Castel del Monte, located in the municipality of Andria in Puglia, rises up from a rocky hill dominating the surrounding countryside of the Murgia region near the Adriatic Sea. A unique piece of medieval architecture, it was completed in 1240 AD. The castle’s location, its perfect octagonal shape, as well as the mathematical and astronomical precision of its layout all reflect the education and cultural vision of its founder, Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, although the actual architect and builder is still unknown.

As a leader of modern humanism, the Germanic Emperor brought scholars together in his court from throughout the Mediterranean, combining Eastern and Western traditions. The castle’s unique design, an octagonal plan with octagonal towers at each angle, represents a search for perfection. Interior features reflect Eastern influences, such as the innovative hydraulic installation used by Frederick II which used rain water for the toilets and bathrooms of the fortress.

Although he had been the founder of the castle, it is believed that Frederick II never spent a night here. It is believed the castle was initially conceived as a hunting lodge. However, several sources suggest that in 1249 the castle was used as a theater when the wedding of Violante, Frederick’s daughter, took place. In 1256, it was used as a prison for rebels by Frederick II’s son, King Manfredo of Sicily.

The original intended use of the Castel del Monte is unclear. The shape doesn't make it look like a castle but more of a defensive fortress. But it lacks the elements that would be necessary for proper defense: it has no ditches or moat, no drawbridge, no basement..only very large, marble-covered rooms, worthy of a lavish royal residence.

During the Middle Ages, all of the rooms were decorated with precious polychrome marble, mosaics, paintings and tapestries, but unfortunately over time Castel del Monte was robbed of its treasures by looters and vandals. The castle was built using three types of material: limestone, white marble and coral breccia. 

The site is of outstanding universal value in its formal perfection and its harmonious blending of cultural elements from northern Europe, the Muslim world and classical antiquity. Castel del Monte is a unique masterpiece of medieval architecture, reflecting the humanist ideas of its founder, Frederick II of Hohenstaufen.

Castel del Monte is also a designated UNESCO world heritage site and is considered to be one of the best castles in Puglia. Perched on top of a hill and see for miles around at an altitude of 540 meters, the castle can be reached by driving on the SS170 motorway.

Visiting Castel del Monte
April 1 to September 30 from 10:15 to 19:45 - The ticket office closes at 18.00 hrs.
October 1 to March 28 from 9:00 to 18:30 - The ticket office closes at 19.15 hrs.

The full-price ticket costs 7.00 €, reduced rate of € 3.50 for age group 18-25. Free entry for under-18s and over-65s.
Free entry on the first Sunday of the month. Free if you show your handicapped placard or card.

Before traveling to Italy, I researched about all sorts of things, and especially (to protect my little family) how people scam and cheat and how to avoid scams. There are lots of warnings online about taxi cheats. I just wanted to report that after having used car services, radio taxis, taxis from a taxi station and even hailing a taxi who had his roof light on (libero)--something that is not normally done successfully--we have not been cheated.

Taxis from The Airport to Your Hotel

If you've just arrived at the airport and want a taxi to take you to your hotel in Rome, how do you know what a proper charge is? Simple. It's written right on the side of the taxis waiting at the taxi stand at the airport! The fares will be listed for each airport (Fiumicino or Ciampino) for one direction. No tips...  flat fee... taking you inside the city walls.

Taking a Metered Taxi

For the most part, you hire a taxi at a taxi stand, where you normally find many taxis lined up waiting for new fares. Just walk to the first taxi at the head of the line and get in. Taxis in large cities usually have an official emblem on the side of their car. In Rome, it looks like this...

And as you can see by the second photo above of a taxi station sign, rates are also posted there.

When entering a taxi, always look at the meter for the "Tarrifa 1" to be lit up. Within the city walls "Tarrifa 1" is the correct lower rate. If you see "Tarrifa 2" or "Tarrifa 3" lit up for a trip inside the city limits of Rome, beware... you've got a crook trying to double or triple the rate. Tarrifa 2 and 3 are used for  only  outside the walls, into the suburbs or to the airport.

Radio Taxi

This is one of the easier ways to get around in Rome, especially since the city subway lines are very limited. (They've been trying to expand the Rome subways, but every time they dig, they have to stop for the archaeologists to record ancient discoveries).

The Rome city council’s number to call a taxi is +39 060609. You have to learn to speak at least a limited bit of Italian to order a taxi--giving the address properly in Italian, for example. Learn how to pronounce numbers, names, and letters too, so you can spell a name. Here is a link to a great three-part lesson on pronouncing the Italian alphabet. And here is a link to pronounce numbers.

You can also call +39 06 3570, or send an SMS to +39 366 673 0000, the SMS text should just have your current address. You will receive a request confirmation SMS and few seconds later another SMS indicating that a taxi is on it’s way. The radio taxis always show up on time with the help of their sophisticated gps unit.

The MyTaxi service is one of the largest, most reputable taxi services in Rome. In fact, to make things easier, you can use the MyTaxi app to call a cab.

Transfer (Car) Services

Simply put, "transfer services" refers to a car, limo or van service that can arrange to pick you up at one location and transfer you to another. Many offer group rates (for vans) or private drivers just for you. You can arrange pickups well ahead of your arrival in Italy. They also offer tour services--to take you on a day-long tour of the Amalfi Coast Road, for example... stopping anywhere you'd like to take photos or have lunch. 

Typically, car transfer services cost barely more than a city taxi and have very professional drivers that also speak English. There are many reputable services in most large Italian cities that can pick you up at a specific time to take you from airport to your hotel/rental, or to pick up up at train stations, and also to take you from one city to another.

Click to see a list of reputable transfer services in Italy.

Hailing  a Taxi

In large Italian cities with a large number of taxis, you don't hail cabs. If you do see a taxi with its roof light lit, that means it's unoccupied. You can, of course,  try hailing the cab... as long as you are standing where they can pull over without blocking traffic (in other words, not on a narrow side street). There was one time I tried hailing a taxi on a crowded side street (with barely any sidewalks, a common thing in Italy). The driver looked at me like I was crazy. With good reason... he had no legal place to pull over. Lesson learned. Only try hailing a taxi in Rome or Florence if there is room for them to pull over to the curbside to pick you up--a wide boulevard.

Tipping

No, you don't have to tip taxi drivers in Italy like you would in Manhattan. If you want to tip, the tradition used is "rounding up". For instance, telling them to keep the change when you hand over €10 for a €9.50 fare. However, if the driver is extremely helpful, with large heavy bags for instance, a €1 or €2 tip perfectly fine. The phrase to use is tenga il resto (keep the change).

Uber in Italy

At this writing, Uber is only available in Rome and Milan, but only as Uber Black, which means you will get much nicer vehicles, but at higher rates. You can still use your Uber app in Italy. In Italy, permits (meaning government fees) are required for just about anything you want to do to make money--pizzeria, tour guide, making cheese, and driving people to their destinations. Rome and other Italian cities require drivers to register as an NCC driver with a NCC medallion, which involves a registration fee, exams, a special license and a medallion to place on your car. Even the car has to be approved. It can cost up to €100,000 for a medallion. So, even though Uber is an option in Milan and Rome, it's more expensive and has less availability that other options. 

Useful Phrases

Quant'è la tariffa? or simply, Quanto costa? (What is the fare?)

Quanto extra per il bagaglio? (How much extra for the luggage?)

Puoi abbassare la musica, per favore? ("Can you turn down the music, please?")

Puoi prendere il percorso più veloce? ("Can you take the fastest route?")

Puoi guidare attraverso alcuni bei siti sulla strada per l'hotel/appartamento?
("Can you drive by some beautiful sites on the way to the hotel/apartment?")

Ecco l'indirizzo della mia destinazione. (Handing the driver the written address)
("Here is the destination's address". Write the address down on paper ahead of time).

Puoi accendere il condizionatore d'aria? (Can you turn on the air conditioning?)

In general, I've found Italian taxi drivers to be talkative, friendly, helpful and responsive when you at least try to speak some Italian. I'm sure they are used to tourists who don't attempt even the most basic Italian words and expressions. Taxis are also a lot safer than taking very crowded buses in the height of the tourists season, when pickpockets work the buses all day long.

Looking back, I wish I had taken photos of the drivers... I still remember their faces and smiles. By the way, unlike in Manhattan, every taxi driver was actually an Italian. Imagine that!

--Jerry Finzi

Tucked into the pristine landscape of oak and beech trees, streams, meadows and stands of forest is the medieval village of Fiumalbo in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. It is located about 70 kilometres southwest of Bologna and about 60 kilometres southwest of Modena. Fiumalbo's name evolves from the Latin, flumen album (White River), with reference to the pristine waters of the two rivers that surround the village. The area surrounding the village is dotted with ancient Celtic stone huts, medieval places of worship and the most significant draw to the area, its Natural environment.

A dense network of well-marked trails follow old donkey paths once traveled by shepherds and pilgrims can be traveled on foot, horseback or mountain bike. In addition, the proximity of modern ski resorts is a real bonus in winter. The streams are a destination for fly fishermen. In the vicinity, the nearly 40,000 acre Frignano Park sets the tone with its impressive natural beauty.

The little borgho even has the credentials to prove their beauty, being a member of the Borghi più belli d’Italia association and having been awarded the Italian Touring Club Orange Flag status.

Pistoia is just 7 miles or so over the Abetone pass, helping to unify the 1200 or so borghi. The common local dialect, due to the proximity of the border of Liguria and Tuscany, also helps knit together many of the local customs. The highest peaks of the Modena Apennines are here: Mount Cimone (2165 m) on one side and Mount Lagoni (1962 m) on the other.

The cuisine of the region is a mix of both Emilia and Tuscany with tortellone filled with ricotta, black cabbage soup, and a traditional sliced beef dish. Borlenghi, a paper thin crepe similar to carasau from Sardinia, is another traditional dish, stuffed with bacon and salami. Then there is tigelle, a stamped bread embossed with a Celtic rose, indicating its origin.

Main courses feature what comes from the forest--mushrooms and game, accompanied by polenta. Their prideful dessert is the Croccante, invented in Fiumalbo, including natural ingredients such as chestnut honey, white almonds, sugar and caramel.

So, tear up your Must See List for Italy and visit one of Italy's small towns... there is a lot to do here:

Fiaccolata di Carnevale
February: on the night before Ash Wednesday, there is a parade through the village with people carrying birch torches, even torches lighting the stream. The flames signify giving up the coldness and hardships of winter and looking forward toa fruitful spring and summer.

Infiorata del Corpus Domini
Flower Festival on the the Sunday of the Corpus Domini procession through the streets with large, intricate floral carpets created by the inhabitants.

Fiera di Luglio
A sagre (food festival) on the second Sunday of July: food stands and stalls selling local produce, cheese, wine, etc.

Festa di San Bartolomeo
August 23: Feast of St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of the  village. The village is illuminated with torches, torches, candles, and even candles lighting of the stream. A saint is accompanied in procession by the brotherhoods of the Whites and the Reds, wearing traditional costumes and carry ancient banners. The festival ends with fireworks.

Presepe Vivente
A living nativity, December 24, biennial. People are dressed in the clothes of their ancestors, carrying out traditional crafts. The highpoint is the Wise Men on horseback following a path lit by torches that winds through the old town and leading to the Nativity scene and the Christ child.

--GVI

Calascio is a small village and "Rocca" (fortress) in the province of L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park.

The earliest village on this site was of Norman origin since the 9th century AD. From the year 1000 onward, it came under control of the Barony of Carapelle (14th century), the Piccolomini family (15th century) and then to the Medici family (16th century), each in succession adding to and enlarging the massive fortress on the rocca above the village.

Rocca Calascio, situated at 4800 feet in elevation, lies in an imposing landscape and is one of the most interesting military-defensive structures of its type. It is the highest and one of the oldest fortresses in Italy and affords amazingly dramatic photography, especially at sunrise and sunset. In fact, even Hollywood has been here before--as example--for the filming of Lady Hawke.

The fortress dominates the southern side of the Gran Sasso mountain range. It has all the characteristic features of a medieval watchtower. The tower would have been transformed into the current Rocca during the 15th century.

At first, there was only a single watchtower for military purposes. There is a walled courtyard with four cylindrical towers at the corners. A taller inner tower was added in the thirteenth century that collapsed during an earthquake centuries ago. The central tower was never rebuilt and today only the exterior walls remain. Curiously, during the time of the Medici, it was used to guard the paths used to move the royal flocks of sheep to their pastures.

Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso
e Monti della Laga

The real draw to this part of Abruzzo is the surrounding natural landscape with amazing biodiversity... flora, fauna, waterfalls and gorges. Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park covers an area of 580 square miles and is one of the largest parks in Italy. It offers skiing, trekking, mountain biking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, paragliding and more. In addition, from June through October there are over 200 festivals and sagre (food festivals), so your culinary and cultural apetite will surely be satisfied.

The Park consists of three mountain groups: Gran Sasso d'Italia chain, Laga massif, and Gemelli Mountains. The Park is also characterized by the presence of the highest peak of the Apennines, Corno Grande at nearly 10,00 feet tall. The most southern glacier in Europe is located here too--the Calderone. Trekkers might be surprised by the prescence of the Osservatorio di Campo Imperatore, a telescopic observatory high up on a mountaintop along with its own botanical garden. In the town of Fonte Cerreto, there is a large funivia (cable car) to take you up to the top of the mountain.

Bottom line... if you love mountains, nature and back country activities, a visit to the Park and Calascio will be a great alternative to the "must see" tourist site in Italy.

--GVI

Palmanova is located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy, about 70 miles east of Venice. The town is protected inside its massive star-shaped fortress walls, a wonderful example of this type of the Late Renaissance fortressa built by the Venetian Republic in 1593. The fortifications were included in UNESCO's World Heritage Site list in 2017.

The unique thing about Palmanova is that the entire town and expansive piazza was designed and built within the shape of a nine-pointed star fortress, designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi. Between the points of the star, ramparts protrude so that the points could defend each other from attacking forces.

A moat surrounded the town with three large, guarded entry gates. The construction of the first circle, with a total circumference of 4 miles, took 30 years. A second phase of construction took place between 1658 and 1690, and the outer line of fortifications were completed between 1806 and 1813 under the Napoleonic domination. The final fortress consists of: 9 ravelins, 9 bastions, 9 lunettes, and 18 cavaliers.

Since Palmanova was built during the Renaissance, its design fit in extremely well with Thomas More's social philosophy of a Utopian society. The Utopian concept requires geometrical harmony in the design public spaces, supposing that if the living space was protected from harm, plus offered esthetic beauty, comfortable public and residential spaces, and a pleasant place to live,  its citizenry will be healthy, successful and content. Think of it as being the Renaissance's idea of Feng Shui.

Each road and street were carefully calibrated and each part of the plan had a reason for being. Each person would have the same amount of responsibility, living or working space, and each person had to serve a specific and balanced purpose. Even the fortifications were built with the Utopian concept in mind, with the outer ramparts looking simply like a forest as the town was approached, essentially hiding the town from potential enemies. This effect is still evident today in stark contrast to the very visible hill towns common in most other regions of Italy.

Although Palmanova was praised as one of the most successful Renaissance planned towns, at first regardless of its elegant and rational layout, almost nobody moved to the town. Venice was forced to pardon criminals, offering them free building lots just to help populate the town. Still today, even though Palmanova is a pristine, well laid out town, to visitors it has a totally different feel than most Italian towns, which evolved gradually, in a hodgepodge manner with varied building styles, sizes, colors and textures. This town definitely looks like it was designed and built almost like a modern development... all the buildings are similar style, similar height and the streets are laid out in mathematical precision. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) types will feel right at home here. 

Still, today Palmanova is a wonderful place to visit, its Piazza Centrale being the perfect place to host many sagre and festivals. Visit in July and you can enjoy an historical re-enactment which takes places on the day of the Festival of the Redeemer. Tourists can enjoy guided visits to the fort and experience the Venetian cuisine of the 15th century.

There is also the Museo Storico Militare (Military History Museum) with an amazing array of exhibits of Renaissance and Napoleonic era weapons and technology. You can enjoy cycling around the bastions in warmer months. The Duomo Dogale (formerly the Duke's palazzo) is a wonderful cathedral to visit during the Christmas season if only to enjoy the wonderful display of presepe (nativity scenes).

Palmanova Events

Getting there...

Just two miles from town is the train station Scalo Ferroviario. Venice is about 90 minutes away by car on the A4. Trieste is less than an hour east via the A4. The beach town of Grado is only 30 minutes by car and itself can be a great place to stay, keeping Palmanova on your itinerary as a day trip. 

--GVI

From our contributor, Anthony J. DiLaura

A lesser known and less frequently touristy region of Italy is that of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
It is bordered by Austria and the Dolomite mountains, Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea. The Capital City is Trieste and the area was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the nineteenth century.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia is populated by 1.2 million inhabitants, characterized by the spectacular beauty of its snow capped mountains to the North, its verdant valleys and pastures, mountain sloped vineyards and deep blue waters of the Adriatic.

The region, although part of Italy, is one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste. The city of Venice (Venezia) is not in this region, despite the name. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has a rich ethnicity of Austrian and Slavic origin, reflected in the language spoken there and the amazing cuisine found in the local eateries. I had the pleasure of visiting there a few years ago traveling from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Venice.

Starting a new tradition to celebrate the holiday season in 2018, the town of Itri in Lazio hosts Notte di Luce, illuminates its historic center with over 22,000 glass jars with candles. The lights are artistically designed by scores of volunteers in magical and surprising ways, turning the  village into a glorious flickering wonderland. It's amazing that the candles all get lit within a short period of time at the beginning of this wonderful evening. The luminaries are hung on windows, doors, over streets, on facades of buildings and even on the steps and stones visitors walk upon.

If you want to enjoy the holiday festivities of small-town Italy, Itri might be just the place to be. This is certain to be a tradition that continues for years.

City of Itri Tel: -07717321 
Web Site: comune.itri.lt.it

On an average day, Venice can have up to six large cruise ships docking in its harbor--to the tune of about 600 large ships each year. In a town with fewer than 55,000 native inhabitants, this can can be overwhelming. In fact,  they let loose up to 30,000 passengers each and every day into the overcrowded streets of this historic gem of a city!

What makes matters worse is the geography of the historic center of Venice, comprised of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. On most days it seems like the majority of tourists are concentrated in only a few "must see" locations: the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), St Mark's Basilica, the Rialto Bridge and Bridge of Sighs,  the Jewish Ghetto and Piazza San Marco and it's Campanile (bell tower). At any given time at least some of the tourists are not in the narrow streets and alleys, but on the water--taking expensive gondola rides, less expensive water taxis, and traveling to other islands in the Lagoon, like Murano, Burano or the island cemetery of San Michele.

There are so many tourists that many have taken to sitting anywhere they can find a spot to enjoy the views, watch the passersby, or to have a quick snack, drink or lunch. They sit along canal embankments, front steps of churches or shops, or simply squat right in the middle of a piazza. I've done this myself on occasion when needing to rest weary legs or to have a gelato and soak in the living, breathing post card that is Italia.

But just wait a second. Sitting? Anywhere you please? Shame on you for wanting to sit, and wanting to sit anywhere you can because the cafes are full--and too expensive. Think about this: Venice won't limit the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at one time, but if the mayor of Venice has his way, the city will start fining tourists for sitting or eating in public spaces, on steps, in the piazza and other places... to the tune of $580! Such behavior (unknown to the masses of tourists) is already forbidden in Saint Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.

Here's the situation: Venice overcharges and overtaxes the tourists through high prices and city taxes built into gondola and taxi fees or hotel and B&B fees. Then they allow cruise ships to dump an unlimited number of tourists, which causes the overcrowding in the first place. So, Venice makes a ton of cash on allowing an unlimited number of people into the limited space of this small city, and then wants to make more when people simply want to sit down somewhere--and apparently can't find many public places to sit!

Hey, Mayor Brugnaro, have you ever thought of installing enough benches and picnic/dining areas?  Take Campo Santo Stefano for example: This huge piazza is about 600 feet long by 170 feet wide and there are only two benches. ONLY TWO. Nearby Campo Sant'Anzolo has no benches. How about in your largest public space, Campo San Marco? This huge public space has nowhere for anyone to sit--no benches anywhere.

How about taking an idea from the public spaces in Paris and put out folding cafe seating that tourists can move around? No... of course not. It's perhaps a better idea to hit them with a hefty fine!

They Need Tourists, but Really? "Loitering"?

Recently, the mayor of Florence implemented a new regulation forbidding "loitering" (standing in one place too long or sitting) and eating in four streets in the historic center which are very popular with tourists. Certainly the politicians will say these new regulations are for the common good, citing trash left behind by tourists as the main reason. But again, I can't count how many times I've been in touristy areas of Italian cities that didn't have enough trash receptacles. Italians know it, too. This is why they toss trash just about everywhere. And when there are bins, they are overflowing from a poor schedule of trash pick-up. It's common knowledge that many local Italian governments can't seem to get their heads around trash and how to remove it in a timely fashion. Is this the tourists fault?

Although Venice's canals, bridges and alleys are picturesque, its Mama & Papa shops have pretty much been gentrified--according to the local residents who claim life in the city has become more expensive, because many alimentari (grocery stores), bookstores and bakeries have been closing down and reopened as souvenir or label designer shops. It seems to me that the politicians of Venice have to make a choice... either give in totally to unrestricted, massive numbers of tourists and the potential of destroying this beautiful city, fine and up-charge the tourists in hopes of correcting the problems... or simply use logic and restrict the number of large cruise ships (perhaps no more than 2 at a time docked) to ease the burden and wear-and-tear on the treasures of Venice. Give Mama & Papa alimentary and bistros an incentive to stay in business. Install enough trash bins and seating to match the numbers of tourists flooding your piazzi.

There are hundreds of thousands of appreciative Voyagers that would appreciate the gesture.

--Jerry Finzi