Visit Italy and you will hear this phrase meaning "hello/good day" many times. Italians are a friendly, fun-loving and warm people. The country is filled with beautiful scenery, rich history, and some of the greatest art ever created. Put Italy on your list of places to visit!

A great way for first-time visitors to capture the essence of Italy is a tour. No need to worry about renting a car and battling the aggressive drivers; no hotel connections or museum tickets to fret about. We found a very attractive price, a knowledgeable guide and an interesting itinerary which sampled Italy from sea to sea, with plenty of time for enjoying the scenery, soaking up history, dining and shopping. Breakfast and dinner were provided, and we were usually on our own for lunch. It was a nice arrangement, and traveling with the same 40 people for 10 days allowed us to make some new friends as well.

Here then, are some thoughts about our 10 wonderful days in this beautiful land.

We arrived in Venice on a Thursday morning, short on sleep but ready to see as much as we could in 10 short days. Our first destination was the outer islands of the Venetian Lagoon. We boarded a tour boat and arrived at the isle of Torcello, a peaceful place that featured the oldest building in the lagoon. The cathedral of Santa Maria dell’Assunta was founded in AD 639.

Nearby Burano was more tourist-oriented with many shops and colorful homes. These outer islands are quieter than Venice but also have canals and some lovely scenery.

The next morning we put on raincoats and braved the cool rain to see the bustling city of Venice. We watched a glass blower create vases, goblets, lamps and collectibles. Another shop provided a history of the intricate lace creations made in the region.

Venice is a beautiful city. Years ago I had heard that Venice was dirty and the canals were polluted with garbage. Whether or not this was once true I don’t know, but from our visit it appears the Italians understand the value of a clean to the tourism business.

We moved to St. Mark’s Square, a large piazza bustling with people and pigeons, and met our guide for a tour of the Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s), built on a Greek cross plan and crowned with five huge domes. This beautiful basilica blends architectural styles of East and West and is richly decorated with columns, bas reliefs and mosaic tile. The entrance was flooded due to "high tide," our guide said, unusual for July but common in the autumn. A group of men put together wooden walkways so we could enter without soaking our feet.

Later we saw the Bridge of Sighs, where legend has it that prisoners took their last look at the outside world before entering prison. Nearby is the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), boasting richly decorated chambers and halls.

Thankfully the weather cleared so that we could take the obligatory gondola ride. It wasn’t as romantic as we had imagined – there were six passengers in our gondola, plus the driver – but the scenery was indeed splendid. Our only disappointment was the gondolier, who seemed uninterested in his passengers and rarely spoke. In the midst of our gondola ride, the driver got a call on his cell phone (which played "We wish you a Merry Christmas") and had an animated conversation with someone, perhaps another gondolier. Although the 30-minute gondola ride cost about $65 per couple, it provided a memorable view of this unique Italian city.

Aside from Venice, we did all of our traveling by bus or on foot. Our tour group had a comfortable, full-size tour bus captained by a driver named Alvaro. Although the bus had no restrooms, the trip was well-planned and allowed for frequent stops. At our first such stop at a dining/shopping/restroom facility called Autogrill, we encountered an angry restroom attendant. Two shirtless young men apparently had decided to bathe in the sinks, in the process splashing water all over the place. While the female attendant argued with the men, the men in our group used the facilities and tried to act nonchalant, then left a few lira for the attendant.

One of the first things we did after arriving in Florence was to seek out one of Steve Day’s favorite ice cream shop, Vivoli Le Gelato. Steve, a former Latin teacher, has led a number of student tours to Italy, and this time he decided to have an adult tour.

Once the home of the powerful Medici family, Florence is a beautiful monument to the Renaissance and still the home of much great art. At Giuseppe’s suggestion, we arose early and were the first to arrive at Galleria del’Accademia (the Academy of Fine Arts). As the line began to grow behind us, we appreciated his helpful tips. Inside, we marveled at the detail of Michelangelo’s colossal David, with the 15-foot-tall Bible hero’s tendons, sinews and veins somehow showing in the marble that Michelangelo painstakingly crafted. As we whispered our amazement at the artist's gift, one in our group asked, "How could anyone look at this without believing in God?" Michelangelo’s Quattro Prigioni (the Four Prisoners) is also featured at the Academy, in addition to paintings by many well-known Florentine artists.

Giuseppe, fresh from doing business on his cell phone, announced that it would be possible for us to get into the "second best museum in the world," the Uffizi. We eagerly signed on and were treated to many rooms of paintings and statues accumulated by the Medici family and bequeathed to the Florentine people. Even if you are not a connoisseur of fine art, it is hard not to be impressed by this collection which includes works by Giotto, Raphael, Michelangelo and da Vinci.

There is much to see in Florence. The richly decorated Duomo – Santa Maria del Fiore and its orange-tiled dome have become Florence’s most famous symbols. The exquisite dome by Brunelleschi is probably the most amazing ceiling this side of the Sistine Chapel, and the bronze doors of the Baptistry created by Lorenzo Ghilberti have been dubbed the "Gate of Paradise."

The number of awe-inspiring churches in Italy is staggering. The Basilica de Santa Croce features statues, paintings, stained glass and other art. This Gothic church is the burial place of many famous Florentines, among them Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Marconi, and other giants of history.

We finished our day with a very nice dinner at Tre Pini (the Three Pines), a villa restaurant on a hill above Florence. While we dined, a trio performed Italian standards.

Siena is a smaller city with narrow streets and unexpected views. At its center is the Piazza del Campo, considered by some as Italy’s loveliest piazza. It is the site of Tuscany’s most celebrated festival, the Palio, which features bareback horse races each year on July 2 and August 16. Alas, we were not present during the Palio, but we saw photos and it looks like quite an event.

According to legend, the twin sons of Romulus (co-founder of Rome, who was murdered by his brother Remus) escaped the same fate when a black horse and a white horse suddenly appeared to whisk them to safety. This incident is said to have inspired the unusual black-and-white color theme of Siena’s stunning Duomo, one of Italy’s greatest cathedrals. There are sculptural masterpieces by Nicola Pisano, Donatello and Michelangelo. By the time we visited Siena we had seen a number of impressive cathedrals, but this one left people shaking their heads in amazement.

If you visit Siena, be careful in your wandering; it’s easy to get turned around amid Siena’s narrow, twisting streets. The town is quite picturesque, but if you have to catch a bus, you might want to pick up a map from the tourism office near the Piazza del Campo. We did, and used it to locate our first McDonald’s in Europe. It offered much of the same food as its U.S. counterparts (which we didn’t try), but the restrooms were free – a rarity in Italy.

San Gimignano is another lovely community featuring walls and towers harkening back to its medieval roots. Some beautiful footage of this town is showcased in the movie "Tea with Mussolini."

The town featured big stone walls, nice shops and several stone towers. We wanted to climb to the top, but couldn’t find the entrance to the only tower that permitted visitors. As we were on a limited time schedule, we took in the lovely sights from ground level.

The life of St. Francis of Assisi continues to inspire others. He lived a life of service and poverty, wearing only the plainest clothing and refusing even to be ordained as a priest. I imagine he butted heads with the popes and "powers that be" of his day. St. Francis developed the stigmata (the wounds of Christ) a few years before his death, and there was a genuine sense of reverence among the visitors here. As we left the church where St. Francis is buried, one of our group members sang "The Song of St. Francis" and received an appreciative ovation from everyone in the tour group. It turned out that Mike Russell is an accomplished singer who has shared his God-given talents at numerous churches in southern Ohio. Getting to know people like Mike and his family was one of the added bonuses of traveling in a tour group.

As we headed south through Italy, we noticed an increase in the number of palm trees. There were a few around Florence, but more as we headed south towards Naples. We only had a brief visit here, but enjoyed some tasty pizza margarita cooked in a wood-fired oven (actually, all the pizza I sampled on the trip was quite good!).  

We explored downtown Naples, stopping at the world’s first shopping mall (reminded us of the Galleria in Cleveland). As we walked through the Spanish District, built while southern Italy was under Spanish influence, we noted some architectural differences from other cities.

SORRENTO

The winding road along the Amalfi Coast that leads to Sorrento is wonderfully scenic and horrifyingly narrow. Our driver Alvaro negotiated the twists and turns and somehow managed to avoid sideswiping oncoming vehicles. Soon we were in Sorrento, which we found to be one of the most beautiful cities we visited as well as the best value shopping-wise. The beautiful overlooks showcased the sea and beautiful sunsets.

One morning I actually got up at 5:30 a.m. so I could go jogging at Sorrento with Rich Dulaney and Kevin Honnold. I soon found that I was in fast company, Kevin having coached his son to an outstanding high school track and cross country career, and Rich having run track and played basketball in college. Kevin and Rich looked good from afar as we explored the quiet streets and turned around at a beautiful spot overlooking the bay. We probably covered a couple of miles, and I was a bit tired from all the walking we had been doing as tourists, but nevertheless the run was exhilarating. I will probably remember the run longer than some of the other activities of this trip. Early in the morning, Sorrento was quiet, with only a few scooters, vehicles and other joggers on the roadways and sidewalks. We felt as though he had the whole place to ourselves.

Luigi, our guide to Capri, met us at the dock as we boarded a ferry to the island. We felt a bit childish as he handed out stickers to put on our shirts that said "My guide is Luigi." The stickers also gave his cell phone number in case any of us got lost.

While waiting for the boat, we saw the strangest sight: Giuseppe’s double. This guy had the shaved head, the same stylish look, and similar facial hair (a mustache vs. Giuseppe’s goatee). Suddenly I was glad I had a sticker explaining that I was with Luigi.

The bay at Capri has adorned many a postcard. A cruise ship and numerous boats added atmosphere, and in the background, mountain peaks touched the clouds. Bougainvillea, wisteria and other lovely flowers grew most everywhere, and nearly everywhere was a good view of the mountains or the sea. In high season the population doubles to about 24,000, the tourism business providing many locals jobs such as Luigi’s. Yesterday’s fishermen are probably today’s boat tour operators.

We took the incline car to the top of the hill, which was good because Capri is hot in the summer and it would have been quite a climb. Capri is only 6 square miles in size, but it’s very hilly. "The worst job on the island is to be a postman," Luigi said with a laugh.

Other islands in the area are volcanic, but Capri is not. She is a "senorina island," because she has so many curves, Luigi said. The limestone formations are quite awesome, especially when seen from a tour boat. Capri is the home of the famous Blue Grotto as well as many other caves and grottos.

When it came time to decide on a boat tour, the folks in our group elected to pass on the expensive Blue Grotto trip for a more comprehensive tour of other caves and grottos at about half the price. Everyone was pleased with the scenery and the value received.

We entered the White Cave by boat and backed out. There were limestone formations similar to the stalactites and stalagmites we have around Ohio. At the Little Emerald Grotto the water was a spectacular shade of green, an effect attributed to algae. In other places the water was a lovely shade of blue. We even passed through an archway in one of the rocks that jutted out of the water.

Many other boats were anchored nearby, enjoying the view. There was even a seaside resort that looked very ritzy. The whole area had an upscale ambiance that reminded me of the sets of the movie "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

More down-to-earth was the old monastery on Capri that later became a prison, and it is now a high school. One of our fellow travelers – an educator – suggested this indicated a downward spiral!

Capri has bewitched many, including such historical figures as the Roman ruler Tiberius, Russia’s Vladimir Lenin, who during his exile around 1909-11 organized the Russian revolution, and Allied leaders Dwight D. Eisenhower and Winston Churchill, who had headquarters on the island during World War II.

We dined on sole and French fries at a restaurant overlooking the business district and the sea beyond. Our new friends Dave and Sherrie Tener had the pizza margarita. In my quest for authentic Italian things to eat and drink, I sampled a real Italian beer called Nastro Azzurro, which was light in color and tasted pretty much like a standard American beer.

We returned to our hotel in Sorrento to rest before hitting the road again. Since we had all checked out of the hotel, Giuseppe asked if everyone had turned in their keys. Everyone nodded in the affirmative. Giuseppe then called off a list of room numbers of those who had not turned in their keys yet, and they sheepishly complied. By this point we were becoming a bit dull mentally from the rigors of travel and the lack of sleep. It’s a price that we willingly paid by pushing ourselves day after day, staying up later than we should, perhaps eating too much gelato in between, all in the name of seeing and doing it all because we might not pass this way again.

In 79 A.D., Pompeii was buried under a blanket of volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius. At the time Pompeii was located right along the sea, but after the eruption the ashes moved the coastline back about one mile. I had always pictured the devastation resulting from molten lava, but we were told that lava never reached Pompeii – the city was buried under tons of volcanic ash 25 feet deep.

Dominic, our guide, told us that 128 acres of the 192-acre site have been uncovered, with the other 72 acres yet to be explored. More than a million tons of volcanic ash have been removed so far.

One of the first photos I took at Pompeii shows Mt. Vesuvius in the background. The sleeping giant erupts about every 50 years, and the last eruption was recorded in March 1944. "Do the math," I warned our tour group. (Although Vesuvius remained quiet during our visit, an eruption of Sicily’s Mt. Etna made the news during our trip in 2001.)

We explored the forum, where the essential elements of Pompeii’s political, commercial, banking and religious live were located. Dominic pointed out several "bodies," which were actually casts made from the holes where human remains once existed in the volcanic ash. So far, about 300 body casts have been made from plaster and fiberglass. We visited the bath house where Pompeiians enjoyed their saunas, and entered the home of the Beetti brothers, wine merchants whose bottles have been found as far away as Turkey, we observed the art, appliances and other accouterments of their upscale lifestyle.

We learned that Pompeiians were fond of playing dice, and often weighted their sets to gain an unfair advantage.

I took photos of bakery ovens and fell behind the group. Dianna warned me not to get lost, as Pompeii can become a maze that’s hard to exit. Jayne, who was on her second trip, said that this had happened on her earlier visit!

Our driver Alvaro, was a heavy smoker, but never lit up on the bus – never, that is, until we neared the city limits of Rome. Dianna poked me with her elbow and gestured towards Alvaro, who had one of those slim, thin European-style cigarettes in his mouth. We gulped, and hoped the traffic wasn’t as bad as we had heard. By this point in the trip we had seen a lot of interesting maneuvers by Italian drivers. However, in Rome it was even more interesting. Tiny cars and scooters cut in front of us, darting between our bus and other vehicles. The volume of traffic was quite high, but at least the streets were wider than Sorrento’s.

Then it happened. A car tried to cut in from the right side and struck the front bumper of our bus. I can’t say we really felt anything. What got our attention was Alvaro’s quick response. He stopped, opened the door and engaged in a spirited discussion in Italian, complete with hand gestures. While we didn’t understand a word, it seemed to be an effective form of communication. As Henry Kissinger used to say, they had "a frank and open discussion."

I think they exchanged some information, possibly addresses for their Christmas card lists, and we were off to our destination, the Palatino Hotel, located within walking distance of all the major tourist sites.

Steve Day, our fearless leader, gave us an excellent tour of nearby attractions. There was the Colosseum, completed in 80 A.D. and still dominating the landscape. The Colosseum held 55,000 people and featured ticket gates much like those at today’s major league ballparks. Contrary to popular belief, Christians were NOT killed in the Colosseum; that took place in the much larger Circus Maximus, which today is just a ruin of a park marred by litter. We didn’t understand why it wasn’t kept up better. At one time the Circus Maximus could seat 250,000 bloodthirsty spectators. Most of the structure is gone now; during our visit a few joggers trekked around the track and we watched our step to avoid empty beer bottles.

The Colosseum has been robbed of its marble, which was "quarried" in the Middle Ages to construct the beautiful churches of Rome. Yet the Colosseum retains a kind of dignity and majesty even without the marble. We saw so many incredible churches on our trip that to recall individual characteristics is difficult. Yet the Colosseum stands out due to its mammoth size and unique design.

Near the Colosseum we saw the Arch of Constantine, which served as the model for France’s Arc de Triomphe.

At a nearby church, Bob Judkins and I inserted our hands into the "Mouth of Truth." Legend has it that an untruthful person might not be able to retrieve his hand from the Mouth of Truth. Fortunately Bob and I were spared.

It so happened that Dianna and I spent our 26^th wedding anniversary in Rome. Like every other day on this trip it was heavily scheduled, but one of the best of our trip! By 7 a.m. we were on our way to the Vatican, and it wasn’t long before we were gushing about the art treasures there, which were not opened to the public until 1932.

The collection of tapestries, statues and paintings is positively indescribable. Even the "little" touches, like the three-dimensional paintings on the flat ceiling of the Gallery of Tapestries, defied the senses.

Finally we were granted 20 minutes in the Sistine Chapel, most of which we spent with our eyes fixed on the ceiling. Painted by the artist Michelangelo over a period of 4 years, this recently-restored series of frescoes stands as one of the most remarkable achievements in Michelangelo’s amazing life. At one end, the wall features Michelangelo’s "Last Judgment" which actually took the artist 5 years to complete. The brief time we had in the Sistine Chapel was not enough, but it stimulated a sense of wonder in each of us. I took along some binoculars to aid in viewing and would recommend that any tourist do the same.

We finished our Vatican tour at St. Peter’s Basilica, where 145 popes are buried. Behind a wall of protective glass we viewed Michelangelo’s "Pieta," carved when he was just 24 years old. The glass barrier was added in the 1970s after a deranged man attacked the artwork.

After 20 minutes in the Sistine Chapel and 20 more in St. Peter’s, we were allowed 30 minutes in the Vatican Gift Shop. That’s the nature of the tourism business, but it’s a very nice gift shop.

We had lunch at Antica Locanda with Bob and Vickie Judkins. Our waiter, Benito, was funny and liked to tease Americans. When I got up to take a photo of Bob, Vickie and Dianna with our food, Benito sat in my seat and I got his picture. We remember his name because he said he was Benito, "as in Mussolini." The restaurant was very close to our hotel, and that night we came past at about 10 p.m. and Benito was still working. We exchanged greetings, and I think he remembered us, even though he had worked a long day.

With Steve Day’s help, we took the subway to the Spanish Steps, Rome’s most famous square, and took photos of one another. By this point in the tour, an ice cream break was part of the routine.

Some of the group wanted to visit the Hard Rock Café of Rome, so we tagged along, which meant more time on the subway and quite a long hike. But our sons got tee-shirts! One of the interesting features of the Hard Rock Café was its spoof of the Sistine Chapel, with rock & roll cherubs jamming away.

At the Pantheon, we viewed the best-preserved Roman temple in the world. The Pantheon was built about 170 A.D. and used for pagan worship by the Romans. Because it was later used as a Christian church (around 480 A.D.) it was preserved. Masses are still conducted there. The Pantheon is 142 feet wide and 142 feet tall, with a hole in the ceiling for light, and to let prayers go up to heaven. Several small holes in the tile floors allow the rain which comes in through the ceiling hole to be drained out again.

At Piazza Novena we saw lots of art for sale by local entrepreneurs. Here Bernini sculpted The Fountain of the Four Rivers. Interestingly, his arch-rival built the church nearby, so Bernini had the fountain face away from the church.

On the evening of July 26, we had a farewell dinner at the Palatino. Steve and Ellen Day gave out awards to various people in the group. I was recognized for have the best fake Italian accent, but mainly for being the traveler with the "lost Visa card." They also recognized our wedding anniversary, which was certainly one to remember.

For a final Roman encounter, most of us walked to the Trevi Fountain, which was crowded but lovely. Several aggressive souvenir salespeople worked the crowd. One guy tried to hand people flowers, with the assumption being that once they accepted them, they would have to buy the flowers. Another lady tried to push lighters shaped like naked people. The flames came from the most interesting places!

All things must pass, and so the next morning we boarded the bus for the airport.

Gratuities were given to Giuseppe and Alvaro, and we all offered compliments. "No more words or I start to cry," he said.

As we drove off towards the airport, Giuseppe continued in tour guide mode, explaining various things about the history of Rome and Italy. He mentioned that Autogrill is working with Burger King, which may change the complexion of roadside dining a bit.

The flight home took all day, but what a trip! We have memories to last a lifetime and several new friends who shared in the experience. My wife and I hope it won’t be our last visit to this friendly and beautiful country.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them with me.

coffey_grounds@yahoo.com

"Tea with Mussolini" – set before and during World War II, the film features some lovely locations in Florence and San Gimignano. 

"Gladiator" – the blockbuster of 2000 features a computer-reconstructed Colosseum and captures much of the glory and decadence of Rome.

"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" – This mid-1960s comedy plays well in the 21^st century, and although "made in Spain" according to the credits, the Roman sets look pretty authentic. Zero Mostel and Jack Guilford are hilarious in a flick that must have inspired Monty Python and Mel Brooks.

"The Agony and the Ecstasy" – interesting character study of Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) and his love-hate relationship with Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison). Some good location footage, featuring the Sistine Chapel, plus our copy rented from the library had a featurette about Michelangelo’s sculpture.

Our Italian guide, Guiseppe Colombara, was knowledgeable and gracious. He knew when to grab the bus microphone and tell us about his country, and when to remain quiet if he sensed we were too drowsy or too hyper to assimilate a lot of new information. Here are a few observations I jotted down:

Giuseppe on coffee: "The Italians only drink espresso. If you ask for cappuccino, you get espresso with milk." Italians only drink cappuccino in the morning.

On pasta: Italians eat pasta at least twice a day, and never with alfredo sauce. If you ask for alfredo sauce at a restaurant, may get the response, "Who’s Alfredo?"

On highway travel in Italy: Giuseppe explained that big trucks can’t drive on Italian highways from midnight Saturday morning until midnight Monday morning. This helped our situation, as there is a lot of leisure travel on weekends. Giuseppe said Italians can drive a motorbike at 16 and a car at 18.

On driving: "As you can see, the horn is the most important part of the car. The brakes…optional," said our guide with a wink. In the minds of Italians, size does matter, and the biggest vehicle usually wins the right of way.

On olives and kiwis: Giuseppe said the olives from central Italy are much milder and better tasting than those of southern Italy. They are often "picked" by placing nets under the trees to catch them as they fall off of the tall trees. To my surprise, Giuseppe said kiwis are grown near Rome. They look like grapevines.

On cinema: Giuseppe told us that the movie director Federico Fellini invented the term "paparazzi" to describe the media in his film "La Dolce Vita." In this 1960 film, Anita Ekberg jumps into the Trevi Fountain. In the 1960s the area featured in the movie was a very big social scene/night life spot. Nowadays "the social life no longer is there," Giuseppe said, "except for a few Jurassic people in their 80s."

For more information about Giuseppe, visit his web site: www.geocities.com/joecolombara