UMBRIA
Green Umbria,Holy Umbria,the Region of 100 Towns:slogans old and new have attempted to distill the soul of this region.Umbria is a region with many faces,all different,but all genuinely native.The dialects differ,as do the culinary specialties,wich create original combinations out of elements from Tuscany,the Marches and Latium.Also different in this region,one of the smallest in Italy,are the natural environments,wich from an exceptional "jigsaw puzzle" of landscapes.The land of Umbria has few rivals in its capacity to surprise,delight and capture the heart of the traveler.It is never easy to explain the reasons of the "heart",as it is a subtle,intangible pleasure to travel in his multiform land rich in aesthetic delights.The call to the pleasure of the sense is irresistible,stimulated by scents and colors of changing landscapes,so steeped in history as to be inexhaustible gold mines of art and culture.
ORVIETO Symbol of the city is the DUOMO AND CHAPEL OF SAINT BRIZIO a jewel of Romanesque Gothic architecture.Its construction began in 1290 at the will of Pope Nicolò IV.The synthesis and harmony of style are sublime in their upward movements.They are exhalted by the splendour of the mosaics on a gold background that grace the facade.This is the work of Maietani.In the chapel of the Corporal,wich features frescoes by Ugolino di Prete Ilario,the altar cloth that was stained with the blood of Christ during the miracle of Bolsena 1263 is preserved in the Reliquary of Ugolino di Vieri.One of the major fresco cycles from the Renaissance is found in the Chapel Saint Brizio:the frescoes,begun by Beato Angelico with the help of Benozzo Gozzoli,are the work of Luca Signorelli.Of great importance are the frescoes in the apse,from the end of the 1300s,the Madonna with Child by Gentile da Fabriano,and a marble group of the Pietà by Ippolito di Scalza.
ASSISI THE BASILICA OF ST.FRANCIS AND THE SACRO CONVENTO The Basilica complex is composed of two churches built one above the other,the lower one dating from 1228-1230 and the upper one from 1230-1253 and a crypt dug in 1818 wich houses the Saint's tomb.The lower Basilica was decorated by the greatest painters of the 13th and 14th centuries:Cimabue,Giotto,the Lorenzetti brothers and Simone Martini.The stained glass windows are especially beatiful.The Upper Basilica is adorned by Giotto's frescos illustrating the life of St.Francis.There are also works by Cimabue,Cavallini and Torriti.The monastery houses are remarkable "Treasury" composed of rare illuminated manuscripts and the Perkins collection.THE BASILICA OF ST.CLAIRE is an example of Italian-Gothic architecture.It was constructed between 1257-1265 and contains precious paintings dating from the 12th and the 14th centuries and the famous Crucifix venerated by St.Francis at San Damiano.The body of St.Claire is preserved in the crypt.S.MARIA DEGLI ANGELI An imposing Basilica constructed between 1569 and 1679 and crowned by the magnificent dome designed by Alessi.It encloses the Porziuncola (the nucleus of the first Franciscan monastery and the place where St.Claire received the Fraciscan cowl from St.Francis 1211) and the Cappella del Transito where St.Francis died on 3rd October 1226.To the side of the Basilica is the Chapel of the Roses with frescoes by Tiberio d'Assisi.The museum annex contains works by the Maestro di S.Francesco,Giunta Pisano and others.
TUSCANY
You will be driven to one of the most attractive Italian regions. First of all SIENA a little jewel, a medieval village with the DUOMO and Piazza del Campo where a traditional horse race is held twice a year. Later we arrive in FLORENCE where you will have the opportunity to admire Sights like: ACADEMY GALLERY, with the original DAVID, the BAPTISTRY with the golden bronze doors by Ghiberti, Giotto's BELFRY, PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA and PALAZZO VECCHIO (town hall), the Loggia dei Lanzi with the Perseus by Cellini and the fountain of Neptune.
AMALFI AND SORRENTINE COAST
THE SORRENTINE PENINSULA The marvellous natural scenery makes the Sorrentine Peninsula one of the most famous tourist destinations in Italy.Art and tradition characterise the numerous towns.The great attraction of this land is its natural beauty:the coastal road is one of the marvels of Italian scenery.Citrus groves,vineyards and olive groves that softly pour down the slopes towards the sea,the road follows the tortuous coastline,where curve after curve opens up incredible views of the Gulf of Naples,Vesuvius and Capri.The coast is high,craggy and rocky,with sheer limestone cliffs that crumble into the sea,coves and rocky shores.
SORRENTO The city sits high above the sea on an imposing tuff outcrop with deep gorges.The houses are immersed in luxuriant green and surrounded by groves of olive,lemon and orange trees.The town became famous in the 1800's,but its history has much deeper roots.The name Surrentum is possibly tied the legend of the siren and theories of Phoenician foundation are entertained.What is certain is that in Roman times it was the favourite dwelling of the aristocracy.The lemons of Sorrento are famous for having created Limoncello liqueur.
THE AMALFI COAST The incomparable beauty of the Amalfi Coast has enchanted visitors from all corners of the earth.The lush green terraces,suspended over a sparkling sea,the wealth of art and the architectural characteristics,make it one of of the most celebrated places on earth.Wild,daring and romantic,the Coast is an obligatory stop in any journey to Italy.
POSITANO Set into the mountain,surrounded by rich mediterranean vegetation,Positano is so picturesque as to seem a spontaneous stage setting.Seen from the sea it looks like a huge nativity scene,a waterfall of little multicoloured houses clinging onto its sides.The town develops vertically.the homes,one on top of the other,are characterised by arched porticos that give onto the sea,and are painted in pastel colours,giving it the look of a multifaceted precious stone.It is not for nothing that Positano is called "the gem of the divine coast".
AMALFI In the serene blu of the sky and the sea,Amalfi guarded by its port,seems held in the palm of a hand.Above,the scenic drapery of the mountains,hinged like a backdrop,dotted with houses;below,a picturesque weaving of alleys and steps,all the way to the Piazza,where the Cathedral dominates from the top of its majestic stairs.A unique scene,where historic memory intertwines with unforgettable natural beauty.Suspended between the slopes of the Lattari Mountains and the sea,the picturesque alleys of Amalfi today host a large number of tourists,but there was a time,when the powerful Marine Republic had its moment of maximum splendour between the 10th and 12th centuries,that they kept the outsiders (Longobards and Saracens) at bay.
RAVELLO is one of the gems of the Amalfi Coast,350 meters above the sea level,where the light effects and magical architecture create a vision of rare intensity.Its name is immortalized in Boccaccio's Decameron.Famous for its tranquil and serene atmosphere,Ravello offers architectural gems of rare elegance.VILLA RUFOLO Immersed in a verdant park of exotic and mediterranean flora,the original structure dates back to the 13th century;and even today some of its arab-siculian architecture is evident.The polychromatic arabesque colonnade is splendid.The garden is one of the most beautiful in Campania.Nature and man's touch compete to create a highly evocative atmosphere:villas lined by lime trees and cypresses,cascades of flowers.From the belvedere the sea seem infinite.Wagner's inspiration for the Klingsor Garden,in his opera Parsifal,came from the gardens of Villa Rufolo.VILLA CIMBRONE Originally it was a simple hut.It was bought in 1904 by Ernest William Beckett,who transformed it into an exceptionally fascinating Villa.It has hosted many celebrated personalities,from Winston Churchill to Greta Garbo.
