lived. We only had one day to see this jewel of the Adriatic Sea, and what a day it was! Our visit included a tour of the Doges Palace with its Golden Staircase, art filled rooms where every wall and ceiling were covered with incredible art, the Bridge of Sighs – named for the sighs of prisoners as they saw Venice for the last time before being thrown in the dungeons – and the claustrophobic dungeons. We visited several of Venice’s famed glass merchants, their wares sparkling and glistening and we browsed the beautiful mask-maker shops.
The romance of the city is all encompassing. As we strolled the alleys we could hear someone practicing for an opera, her voice carried along the narrow passages falling to whisper one moment, and then rising to a crescendo the next. Graceful bridges spanned the canals, each more ornate than the next. We rode a gondola, the gondolier singing as he pointed out the homes of Casanova and Marco Polo, the black hull gliding through the still waters.
Our trip ended much too soon, but the wonder of the sights we saw and the enduring romance of Italy still lives within us. We have vowed to return and spend more time in the Tuscan cities of Florence and Sienna. Our hearts long to spend more time exploring the canals and islands of Venice. We may have woken from this dream, but the memories linger. Soon we will return, soon we will dream again.
This year my wife, daughters and I took the vacation of a lifetime to Italy with stops in Rome, Florence, Sienna, Venice, Cremona, and Verona. We visited so many wonders it is hard to describe them all.
How does one adequately describe the awe of walking into St. Peter’s Basilica with its soaring ceilings nearly twenty stories from the floor? What words can express the beauty of the Trevi Fountain or the canals of Venice dotted with gondolas and their singing gondoliers? Where can anyone find the words to convey the magnificence of Michelangelo’s David or Sistine Chapel?
Italy is home to so many beautiful works of art, so much stunning architecture, such gorgeous landscapes I can only return to my original thought that our trip felt like a waking dream.
Around every corner of the maze-like alleys of Rome we would discover another incredible piazza complete with an enchanting fountain or majestic sculpture. Everywhere we turned in Rome we would come across remnants of ancient times; in one alley we came found a single three-foot-high pedestal. On it, carved in pitted and weathered stone was a single, sandaled foot; obviously the only remnant of a once grand statue. Reminders of the once glorious empire were numerous; the ruins of the Forum, the Coliseum, the Pantheon, random fragments of statues and fountains.
Our journey took us to Florence where the streets were filled merchants displaying fine leather goods at bargain prices. We visited the Academia Gallery where we marveled at the beauty of Michelangelo’s David. The stone seemed to take on a life of its own, the detail so meticulous. We walked among the statues of the Piazza della Signoria, the works of Donatello, Bandinelli, and Ammanati. We explored the alleys for hidden treasures and were rewarded with a tiny fruit and grocery stand where we bought amazing olive oil, bread and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Later, at the hotel, we snacked on our find with glasses of robust Chianti as we reminisced about the day’s discoveries.
Venice was a delight that was for too short-lived. We only had one day to see this jewel of the Adriatic Sea, and what a day it was! Our visit included a tour of the Doges Palace with its Golden Staircase, art filled rooms where every wall and ceiling were covered with incredible art, the Bridge of Sighs – named for the sighs of prisoners as they saw Venice for the last time before being thrown in the dungeons – and the claustrophobic dungeons. We visited several of Venice’s famed glass merchants, their wares sparkling and glistening and we browsed the beautiful mask-maker shops.
The romance of the city is all encompassing. As we strolled the alleys we could hear someone practicing for an opera, her voice carried along the narrow passages falling to whisper one moment, and then rising to a crescendo the next. Graceful bridges spanned the canals, each more ornate than the next. We rode a gondola, the gondolier singing as he pointed out the homes of Casanova and Marco Polo, the black hull gliding through the still waters.
Our trip ended much too soon, but the wonder of the sights we saw and the enduring romance of Italy still lives within us. We have vowed to return and spend more time in the Tuscan cities of Florence and Sienna. Our hearts long to spend more time exploring the canals and islands of Venice. We may have woken from this dream, but the memories linger. Soon we will return, soon we will dream again.
Comments