Italy Overall
The culture of Italy varies greatly from region to region, province to province. Once a collection of city-states, Italian diversity grew from earlier occupations, geography and even familial

connections. Venice, created on a series of manmade islands in the lagoon, was once a seafaring republic and the end of the Silk Road, more Byzantine than western. Florence, a major trade and banking center, was the flower of the Renaissance where its artistic and architectural treasures are the result of patronage of its wealthy merchants. Tuscan hill towns each have a unique history based on wool trading, banking or farming traditions and their allegiances to Florence or Siena. The towns of Umbria, like St. Francis’ Assisi, are often associated with spiritual movements. The Eternal City, Rome, has been an international city for over 2,000 years, serving as a capital of both imperial and Catholic empires. Naples, the preserved towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum are all influenced by the volatile Mt. Vesuvius while the beauty of the dramatic cliffs and islands of the nearby Amalfi Coast have drawn visitors for centuries. Further south, forming Italy’s heel, are the white towns and pristine beaches of Puglia. Just off the toe lies the fascinating and divergent culture of the island of Sicily, influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, Spanish and French. The complexity of this intricate patchwork quilt that is Italy may highlight the differences but Italians everywhere enjoy the sweet life, la dolce vita. Italy is a country that embraces its ancient traditions and modern sophistication, revealed in the aesthetic of its ceramics, leather, jewelry, artisanaltraditions, regional cuisine, gardens and villas, modern art galleries, antique districts and fashion showrooms.

Rome
The Eternal City can be at times overwhelming, its multilayered past, churches and historic palazzi, ancient ruins, tombs and castles, colors of soft ochres, umbers and siennas of its buildings, the greenery of its parks and refreshing sound of the many fountains all forming a stark contrast to the traffic and sheer exuberance of its citizens. Whether you want to toss a coin into Trevi Fountain or visit the the Colosseum and Forums, Endless Beginnings’ travelers are encouraged to enjoy Rome's more off the beaten path sights. Explore the Palatine Hill’s ruins, the Aventine Hill’s streets lined with beautiful homes and groves of

orange and lemon trees or see the panorama of Rome from the top of the Janiculum Hill. Tour Emperor Nero’s Golden House, the Domus Aurea, the Baths of Caracalla, the best preserved of the imperial bath complexes, the Pantheon, the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Spend half a day among the ancient ruins of the Appian Way. Or visit the galleries and museums such as the Borghese Gallery, housing an intimate Renaissance and Baroque collection, Capitoline Museums for Roman sculpture, Renaissance and Baroque art, the Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia to see Etruscan artifacts in a 16th century villa, Galleria Doria Pamphilj for a private painting collection in a patrician palace, Museo della Casina delle Civette to see Art-Nouveau stained glass windows and the restored Villa Torlonia, San Luigi dei Francesi, the French church with Caravaggio paintings and Palazzo Barberini, a 17th century palazzo painting gallery.

Rome is a city best experienced through its sounds, smells and colors ~ church

bells ringing calling the faithful to prayer, daily neighborhood markets like colorful Campo dei Fiori where loud haggling carries over the produce, aromas of freshly baked breads, sweets and pizzas mingling in the air. And, there are good gelaterias and period cafes throughout the heart of the city where a stop for a coffee is a welcome pick me up while sightseeing.

Stroll along the Tiber river crossing the bridges from bank to bank, take a wine tasting class in the academy overlooking the Spanish Steps, walk at twilight through the Pincio Gardens and enjoy a dinner in the stylish setting of Casina Valadier. Buy bread, cheeses and a bottle of local wine for an impromptu picnic away from the crowds on Isola Tiberina, an island in the middle of the Tiber river. Enjoy a walk from glamorous Via Veneto to Piazza Navona, a jewel of Baroque architecture. Stroll through the lively neighborhoods of Trastevere and Testaccio. Enjoy a rustic meal in a trattoria opening onto a hidden piazza.

For shoppers in Rome there are the designer stores and boutiques on Via Condotti, Piazza San Silvestro to Via della Croce,

Via Borgognona, Via Frattina, Via Sistina, Via Cola di Rienzo near the Vatican where you find both boutiques and department stores, as well as gourmet food shops, Via dei Coronari for antiques and home furnishings, Via Giulia and nearby streets for the decorative arts, Via del Babuino for exclusive antique stores, and the Via del Corso or Via Nazionale for more moderate prices and trendy fashion stores.

Our Italy travel experts recommend day trips from Rome to Ostia Antica to see ruins of Rome's ancient seaport, Emperor Hadrian’s Villa Adriana and the water gardens of Villa d'Este in Tivoli or Cerveteri and Tarquinia to explore the frescoed Etruscan necropolis. Explore the Castelli Romani where the "castles" are actually ancient hill towns which still produce excellent wines. Some of the best are the hill towns of Rocca di Papa, perhaps the most atmospheric, Frascati with its beautiful patrician villas and wines, Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence, Nemi where Europe's best strawberries are grown, Ariccia best known for its delicious roasted baby pork and Genzano which has some of Italy's best bread. Or visit the hillside town of Palestrina, charming medieval Viterbo, and the nearby villas of Bagnaia, Caprarola and Bomarzo, all famous for their gardens or villas. Another excursion is into Umbria and its charming cities of Perugia, Assisi, Spello, Gubbio, Spoleto, Narni, Orvieto and Todi.

Venice

In Venice’s six districts, or sestieri, visit our favorites of Dorsoduro, San Marco, Castello, San Polo, the outer islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. Shop along the Mercerie or Frezzeria, the arty boutiques near Palazzo Grassi or the Accademia and the tiny artisan shops of Santa Croce, San Polo and Giudecca. From the city take a day excursion, perhaps a private boat to the islands of the lagoon - Murano, Burano and Torcello - or visit the private and "secret gardens" of Venice, nearby Verona and the Valpolicella wine region, Vicenza and Palladian villas along the Brenta River, and Padua.

The city has a large variety of museums to engage culture lovers. Among the best are Robert Browning’s home, the Ca'Rezzonico with its collection of 18th Century art, the Accademia highlighting painting from the 14th to 18th century, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of modern art, Scuola Grande di San Rocco with its monumental Tintoretto paintings, Museo Correr featuring exhibits of the life of the Venetian Republic, Cà Pesaro for modern art, the Fortuny Museum and Palazzo Mocenigo for textiles and costumes, Casa Goldoni, birthplace of 18th century playwright Goldoni with its

period costumes, a model theater, and marionettes, Cà d'Oro’s collection of Venetian and Flemish art, the Glass Museum on Murano and the Lace Museum on Burano, or if your timin is right, the Biennale exhibition every two years with avant-garde arts. If that isn’t enough to fill a week’s worth of a visit there are scores of churches and palaces like Santa Maria della Salute, Ducal Palace and Bridge of Sighs, St. Mark's Basilica, the Miracoli and San Zaccaria. Then there are the myriad of local venues like bacari,  the informal, tiny bars where locals drink and eat traditional Venetian snacks, Rialto market, designer shops selling collectors' Carnevale Masks, Fortuny inspired velvet and silk accessories, handmade artistic marble paper and a multitude of galleries.