100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go - 10th Anniversary Edition

Susan Van Allen

Description

Reviews in national publications: Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist

Ongoing promotion through author Susan Van Allen's tour company (www.susanvanallen.com/tours)

Book tour of primary West Coast cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle)

Outreach for national radio interviews and TV appearances in LA
100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, 10th Anniversary Edition should be a book of perennial interest primarily to women interested in Italy (but also to their male companions)

Celebrating 10 years from publication of the first edition updated with more than 20% new material from the third edition

Author Susan Van Allen is an entertaining and engaging companion who has been leading women-only tours to Italy for years, with many repeat clients and evangelists

Travelers to Italy, whether on their first trip or fifty-first (including foreign study students)

Armchair travelers and Italophiles, who will broaden their understanding of Italian culture

Readers and travelers with a keen interest in Italian history, fashion, and cuisine

Ethnic Italians interested in exploring their cultural roots

Gift givers for any of the above
5. Bernini’s Beautiful Broads and the Galleria Borghese—Rome

You’d think the artist who sculpted the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona, the Triton in the Piazza Barberini, and Saint Peter’s flamboyant altar would have been a wild man. But actually Gian Lorenzo Bernini took on his masterpiece work like a monk, sculpting seven hours a day, up until his death at eighty-one. He poured all his passion into his creations—sculptures of figures caught in theatrical moments that absolutely define baroque Rome.

Bernini did have one enticing affair, with Constanza Bonarelli, the wife of one of his assistants. Things heated up when Constanza started to fool around with Bernini’s younger brother. Bernini flew into a violent rage, threatening to throw acid on Constanza’s face and beating up that younger brother, until the Pope stepped in to put a stop to the whole deal. Bernini’s Constanza bust is in the Bargello in Florence. With her lips slightly parted and blouse unbuttoned, it seems as though she was sculpted just as she and Bernini were off to amore-land.

Bernini calmed down after Constanza, married at forty-one, and fathered eleven kids. His daily routine was morning mass at the Gesu, work-work-work, and then back to church where he prayed with the Jesuits.

Unlike Michelangelo’s sculptures (such as the Pieta and David) that have a powerful meditative style, Bernini’s creations seem to be formed in wax. Their robes flow, they laugh, scream, sigh, and pulse with vitality.

On the Ponte Sant’Angelo you’ll be surrounded by the dramatic angels he designed. And in these sculptures, you’ll see how Bernini captures women in climactic moments…literally:

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, 1647-1652 (Santa Maria della Vitto-ria, Via XX Settembre 17)

It looks like the Carmelite Spanish nun Bernini placed in a stage-set altar is having quite an “ecstasy” as an angel pierces her with a golden shaft.

Saint Teresa had loads of mystical visions, and wrote that this piercing left her “on fire with the love of God” and “The pain was so great that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain that I could not wish to be rid of it.” Clearly, Bernini’s genius took Teresa’s account and ran with it.

Beata Ludovica Albertoni, 1671-1674 (San Francesco a Ripa, Piazza San Francesco d’Assisi 88)

Here the mystic Ludovica is sprawled out in bed with her head thrown back as she clutches her breast. Some say she’s in her death throes, but since she has her shoes on, others believe Bernini caught her in a private, earth-shattering, “seeing the Divine” pose. It’s best to visit the church in the morning when sunlight streams over Ludovica from the cupola above.

Make reservations to visit the splendid Galleria Borghese, where you’ll find these Bernini masterpieces:

Daphne and Apollo, 1622-1625 (Room III)

The virgin water nymph manages a fantastic escape from Apollo by transforming into a laurel tree before your eyes. Her hair and fingertips become leaves, her feet and ankles the tree trunk.

Pluto and Proserpina, 1621-1622 (Room IV)

A teardrop runs down Proserpina’s face as she smushes her hand into Pluto’s chin, fighting him off with a heaven-help-me look. Pluto scoops her up and gets a firm grab on her thigh. The three-headed barking dog adds to the drama.

This is Bernini’s version of the Greek myth that told how Pluto, God of the Underworld, got wowed by the beautiful Goddess of Vegetation he saw picking flowers in a field, and swooped up to kidnap her.

Other fabulous women in the Borghese are:

Venus Victrix, 1805-1808 (Room I)

Here’s Pauline Bonaparte (Napoleon’s sister), posed regally on a chaise as the nude goddess. Pauline came to Rome as a ravishing twenty-three-year-old widow, won the heart of Prince Borghese, married him, and became mistress of the Villa. Though it caused quite a scandal when Pauline stripped to model for the sculptor Canova, and her husband kept this statue hidden away while he was alive, Pauline’s only comment on the affair was, “The room was well heated.” Famously vain woman that she was, Pauline was also known to have used her servants as footstools and liked to have, in her words, “a large Negro” carry her to her bath.

Sacred and Profane Love, 1805-1808 (Room XX)

Painted by Titian when he was just twenty-five for a Venetian nobleman’s marriage, the Venuses here are named differently than what you’d expect. The Profane Venus is in proper Renaissance dress, drawing a pot of gold to her side, signifying “fleeting earthly happiness.” The Sacred Venus is naked, holding an eternal flame, meaning “eternal happiness in heaven.” She wears only her magic girdle, which gave her the power to attract her many lovers.

Galleria Borghese: 9-7, Thursday evenings 7-9, closed Monday, 06 32810,
www.galleriaborghese.it.

TIP: Reservations for the Borghese are a must and you can make them easily by phone or online. This turns out to be a good thing, because you get to browse without crowds.

•
Golden Day: Plan a picnic in the Borghese Gardens before or after your visit to the Galleria Borghese. You can gather goodies at an alimentary (deli)—there are good places around the Campo dei Fiori, such as Roscioli (Via dei Chiavari 34)—and stash them in a locker at the museum. Or if you’d rather not picnic, stroll over to the garden’s Pincian Hill, where Casina Valadier, a restored 19th-century villa, welcomes you to the terrace for lunch or caffe, 06 6992 2090, closed Monday.

RECOMMENDED READING

Bernini’s Beloved: A Portrait of Constanza Piccolomini by Sarah McPhee

Informations

• Publié par: Travelers' Tales
• Date de parution: 04 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781609521875
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Praise for 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go
This book makes me want to pack my bag with the lightest of clothing and follow Susan Van Allen s alluring suggestions for traveling in Italy. Her knowledge reveals an intimacy with the country and a honed sense of adventure. Andiamo!
-Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun
Written with cheeky playfulness, this ode to the Italian motherland is a treasure trove of female-centered delights. From the good luck gained by patting the buttocks of Venus to sleuthing through lush gardens that once courted Papal trysts, from spree-shopping at La Perla lingerie to witnessing centuries-old female saints day processions, this companion guide invites a rich kaleidoscope of adventures, wherein no woman traveler takes a back seat. Brava !
-Anne Calcagno, editor of Travelers Tales Italy
No country welcomes women travelers like Italy, and Susan Van Allen s compendium is a delectable fritto misto of places and experiences that makes its readers be counted among the cognescenti.
- Carla Gambescia, author of La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z
Susan Van Allen might be the best girlfriend you never met a virtual passport to a girl-friendly ride up and down the boot.
- Pittsburgh Tribune
A wonderful gift for any woman traveling to Italy. With Susan s advice you won t be overwhelmed and you ll discover how nurturing it is to travel in a country that has honored us since we all descended from Venus.
-Marybeth Bond, author, Gutsy Women and Best Girlfriend Getaways Worldwide
One of the most innovative and fascinating travel guides dedicated to Italy...It fills a gap on the shelves at the right time. No ordinary directory of addresses, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go is an authentic portrait of Italy from the charmed perspective of a woman, a writer and an experienced traveler.
- Select Italy
I knew that Italy was the land of la dolce vita and far niente , but this is the first book to present an organized way to find your way through her earthly and soulful wonders. I want all my girlfriends to have a copy of 100 Places .
-Camille Cusumano, editor of Italy, a Love Story
Susan Van Allen s writing makes the magic of Italy jump off the page. She has a knack for capturing the charms, quirks and authenticity of this magnificent land. Don t go to Italy without reading this!
-Kathy McCabe, editor and publisher, Dream of Italy Travel Newsletter
No matter how many times you ve been to Italy and think you know it, reading Susan Van Allen s book almost guarantees a return trip a delightful book you ll only put down long enough to check the flights to that fascinating country.
-Carol Coviello-Malzone, author of Flavors of Rome: How, What & Where to Eat in the Eternal City
Part guidebook, part history, and part manual to the good life in the land of La Dolce Vita, Susan Van Allen s magnum opus on all things Italian is essential reading for women (and men) who either want to get the most out of their next trip or want to be spirited back to their last.
- David Farley, author of An Irreverent Curiosity
That old Freudian chestnut- What do women really want?! has been answered once again. Susan Van Allen has romped through Italy and picked the very best, mixing dreamy delights with drops of dainty decadence. She suggests readers: treat this book like a cookbook and make a full meal of it. you could-and you should.
-David Yeadon, author of Seasons in Basilicata

Copyright 2020 Susan Van Allen. All rights reserved.
Travelers Tales and Solas House are trademarks of Solas House, Inc.,
Palo Alto, CA 94306.
travelerstales.com | solashouse.com
Cover Design: Kimberly Nelson
Author Photograph: Johanna Jacobson
Interior Design and Page Layout: Howie Severson/Fortuitous
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
978-1-60952-186-8 (paperback)
978-1-60952-187-5 (ebook)
Tenth Anniversary Edition
Printed in the United States
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my mother
who opened the door to Italy
and always told me:
Do what you love!

Whenever I go anywhere but Italy for a vacation,
I always feel as if I have made a mistake.
-E RICA J ONG


Introduction to the Tenth Anniversary Edition
Preface
S ECTION I
T HE D IVINE: G ODDESSES, S AINTS, AND THE B LESSED V IRGIN M ARY
1. The Campidoglio, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill
2. The Piet , Saint Peter s Basilica-Rome
3. Santa Maria Churches-Rome
4. Churches Dedicated to Female Saints-Rome
5. Bernini s Beautiful Broads and the Galleria Borghese-Rome
6. Venuses, Madonnas, and Judith at the Uffizi-Florence
7. Santa Maria Novella-Florence
8. Annunciations-Florence
9. Mary s Sacred Girdle and Salome Dancing-Prato, Tuscany
10. Museum of the Madonna del Parto-Monterchi, Tuscany
11. City of Saint Catherine-Siena, Tuscany
12. Town of Saint Margaret-Cortona, Tuscany
13. Santa Maria Churches-Venice
14. Madonnas by Titian, Bellini, and Tintoretto-Venice
15. The Scrovegni Chapel-Padua, Veneto
16. Venus of the Beautiful Buttocks and Other Museo Archeologico Nazionale Treasures-Naples
17. Cloister of Santa Chiara-Naples
18. Cave of the Cumaean Sibyl-Cumae, Campania
19. Goddesses and Madonnas-Palermo
20. Nymphs, Goddesses, and Santa Lucias-Ortygia, Sicily
21. Temple of Segesta-Sicily
S ECTION II
V ILLE, P ALAZZI, AND AN A PARTMENT
22. Palazzo Barberini-Rome
23. Villa Farnesina-Rome
24. The Costume Gallery at the Pitti Palace-Florence
25. Casa Guidi-Florence
26. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection-Venice
27. Palazzo Fortuny-Venice
28. Villa Valmarana Ai Nani-Vicenza, Veneto
29. Palazzo Ducale-Mantua, Lombardy
30. The Royal Apartments in Palazzo Reale-Turin, Piedmont
31. Oplontis-Torre Annunziata, Campania
32. Villa Romana del Casale-Sicily
S ECTION III
G ARDENS
33. Villa d Este-Tivoli, Lazio
34. The Park of the Monsters-Bomarzo, Lazio
35. Gardens Outside Florence-Tuscany
36. The Tarot Garden-Capalbio, Tuscany
37. Villa Cimbrone-Ravello, Campania
38. Parchi di Nervi-Liguria
39. Gardens of the Isole Borromee-Piedmont
40. Giardino della Minerva-Salerno, Campania
S ECTION IV
B EACHES
41. Sperlonga, Lazio
42. Forte dei Marmi-Tuscany
43. Sirolo-Marche
44. Positano-Amalfi Coast
45. Parghelia-Calabria
46. Santa Teresa di Gallura-Sardinia
47. Scopello-Sicily
S ECTION V
B EAUTY T REATMENTS AND S PAS
48. Hair Salons and Spas
49. Spas-Tuscany
50. Spas-Sirmione
51. Grand Hotel Abano Terme-Veneto
52. Spas-Ischia, Campania
53. Masseria Torre Maizza-Puglia
54. Hammam-Palermo, Sicily
S ECTION VI
I NDULGE Y OUR T ASTEBUDS
55. Caff s
56. Gelato
57. Chocolate
58. Wine Bars
59. Women-Owned Wineries
S ECTION VII
S HOPPING
60. Shoes
61. Leather
62. Ceramics
63. Jewelry
64. Fragrances
65. Lingerie
66. Embroidery and Lace
67. Paper
68. Milan
69. Antique Markets
S ECTION VIII
A CTIVE A DVENTURES
70. Biking
71. Hiking
72. Skiing
73. Boating
74. Yoga
S ECTION IX
C OOKING C LASSES
75. Cooking in Rome
76. Morning at the Market-Florence
77. Cooking with Chef Patrizia-Venice
78. Cook in Milano
79. Tuscan Women Cook-Montefollonico, Tuscany
80. Mamma Agata Cooking School-Ravello
81. Cooking in Tropea-Calabria
S ECTION X
L EARN I TALIAN C RAFTS AND C ULTURE
82. Mosaics at Cassio Workshop-Rome
83. Florentine Crafts
84. Maskmaking at Tragicomica-Venice
85. International School of Ceramic Art-Deruta, Umbria
86. Landscape Painting-Buonconvento, Tuscany
87. Giuditta Brozzetti Weaving and Embroidery Workshop-Perugia, Umbria
88. Art Restoration Workshop-Puglia
89. Italian Language Classes
S ECTION XI
B E E NTERTAINED
90. Opera
91. Classical Music
92. Jazz
93. Puppet Shows
S ECTION XII
A DVICE FROM W RITERS
94. Frances Mayes
95. Sarah Dunant
96. Marcella Hazan
97. Mary Taylor Simeti
S ECTION XIII
L A F AMIGLIA E XPERIENCES
98. Places for Children
99. An Italian Wedding
100. Go Find Your Mammas
Tips for Italian Travel
Budget Travel Tips
Packing
Favorite Restaurants
More Favorites
Calendar of Madonna Holidays and Female Saints Feast Days
Online Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author


A decade ago, when this book first hit the shelves, I couldn t imagine the joys that would follow. I m so grateful for the many travelers who ve reached out to tell me that my advice added happiness to their Italian vacations, with new discoveries and enriching experiences. It s been thrilling to open emails to find photos of women waving to me from a winery in Tuscany, enjoying chocolate at my favorite shop in Venice, or biking Rome s Appian Way.
All this enthusiasm inspired me to see my words in action and create Golden Weeks in Italy: For Women Only tours. It s been wonderful to share My Italy with women and for all of us to fall under that magic spell the country has on us females, which i