italia

Roma, the eternal city, a heady cocktail of classical Roman, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Catholic and Fascist aesthetics – from the Colosseum to the Palazzo della Farnesina. Roma, the glamorous city of la dolce vita, mythologised in the Twentieth Century movies of Hollywood and Cinecitta studios. Roma, the country’s capital city, straddling the Tiber river in central Italy, where round every corner you encounter a monumental piece of history: a gateway arch, a fountain, a statue, an obelisk, a bridge, a temple, a cathedral, a castello, a civic building, or a pallazo. Roma, the gastronomic paradise, whose every piazza is lined with all manner of establishments serving food, drink, gelati, pastries and coffee. Roma, the quintessentially Italian city: cultured, stylish, dynamic, theatrical, gregarious.

Venezia, floating city of canals and bridges — and tourists, lots and lots of tourists. Crowds and tacky souvenir stalls. And restaurants: ristoranti, trattorie, pizzerie, osterie — and the occasional Irish pub. This storied city that was once the center of an empire that for hundreds of years spanned and controlled the Mediterranean is today a theme park for international tourists who throng to its attractions, fill its restaurants and navigate its maze of calle with the aid of Google Maps. Despite this, it’s hard to remain cynical if one looks a little deeper and considers the cultural imprint of the city: the Biennale and the Carnevale, its film and jazz festivals, its architecture and art galleries, concerts and exhibitions. La Serenissima may not be so serene these days, and her beauty may have faded, but she still has the ability to take one’s breath away.