This Is Italy
In January (and sometimes already in December!) Plans for the holidays for the coming year are once again made in the Low Countries. Are we going to Italy again this year? Of course, even if it's just a few days during the May or autumn holidays! We like to choose a special destination in the boot. Below, the editors of DitIsItalie.nl give you some of their favorite tips for the upcoming holiday season. What are the must-sees for Italy in 2019 and why? Read on soon!
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Reinout Bosman
My absolute travel tip for 2019 is Naples. Man, do I love that city. Beautiful all year round, but fall is my favorite. Especially when it is still about 24 degrees and the sun illuminates the bay of Santa Lucia. Naples, what can I say about it or rather, where do I start?
When you arrive, the first thing you think is: where on earth have I ended up? All the noise, pushy salespeople and a lot of chaos come your way. My tip: go with the flow. If you know how to adapt to the Neapolitan rhythm, you will soon discover the gems of this city. From beautiful, hidden churches, to the maze of streets full of craft shops and restaurants.
From the Toledo metro station to the quartieri Spagnoli… Piazza del Plebiscito and the imposing and oldest opera house in Europe, the Teatro San Carlo, to the breathtaking view from the Vomero. Everything is worth exploring Napoli in a long weekend.
Oh yes, and remember one thing very well: Napoli = food… and…. Limoncello,
Annelies Koppers
When I think of 2019, I think of camping. And then not on those campeggi giganteschi where you are obliged to wear a bracelet and where you are yelling at the neighbor because he is in your parking lot. No, I mean exactly at those cozy campsites where there is still a lounger available at the pool and where you can quietly order bread at ten o'clock in the evening for the next morning.
You may have to search, but these hidden camping treasures really exist! For example camping Ecochiocciola in Montese (Apennines) or camping Lago Le Tamarici in Coltano (Pisa). For more tips for small-scale campsites in Italy, look on this page.
Especially if you are passing through, reservation is often not even necessary and in consultation an extra night is often no problem. Immediately camper you can go in all directions and you will soon be on your way to a new Italian camping adventure.
Myrtle Claus
It's one of the few cities I can actually feel homesick for. Strangely enough, that happened to me the first time I was there, and that while I never walked around for more than a few days afterwards: Rome. I miss it: life on the streets, the chaotic traffic, the surprises that await you when you turn a corner and see something beautiful again. It's a new adventure every time.
Unfortunately, last year we did not manage to make a trip to the Caput Mundic to make new, beautiful memories. And so it's high on my list of places to look. We are going to plan a long weekend. Spring or autumn is of course a perfect period, but Rome in August Despite the heat, it also has its charms.
Willemijn Lindeboom
Merel Diemont
My Italian travel tip for 2019? Walking the Godsweg! In the spring of 2019 my new travel guide Walking over the Godsweg will be published and I can recommend this multi-day walking tour from Bologna to Florence to everyone. The ancient route Crossing the Apennines, it consists of seven daily stages and leads past mountain villages, traces of the Roman Via Flaminia and Tuscan castles and monasteries. Enjoy the endless rolling hills, mysterious forests and narrow cypress-lined country roads.
Along the way there are several bed-and-breakfasts, bars and restaurants. Especially the small restaurant Vecchia Trattoria Monte Adonea at the foot of one of the highest hills has stayed with me. Here owner Piedro serves walkers the local dish tagliatelle with ragu and encourages them to persevere. Finally, are you curious what the Godsweg owes its name to? That's what the gods will tell you along the way...
Yoell Schutte
Do you like fashion and shopping? Then a city trip to Milan definitely recommend! When you walk through this city, you see people who seem to come straight from the catwalk. Stroll through the streets of this fashionable city and visit the unique boutiques or go to the indoor gallery when it rains. And if you are a bargain hunter, go in January or July, because the sale starts!
Aart Heering
My tip is this time Palermo. I have been to the Sicilian capital several times over the past year for work and now want to return as soon as possible for a long weekend to enjoy the city alone. Almost everything in Palermo is fascinating. The Moorish-Norman churches, the magnificent Cathedral, the impressive Palazzo dei Normanni with the Capella Palatina, the narrow medieval streets, the rustic decay (and excellent trattorie!) in the old Arab quarter of Kalsa, the colorful markets – Ballarò, Capo and Vucceria – with their enormous wealth of all kinds of fish, vegetables and street food, the immense park La Favorita and the vigorously blooming Giardino Botanico, including the largest ficus in Europe, the kiosks with border (grated ice cream with lemon juice and sugar), the pani ca meusa (spleen sandwich) on the corner, I can't get enough.
When it's warm, take the city bus to Mondello beach, where you can sunbathe and swim almost all year round, amid beautiful Liberty (Art Nouveau) villas and terraces overlooking the sea while enjoying raw seafood and a glass of cool Regareali. Or do Palermo by bike! The municipality provides rental bicycles for a small amount and is busy expanding the number of bicycle routes.
Outside, the traffic is indeed busy, but not really dangerous: in my experience, Palestinian drivers are significantly less aggressive than Roman ones. And end the day at a table with plastic chairs on the square of Ballarò, with squid cooked on the spot and a bottle of Cattaratto or Inzolia. The risk is high that you won't want to go back. After all, spending the night in the middle of the center is good and cheap in the B&B Artepalermo by the Dutch artist Marjolein Wortmann.
Martin van Groenigen
The still undiscovered heel of the boot by mass tourism! Bari is a fantastic place to spend a few days. It is the capital of Puglia, or Apulia. Due to its southern location, the weather is almost always nice and you can taste the Italian atmosphere. Literally, because in Bari you see old ladies on almost every street corner orecchiette to make. This paste can be recognized by its shape that resembles an ear.
Bari is a multifaceted city where on the one hand you see the emergence of modern influences, such as well-known fashion chains and the sale of selfie sticks. But on the other hand, the city cherishes old traditions and Bari Vecchia is the nicest part of the city for me. Lots of fish shops, it is a port city so you can assume that you will be served fresh fish. Authentic ice cream parlors and beautiful old theatres.
If you have the time (and of course the inclination), check out a show at Teatro Petruzzelli, one of the ten oldest theaters in Italy. It is quite an experience and getting in your jeans is not an option. Unless you buy tickets for one of the back rows, then you can hide. From Schiphol you are in Bari in 2,5 hours. It's nice to have a rent a car and thus also be able to divert to Lecce, also a beautiful old town, or Alberobello which is known for the trulli. So plenty to do!
Edward Hendriks
Do you want to travel to Italy this year but not too far? Then I have a top tip for you: Turin! This city in the northwest of Italy was once the capital of Italy and that is still clearly visible in the spacious squares, the magnificent boulevards and the majestic palaces. In the city center you really don't know what you see. You can really taste the grandeur of the past here.
Are you tired of the city? Then buy a ticket for the film museum (where you can take a glass elevator to the viewpoint in the Mole Antonelliana (known for the Italian 2 euro cent coin)) or the museum of ancient Egypt. Both highly recommended and also fun to do with children.
Turin was once known as a drab industrial city and the seat of the Fiat group, but once you get through the cluttered suburbs, there's a lot of beauty at your feet. The view over the city with the snow-capped Alpine peaks in the background is also priceless.
The great advantage of the geographical location is that you can be in Turin within a day by car. You can also fly from Amsterdam. Within an hour and a half you are at Turin airport.
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