Italy

The wellspring of creative energies and ideas for over centuries, Italy abounds with Roman ruins, churches, monasteries and museums filled with epic creations.

Each city has molto flaunting to do. If Florence brims with pride for Michelangelo and Dante, Venice quietly turns its nose up; its resident artists were Tintoretto and Titian for heaven’s sake! And smiling benignly over all is the larger than life Da Vinci himself. Nature too has reserved her best work for this canvas. And then there’s the food. So when you hit Italy, throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain. Legend has it that you will return again and again!

Not to be missed

Mt. Etna
Sicily
A climb up Mount Etna is a special Footprint recommendation for those who shun the ordinary.
Scenery etched by a live volcano; unique wines created by the same rich soil, scented flavoured honeys and more. A climb up Mount Etna is a special Footprint recommendation for those who shun the ordinary.
After a relaxing sojourn in Toarmina, head out to the towering, moody Mount Etna. Local guides are well versed in reading its state of mind and can safely guide your climb.
Hike up trails etched by black lava, offering different views of the centrepiece and amazing glimpses of the countryside below. After 2 to 3 hours of climbing you reach the highest point allowed. If you’re lucky, you may even witness a mild eruption or so. So keep those cameras ready.
Fatigue will take a back seat given the photo opps on offer. The flavoured honeys served in the little cafés will hit just the right spots. For the less hardy, Mount Etna can be enjoyed over a glass of wine at any of the famous wineries located around its slopes!
Mt. Vesuvius
Amalfi Coast
A sizzling gem on the Amalfi coast, this 30,000-year-old Italian volcano is still huffing and puffing and standing.
If you’re living it up on the Amalfi coast, take a day off to see the fiery Mount Vesuvius. Catch the Circumvesuviana train from Naples or Sorrento and pack in the 30,000-year-old volcano and the ruined cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Visitors can ride up most of the way, but to catch a glimpse of the lunar like crater and surrounding countryside, requires a good 30 minutes on foot. You can still see steaming vents and occasional rock tumbles; and it takes very little to imagine the infamous eruption! (Vesuvius last erupted in 1944 and is monitored very closely.)
Pompeii ironically preserved by the volcano’s eruption is the history cum geology lesson of a lifetime. The town’s roads, houses and baths have been preserved as are the plaster casts of Pompeii’s citizens who perished on the fatal day.
A short drive away, rests Herculaneum, also affected by the ash. Better preserved than Pompeii, you can enjoy its frescos, mosaics, fountains and cobbled streets. Being in the Naples area, don’t forget to treat yourself to pizza, from pizzerias dating to the 1800s. And being Italy, there’s always some time off for vino & siesta!
Carnevale
Venice
Join beautiful Venice as it dresses up in masks and costumes in the countdown to Lent.
Beautiful Venice dresses up in masks and costumes in the countdown to Lent. In the biting February cold, when everything is grey, 15 days of colour and gaiety paint the town red. And blue. And possibly all shades to lift the veil off winter. The general idea behind the Carnevale is to party like there’s no tomorrow for a couple of weeks until Shrove Tuesday – the day before Lent.
This is the Carnevale. And it is one of those times when natives actually give you the stares for being comfortable in your own skin. You might want to slap across a mask on your normal attire. Just to feel one with the spirit of the festival. Piazza San Marco is the place to be, especially during the concluding weekend of Carnevale. It is here that ‘Maschera Piu Bella’ or the most beautiful mask competition is held.
Sip on utterly delicious hot chocolate at San Marco or indulge in Venice’s sea food and Venetian Tapas – Cicchetti. Parakeets, witches, masquerades of King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, hedgehogs and panthers go by, offering a somewhat surreal visual treat.
Amidst the din and festivities of the carnival, steal a quiet moment to gaze from behind your own mask and wonder at the disguises that humanity sports!
Cooking Classes
Ravello
Tear yourself away from the many attractions in Italia and go on a delectable culinary journey.
Tear yourself away from the many attractions in Italia and go on a delectable culinary journey. Make your way to one of the most treasured secrets of Ravello - Mamma Agata’s cooking classes. Built into a cliff, this charming school overlooks a fantastic view of the rich blue waters of the Amalfi coast with wonderful terraces and a spacious garden full of lemon trees, fruit trees, flowers, vegetables and poultry.
You will not only learn the art of cooking the Italian way, but will also be treated to some delicious homemade cakes, bread, rolled eggplant, peppers, cherry tomatoes & zucchini fritters. The wine keeps flowing too! The ladies of the house, Mamma Agata and her daughters bring the entire class to life with colourful stories from the family's history with food.
To experience the irresistible taste of Italian cuisine, a cooking class here is a must. Even Elizabeth Taylor and Humphrey Bogart would attest to that!

Must Dos

Hop on a Vespa and discover the most fun & romantic way to explore bustling Rome. • Do the ancient Rome tour.
See Michelangelo’s Moses – as grandiose and perfect as David, this sculpture awaits you at the San Pietro Basilica, Rome.
Take a shot at being a gladiator, spend an hour or so in Gladiator School, learning ancient Appian combat techniques.
Get invited to a local olive oil party in Tuscany and sample the tastiest produce for miles around.
Sample Foccacia at its birth place in Cinque Terre.
Hire an Italian Driver for an unforgettable Amalfi Road trip.
Follow a walking trail in Capri & Anacapri. The paths go past vineyards & orchards and are always flanked by the sea far below. Try the Sentiero dei Fortini (or “Trail of Forts”) in Anacapri, the stunning coastal walk Pizzolungo in Capri or simply amble down the zigzag street Via Krupp!
Eat Pizza at the world’s first pizzeria - the Antica Pizzeria in Naples.
Yes, slant away to match the angle of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Take a gondola ride on the Grand Canal, Venice, it’s cheesy but a must do!
Go on Sicilian road trip, it will be one of the most rewarding journeys of your life.
Give Palermo its due. The Sicilian capital has much to offer in every department.
Practice ‘Omerta’ at the Bar Vitelli in Savoca, Sicily, one of the settings in the Godfather movies.
Eat every meal, you can always pray and love later.

The most recognised spot in Italy will not fall short in any way. The five villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso, with pastel coloured houses and whitewashed churches, are built into green cliffs looming over the Mediterranean sea. For a truly offbeat way to savour the region, take a Coastal walk. Romantic beyond description, walk on flower laced paths, pass wisteria covered stone walls, ancient donkey tracks, chapels and enjoy gorgeous views of the sea. Lock fences symbolising eternal love are also a common sight.

Set in the foothills of the forested Alps, with shimmering waters, charming villages, old churches and castles lining its shores, Lake Como is an Italian picnic not to be missed. Among the pretty villas here, the top draw is the Villa del Balbianello, which makes an appearance in a whole host of movies.

Feted by the likes of Goethe and DH Lawrence, Sicily’s most famous tourist resort has beautiful stretches overlooking the Gulf of Naxos and Mt Etna. Its list of superb medieval structures include the Palazzo Santo Stefano and the Greco-Roman amphitheatre, all with fabulous views as part of the package.

It’s Rome’s leading tourist attraction, rising 157 ft into the air. The Colosseum in its heyday could seat 50,000 spectators, had fountains and latrines, and was the stage of gladiatorial contests, sporting events and even mock navy drills. While only a third of the structure remains, its magnificence has not dimmed.

Enter St. Peter’s square and you can feel centuries of history, faith and art envelop you. St. Peter’s Basilica, with the dome built by Michelangelo, is the most important church in the world, while the Vatican museum has art you’ll salivate over, including the legendary Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings. Do a pre-arranged tour of the catacombs, that date back to the 4th century or earlier. End it by standing for a minute under the most famous balcony in the world.

People throw more than 3,000 euros a day into the Trevi fountain, believing it will bring them back to Rome. Immortalised in art and cinema, this wondrous Baroque fountain was built by Niccolo Salvi, after he won a design competition. Morning, noon or night, the fountain is a sight to cherish.

Another Baroque masterpiece, these irregular steps connect the lower Piazza di Spagna with the upper Piazza Trinita dei Monti. A happening place since its construction, it’s where you go to see and be seen. A beautiful twin tower church provides the perfect backdrop.

Get a sense of the imperial weight of the Roman empire at the Roman forum. See it from the terraces of Campidoglio (situated on one of Rome’s ancient hills), walk past the Arch of Septimius Severus, past the Basilica di Massenzio and end at the Arch of Titus. Don’t miss the Curia (the seat of the Roman senate) or the ruins of the Basilica Emilia, the only remaining Republican basilica (dating back to 179 BC).

Pompeii’s ruins, ironically enough, were saved by the volcano’s eruption. The town’s roads, houses and baths have been preserved as have the plaster casts of Pompeii’s citizens who perished on the fatal day. A short drive away, rests Herculaneum, also affected by the ash. Better preserved than Pompeii, you can enjoy its frescos, mosaics, fountains and cobbled streets.

Drive into Umbria to the medieval town dedicated to one of the world’s most beloved saints – St. Francis of Assisi. Visit the Church of Santa Chiara, stroll through the piazzas and pay your respects at the Basilica of San Francesco, with frescoes from the 12th and 13th centuries.

The Duomo announced Florence as the lodestar of Renaissance. Dominating the skyline, the dome was built without scaffolding or buttresses! As a tribute to the great architect and engineer Brunelleschi, no building in Florence is higher than this 14th century Basilica. You can admire its marbled exterior, walk the stark interiors and to crown it, climb up 400 steps to the top of the cupola. The path takes you past Vasari and Zuccari’s fresco of the “Last Supper”, a spectacular explosion of palette and technique.

Built for the infamous Medici family, the 1 km Vasari corridor links the Uffizi Gallery to Palazzo Pitti. Passing many important Florentine landmarks, it covers the Ponte Vecchio and ends in the Boboli Gardens. The corridor is lined with self portraits of yesteryear masters like Filippo Lippi, Rembrandt, Velazquez, Delacroix and Ensor as well as contemporary artists. The Vasari can be seen only through pre-arranged private tours.

The venerated Piazza del Signoria captures Florence’s heart, history and art. This public square has sculptures by Italy’s who’s who including the Neptune fountain carved by Ammannati, Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus, and a copy of Michelangelo’s David. The Palazzio Vecchio overlooks the square, while the curved arches of the Loggia dei Lanzi hold further artistic treasures like Giambologna's Rape of the Sabines and Cellini’s Perseo.

Michelangelo’s original David has pride of place in the Galleria Academia, along with his unfinished ‘Slaves’ collection. Sculptures and paintings by other masters like Botticelli, Lippi, Perugino, Pontormo, Ghirlandaio, Bronzino and Giambologna make the museum’s catalogue the most envied in the world.

Built by Giorgio Vasari, the Uffizi was intended to be a commercial space. Turned into a museum in 1769, it houses the most important collection of Rennaissance art. The architect called its collection the “School of the World”. Its treasures include several works by Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Michelangelo, Raphael and Da Vinci’s only completed panel painting. It also has ceiling frescos by Alessandro Allori.

The Uffizi and Galleria Academia are the most visited museums in the world.

The world’s fifth largest church with more statues and gargoyles than you can count, is Milan’s most imposing structure. A rooftop walk here is exhilarating, both for the city view and sight of the cathedral spires, especially the highest which bears the famous Madonnina, the gold-colored statue of Mary.

Take a tour of one of the world’s most famous Opera houses; see its vast collection of costumes, instruments and other musical curios. Take a minute to marvel at the acoustics of its auditorium and soak up the stories, anecdotes and myths of various performers and composers.

Venice’s main public square (the rest don’t have the title 'Piazza') is framed by some of Venice’s most memorable structures, including the Basilica di San Marco, Doge’s Palace, the Bell Tower (Campanile) and the Clock Tower. A good place to feel the pulse of ancient and modern Venice.

Built in the 17th century, by grateful survivors of the plague, no expense was spared in creating this stunning edifice. Guarding the entrance to the Grand Canal, the church overflows with works by the likes of Titian and Tintoretto.

Visit the Vestri Cioccolato (e Gelato) for their signature Affogato (Gelato “Drowned” in Hot Chocolate). Or try homemade specialities like cinnamon, chili, pistachio, mint & orange gelato. Hit Santa Croce for its artisanal chocolate festival, or join an afternoon Chocolate Walk to sample the efforts of Florence’s best chocolatiers like L’Artigiano, La Bottega del Cioccolato, Café Rivoire and Vestri.

Drive on gorgeous country roads, visit a castle or two and get down to tasting Chianti & local cheeses, especially the salty, flavoursome Pecorino. Visit the medieval town of San Gimignano, and taste the world famous gelato by Gelateria Dondoli as well.

Italy’s hotspot for organic foods; you can learn distinctive, Mediterranean style South Italian recipes & wine pairing at Puglia. For Tuscan favourites like Torta al testo, Caramelle and all types of Bruschetta and Crostini, sign up at Umbria.

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