ITALIAN HAPPY SNAPS

THE DISCOVERER BLOG CONTINUES TO DELIGHT and to remind me what wonderful adventures Italy has provided. Here, tidbits gleaned from its “Stunning Photos That Will Make You Want to Book a Trip to Italy” are combined with personal comments.

Discoverer recounts, “Each ancient brick, colorful coastal town, and turquoise wave crashing upon its shores is steeped in magic. And that’s just what you see—once you touch upon the other senses, Italy is an overwhelming mix of scents and tastes that will entrap you.” I surely agree.

Dolomites Villages. “Drawing distinct influence from neighboring Switzerland, these towns and villages give off an aura of tranquility, even as the jagged peaks in the background promise grand adventure.”

A Dolomites village. Image by DaLiu/iStock via Discoverer.

This particular happy snap displays why I prefer the Alps to our Rockies. It’s all a matter of “Mountains of Prominence.” Topographers describe “prominence” to be a mountain’s local height, the vertical distance between its summit and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit. 

Lake Como. Discoverer notes, “There’s an obvious reason the likes of George Clooney have made their homes in this northern lake region. Pictures just don’t do the sparkling lake, villa-lined shores, and peaceful surrounding mountains justice.”

Lake Como. Image by Audrius Venclova/iStock via Discoverer.

I agree completely: In “Lago di Como,” I observed, “There is a timeless beauty surrounding the lakes of northern Italy.” My “T C’s Bellagio Traghetto” adventure with T C Browne, rest his soul, was truly magical. 

T C Browne, 1921 – 2004, automotive journalist, raconteur, first national advertising manager of American Honda, last publisher of Sports Car Graphic.

Milan. “Often referred to as one of the world’s fashion capitals,” says Discoverer, “this northern Italian city offers much more than runways and shops. Historic corners and stunning architecture abound, tucked in a bustling metropolis.”

Duomo Milano. Image via Discoverer.

Another Milan must-see is just to the northwest of the Duomo: the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where I tapped its floor’s center mosaic for luck (on several occasions). Yet another to its northwest is Teatro alla Scala, where Pirelli, bless ’em, once got me an aisle seat to Weber’s Oberon. The Vertical Forest Milan is another favorite of mine. Its architect writes that it “promotes the coexistence of architecture and nature in urban areas….. it is a tower for trees inhabited by humans.”

Image from SimanaitisSays.

Venice. Discoverer recounts, “The entire city of Venice is a whole photo shoot waiting to happen. Each corner is more photogenic than the last, and while the Grand Canal and bustling San Marcos Square may be the most recognizable spots, it’s the hidden corners and narrow canal alleys that entrance visitors.”

“As a car enthusiast,” I wrote in ‘Venezia,’ “I cannot fathom why this Italian city with flooded streets should hold my attraction [other than Robert Benchley’s famous telegram]. Yet I seem to have accumulated quite a variety of books on Venice. Here’s a brief soggy bibliography, with a gallery of images from my own visit.”

I recounted my stay at the Grand Canal’s Royal Hotel Danieli: It was “home to George Sand and Alfred de Musset in 1833; it was my digs 160 years later.”

The Hotel Danieli, Venice, 1993. 

Sicily. “Strewn with Roman ruins, seaside fortresses, and charming villages,” Discoverer recounts, “Sicily embodies all the unique features of Italy in one stunning place. Beaches, history, hiking, and tremendous food all make Sicily a true Italian paradise.”

Sicily. Image from Discoverer.

Long a home of motorsports, Sicily is the only place in the world that once displayed a personal encouragement.

One of the more outrageous bits of motorsports graffiti, courtesy of Pirelli.

Thanks, Discoverer, for confirming these trips of entrancement. ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025