Italy is soaked in history, culture and heritage. The fact that it boasts the highest number of UNESCO Heritage Sites is another feather in this beautiful country’s hat. But that said, very few get the chance to explore the interiors and visit vistas off the beaten track and the heritage trail. If history is your thing, then towns and villages like Pompeii, Capri, Alberobello, Sassi De Matera and Rome, cannot be missed.
“You will see Italy from the inside out,” said the Trafalgar tour director and our witty companion for the week, Giacomo Giamboi. The first stop was to Pompeii, a well-preserved ancient Roman city. Just ahead of the enclosure to the city is a lovely roadside pizzeria, which indeed makes great wood-fire pizzas. While the olfactory senses were on overdrive, taking in the smokey aromas, Enrico, our local guide’s commentary about Pompeii became fodder for our imagination. The Romans planned their cities well — pedestrian walk ways, ‘reflectors’ (white stone embedded in the cobbled streets), take-away-food counters, running water, an amphitheatre and a gymnasium. A piece of trivia — the archaeologists found 25 brothels within the city. How were they so sure? “Well, they had posters displaying the specialty of the house,” Enrico said with a glint in his eyes. The cataclysmic explosion of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD was quintessential in preserving the site. Even today, traces of the famous ‘Pompeii Red’ are visible on the ceilings of the gymnasium, which by the way had temperature controlled saunas!
Moving South, towards the coastline of Naples, the Isle of Capri is a treat. However, if you aren’t done soaking in Roman history, then head straight up to Ana (up) Capri to visit the Swedish-born psychologist Axel Munthe’s mansion, now a museum. He adorned his house with the Roman ruins that he discovered while constructing his villa. From broken sculptures to cracked tiles with ancient inscriptions, you’ll find plenty there. The West coast too boasts of extraordinary heritage sites. For instance, Sassi De Matera, one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites, where Mel Gibson shot Passion of Christ. The grottos (houses dug into the calcarenitic rock, locally known as tufo), are probably the only place where people can still boast of living in the same house as their ancestors did over 9,000 years ago. Our local guide, Angela explained that barring the occasional dish antennas, it was the perfect setting to represent the medieval times for films.
Coming back to where we started from, Rome — has monumental sites dating back thousands of years. On a day tour, Cinthia, our last local guide from Trafalgar, explained aspects of the Vatican City. As expected, the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s work were the pivot of everyone’s attention. “Michelangelo dedicated 11 years of his life to the Vatican and used to stand and paint. By the time he was done with the ‘Creation’ (the painting on the ceiling of the chapel) he couldn’t read normally again because his eyes got so used to looking up, and, Michelangelo died a blind man,” she revealed. Last on the itinerary was the magnificent Colosseum. Parts of the construction collapsed due to earthquakes, but what is still remaining, captivates and almost forces you to stand still in admiration. There is so much to Italy than what meets the eye! Chao!
