All entries for Saturday 10 November 2018

November 10, 2018

My Travel Week: Visiting Rome and Verona.

After an intense but fascinating first five weeks studying in Venice, in week six of the academic year we were encouraged by our tutors to explore more of Italy. Venturing out of Venice and the comforting environment of Warwick’s Palazzo Pesaro Papafava, which we have now become acclimatised to, students were given the unique chance to sample the culture of different regions within Italy.

I had been looking forward to travel week since I first decided to undertake the Renaissance Stream option for my history degree in first year. The scheme gives students the brilliant opportunity to gather primary source material from museums, galleries and the architecture of churches and important landmarks which then can be utilised within our Venice in the Renaissance essays and ultimately even our dissertation, should it be based around a relevant topic. Furthermore, I was also excited by the prospect of exploring the history of Italian cities with my friends and experiencing new adventures together.

Colosseum

My friends and I first visited the ‘eternal city’: Rome. Known for its classical and ancient monuments, our itinerary in Rome was based around an essential tour of the Colosseum. Built east of the Roman Forum in AD 80, the Colosseum noticeably attracts many tourists from all over the world. I found that despite the business and a long time spent queuing for entry outside in the rain, it was a rewarding visit as I witnessed an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. We also enjoyed ascending the famous Spanish Steps up to the Trinità dei Monti church and the Villa Medici, situated on Pincio hill. We were fascinated by the history of the Medici residence in Rome, benefiting from a fantastic guided tour of the Villa and its gardens. Rome’s other must-see attractions were of course the Vatican and its spiritual centre, St. Peter’s Basilica. A personal high point in my historical studies was visiting the Pinacoteca art gallery in the Vatican museums and having access to masterpieces such as Caravaggio’s Entombment and Raphael’s Oddi Altarpiece.

During the second part of the week, I traveled to Verona with two different friends. Immediately we were struck by the beauty of historic city centre, featuring a grand square with a fountain and an impressive Roman amphitheatre built around the end of the I century B.C. The ancient Arena di Verona is still in use today however it runs performances less regularly during the winter months. Despite not being able to watch a show there, we climbed to the top of the forty-four steps of the amphitheatre and felt a sense of it’s vast architectural scale. Afterwards, we wandered down quaint cobbled streets lined with expensive shops and patisseries and visited the incredibly peaceful cathedral in Piazza Duomo, which was filled with important medieval and renaissance frescos and artefacts. Climbing the tall Torre dei Lamberti, built in 1172 by the powerful Lamberti family, was also a highlight of my stay. At the top of the 368 steps there is a picturesque view of the entire city and the medieval Castelvecchio which bridges the river Adige below.

Travel week was a fulfilling experience which not only gave us a better insight into the history of the Italian Renaissance but also encouraged us to learn new practical skills as we organised our own trips and found our way in big cities. At first this was rather daunting and culminated in us getting lost multiple times but the initial worries quickly dissipated and the experience was it was entirely worthwhile. Travel week has given me many wonderful memories of beautiful Italy to treasure and has strengthened my friendships. I would highly recommend taking the Renaissance Stream and spending a week journeying across Italy to all History first years at Warwick! St. Peter