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FOCUS<br />

La Dolce Vita, Travel Style<br />

BY MARIA AMELIA MACHIN, VIAJES PRINCIPAL (WWW.VIAJESPRINCIPAL-USA.COM)<br />

Hotel Le Sirenuse, Positano<br />

In Italy, where no town <strong>is</strong> complete without a Roman-era theatre or aqueduct, the<br />

ancient and the modern live in harmony. Many <strong>travel</strong>ers still consider th<strong>is</strong> vibrant <strong>la</strong>nd<br />

an essential destination. From its rolling <strong>la</strong>ndscapes, culinary delights, and grand cities<br />

steeped in h<strong>is</strong>tory, Italy <strong>is</strong> nothing if not inspirational. Italy, the <strong>la</strong>nd <strong>of</strong> La <strong>dolce</strong> <strong>vita</strong>!<br />

Hidden among rolling hills dotted with vineyards and olive groves are century-old Etruscan<br />

vil<strong>la</strong>ges, brimming with the treasures <strong>of</strong> their long lives. Not far away, whitewashed<br />

houses on steep cliffs overlook the crystal blue waters <strong>of</strong> the Mediterranean. Scattered<br />

across a delicious <strong>la</strong>ndscape are cosmopolitan cities like Florence, Venice, and Rome, all<br />

bustling with people in search <strong>of</strong> <strong>la</strong> <strong>dolce</strong> <strong>vita</strong>.<br />

The Bay <strong>of</strong> Naples<br />

On the horizon, as one looks across the bay <strong>of</strong> Naples, <strong>is</strong> the Isle <strong>of</strong> Capri. Th<strong>is</strong><br />

Mediterranean jewel was treasured by the Roman emperor Tiberius and celebrated in<br />

the works <strong>of</strong> many illustrious poets. A brief but pleasant ferry brings you to Capri’s<br />

docks in colorful Marina Grande, the main port and departure point for trips around<br />

the <strong>is</strong><strong>la</strong>nd. If you have time a trip around the <strong>is</strong><strong>la</strong>nd by boat really <strong>is</strong> a must, not just to<br />

experience the beauty <strong>of</strong> the amazing Blue Grotto, but to take in the breathtaking views<br />

<strong>of</strong> the other caves and coves which surround th<strong>is</strong> lovely <strong>is</strong><strong>la</strong>nd. On shore, from Marina<br />

Grande you can take a cable car up to a terrace which <strong>of</strong>fers spectacu<strong>la</strong>r views. Then,<br />

passing through a medieval gateway you enter the town <strong>of</strong> Capri and its charming<br />

Piazza Umberto I brimming with cafes and boutiques. From here you can explore the<br />

quaint alleyways and take a stroll along Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Camerelle past<br />

designer shops and galleries to the famous promenade, Via Tragara. Continue along the<br />

"Pizzolungo" coastal path with its stunning seascape to take in the immense beauty <strong>of</strong><br />

th<strong>is</strong> breathtaking <strong>is</strong><strong>la</strong>nd.<br />

In Italia, dove non c’è città senza teatro o acquedotto<br />

Romano, l’antico ed il moderno vivono in armonia.<br />

Molti viaggiatori considerano ancora questa terra,<br />

cosí brulicante di <strong>vita</strong>, una meta d’obbligo. Con i<br />

suoi paesaggi collinari, le sue delizie culinarie e le sue<br />

grandi città piene di storia, l’ Italia non ha nul<strong>la</strong> che<br />

non sia di <strong>is</strong>pirazione. Italia: il paese del<strong>la</strong> <strong>dolce</strong> <strong>vita</strong>!<br />

Nascosti tra le colline costel<strong>la</strong>te di vigneti e uliveti<br />

ergono i vil<strong>la</strong>ggi Etruschi, colmi di antichi tesori. Non<br />

lontano, sulle colline scoscese, le case imbiancate si<br />

affacciano sul blu cr<strong>is</strong>tallino del mar Mediterraneo.<br />

Sparse tra incantevoli paesaggi si incontrano le<br />

famose città di Firenze, Venezia e Roma, dove tutti<br />

vanno al<strong>la</strong> ricerca del<strong>la</strong> <strong>dolce</strong> <strong>vita</strong>.<br />

Il Golfo di Napoli<br />

All’orizzonte, oltre golfo di Napoli, si scorge l’Iso<strong>la</strong> di<br />

Capri. Questo gioiello del Mediterraneo fu luogo caro<br />

all’imperatore Romano Tiberio e celebrato nelle opere<br />

di molti poeti illustri. Un rapido e piacevole viaggio<br />

in traghetto porta a Capri, nel<strong>la</strong> colorata Marina<br />

Grande, porto principale e punto di partenza per un<br />

viaggio intorno all’<strong>is</strong>o<strong>la</strong>. Se avete del tempo, un giro<br />

dell’<strong>is</strong>o<strong>la</strong> in barca è da non perdere, non solo per <strong>la</strong><br />

bellezza del<strong>la</strong> meravigliosa Grotta Azzurra, ma anche<br />

per le vedute mozzafi ato delle grotte e delle cave che<br />

circondano questa <strong>is</strong>o<strong>la</strong> bell<strong>is</strong>sima. Sul<strong>la</strong> spiaggia di<br />

Marina Grande è possibiile prendere <strong>la</strong> funivia che<br />

porta fi no al<strong>la</strong> terrazza da dove si gode una v<strong>is</strong>ta<br />

spettaco<strong>la</strong>re. Da qui, attraverso un cancello medievale<br />

si entra nel<strong>la</strong> città di Capri e nell’affascinante Piazza<br />

Umberto I, con i suoi caffè ed i suoi famosi negozi.<br />

Si possono esplorare i pittoreschi vicoli e passeggiare<br />

lungo Via Vittorio Emanuele e Via Camerelle passando<br />

per i negozi e le gallerie d’arte del famoso lungomare<br />

di Via Tragara. Continuando lungo il “Pizzolungo”,<br />

litorale con il suo magnifi co paesaggio marino, si<br />

coglie l’immensa bellezza di quest’<strong>is</strong>o<strong>la</strong> mozzafi ato.<br />

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