If all eyes are on Venice, The Times recommends two alternative destinations in Italy “without the crowds”. The London newspaper dedicated a long article to Ravenna and Comacchio, defining them the “secret” alternatives in Venicebut without being crowded. From the article of one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world emerges the beauty of Ravenna, Capital of three Empires, the poetry of Comacchio, a colorful city founded on 13 islets, and the authenticity of the entire Delta area of the Po. Park.
“In these two places you can feel a magical mixture of atmospheres of Venice, Florence and Bologna, not too far from here,” writes the newspaper. And “international media coverage is an excellent form of promotion”, commented the Regional Tourism Council of Emilia-Romagna Andrea Corsini, “as evidenced by the many foreign guests who this year have discovered our cities of art, but also the villages, the Riviera and the fascinating Apennines”. “Even the international press,” continued Corsini, “realizes more and more the riches of art and culture of our Region, magical places. off the beaten path of overtourism and where identity and genius loci are still felt.”
According to the Times “Ravenna, historic city of art, and the placid canals of Comacchio make these two twin cities in Emilia-Romagna two of the best kept secrets in Italy”.
Why visit Ravenna according to the Times
Ravenna, the ancient capital of three empires, is described in the British newspaper as a place of literary pilgrimage thanks to Dante Alighieri. The ancient Byzantine capital welcomed the supreme poet a few years after the forced and sad exile from Florence, guest of his friend Guido Novello Da Polenta, lord of the city: here he spent the last years of his existence, participating to cultural life and dedicate. himself to his masterpieces.
For the English, Ravenna is also the city where their compatriot poet lived Lord Byronto which the Romagna city has dedicated a museum that will be inaugurated in October. So much beauty comes from its monuments. In 1996, UNESCO designated eight famous monuments and religious buildings as World Heritage Sites, as they represent the highest example of architecture and art at the global level. Like the Galla Placidia, the Basilica of San Vitale, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, the flooded crypt of San Francesco, the modern mosaics of the MAR (Museum of Art of Ravenna), all to be enjoyed in serenity , without crowds In these monuments there are precious Byzantine mosaics that are equal only in a few other places in the world.
Comacchio, the secret Venice to discover
Going towards the sea, Tempo talks about the small coastal towns, from Punta Marina to Port Garibaldi, with the stilt houses of the fishermen, up to Comacchio, in the province of Ferrara, which for its suggestive canals and bridges is. called “little Venice”. “If you were to imagine a miniature Venice of the pre-tourism era, here it is: Comacchio with its canals built on 13 islets,” writes the newspaper. The historic center of Comacchio is a maze of canals, bridges and picturesque alleys.
Walking through its streets, discover enchanting corners. The undisputed symbol of Comacchio is the Trepponti, a monumental bridge built in 1634, an extraordinary example of hydraulic architecture composed of five steps and three main arches that meet at a single central point. An unmissable experience is a trip in a batana, the old typical boat of Comacchio (like the gondolas of Venice). Batanas, with their thin and elongated shape, are ideal for navigating the city’s narrow canals and discovering the history of local fishing.
Among the recommendations for a visit to this area is not missing the navigation in the Regional Park of the Pò Delta and the Comacchio valleys, one of the most important natural areas in Europe, with an extraordinary biodiversity, among casuni and flamingos and typical products such as eel, clams, the typical “gross spoja”, a type of square-shaped stuffed egg pasta, similar to ravioli, artichokes and strozzapreti.