Viaggiare
June 2018 Italy
18 Cinque Terre
22 Italian Wine Culture
20 When in Rome
17 Milan: Heart of Fashion
14 North vs. South: A Family Cuisine
8 A Grand Italian Expedition
norda
Sigma Airlines
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Your journey begins today
Contents 8
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A Grand Italian Expedition
Spend a few weeks traversing the Italian peninsula
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North vs. South: A Family Cuisine North and South, polar opposites, but more similar than you may think
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Milan: Heart of Fashion Step into the beating heart of the world of fashion
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Cinque Terre Take a stroll through the brightly colored fishing village hanging onto a cliff
When in Rome From legendary origins to modern day, Rome is steeped in history
Italian Wine Culture Tuscany to Campagnia, explore the wide breadth of native Italian wines
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Peloponnesian Cruiseline
the vacation of a lifetime
Travel Norway Find what you seek
A Grand Italian Expedition
Travel editor Logan Mills is in his sixth year of traveling the globe, he’s spent months in countless exotic locales interacting with natives, learning their language and culture. It’s a surprise he’s yet to arrive in the birthplace of the Renaissance. Read on to discover what he has about this Bel Paese. By Logan Mills.
...Leaving Tunisia, the island of Sicily is right across the Strait of Sicily Trapani. As I approach the city of Catania Mt. Etna’s smoking peak is visible as a dusky smudge against the sky. It’s rather quieting to be so near such a powerful and destructive force of nature. As you come nearer to it you can feel a sort of swelling energy, almost as if the whole island is holding its breath. Sleeping that first night, it was almost as if I could feel the heat from the Earth’s roiling molten blood diffuse up into the night sky. The following day I woke a little after the sun had begun to warm the city. I dressed and made my way towards the Piazza Carlo Alberto market down by the Via Umberto. Upon reaching the market I found a stall owner selling fresh fruits. I bought a pomegranate, a lemon, and a bundle of fresh strawberries then walked further down to the seafood stalls. The fishmongers shouted their prices into the slowly thinning late morning crowd to attract some attention from potential buyers. I found a man hawking his freshest calamari and bought a decently sized amount. With everything stowed safely in my bag I left the market and made my way down the Via Umberto and ordered an Uber to come pick me up and deposit me at the base of Mt. Etna. Once arrived I bought a ticket for a shuttle bus up the mount. After being let off a little more than halfway up the mountain, I found a hiking path and walked for a time until I found a clearing where I could set down and eat what food I had bought that morning at the market. The air was cooler up on the mountainside than down below and made for a pleasant spring afternoon. I was able to photograph some wildlife as well as views of the island and city below. Before the sun began to set I worked my way back to the shuttle bus and down the mountain. I then ordered a ride to into the city for dinner and spent the night in a cozy little B&B run by an adorably sweet Sicilian grandma who couldn’t stop trying to feed me until I finally went to bed. The next morning, I got up early and ate with my gracious host who insisted on cooking me a hearty breakfast before I made the trip to Palermo. At her recommendation I took a bus from the Catania airport to the Palermo one. I would have originally taken a train, but she was appalled that I would even consider the train an option and demanded that I take the faster and cheaper bus.
The Palermo markets are filled with fresh produce of all kinds.
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...“one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world”...
In Palermo, again at the urging of my adorable adopted Sicilian grandmother, I made sure to take a trip Via Vittorio Emanuele towards La Cala. I had read in some guidebook or another that Palermo cannoli are absolute magic and I knew I had to track down the Pasticceria Cappello, the rumored home of the best cannoli in all of Sicily. The Via Colonna Rotta has been home to the Pasticceria Cappello for the past 74 years and that history is clearly evidenced in their pastry. The deep-fried wafer cones filled with ricotta and chocolate are an absolute must have if you ever visit Palermo. The rich ricotta contrasts so perfectly with the crunch of the pastry and chocolate. After my wonderful dessert experience I realized that I was close to missing my ferry to Naples. I hightailed it to the port just in time for the 10-hour boat trip across the Tyrrhenian Sea to one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Naples. The center of the historic city, designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, is home to countless houses of history. From the Albergo dei Poveri to the National Archaeological Museum to the Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples has so many things to do and see no matter whether you’re interested in history or subjects of the contemporary. I, of course, had to see for myself the Castel Nuovo, home to Neapolitan aristocracy for centuries. The imposing stone walls were originally constructed by Charles I of Anjou and was later adapted by the Aragonese as the fortress it appears today. The guided tour begins in the surprisingly empty Armory Hall and leads to the white and austere chapel. Following the chapel, we’re led through the southern courtyard and the various halls and rooms that now play host to various cultural and art exhibitions. Overall, I was rather underwhelmed by the Castel, I guess I just expected more. However, regardless it was a nice change of pace and a great way to soak up some history and culture. The center of the historic city, designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, is home to countless houses of history. From the Albergo dei Poveri to the National Archaeological Museum to the Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples has so many things to do and see no matter whether you’re interested in history or subjects of the contemporary. I of course had to see for myself the Castel Nuovo, home to Neapolitan aristocracy for centuries. The imposing stone walls were originally constructed by Charles I of Anjou and was later adapted by the Aragonese as the fortress it appears today. The guided tour begins in the surprisingly empty Armory Hall and leads to the white and austere chapel. Following the chapel, we’re led through the southern courtyard and the various halls and rooms that now play host to various cultural and art exhibitions. Overall, I was rather underwhelmed by the Castel, I guess I just expected more. However, regardless it was a nice change of pace and a great way to soak up some history and culture.
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My second day in Naples was spent walking the city and getting a taste for the unique Neapolitan flavour and culture. If you pay close enough attention you can see the footprints that different cultures have left on the city. Everyone from the French to the Spanish to the Byzantines, the Normans, the Swabians, the Sicilians, the Bourbons and the Greeks all have left some influence on the ancient city. The part of Naples that I was most anticipating and excited to see was the food. The birthplace of pizza, Naples has more than a dozen pizzerias in any given direction (J. Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats notes the best place for street pizza in Naples is the Pizzeria di Matteo). The moist, light, and fluffy dough is traditionally topped with some combination of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and cheese. When compared to pizza I’m familiar with at home, Neapolitan pizza feels lighter – more simple and balanced than you’d expect. Despite only spending comparably little time in Naples I felt like I got a perfect introduction to the unique Neapolitan flavour that marinates the city. The next stop on my Italian expedition was Milan, home of Italy’s stock exchange and fashion and design capital of the world. I knew before even stepping foot in the Milan that I wanted to visit the fashion center of the city. The Quadrilatero d’Oro district is the beating heart of Milan’s fashion soul and the fashion houses of Armani, Prada, Versace, and Valentino live here. On the Via Monte Napoleone you can find multiple Prada stores, the first Gucci store, as well as a Cartier and Fendi. Via Sant’Andrea is home to Hermès, Chanel, and Armani. You can find even more exclusive high-end, high-class stores one the Via della Spiaga, a cobblestone pedestrian street lined with two Dolce and Gabbanas, a Roberto Cavilli, a Tiffany & Co., and countless more Pradas. The Quadrilatero d’Oro fufilled my fashionista desires leaps and bounds more than I expected, however I couldn’t spend my entire life window shopping and fantasizing up and down the fabled fashion streets. I took some time to walk down the Corso Buenos Aires, housing Europe’s highest concentration of clothing stores, as well. The day after a full day of fashion I spent the afternoon in the Acquario Civico di Milano at the behest of my friends in Italy. While it might not be the most Milan thing to do in Milan I enjoyed my time walking through the aquarium admiring the sea life. I was heartbroken when my time in Milan was up. I couldn’t bear to part with the city of my dreams, but I knew I had to get on over to Venice. I spent the trip there dreaming of living the rest of my life in Milan. Venice is a city run by water. Set in the cove of a natural lagoon Venetians get around by gondola. Taking a gondola ride around the city was one of the best decisions I’ve made the whole experience. What you never think about when you think “Venice” is the smell. Venice smells of the ocean, except when it smells like fish which is more often than you think. The final stop on my Italian excursion was the Piazza San Marco. A wide square bustling with locals and tourists alike, the Piazza felt like the perfect place to stop and reflect. I’ve had such an amazing experience these past few weeks, I’ve fallen in love with Italy over and over it’s almost impossible to imagine leaving...
The best Neopolitan pizza looks nothing like what’s back in the States
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VINO
The wine of Italy
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