Our trip to Italy started in Rome, the capital of Italy, the Vatican's birthplace, and the headquarters of the Catholic Christians of the world. The city with more than 3,000 years old and rich culture of art and architecture. The early nucleus of the Roman Empire and the Colosseum, which has seen numerous gladiatorial battles and is still strong after 2,000 years. The early nucleus of the Roman Empire and the Colosseum, which has seen numerous gladiatorial battles and is still strong after 2,000 years.
Vatican City, located in the center of Rome, is the smallest country in the world. A small country within the city of Rome, due to the pope's unique position and the church headquarters. The Vatican City even has its flag and postage stamp, and in many respects, does not follow Italian law. Before I go into the details of the trip, I would like to mention a few interesting things about Italy that made it different from other European countries I have ever seen:
1- People
Italians are more cordial than other European countries, especially in northern Europe. The Italians' appearance is very close to Iranians and Turks, and there are many cultural similarities between us.
2- Driving
I have heard about Italian driving for a long time. However, it is interesting to believe that in 2019, after the unification of European countries, they still do not pay much attention to driving laws.
Of course, they are still better than us; at least they respect pedestrians and do not honk.
3- Restaurants
Italians love pasta, and they consume pasta as much as Iranians eat rice. In Italian restaurants, food is divided into four sections: appetizer, main course, a second meal, and dessert.
Pasta and pizza are usually served as a main meal and various meats, chicken, and steaks as a second meal. If you plan to order one main meal and one-second meal, be sure to tell them to be served all meals together because Because they may bring it to you at intervals.
3- Restaurants
Italians love pasta, and they consume pasta as much as Iranians eat rice. In Italian restaurants, food is divided into four sections: appetizer, main course, a second meal, and dessert.
Pasta and pizza are usually served as a main meal and various meats, chicken, and steaks as a second meal. If you plan to order one main meal and one-second meal, be sure to tell them to be served all meaks together because they may be brought them at intervals.
5- Condom ATMs
All over the city, there are condom ATMs in front of pharmacies. These ATMs can even be seen in some villages.
6 - Toilets
Almost all toilets, except public toilets in Italy, have a "bidet". This washing system is seen in all homes and hotels without exception.
We stayed for two days in an inn near the Vatican City and then headed to Sorrento, a beautiful seaside town in Rome's southern valley. The purpose of going to this city was to see the old city of "Pompeii" and to see the beautiful town of Sorrento. For this trip and the plan, we had, we had already corresponded with a car rental company, and we were going to pick up the car on the morning of the third day at the central train station in Rome.
After leaving the inn, we went to the train station. The car rental manager checked the documents and noticed that my international license had expired. It was impossible to use Kamyar's license because my credit card was in my name, and the main driver and cardholder Credit must have belonged to one person.
The problem was that we had booked all the hotels and the 10-day itinerary was not possible without a car Because hotels were often located outside the city and away from public transport. There were several other car rental companies at the train station, so we started asking them, and finally, one of these companies, which was not well-known, agreed to offer the car at a 20% higher cost with my credit card and Kamyar's license.
We were so stressed that we did not say a word for an hour. We picked up the car and headed for the Pompeii.
Pompeii is an ancient city with a villa structure and old architecture built by the Greeks before Christ. Next to this city, there is a volcanic mountain that is several hundred thousand years old. Many years ago, the city was burned by volcanic lava, and people fleeing the lava have turned into a statue. In 1748, the city was discovered under a heap of ashes, and after years of urban effort, this city with its sculpted citizens open to visitors
After a few hours of sightseeing at Pompeii, we headed for Sorrento. From the moment we arrived in Sorrento, we were amazed by the beauty of the city and the Mediterranean Sea, which was boiling and roaring under the high cliffs of the city. We stayed overnight in Sorrento and headed to Tuscany in the morning.
After a few hours of sightseeing at Pompeii, we headed for Sorrento. As soon as we arrived in Sorrento, we were amazed by the city's beauty and the Mediterranean Sea, which was boiling and roaring under the town's high cliffs. We stayed overnight in Sorrento and headed to Tuscany in the morning.
Tuscany is the name of a large area in the center of Italy, and the center of this area is the city of Florence (similar to the province and the center of the province). This area is unique in terms of nature and vegetation, and cypress trees have given it a special effect.
Grape fields are found throughout the region, and the number of small and large wineries in the area exceeds the number of supermarkets. Many tourists travel to this area every year to see the pristine nature, wine tasting, visit the historic cities, and the art of architecture, painting, and sculpture. In Tuscany, we stayed in a country house near Pinza, also known as the Cheese Town.
The spectacular view of green fields and cypress trees around this area takes everyone by surprise. During our two nights in this area, we photographed and visited the old city of Pinaza, which I better not add any explanation and see these beauties in the pictures.
After Pinza, we moved to the city of San Gimignano. It is located one hour from Florence and is one of the oldest towns in Tuscany. The area around this city is full of vineyards, and because the city is located at a height, the view of the vineyards from the top of the town is very attractive. The town is famous for its white wine and cheese.
The next day we moved to Florence. As we made our way to the city through the Waze app, we noticed a message restricting traffic (ZTL) that would not allow unlicensed cars to enter Florence's old town. Although I made sure that the hotel had parked before choosing it, because I was not aware of this restriction, this mistake had occurred. Interestingly, this information was not available on Google Maps
Before arriving at the hotel, we called them and the hotel manager explained that we had to leave the car in the parking lot outside the restricted area, which cost us a lot. Florence is a historic city known for its museums and the church's architecture. David's statue by Michelangelo and many of Da Vinci's works kept in the city's Uffizi Museum.
The Duomo of Florence is huge and spectacular, and before entering the city, it appears between the houses. The bridges over the Arno River make Florence very attractive. We drove from Florence to a place called San Marino. Before we got there, I had not studied much about this area, I had only seen brief photos, and I knew it has famous castles in the heights. When we got there, I was stunned by the beauty. I felt I was standing on the roof of the world and all the areas under my feet were green. The mountains seemed very small, and the country houses were like endless orange dots in this greenery.
The hotel that Kamyar had booked was in the castle, and like all the houses inside the castle, was in the old style. On the way to the hotel, I noticed different blue flags that can be seen all over the city. I searched a bit and realized that we are no longer in Italy, And San Marino is an independent country which is actually called the "Republic of San Marino,"
Car license plates, police uniforms, and even laws were different. It is the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican. Suppose we do not consider the Vatican a real country and consider only political and religious occasions as the cause of its independence. In that case, San Marino is the smallest country and the smallest republic in the world. I have put the photos I took in this blog so that you can see its beauties.
The trip ended with a return to Milan and my overnight stay at Malpensa Airport.