Visiting the Vatican City during your Italy Vacation
One of the most popular destinations for people on a vacation to Italy is the Vatican City. Most people do not know that this is a sovereign city-state. This means that it makes its own rules and has its own governing system independent of the Italian system. The Vatican City is a walled state within the city of Rome. It is the smallest independent state in the whole world with only a little over 100 acres. It was formed in 1929 under an agreement between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See. The Holy See refers to the central governing system of the Catholic Church headed by the Pope. The Pope is also known as the Bishop of Rome. The Vatican City houses the official residence of the Pope and it is visited by millions of people each year on an Italy vacation.You can enter the Vatican City through the famous St. Peter’s square. This square is characterized by great Baroque architecture from the 1600s to include symbols of the church motherly embracing its people in its arms. St. Peter’s Basilica is another place you can visit in the Vatican City while on your Italy vacation because it is also found in St. Peter’s square. It is the most notable building in the Vatican City and this church’s dome can be seen for miles around Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica seats 60,000 and is said to be the largest building in the Christian church. It is noted for being the burial site of St. Peter who is said to be the founding father of the Catholic Church by being the first Bishop of Rome. The discovery of his tomb was announced in 1950 after a decade of archeological research.
Catholic tradition says that St. Peter is buried under the altar of this Basilica and therefore all the Popes since then have also been buried in the Basilica the most recent being Pope John Paul II in April 2005. At the entrance of the Basilica are statues of Christ, St. John the Baptist and 11 of the 12 apostles. You can enter the Basilica for free during your Italian vacation if you are properly dressed with no bare shoulders or knees. If you would like to attend mass you should go to the Basilica on a Sunday.
There are several other places to see here during your Italy vacation. The largest museum in the world is also found in the Vatican City. It has over 1400 rooms and galleries that represent 3000 years of art. The Sistine Chapel is also found here and is known for being the private chapel that the cardinals go to when electing a new Pope.
So what is the best way to see all the sights that the Vatican City has to offer during your Italian vacation? There are guided tours available that can be taken for half a day or longer. You can take a guided tour of just the museum or a guided tour to include all the important places of interest in the Vatican City and this will ensure that you don’t miss a thing here on your Italian vacation.
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Music and your Italy Vacation
If you are musically inclined or just simply interested in Italian music, a vacation to Italy may be just the perfect vacation choice for you. Italy is famous for opera and classical music but has various other types of music to include traditional music, religious music and popular music which is both native and imported. The culture of Italy is deeply rooted in music and it is very important to the people. Therefore it would be impossible to go on an Italy vacation and not come across some great musical performances if that is what you are interested in. Over the centuries Italian music has taken on elements from foreign sources that may have ruled or influenced the people. Classical music is especially important in Italy and it has taken forms in opera and sacred music. Opera music began in Italy in the late 1500s and sacred music is of course a dominant presence due to the base of the Catholic Church being in Italy specifically in Rome.So if you are on an Italy vacation, and you are interested in exploring this rich aspect of Italian culture you are most definitely looking for places to go to for concerts. Italy has many music conservatories that hold concerts in virtually every city you visit. There are also several opera houses and symphony halls to choose from where you could see well-known orchestras from Italy and other parts of the world. Open air operas are also held in amphitheatres across Italy. If you are looking for something a little less formal you may want to try going to an international music festival during your Italian vacation. There are several that are organized each year for classical and opera lovers. The most well known include the Festival of Spoleto and the Wagner Festival in Ravello. You will find that some of these international music festivals offer you a chance to enter and win music competitions during your Italy vacation. Some of these competitions are geared towards young composers and allow them to produce and stage their entries. Not only could you win money but your music would be performed at the festival.
For people looking for more modern forms of music specifically pop and rock fans, an Italy vacation also provides for several concerts that occur throughout the year. Some theatres also hold Italian translations of American musicals but for a true experience, try an Italian musical comedy. If you only know a few Italian words, these are still great if you want to immerse yourself in the culture.
Since Italy is the home of the Roman Catholic Church, religious music will show up in many ways during your Italian vacation. There are several parish bands all over the country and they can range in size from 4 to 30 members. They are found performing in religious festivals in honor of patron saints of different towns. Religious music is also found in Italian Christmas carols so if you go on your vacation to Italy during that time of year you may find yourself learning the Italian versions of “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas.”
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Attending Sporting Events on Your Italy Vacation
Sports and Italians go together like spaghetti and meatballs! The most popular sports are soccer, rugby and cycling. Winter sports are also very popular during that season. Italians are serious spectators and fierce competitors. During your Italy vacation you may decide to look up which sporting events are going on that you may be able to attend. You will definitely experience Italy culture and the passion that they bring to competition.With soccer the passion is very understandable because Italy has won the World Cup 4 times and is actually the current title holder after the 2006 World Cup Series. With their 4 total wins they hold the record of being the second most successful team since the championship began and are second only to Brazil. If you are a sports fan you may be interested in seeing a match during your Italy vacation. Select Italy is a company that will allow you to experience this. They can arrange tickets for you to see Series A and Series B games in some of the major cities in Italy. You can request a specific city on their website and they have staff who will confirm pricing and other details with you after they receive your request.
If you would rather see something else while you are in Italy on vacation they can also arrange tickets for you to see anything from auto racing to basketball to tennis. Tickets obtained through this company will be up to 25% higher than their face value as the company adds on fees and processing costs for providing travelers with this great service. Select Italy may be contacted through their website at www.selectitaly.com…
If you are going to see a soccer match in Italy during your vacation you may be concerned about what you have heard about the dangers and sometimes violence at these events. Italians as you know are very competitive and passionate about their soccer. It is best to make sure that you either wear the colors of the Italian home team or something else that is not in line with the opposing team’s colors. Companies like Select Italy will advise you which colors to wear if you want to support the Italian team and which colors to stay away from depending on which match you want to see. Another thing to remember is that many of these Italian soccer matches have a designated area for their die-hard fans.
If a fight would break out it would be more likely to be between someone who sits in that designated area with someone who supports the opposing team. As a visitor you would probably feel most comfortable sitting in a neutral central location. Select Italy will not insure you or assume any liability for anything that may happen at any of these matches that they help you attend.
If you are interested in seeing sporting events when in Rome for your Italy vacation, you can always find out what is going on at the Flaminio Stadium. It was built for the 1960 Olympic Games in Italy and now has all kinds of sporting events going on from rugby to equestrian. It is very accessible from many hotels in Rome.
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Places to Stay for your Italy Vacation
When you travel to Italy you can be rest assured that accommodations will not be a problem. Remember that this is one of the biggest tourist destinations of the world so there is a healthy helping of hotels, villas, inns, and bed and breakfasts to choose from. You may be on a budget, you may want to live in luxury, you may want to experience Italy in the home of an Italian or you may be traveling in a group and prefer to stay at a place that can accommodate everyone. All the largest international hotels chains have a place in Italy so if that is what you prefer then there will be plenty of choices for that especially in Rome.During your vacation to Italy you will find that there is something to suit everyone’s needs. However to completely experience Italy on your vacation it is recommended that you stay at a small bed and breakfast if you can. Most of these are family run and you will hear all kinds of stories, folklore and little known facts that may not be in any of the guide books you may have with you on your Italy vacation. Some of the bed and breakfasts will even offer you a price to include a roundtrip ticket from London.
If you are traveling in style and you are visiting Venice, you may want to consider staying at the Novecento Boutique Hotel. It is a chic bed and breakfast that is family run and offers luxurious accommodations. 30 minutes from the airport and offering free internet services, this hotel is modern but still maintains the old Venetian feel to it that will be appreciated by even the most discerning visitors. It is very close to many of Venice’s main attractions and with only 9 rooms, it is most suited to smaller groups or pairs. Most of the rooms have antiques collected by the owners through their own world travels and the bathrooms are especially large. The food here is said to be excellent and this boutique hotel is noted for its peaceful setting even for being as close as it is to all the action in Venice. This is the perfect place to stay if you are in Venice for your Italy vacation.
If you are visiting Florence, you should consider staying at a place called The Artist’s Residence. Florence is the seat of Italy’s artistic soul and this bed and breakfast is the perfect place to experience the renaissance. It is in the middle of old Florence and is furnished with 19th century sculptures created by Giovanni Dupre. The present owners of the bed and breakfast are his descendants. You will find original florentino tiled floors and even the bar counter was a confessional from 1500AD. Some bedrooms have terraces and you may be able to see the courtyard gardens from your terrace. Breakfast here is also said to be excellent and there are numerous restaurants close by to choose from for your other meals. There are 45 air-conditioned rooms here and also a gym and a solarium. This hotel also provides access to the internet if you cannot go without it on your Italy vacation.
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