At least in this life, in that place, at the moment we turned around, we didn't miss each other ^Mimi Tou^ Italian Tale of Two Cities
In this planet, not every passerby will come to know each other, nor will everyone we know be remembered with longing. At least in this life, in that place, at the moment we turned around, we didn't miss each other.
There are two cities in Italy that feel both romantic and sorrowfully melancholic: one is the endlessly romantic Venice, known as the Water City, where there are memories of joy and sweetness as well as sadness—some say this is the tear of Venice; the other is Florence, which Xu Zhimo called "Firenze" in his writings.
"A Night in Firenze": Are you really leaving, tomorrow? Then I, then I... you don't need to worry, sooner or later that day will come; if you are willing to remember me, then remember me... I only wish the sky had no clouds, so I could see that unchanging great star in the sky, which is you..." It also reveals charm and sorrow.
May is the most beautiful season in Europe, with plenty of sunshine, everything blooming and awakening. Follow Lin Xiaozhi as we explore these two cities of romance and melancholy, the city of lovers.
Arriving at the Venice ferry terminal, take the ferry to Venice Island. The Port of Venice is one of the largest ports in Italy, with a length of 12 kilometers and a total area of 250 hectares, stretching out wide and vast, with over ten thousand ships entering and leaving each year. Venice is not only unique in scenery but also a cultural city. As early as the Renaissance, the Venetian school of painting was unique.
The beautiful Adriatic Sea, Venice is known for being "born of water, beautiful because of water, and thriving because of water."
Along the Adriatic coast, the Venetian Lagoon's 118 artificial islands and a nearby artificial peninsula are crisscrossed by 117 waterways.
Along the Adriatic Sea, there are beautiful Renaissance buildings from Italy.
After about 20 minutes by ferry, we arrive at the main island of Venice. Venice, the water city, is the essence of the Renaissance, the only city in the world without cars. God shed tears here, yet it made it even more crystal clear and tender, like a romantic dream floating on blue waves.
As soon as we step off, we see countless famous Venetian gondolas. Small boats carry countless lovers cruising through the Venice Water City, and many romantic stories happen on the boats. It is said that the success rate of proposing on a gondola is one hundred percent.
Gondolas have become a small tourist emblem of Venice. Mention Paris, and people can't help but think of the Eiffel Tower; mention Venice, and people think of the swaying gondola.
Venice is located in northeastern Italy, a world-famous water town and a cultural city of Italy. There are many historical sites within the city, including over a hundred churches, bell towers, convents, and palaces. The Grand Canal is the longest street running through the entire city, dividing it into two parts. Sightseeing along the canal is one of the best ways to enjoy the scenery of Venice, with many famous buildings on both sides and traces of writers, painters, and musicians everywhere.
On the pier square, a building has the Venetian St. Mark's Lion flag erected. The Latin on the flag is: Pax tibi Marce, Evangelista meus, from the Gospel of Mark, which is what the angel said to Mark, meaning "Peace to you, Mark, my evangelist."
The imposing bronze statue of a knight on horseback in the picture is the father of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II.
The romance of Venice first lies in the city's water scenery. The entire urban area is crisscrossed by waterways, and people travel entirely by boat. The small boats here have a specific name, "gondola," a lightweight and small pointed boat with a history of over a thousand years. Its shape is retro and elegant, full of line beauty, and it is a local daily means of transport. It is usually rowed by a single oarsman and can carry up to six people, earning the reputation of "water Mercedes" and "water Ferrari."
When visiting Venice, sitting in a gondola, swaying with the oarsman's rhythm, passing through various canals, experiencing the architectural features and lifestyle of the entire city from the water, is truly a comfortable enjoyment.
Venice's mask culture is unique in European civilization, as it is one of the few cities where masks are integrated into daily life. Venetians have a long history of making masks a part of daily life. Before the 18th century, the residents of Venice could not live without masks. When going out, both men and women would wear masks and cloaks. This mask exclusive to Venice is the famous "Bauta."
Venetian masks are flamboyant and ornate, mysterious and eccentric, erasing the distinction between rich and poor, hiding beauty and ugliness. The unfathomable eyes behind the masks, combined with a romantic atmosphere, conceal many twisted legendary stories, either sad or joyful, or mixed with complex emotions, veiling reality and leaving behind dreamy and moving dreams. Free from the constraints of identity, they fully release suppressed feelings while maintaining restraint and pride, like a gorgeous and melancholy aria.
The entire urban area is crisscrossed with waterways; only on the water can one truly feel the architectural features and lifestyle of the whole city.
Luxurious wooden yachts docked along the riverbank. In Europe and Asia, the best-selling yachts are Italian, representing high-end luxury.
Most suitable for couples to travel together by boat, as the ripples spread one by one, the whole city becomes romantic and dreamy, making people intoxicated in these charming crisscrossing water streets.
The Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy (Italian: Ponte dei Sospiri) is a Baroque-style stone bridge located near St. Mark's Square in Venice, on the side of the Doge's Palace. There are several bridges over the canals, and this Bridge of Sighs is a closed arch bridge; from the inside looking out, one can only see through the small windows on the bridge. The Bridge of Sighs connects the courthouse and the prison. When death row prisoners crossed this bridge, it was often the moment before execution, and it earned its name from their sighs over their soon-to-end lives. It is one of the most famous bridges in Venice.
St. Mark's Square was first built in the 9th century, originally just a small square in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Mark is the author of the Gospel of Mark in the Bible, and Venetians regard him as their patron saint. According to legend, in 828 AD, two Venetian merchants smuggled the remains of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria, Egypt, to Venice, and in the same year, they built a church for St. Mark. The church houses the tomb of St. Mark, and the basilica was named after him, and the square in front of it thus became "St. Mark's Square."
Standing in St. Mark's Square, you can see a corner of the exterior of the Doge's Palace. The Doge's Palace was first built in 814 AD and historically served as the residence of the rulers of the Venetian Republic. It is now the Venice Museum of Art and Arms. The exterior of the building uses white and pink marble to form geometric patterns, placing the solid wall on the third floor, while the second floor is a Gothic pointed arch loggia decorated with quatrefoil carvings. This ingenious combination of Arab-style diamond patterns and Gothic pointed arch loggias and pillars has become one of the most beautiful works of architecture.
The picture below shows the main entrance of St. Mark's Basilica. Five mosaic paintings on the five arches depict the deeds of St. Mark. St. Mark's Basilica was first built in 829 AD and rebuilt between 1043 and 1071. It was once the largest church in medieval Europe and a magnificent artistic masterpiece combining architecture, sculpture, and painting.
The semicircular gable above the arch of the basilica is in Byzantine style, with Gothic spires at the top. When we visited, half of the church's roof was under renovation, so we could not fully appreciate its exquisite architectural art.
The central arch of the church is decorated with Roman-style reliefs, and above the main arch are replicas of four bronze horses (the originals are housed inside the church). These are bronze works from the 4th century BC. According to relevant sources, these were spoils of war brought back by the Venetians from Constantinople in 1204.
The Clock Tower on the north side of the square is an early Renaissance building in Venice. At the top, two mechanical figures strike the bell to announce the time. On the clock tower is a conspicuous Venetian coat of arms, the "winged lion." This building was first built in the 12th century, with a total length of about 152 meters. On the ground floor is a world-famous café, which according to reports, has been frequented by many celebrities over the centuries, such as Byron, Dumas, and Hemingway.
The Venetian coat of arms "winged lion": when this photo was taken, a pigeon was diving from the sky toward the winged lion.
There are many coffee shops around St. Mark's Square. Have a cup of coffee and listen to live violin performances by musicians with your loved one—it is absolutely infinitely romantic!
In the continuous arcades around the square, there are various boutiques with stylish window displays. There are also many bars and restaurants, making it the best walking tour area in Venice. You can order a famous Venetian dish, squid ink pasta (Nero di Seppia).
The restaurants around the square are decorated in retro style. Sitting inside with a small espresso, looking at the beautiful Venetian Renaissance buildings outside the square, and seeing restaurant waiters in white uniforms moving in and out of the restaurant, it feels like traveling back to the prosperous and romantic Venice of the past.
A beautiful retro brass doorbell—I absolutely love it.
The handsome Italian old boatman on the gondola greets us friendly.
Once you have been to Venice, you will completely fall in love with this water city. The pervasive romance spreads through every street and river.
Venice is a place both romantic and sad, like the tears of Venice. Where there is love, there are tears. Before dusk, we reluctantly concluded our visit to Venice, and tomorrow we will head to another romantic city, Florence.
At night, we stayed at a hotel near Florence, convenient for heading to the old town of Florence early the next morning.
The suite we booked has a kitchen and a living room, which is pretty good. If we had time, we could cook a Chinese meal to satisfy our taste buds.
After breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we set off toward Florence bathed in the early morning light.
In the morning, we headed to the old town of Florence. The cute little Fiat vintage car by the roadside is very adorable.
Besides the world-famous Ferrari sports cars, Italy is also known for its cute microcars. Because European city streets are narrow, small cars are suitable for driving, so there are many small cars in Europe.
Italian motorcycles are also the largest manufacturers in Europe, with high-displacement Ducati and affordable Piaggio scooters. I remember in the 1990s, the mopeds that flooded the streets of Shanghai were from Piaggio.
On the way into the old town, some shop doors had graffiti painted on the roller shutters, giving a sense of Italian street art.
The most common shops along the way are leather goods stores. Italian leather is very famous, and Florence, in particular, is the largest manufacturing center for leather goods in the world. The comfort of shoes is favored by many celebrities. Many top luxury leather products come from Florence. When buying shoes, bags, or leather jackets in Florence, I recommend purchasing local Italian brands, such as Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Florence is the city Xu Zhimo called "Firenze," a paradise for art lovers, a historic and cultural city with a long history. It is both the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and the cradle of European culture. It lies on a plain in the Arno River valley, surrounded by hills, and belongs to the Tuscany region of Italy. It was once the capital of Italy and is the cultural center of Italy.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also called Florence Cathedral or Duomo di Firenze. There are many grand cathedrals in the world, but few are as charming as this one. This beautiful cathedral, clad in white, red, and green marble, perfectly interprets the classicism, elegance, and freedom advocated by the Renaissance. No wonder it is named "Santa Maria del Fiore."
The Duomo is the first great building of the Renaissance. It was built in 1295 by Arnolfo di Cambio on the site of the earlier Florence cathedral and was finally completed in 1496. It was once the religious center of the Florentine Republic. It is a beautiful cathedral decorated with white, pink, and green marble in geometric patterns.
"Firenze" means "city of flowers" in Italian. The great poet Xu Zhimo translated it as "Firenze" (Fei Leng Cui), which is far more poetic, colorful, and fitting for the city's character than the alternative translation "Florence."
A hundred years later, Michelangelo built a similar large dome in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome but admitted with humility: "I can build a dome larger than this, but I cannot surpass its beauty."
On Easter, the "Scoppio del Carro" (Explosion of the Cart) is a traditional celebration in Florence to mark Easter, one of the liveliest Easter celebrations, with a history of nearly 400 years. Probably that day there was just a cart without a horse.
In those narrow streets, you can almost still hear the glorious sound of hooves from the Renaissance. The architecture and paintings still shine with the light of the Renaissance.
Italy is also the fashion capital. The CHANEL store on the square, with two Italian police officers in front of the store, makes for a perfect magazine cover element.
Palazzo Vecchio, also known as the Old Palace. "Vecchio" means "old" in Italian, because it was the residence of the Medici family. After they moved to the Pitti Palace on the other side of the Arno River, this became the "Old Palace." Palazzo Vecchio is near the Uffizi Gallery, originally the town hall of Florence. Its 94-meter-high bell tower is the most prominent building in the city after the Duomo. In front of it stands a famous replica of Michelangelo's David.
Having seen the movie "Inferno" starring Tom Hanks, the beautiful scenes of Florence in the film once again evoked warm memories. I couldn't wait to open my photo album and search for those familiar scenes from the movie.
[A Taste of Italy] Florence's unmissable classic—T-bone steak.
Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region in central Italy and the birthplace of the Renaissance. There is a delicacy that you will regret missing if you don't try it: T-bone steak. This thick, incredibly delicious steak will satisfy your appetite, with a crispy exterior, a tender and juicy pink interior, and a T-bone in the middle that adds extra flavor. Who can resist such a description?
Italy is undoubtedly one of the most charming countries in the world, with intoxicating seas, glorious history, captivating architecture, sexy football, and an unparalleled culinary culture. Italian pizza, pasta, and coffee have already been accepted by Chinese people, but real Italian ice cream is a true classic among Italian cuisine! It is no exaggeration to say that Italian ice cream is a true work of art. In terms of production technique, simple formulas are the secret to pure flavor. No matter which flavor of ice cream, the recipe never contains any additives. Every Italian ice cream is handmade by professional chefs, showing its extraordinary origin. Italian ice cream is not frozen very hard, with a delicate and light texture like silk, offering an endless romantic experience.
A beautiful red retro mailbox makes you want to send the romance of Florence to your lover.
Feeding pigeons in Florence's square is also a pleasant way to spend time.
Italy is a country where romance and passion coexist, and classicism and fashion go hand in hand. The impression of Italy is rich in humanistic charm, like someone wearing an elaborate formal dress adorned with noble purple lilies, exuding an aristocratic European aura, turning gracefully to captivate the world. The splendid masterpieces of the Renaissance, combined with the fashion, romance, and passion of Italy, make people intoxicated.
This圆满 concludes our romantic trip to the two Italian cities, letting me experience the romance of Venice, the water city, and Xu Zhimo's "Firenze"—Florence.
Thank you to all the travel buddies who support my travel notes! Every place has different stories waiting for you to discover! Like you, I look forward to sharing my next trip with you after finishing each travelogue!
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