Significance: The city has typically been under the protection of other city states - most significantly Venice. It's impact on the world has been felt most strongly through the legacy of the 16th century architect Andrea Palladio. "Palladian" architecture, a reimagining of Roman forms, was used in the American White House, Jefferson's Monticello and England's Buckingham Palace.
Significance: Ferrara, built along the Po River, came to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. It was home to many great artists and marked the beginning of urban planning.
Significance: Five villages that up until the 19th century were only accessible from the sea. Now there is a path tourists can walk between the towns and a nearby train station. The towns are on steep sloping cliffs and were mostly built in the 12th century.
Route: From Urbino 45 km NNW on Strada Provenciale 138.
Population: 34,232
Significance: San Marino is Italy's only remaining city-state. It is also one of the smallest countries in the world and the longest lasting republics. It is on Mount Titano, which is largely responsible for it lasting so long as a city-state. There are dramatic cliffs topped with defensive walls and fortifications.
Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine, 34/46F.
Route: From Siena 203 km NE on SS715.
Population: 14,786
Significance: If World Heritage Sites are supposed to be like transporting yourself in time back to the time at which they were built, Urbino might be the ideal site - at least when it comes to the Renaissance time period. Urbino's peak came in the 1400's - it was a popular place for artistic people to come during that period. But its popularity didn't last long, which in some ways was fortunate - as we get to enjoy the benefits of benign neglect.
Significance: Most of the buildings in Siena were built between the 12th and 15th centuries. The major architectural style is gothic. Siena was a major rival to Florence during the medieval and renaissance time periods. There are also rivalries within the city's 17 contrade (neighborhoods), which is put on full display twice a year with a horse race (Palio de Siena) in the city's main square (Piazza del Campo).
Route: From Tivoli 191 km north on A1, E35, E45, and SS3bis.
Population: 28,299
Significance: Assisi was the hometown of St. Francis - the namesake of the current pope. St. Francis was known for his commitment to serving the poor. He was even called the "second christ." Assisi is a beautiful town in Umbria built on the side of a hill. Most of the city's architecture is from the medieval time period.
Weather: Cloudy with periods of light rain, 37/54F.
Route: From Rome 42 km east on A24 and E80.
Population: 56,685
Significance: Tivoli has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este. Villa Adriana was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. It was built as a retreat from nearby Rome. It was built with traditions from Greece, Rome, and Egypt - and was supposed to be an "ideal city." After Hadrian's death the Villa was abandoned and forgotten until the 1400's when it was rediscovered and provided inspiration to architects of the renaissance. One such architect Pirro Ligorio, designed the nearby Villa d'Este Ippolito II in the 1500's. This villa is the embodiment of Renaissance architecture and gardens. The hydraulic engineering necessary for the fountains is still impressive today.
Route: From Positano 37.5 km north on SS163 and SS145.
Significance: Likely the most famous archaeological ruins in the world - famous because they are less like ruins and more like time travel. The volcanic ash dumped on Pompei from Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD preserved much of the town. The UNESCO World Heritage Site actually also includes the nearby resort of Herculaneum and four villas. The bright painting found on a recently excavated walk-up restaurant last year captured the world's imagination.
Personal memory: The Amalfi coast might be the most beautiful place I've ever visited. I was in an exchange program in grad school in Mannheim, Germany and convinced a group of my friends - including one visiting from U.S. (although she is Canadian and now lives in Canada) to go on a week long trip to Italy after going to Oktoberfest in Munich. I then convinced my Canadian friend to take a trip down to the Amalfi coast while the rest of the group was in Rome - where I had already been on a prior trip. This was almost 20 years ago now - it's getting long enough ago that I almost feel like "did I really do all of that?"
Anyways - I rented a scooter in Sorrento where we were staying. My friend and I rode around a little - my goal was to get to Positano - a place I had heard was incredibly beautiful. She decided she had enough and I dropped her off (a decision she would later be glad she made). I somehow made it to Positano just before sunset - weaving around camper vans and other tourists on a dangerous road on a cliff. I took the picture below and then hurried my way back to Sorrento before the scooter rental place closed. I almost got all the way back and in my hurry I gunned the scooter at intersection/round about and lost control. The bike jumped up over a curb and ended up sliding on it's side. I scraped my jeans and hurt my knee a little. The most painful part was how much I had to pay the rental company (or my parents did at the time) to get the scooter fixed. Anyways - it was memorable - even without the accident. I describe it as being similar to Big Sur in California - except there are magical Italian villages on the sides of the cliffs.
Significance: Palermo is the capital of Sicily. The UNESCO designation is specifically regarding nine sites relating to the Norman Kingdom of Sicily (1130-1194). The Norman invasion of southern Italy and Sicily was not as organized as the Norman conquest of England around the same time, but definitely left its mark. The styles of these churches and civic buildings show the mix of Muslim, Byzantine, Latin, Jewish, Lombard, and French influence on the region.
The city center with the alps in the background (from italialiving.com)
Palladian villa of Capra (from whc.unesco.org)
