Not-To-Be-Missed year-round Italy sights

December 31, 11:45 AMItaly Culture & Travel ExaminerLucia Mauro

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Torino's Mole Antonelliana.

As we approach the start of 2009, it's natural to compile significant year-end lists. But when it comes to travel in Italy, I've always found it difficult to point out the best of the year - mainly because I can't seem to settle on a limited number of my favorite Italian places. I love the country head to its svelte-booted toe. So I decided to put together a substantial - but in no way comprehensive - guide to many of the country's somewhat unsung but intriguing year-round sights. And, with this list in hand, I invite you to resolve to tackle as many as you can in the new year. 

Trulli of Alberobello.

Torino (Turin): National Museum of Cinema - The surreal setting for Davide Ferrario's 2004 film, Dopo Mezzanotte (After Midnight), this repository of celluloid history is so sprawling and magical, you'll need a few days to see it all. It's located inside the city's mesmerizing needle-like monument, Mole Antonelliana, an unfinished synagogue that was transformed into a museum in 2000. Film buffs will feel like they fell into a Cinema Paradiso-like rabbit hole to find the Lumiere Brothers' 1895 cinematographe (that made motion pictures possible) and rooms stacked with screenplays and memorabilia, from Darth Vader's helmet to a pair of Marilyn Monroe's shoes and the golden calf from Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments. The creative film-viewing floor invites visitors to watch famous cinematic love scenes while lying on a heart-shaped bed or to catch a classic horror flick inside Dracula's crypt.
La Superga Basilica - An astounding Baroque church, the basilica is reached by a charmingly restored funicular train and affords lovely views of Italy's Po Valley and the Alps. Architect Filippo Juvarra designed the church to look like a classical temple in white and mustard-yellow. Below, take a tour of the royal tombs from the house of Savoy.

Fontana dell'Elefante in Catania.

Milan: Pinacoteca Ambrosiana - For art lovers seeking an intimate experience (contrary to the gorgeous but massive Pinacoteca Brera), this small, elegant gallery is set in a well-appointed palazzo. The experience is the visual-art equivalent of a chamber concert. Though it contains the priceless library of Cardinal Federico Borromeo, the 14th through 19th century art collection consists of more than a few jewels: Leonardo da Vinci's Portrait of a Musician, Caravaggio's Fruit Basket, and a cartoon (or sketch) version of Raphael's School of Athens fresco. Each room - some with billowing curtains; others overlooking statue-flanked courtyards -- carries its own inimitable grace.

I Navigli - One doesn't exactly associate Milan with canals, but this waterfront neighborhood (just outside the Porta Romana) features its own series of foot bridges and waterways, with the original locks designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Shops and restaurants line the river of an area of the city that feels both grungy and enchanting.

Lake Garda/Gardone Riviera: Villa Il Vittoriale - Traipse through the eccentric grounds of Italy's ravenously nationalistic 20th century poet Gabriele d'Annunzio. Even Mussolini balked at the writer's fanaticism and "exiled" him to the cushy grounds of this Gatsby-like estate. It's packed with Roman ruins, old maps and even a coffin D'Annunzio supposedly reclined in every once in a while to remind himself of his mortality. His extravagant spirit lives on in this over-sized Art Deco lakeside landmark.

Trieste: Castello Miramare - The elevated oceanfront castle's gleaming white turrets conceal a dark chapter of history for the Hapsburg dynasty. Archduke Maximilian of Austria and his wife Carlotta barely moved into this 19th century treasure-trove of crystal chandeliers, lush tapestries  and delicate porcelain when Maximilian became emperor of Mexico (a political blunder that eventually led to his execution by a firing squad). The castle feels haunted, no doubt, but its spirits seem to lay in the scores of regal cats that prowl the castle's impeccable gardens.

Israelite Temple of Trieste - This impressive synagogue - the largest in Europe - anchors this grand city on the Adriatic. Designed by Ruggero and Arduino Berlam in the Roman stylings of 4th century Syria, the temple - inaugurated in 1912 -- can be seen from every corner of Trieste. It carries with it the city's vast multifaith history and the dismal specter of the Second World War.

Pavia: La Certosa - Actually a bit north of this gracious medieval city, La Certosa (a Carthusian Monastery) is a living architectural history lesson, which spans the Gothic through Baroque periods and contains countless artistic masterpieces. The façade alone is stunningly elaborate and took almost a century to complete. Yet humility reigns. La Certosa is a working monastery, where the monks grow medicinal herbs and distill their own liquors. It's the closest thing to Friar Laurence's cell.

Genoa: Palazzo Reale - One of the main seats of mercantile power, the 17th century palace faces the port and its numerous tankers. Once home to the wealthy Balbi and Durazzo shipping families, it later became the royal palace of the Savoy rulers and has a wispy Rococo ambience. It also boasts its own Hall of Mirrors, modeled after Versailles.

Staglieno Cemetery - A city of the dead unto itself, the cemetery outside Genoa is known for its imaginative tombstones shaped like Gothic cathedrals and Egyptian pyramids. It's so large, exploring by foot is a challenge. But, no worries, the cemetery has its own buses.

Bologna: Torre degli Asinelli - Hovering over the medieval quarter, next to the shorter leaning Torre dei Garisendi, this slim tower offers all-encompassing views of the city and beyond. But be prepared to climb almost 500 creaky, ill-fitted wooden steps for this panoramic reward. The ascent is worth it, but vertigo sufferers (like myself) may think twice about the rickety maze of a descent. Nevertheless, I managed to survive.

Museum of Human Anatomy - Bologna is a long-revered center of learning, thanks to its famed university. Therefore, this museum is of special interest, especially considering it began as an anatomy theater for medical students in 1742. It's now a museum displaying graphic sculptures of human organs and muscles - models used in Bologna's medical school up until the 19th century.

Siena: La Panorama - Not as precarious as Bologna's Torre degli Asinelli, this high point lays out the entire city of Siena before one's eyes. The enclosed interior climb is a piece of cake, but the outdoor balcony is frighteningly narrow. It gives visitors the effect of being suspended in mid air and so close to the striped Duomo, they feel like they can touch it. This panoramic ledge is reached via the interior of Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana in Piazza del Duomo.

Church of San Domenico - The large Dominican church is dedicated to Siena's native vision-haunted daughter, St. Catherine, whose life is depicted in paintings and frescoes. More gruesome, though, is a side chapel that contains her preserved head.

Orvieto: Pozzo di San Patrizio - It may sound strange recommending a tour of a sewer. But this is a sewer - actually a well -- with complex historic, and ecclesiastical, origins. It was commissioned in 1527 by Pope Clement VII as a back-up water supply in case the city was sacked. Fans of urban engineering will marvel at Antonio da Sangallo's double-helix design as they descend almost 300 steps to the Pozzo's dank, echoing underbelly. It's also a relief for anyone who has a fear of heights; and it's not as claustrophobic as it sounds.

Rome: Anyone who has exhausted the Vatican, Colosseum and Roman Forum may want to dig deeper into the Eternal City's less-trafficked sights. And on the subject of sewers (see Orvieto, above), make the bone-chilling trek down to the Mamertine Prison, below the Church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami. It's the dungeon where St. Peter and St. Paul were believed to be imprisoned, and was located inside a cistern that fed into Rome's main sewer (where corpses were often discarded).

San Pietro in Montorio - On a more uplifting note, this small but fascinating church near Trastevere features a courtyard with Bramante's perfectly proportioned Tempietto, or little temple. It was built on the location believed to be where St. Peter was martyred, but that fact has since been disputed. The Tempietto is a miniature Renaissance masterpiece.

St. Paul Outside the Walls - Saints Peter and Paul seem to be the theme of these sights, and this church - situated outside the city's walls near the Appian Way - is a tranquility-inducing tribute to the martyred St. Paul. Though it's now a reconstructed version of the original 4th century basilica, which burned down in the 19th century, the glimmering gold, mosaic façade leads into an embracing cavernous retreat perfect for contemplation.

EUR - Though a strange retro-futuristic suburb south of Rome, this planned government-heavy area would be an ideal setting for George Orwell's 1984. Mussolini originally planned it as a Fascist architectural playground before the outbreak of World War II, and it's a weird, stark and incongruous enclave, with an excellent museum devoted to ancient Rome.

Naples: Sotterranea Tour - As in most parts of Italy, ancient cities lie beneath today's bustling urban centers. Naples offers a number of these types of tours, but the Sotterranea one - near the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore - is particularly historic. Visitors descend to the profoundest depths of the city to view Roman aqueducts and catacombs. Some grottoes are so narrow that anyone remotely claustrophobic may want to admire the larger, more open caverns instead. Strange geometric displays show the geological backdrop of the setting, as well as reveal striking remnants (dishes and children's toys) from these underground passageways used as air raid shelters during World War II.

Vomero District - A funicular ride off Via Toledo takes travelers up to the fashionable hilltop neighborhood of Vomero, where they can catch impressive views atop Castel Sant'Elmo and visit the Neapolitan-Baroque National Museum of Art inside the former Monastery of San Martino. Lovers of fine porcelain will enjoy the Villa Floridiana and its lush gardens.

Ravello: The stunning beauty of the Amalfi Coast speaks for itself. But while whizzing by the familiar towns of Amalfi and Positano, visitors might miss the elevated town of Ravello. It feels like it touches the clouds. I recommend spending time in its two spectacular villas, both with views toward infinity: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone. It's also a popular music city, with various classical music festivals throughout the year.

Andria: Castel del Monte - This medieval castle, built by Federico II, is well worth veering off the road near Bari in the Puglia region. Located in the tiny town of Andria, the octagonal structure harbors an overwhelming sense of mysticism as its rigid geometric plan feels like it was designed by sorcerers to understand the pull of energy. Sprawling and vacant, except for the pinkish marble wrapped around its thick doorways, this castle allows visitors to imaginatively fill in the historic blanks.

Alberobello: Trulli - A veritable fairyland, also in the Puglia region, the whitewashed town is filled with truncated cone-shaped structures out of The Hobbit. Believed to have once been ancient tombs, these fanciful structures are now homes, shops, restaurants and churches.

Lecce: Wedged inside Italy's heel, this ornate Baroque city drips with abundantly swirling architecture. The Basilica of Santa Croce has an especially florid façade, with all manner of humans and mythic beasts supporting the vivid story encircling a delicate rose window.

Roman Amphitheater - Lecce contains countless Roman ruins, including this 2nd century amphitheater and what appear to be gladiator quarters. They face churches and modern buildings, as well as the column of St. Oronzo, a bishop appointed by St. Paul and martyred during Nero's reign.

Palermo, Sicily: International Marionette Museum - Palermo's Arabic-Norman past is embodied in its much-heralded puppet tradition. The chivalric Charlemagne-era marionettes are displayed (in darkened rooms with body-sensitive lighting) in a small flat of a crumbling palace on Via Butera. A regal version of Geppetto's workshop, the museum offers an illuminating lesson in captivating miniature theater and includes richly adorned puppets form Thailand, China, Burma and India.

Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia - The Norman-princess-turned-recluse-turned saint is honored in this cavernous shrine atop Monte Pellegrino. A statue of Santa Rosalia reclines in a glass case filled with bills and coins inside the cave where she lived an unapologetically ascetic life. From this vantage point, pilgrims can see as far as the Aeolian Islands and the active volcano, Mount Etna.

Catania, Sicily: Outdoor Market - The regal-ruggged Baroque city, in the shadow of Mount Etna, offers a magnificent outdoor fish, meat and produce market just around the corner from Piazza del Duomo. No-frills trattorie are tucked into the winding streets, where restaurateurs purchase pesce spada, cuttlefish and squid before diners' eyes. An exhilarating, colorful and delicious experience not to be missed.

Fontana dell'Elefante - My husband and I once stayed at a hotel in Piazza del Duomo directly facing the backside of Giovanni Battista Vaccarini's iconic 18th century Catanese sculpture: a black-lava elephant fountain (a symbol of the city) with unusually ample privates meant to suggest the local men's virility.

Marsala, Sicily: Regional Archaeological Museum Baglio Anselmi - This sophisticated museum, just off Marsala's main winding oceanfront road, holds one of the rarest treasures in the world: a partially preserved Carthaginian war ship that sank in 241 BC during the First Punic War. Called "Nave Punica" in Italian, it stands imposingly in its own exhibition space - the nautical equivalent of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.

Sardinia: A remarkably diverse island west of mainland Italy and south of Corsica, Sardinia boasts mountains, nature reserves and the sea. It contains a high concentration of Neolithic stone structures called nuraghe and tranquil beaches. Here are some of my favorites parts of the island: Barumini, Oristano, Tharros, Nora, Alghero, Oliena, Isola Caprera and Isola di San Pietro.

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