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00:00.
00:18The more I know Italy, the more I love it.
00:20It comes with a complete package.
00:22Great art, awe-inspiring history,
00:24some of the tastiest food anywhere,
00:26and, of course, plenty of dolce vita.
00:30Revisiting some of our favorite Italian stops,
00:32we travel from top to bottom
00:34of this California-sized peninsula.
00:36We start in Venice,
00:38then visit Florence,
00:40the best of the Italian Riviera,
00:42my favorite hill towns in Tuscany and Umbria,
00:45Rome,
00:46Naples with the Amalfi Coast,
00:48and finish in Sicily.
00:50Hold on to your raviolis.
00:55Our first stop, Venice,
00:57one of Europe's best-preserved historic cities.
00:59A mighty maritime power in its day,
01:01and for centuries, a favorite of romantics.
01:05Venice, more than any other European city,
01:09has a seductive charm.
01:11There's no place like it.
01:13For centuries, it was nicknamed La Serenissima,
01:16the most serene place.
01:19Its main square, Piazza San Marco,
01:22with its grand doge's palace and basilica of St. Mark,
01:26capped by its towering campanile,
01:28was for centuries the most powerful couple of acres
01:31in all of Europe.
01:34Like a grand boulevard, its grand canal winds through a city
01:37lined with once-mighty palazzos.
01:40The doge's palace, the ruling center and residence of Venice's dukes,
01:49was built to show off the power and wealth of the Republic,
01:52and to remind visitors that Venice was number one.
01:56Its lacy exterior, a distinct blend of east and west,
02:00is proudly Venetian Gothic.
02:06Next door, the Basilica of St. Mark
02:08was built in a distinctly eastern style.
02:11Its domes and elaborate exterior
02:13remind us of the trading power's close ties
02:16with the Greek, Byzantine, and Muslim worlds.
02:21The interior glitters with its gold-leaf mosaic work.
02:28The remains of St. Mark
02:30lie beneath the golden altarpiece.
02:32A medieval masterpiece,
02:34its stunning golden wall of 250 painted enamels
02:38features prophets and saints,
02:40and at its center, Jesus as the ruler of the cosmos.
02:46The city is actually a car-free maze
02:49of about a hundred islands,
02:51laced together by several hundred bridges
02:53and a vast web of alleys and canal-side walkways.
02:57With a shrinking population,
03:00and in a state of elegant decay,
03:02Venice survives on the artificial respirator of tourism.
03:07Survey the city by cruising the Grand Canal
03:09on a boat called a vaporetto.
03:12These work like city buses,
03:14except that they never get a flat,
03:16the stops are docks,
03:18and if you get off between stops, you'll drown.
03:21Venice is romantico,
03:25a great place to fall in love,
03:27enjoy a honeymoon or a special anniversary.
03:30Visiting here,
03:31many feel that they're experiencing beauty, people,
03:34and even life itself at a more intense level.
03:38Savvy travelers leave the center and explore,
03:42walk and walk to the far reaches of the town.
03:45Don't worry about getting lost.
03:47Keep reminding yourself,
03:49I'm on an island and I can't get off.
03:52Worst-case scenario, you run out of island,
03:55take a moment to study your map,
03:57and you get to enjoy a nice drink.
03:59On this blitz tour of Italy,
04:01we'll be connecting all of our stops by handy train rides.
04:05A couple hours south of Venice is Florence,
04:08the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance.
04:11That was the cultural explosion
04:13that 500 years ago helped pull Europe
04:16out of the Middle Ages and into modern times.
04:20Visitors gaze into the eyes of Michelangelo's David,
04:24enjoy Botticelli's birth of Venus,
04:27delve into the 3-D wonders
04:29of Ghiberti's glorious bronze gates,
04:32and appreciate Fra Angelico's serene beauty.
04:36And the cathedral features a beloved bell tower
04:39and a chance to climb the dome
04:41that kicked off the Renaissance
04:43for a view you'll never forget.
04:49Florence was long an economic powerhouse.
04:52Rather than its church, it's the city hall,
04:55once the palace of the Medici family,
04:57that towers over the main square.
04:59Michelangelo's David originally stood here.
05:02This is a copy.
05:04The original David is now the centerpiece
05:06of the nearby Academia Gallery,
05:09which feels like a temple to humanism.
05:12At its altar stands one very impressive human.
05:16The shepherd boy, David, sizes up the giant.
05:20Thoughtful and self-assured,
05:22he seems to be thinking,
05:24I can take this guy.
05:26This statue was an apt symbol,
05:29inspiring Florentines to tackle their goliaths.
05:36I'm meeting my Florentine friend Tommaso
05:38at Ifratolini,
05:40a venerable hole in the wall
05:41much loved among locals
05:42for its tasty sandwiches
05:44and wine sold by the glass.
05:48And when you're done,
05:49you leave it on the rock.
05:51Boy, it's intense in the city.
05:53Yes, it is.
05:54Well, if you want to leave the tourists,
05:56let's cross the river
05:57and let's go to where the real Florentines
05:59leave and work.
06:00What's that?
06:01The Ultrano area.
06:02There's much more to this town than tourism,
06:04as you'll quickly learn
06:05in the characteristic back lanes
06:07of the Ultrano district.
06:09Artisans busy at work
06:11offer an opportunity
06:12to see traditional craftsmanship in action.
06:15You're welcome to just drop into little shops,
06:17but remember, it's polite to greet the proprietor.
06:20Your key phrase is,
06:22posso godare.
06:23Can I take a look?
06:24Posso godare?
06:25Certo.
06:26Grazie.
06:27Here in this city of art,
06:29there's no shortage of treasures
06:30in need of a little TLC.
06:34The Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge,
06:36has been busy with shoppers
06:38since before the Renaissance.
06:41Jewelry is a Florentine specialty.
06:44The bridge is lined with gold and silver shops,
06:47a tradition that goes back centuries.
06:51And for art lovers,
06:52you can't miss the finest collection
06:54of Italian paintings anywhere,
06:56the Uffizi Gallery.
06:58The Uffizi's collection,
06:59displayed on one comfortable floor,
07:01takes you on a sweep through Italian art history
07:04from the 12th through the 17th century.
07:07In the Renaissance,
07:08as in the ancient world,
07:10people saw the glory of God
07:12in the beauty, order, and harmony
07:14of the human body,
07:15God's greatest creation.
07:17Classical statues clearly inspired Sandro Botticelli.
07:21For me, his birth of Venus
07:23is the Uffizi's purest expression
07:25of Renaissance beauty.
07:27The goddess of love,
07:28born from the foam of a wave,
07:30is just waking up.
07:32Botticelli combines the beauty of nature
07:35and the human body.
07:37The hands, wings, and robe mingle with the wind.
07:40With Venus's flyaway hair,
07:42the airy spaciousness of the distant horizon,
07:45and the flowers,
07:46caught at the peak of their beauty,
07:48tumbling in slow motion,
07:50the world itself is fresh and newborn.
07:56After all those urban thrills,
07:58I'm ready for a little break.
07:59That's why we're heading for a delightful slice
08:01of the Italian Riviera.
08:04The Cinque Terre is five little towns
08:07beautifully isolated
08:08in the most seductive stretch
08:10of the Italian Riviera.
08:12As if designed for good times,
08:14you can explore the region's rugged little ports,
08:17follow a wine train high into the vineyards,
08:19make pesto in its birthplace,
08:22dive from spectacular cliffs,
08:25and hike,
08:27soaking up more sun and scenery
08:29than you can imagine.
08:31The Cinque Terre, which means five lands,
08:34was originally described in medieval times
08:36as the five castles.
08:38Tiny communities like this
08:40grew up in the protective shadows
08:42of their stony castles,
08:44their people ready to run for refuge
08:46at the first hint of a Turkish pirate raid.
08:51As the threat of pirates faded,
08:53the communities grew with economies
08:55based on fish, olives, and grapes.
08:58Today, the big employer is tourism.
09:02Each rustic town is a variation on the same theme,
09:05a well-whittled pastel jumble of homes
09:08filling its ravine.
09:10These days, the castles,
09:12which used to protect the towns
09:13from marauding pirates,
09:15guard only glorious views.
09:18This 10-kilometer stretch of coastline
09:20is the rugged alternative
09:22to the glitzy Riviera resorts nearby.
09:25The traffic-free charm is a happy result
09:28of its natural isolation.
09:31Just sun, sea, sand,
09:34well, pebbles, and people.
09:37For me, this is Italy at its most relaxed.
09:42For a home base, choose among the five villages.
09:45The most popular, Vernazza,
09:47where the big news is the hourly arrival of the train,
09:50bringing an almost rhythmic surge of visitors into town.
09:53There's one main street.
09:55It runs from its train station down to the sea.
09:58Of the five towns, Vernazza
10:00has the closest thing to a natural harbor.
10:03The old castle no longer says, stay away.
10:06Instead, it seems to welcome
10:08people-packed excursion boats.
10:10Settle in to a comfy spot on the breakwater.
10:13Study the arrangement man and nature
10:16have carved out here over the last 15 centuries.
10:19Crumpled hills come with topographical lines,
10:23a terraced green bouquet of cactus,
10:26grapevines, and olive trees
10:28blanketing the surrounding hills.
10:37Today, the castle functions as a tourist lookout...
10:41and a restaurant.
10:44And the fort's lowest deck
10:46is perfect for a romantic meal.
10:49For a sweet dessert wine,
10:51sip the local Sacchi Tra.
10:53It's served with biscotti, ideal for dunking.
10:58Savor the view and the unforgettable setting.
11:02Italy's Cinque Terre is an irresistible mix
11:06of nature, culture, and human activity.
11:09Well-worn locals, sunburned travelers,
11:12and inviting, family-friendly piazzas.
11:15Sure, the place is now well-discovered,
11:18but I've never seen happier, more laid-back tourists.
11:21While the Cinque Terre
11:23now endures the storms of the modern world,
11:25the region's charms are as endearing
11:28as its people are resilient.
11:36From Riviera beaches
11:37to central Italian hill towns,
11:39trains scenically connect the dots.
11:44For many, the quintessence of Italy
11:46is found in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria.
11:49That's where feisty little towns
11:51were perched on hills for safety in centuries past.
11:54Today, each hill town comes with reminders
11:57of a hard-fought history, a rich culture,
12:00and enduring traditions.
12:03And there are many hill towns to choose from.
12:06Siena maintains much of its medieval character.
12:10Its sprawling main square and towering city hall
12:13recall the days when it rivaled even Florence.
12:17Assisi, with its walls, gates, and castle,
12:20was home to St. Francis.
12:22Its massive basilica remains a favorite destination
12:26for countless pilgrims today.
12:29Volterra was an Etruscan capital centuries before Christ.
12:35Within its ancient wall,
12:37the town's rustic center offers an evocative Tuscan charm.
12:42San Gimignano, with its prickly skyline,
12:45stands like a medieval mirage on its hilltop.
12:48Of the original 60 or so towers,
12:51about a dozen survive.
12:53Back before there was a strong central government,
12:55rich people fortified their own homes
12:57with towers like these.
12:59And the country of San Marino,
13:04all 24 square miles of it,
13:06is unique in that it's still independent.
13:09While novel today,
13:11tiny, two-bit dukedoms like this were once the norm.
13:16Medieval Italy, like most of Europe
13:18before the rise of modern nation-states,
13:20was a collection of independent,
13:22little San Marino-type city-states.
13:24Many of them were just fortified towns on hills.
13:28The good traveler can still discover magic hilltown moments.
13:33Cevita di Bagna Reggio,
13:35perched on its pinnacle in a grand canyon,
13:38is a classic, if tiny, Italian hilltown.
13:42Entering the town, you're enveloped in history.
13:45Passing under a 12th-century arch,
13:48you enter another world.
13:51Every lane tells a story,
13:53especially if you poke around and talk to people.
14:00Come, Rick.
14:01I want to show you my meal.
14:03The olive meal Maurizio's grandfather once ran
14:05is now the centerpiece of his restaurant,
14:08and he's happy to tell me how Grandpa made the olive oil
14:11and how that olive oil helps make an unforgettable bruschetta.
14:16A good extra-virgin olive oil,
14:18and you're ready for a big bruschetta.
14:20A good bruschetta is simple,
14:23bread toasted over the coals,
14:25garlic,
14:28tomatoes,
14:31salt and oil.
14:35Enjoying a rustic bruschetta is a fine way to cap a visit
14:38to a rustic village like Cevita di Bagna Reggio.
14:43Up next, we're heading from the charms of small-town Italy
14:47to the monumentality of the eternal city.
14:50Rome, the historic and political capital of Italy,
14:53is a city of layers.
14:55You'll find ancient Roman grandeur,
14:57Renaissance splendor,
14:58Baroque razzle-dazzle,
15:00Vatican mystique,
15:01and today's modern Italy.
15:03So in love with life.
15:05In its glory days, the word Rome meant not just the city,
15:08but what Romans considered the entire civilized world.
15:14There's history everywhere here in the city of the Caesars.
15:18The Colosseum reminds us of ancient pageantry and gladiators.
15:23Monuments like Trajan's Column boosted imperial egos.
15:29Statues show how emperors were worshipped as gods on earth.
15:34The Pantheon, Rome's temple to all the gods,
15:37with my favorite skylight anywhere,
15:39inspired future ages to great domes of their own.
15:44And since ancient times, for 1,700 years now,
15:48pilgrims, believing Jesus climbed these very stairs
15:51on the day he was condemned,
15:53have scaled the Scala Santa on their knees.
15:57While Rome's many churches are busy with people,
16:00they're also busy with art.
16:03Pop into just about any church,
16:05and every inch is slathered
16:07with Baroque-style ornamentation.
16:09Oh, wow, spiral columns framing scenes
16:12that almost come to life.
16:14Cupid's doing flip-flops.
16:16And ceilings opening up into the heavens.
16:24Lodged in the heart of Rome,
16:26Vatican City,
16:27is the spiritual capital
16:28of over a billion Roman Catholics.
16:31It's built on the memory and grave
16:33of the first pope, St. Peter,
16:36and its centerpiece, St. Peter's Basilica.
16:39This most glorious church in Christendom is huge,
16:43600 feet long, bathed in sunbeams.
16:47It can accommodate thousands of worshipers.
16:50The ornamental cherubs dwarf a large man.
16:53As a tour guide, I've lost entire groups in here.
17:00The adjacent Vatican Museum,
17:03with its miles of hallways sumptuously decorated
17:06with precious tapestries,
17:08dramatic frescoes,
17:10and ancient statues,
17:12leads to the Sistine Chapel,
17:14with its beloved ceiling frescoed by Michelangelo.
17:31Rome is a city of neighborhoods
17:34and gathering places for people who call it home,
17:37like the Campo di Fiori.
17:40Literally the field of flowers,
17:42this has long been a fragrant and vibrant market.
17:45The market thrives in the morning.
17:47What's seasonal during your visit
17:49will be favored by local chefs
17:51and featured on their daily menus.
17:53We're here in May,
17:55and it's puntarella, asparagus, and artichokes.
18:12After dark, Rome takes on yet another personality,
18:16and a short walk laces together its top night spots.
18:23Back at Campo di Fiori,
18:25the artichokes and tomatoes are packed away,
18:27and the social street lamps are turned on.
18:33These characteristic lanes, even late at night,
18:35feel safe and friendly.
18:37The nearby Piazza Navona
18:39is a carnival 365 nights a year.
18:43While this oblong square got its shape
18:45from a long-gone ancient stadium,
18:47today the games are limited to browsing and flirting
18:50around its famous Bernini Fountain.
18:55Just down the street is the floodlit Pantheon.
18:58It looms high above our 21st century,
19:01as if aching to tell its story,
19:032,000 years of Roman history.
19:06And at the same time,
19:08it provides a venerable backdrop for al fresco diners.
19:15And the Trevi Fountain,
19:17a bubbly Baroque avalanche dating from the 1700s,
19:20seems purpose-built for today's Roman embrace of life.
19:24With history, art, and people
19:26perpetually partying under the stars,
19:29it's no wonder people come here in droves
19:31for the promise that a coin tossed over the shoulder
19:34will assure their return to this eternal city.
19:37That may sound silly,
19:39but every year I go through the ritual,
19:41and it works.
19:49I like to say, if you're enjoying
19:51the urban intensity of Italy as far south as Rome,
19:54go further south.
19:55It just gets better.
19:56Italy intensifies as you plunge deeper.
19:59Naples, southern Italy's leading city,
20:03is as intense an urban scene
20:05as anything you'll find in Western Europe.
20:07Yet it still somehow manages to breathe, laugh, and sing,
20:11with a captivating Italian accent.
20:17You name it, it occurs right on the streets today,
20:20as it has for centuries.
20:22Kids turn a wide spot in the sidewalk
20:25into a soccer field.
20:28Walls are crusty with posters and death announcements.
20:37Neighborly chit-chat and heated arguments
20:40take place curbside.
20:43Plastic buckets help Grandma
20:45do business with the delivery boy.
20:52It's a cauldron of community
20:53as everyone's out and about.
20:57And fast food?
20:58It comes in the form of a folded pizza.
21:09Just south of Naples,
21:10along a breathtaking coastline,
21:12you'll find trendy resort towns,
21:14ancient ruins,
21:15and enchanting getaways.
21:20From Sorrento,
21:21wedged on a ledge under the mountains
21:23and over the sea,
21:24you can take a cruise
21:25to the seductive Isle of Capri
21:28with its romantic blue grotto.
21:35Then, drive the dramatic Amalfi Coast.
21:38The drive south from Sorrento
21:39is one of the world's great road trips.
21:42Cantilevered hotels and villas
21:44cling to vertical terrain,
21:46and beautiful sandy coves
21:48tease from far below.
21:53As you hyperventilate,
21:54notice how the Mediterranean
21:56really twinkles.
22:03For our finale,
22:04it's Sicily,
22:05the island off the south end
22:06of the Italian peninsula.
22:08It's famed for its ancient temples,
22:10its tasty food,
22:11and its bella chaos,
22:13the beautiful chaos of Sicily.
22:16Over the last 2,500 years,
22:18the island of Sicily's been ruled
22:20by Greeks,
22:22Romans,
22:25Arabs,
22:27Normans,
22:28then Spaniards,
22:30before becoming part of Italy.
22:32The island's complicated past
22:34makes it distinct
22:35from the rest of Italy.
22:36It's got its own cuisine,
22:39a uniquely festive lifestyle,
22:43and people who are Sicilian first
22:46and Italian second.
22:49It all combines for a full-bodied
22:51and tasty travel experience.
22:57The ancient city of Agrigento
22:59is the most impressive ancient site in Sicily,
23:01its ridge lined with Greek temples.
23:04It was a religious ensemble,
23:06about a dozen temples for a dozen gods,
23:09each serving a different role.
23:11Here at Agrigento, you were fully covered.
23:14And of all those temples,
23:16the Temple of Concordia is the best preserved.
23:20Ciaffalu is Sicily's most romantic port town.
23:29With a golden crescent beach
23:31and sitting safely under its dramatic rock,
23:33still capped by a fortress,
23:35Ciaffalu cradles its past
23:37in a way that's easy to enjoy.
23:39Since the town was founded,
23:41its streets have lined up with the prevailing wind
23:44to catch the cooling breeze.
23:46To this day, laundry flaps in that breeze.
23:53And Palermo is Sicily's main city and historic capital,
23:57a busy port corralled by mountains.
24:01A noisy and energetic metropolis,
24:04its architecture reflects the rule of its many overlords,
24:07as well as its rich heritage.
24:09Walking the lively streets,
24:11you're surrounded by a scruffy elegance.
24:15It's a city that invites exploration.
24:18You feel Palermo's boisterous spirit in its markets.
24:24Wander among a commotion of stalls,
24:26all competing for the buyer's attention.
24:32It's an entertaining scene,
24:33complete with singing salesmen.
24:36Scusi.
24:43Whether you understand the lyrics or not,
24:44this slice-of-life market action
24:46is some of the best in Europe.
24:48Scusi.
24:49Scusi.
24:50Whether you understand the lyrics or not,
24:51this slice-of-life market action
24:53is some of the best in Europe.
24:55Go!
24:57Sanguineub!
24:59Tune 15,000 euro!
25:005,000 euro!
25:02No artist,
25:04he changed his income with oppression!
25:06He changed his income!
25:07I love this!
25:08The support of the power is only
25:11essas people over thebridoy of singers.
25:13Here's my wife
25:16.
25:26Whether you want bella chaos in the market,
25:29tranquility in the countryside,
25:31inspiration in the museums,
25:35or just a romantic perch to ponder it all,
25:39Italy is popular for good reason.
25:46Italy seems made to order for our travel dreams,
25:51and in this Greatest Hits tour,
25:53we've only scratched the surface
25:55of its cultural, artistic, and edible delights.
25:58Thanks for joining us.
26:00I'm Rick Steves.
26:01Until next time, keep on traveling.
26:04Ciao.
26:07Hey, baby!
26:09Hey, hey, hey!
26:11Venice! Yeah!
26:13Yeah!
26:14But today, here in our area,
26:16there are the funerals
26:17accompanied by the musical band.
26:20I didn't understand where he said.
26:21Okay?
26:22Got Superman coming here.
26:24.
26:26.
26:31.
26:33.
26:35.
26:37.
26:39.
26:44.
26:47.
26:48.
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