The coastline of the
Cinque Terre was hit by floods in October 2011, which severely
damaged both the resort of Monterosso and the picturesque village of
Vernazza (featured on the home page of Italy Heaven). The other resorts in the area will be open for business as usual this year, though walkers would be well-advised to check latest updates or telephone ahead to ascertain the state of footpaths. While there are hopes that the main coastal trail will be open by Easter 2012, the damage to the settlements may take longer to repair.
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| Festa della Bruna, Matera |
On a brighter note,
L'Aquila, ruined by the cruel earthquake of 6 April 2009, is slowly pulling
itself back together. Some restoration projects are already finished,
and work is continuing to bring life back to the historic town. Hopefully before too long L'Aquila will return to tourist itineraries and visitors can do their bit to revive the local economy.
Where to go in 2012
Every year more
tourists visit Matera, in the Basilicata region (reachable from Bari Airport). This is somewhere I'd suggest visiting before visitor numbers
grow still further. At present the town is well equipped for classy tourism,
with some excellent hotels and B&Bs housed in the town's famous
caves. This is one place where tourism has had a beneficial effect, bringing the abandoned cave districts to life without the damage of excessive development. Although it is hot in summer, a good time to visit is the start of July, when you can witness the remarkable and colourful Festa della Bruna,
a deeply-felt festival which takes over the town.
If the cave attractions
of Matera are just too developed for you, a completely undeveloped
version can be found in Sicily. The pretty Baroque town of Scicli has
a ruined church on a hill, and rows of abandoned cave dwellings in
cliffs which intrepid visitors can explore. Rejuvenation projects are
at best making slow progress here. You won't find much in the way of
tourist facilities, but the town has an excellent hotel (Hotel Novecento), a cave-restaurant,
a couple of small museums and some fine architecture.
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| Modica chocolate |
Scicli is one of the
Baroque towns rebuilt after a devastating Sicilian earthquake in
1693. The towns - Scicli, Ragusa, Modica, Noto - of the Val di
Noto, along with ancient seaside port Siracusa, are incorporated in a
UNESCO listing for their cultural importance. Charming, small-town
Sicily at its best, these towns are on the up, with some good
B&Bs and hotels, increasing awareness of tourism and excellent food
at reasonable prices. Local specialities include the marvellous chocolate of Modica. A new airport due to open at Comiso, near
Ragusa, will really put the towns on the tourist map, so I'd
recommend visiting while you can. Fans of Inspector Montalbano, a
fictional detective featured in a popular TV series – of which two
episodes have so far been aired by the BBC - will recognise the
scenery of the towns.
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| La Maddalena |
Italy has great beaches all around the mainland and islands, but many of the most renowned are on the island of Sardinia. Somehow Italian and un-Italian at the same time, this island has popular seaside resorts such as picturesque Alghero, the art and culture of the capital Cagliari, some fascinating towns and archaeological sites for explorers leaving the beaten track, and of course the famous turquoise seas surrounding Sardinia and its small offshore islands. Visiting the archipelago of La Maddalena (easily reachable from the airport at Olbia), I was impressed by the lovely unspoilt beaches - and by how empty they were in September, with the weather still hot.
One of the most interesting exhibitions of the year in Italy will be the display of historic documents from the Vatican's secret archive at the Capitoline Museums in Rome. The Lux in Arcana exhibition runs from March to September 2012 and is likely to include letters from Mary Queen of Scots and Henry VIII among its treasures.
When to go
As Italians mostly holiday en masse in July and August, when the country's resorts are packed, expensive and uncomfortably hot, I recommend visiting Italy in May, June or September for the best holiday experience. Earlier or later in the year can be good too, especially for cultural and city breaks, or for travellers who don't mind slightly lower temperatures.
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| Ragusa Ibla |
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