¶ … Italy want to see Italy first hand. I do not want an established tour. I do not like being told where to go. No, I do not want the usual show set up for tourists. I have my 'Fodor's: Exploring Italy, second edition' and that should be enough.
No, Italy represents many different worlds and 50 kilometers in any direction can make quite a difference in experiences. Sure, in the northern regions one can travel via tour to the grand canals of Venice or see the Alps leading into Switzerland. In the central regions, the bus can swoop you around to see the romantic city of Rome so every traveler can be exposed to the history of mankind or tour the Vatican. And in the southern regions there are so many tours of the many beautiful Art Museums, lemon tree groves, a smoking active Volcano, or the vast beaches of Naples and the Amalfi coast.
I want to see between those tourist trap regions. I want to see where the mountains and valleys dictate the culture. There are always local festivals in the many small towns. And each of those towns always has its own patron saint, church and unique culinary specialty. The locals have deep-rooted traditions and I want to see the craftsmen working the local handicrafts. I want to shop in the local markets to discover the mercatino and all of its prizes like antiques, fresh fruits and vegetables and bric-a-brac. Yes, I want to see Italy -- but not from a tour bus.
Well,...
I suppose I should take in the sights of Rome and the Vatican. There is a lot to see. "We expect a lot of Rome -- seat of empire, mother of civilization, head of the world. It is the city of the Caesars, of romance, the city of la dolce vita and languorous sunny days, the city of endless art, of churches and museums, of fountain-splashed piazzas and majestic monuments to its golden age of empire." (Jepson, 42)
Wow, Rome sounds great. I've been told that Rome's atmosphere is unforgettable as the flow of the Tiber eases through it's midst. I would love to see the open museums that have so many wonderful works of art. Even the ancient buildings' remains and monuments are exposed for all to see.
If I was to tour the Vatican Museums, then I would have first hand knowledge of some of the world's most amazing collections of art locked away in the Rooms of Raphael. I have always wanted to stand in the Belvedere Courtyard as the Pope presented a prayer. I would be a fool to pass up the Gallery of the Maps and the Gallery of the Tapestries. I guess a trip to Italy but foregoing Michelangelo's magnificent Sistine Chapel -- well, that would be foolish. And, what about Rome's and the Vatican's importance to Christianity. Okay, I will make one 'touristy' bypass through Rome and the Vatican.
Well, if I see Rome, I suppose an another…
