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It is very possible that you had big plans for this year, of course, we all did! but unfortunately with the unexpected situation that threatens the state of our health, it was necessary to take preventive measures which led us to a worldwide lockdown.
But we have to remain positive because these problems will not last forever and while you stay comfortable at home, you could be planning your next big trip! and Italy invites you!
As you may know, tourism is a very important part of the economy of many countries including Italy, for this reason after the situation of the pandemic, Italy wants to receive more tourists to revive not only its economy but also the beautiful streets and surprise: transport and accommodation are on your own.
In order to revive tourism, Sicily, popular Italian island offered to take care of half the cost of the tickets and a third of the hotel bill, plus a coupon for an extra night for every two nights at your local hotel. It’s estimated the Italian Government will use around $54m to fund the scheme after losses of more than $600m in the past two months.
But what kind of activities can you do while in Italy? This is a perfect guide you can follow to make a good, scary gothic vacation in Italy.
You can visit the coastal town in southern Italy, Otranto, place which inspired the place that inspired the first gothic novel «The Castle of Otranto» by Horace Walpole. The mesmerizing streets and architecture have often served as a muse and inspiration for writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and of course, Walpole
There is a certain romantic and spooky atmosphere when walking along the dark streets of Otranto as if you were instantly transported into a gothic novel. Rumor has it, that Otranto is haunted by an old atrocious event, a 15th-century massacre between two different religious groups. Besides being a stunning town, Otranto’s local history is also filled with darkness.
Now taking in another classic of the goth fiction, Ann Radcliffe. One of her greatest novels «The Italian» as you can guess, was based on various streets and monuments of Italy, all you need to do is take a train to the southern city of Naples.
Immerse yourself into the 19th-century with Radcliffe’s novel while you explore the surroundings, Naples church of church of San Lorenzo Maggiore which is found in the city’s historic center, the spooky skull-festooned church built by a cult called the Souls of Purgatory in the 17th century; this cult used to collect the bones of those who passed away, and pray in order to rescue their souls.
Another must-go site is the Museo Cappella Sansevero, which exhibits two anonymous skeletons whose entire circulatory systems are believed to have been supposedly mummified by a mad noble alchemist. While you are at it, you can manage to get a map that will show you the “Mysterious Naples” side, it includes spooky areas beyond even the English gothic imagination.
Allow yourself to search for more sites and wander the streets, getting a glimpse of many other gothic charms around Italy…
Would you like to take such a trip?
