The Adventures of Flat Faith in Italy
Flat Faith came to visit Sophia's cousin who lives in Vicenza, Italy. Her cousin Tyler (and her husband Chris) live in Italy because Chris works at a U.S. Military base, Caserma Ederle, that is located there.
They get to experience living in Italy while still having some of the comforts of being around an American community.
Here are some of the amazing adventures they got to have with Flat Faith on her visit!
The City of Vicenza
Vicenza (VEE-chen-zah) is a city in northeastern Italy and it is in the Veneto region. (Italy has regions similar to states in the U.S. and Veneto is one of them.) This area has been populated since the 2nd or 3rd century BC! By 157 BC it was a part of the vast Roman Empire.
Vicenza is sometimes called "The City of Palladio"(pa-LAH-dio) because a very famous and influential architect, Andrea Palladio, designed more than 20 buildings in the city during his life in the 1500s.
Here is Faith (on the left) in downtown Vicenza by the most famous building in the city, The Basilica Palladiana. The clock tower was originally built as early as 1172, but it was updated many times. The building itself was renovated by Palladio in the 1500s, hence it's name.
In the middle photo Faith went to a big hill, called Monte Berico (MON-tay BER-ico), that overlooks the city. The views are beautiful, but it was so windy that day it felt like Faith was going to blow away! She was held very tight to make sure she didn't! In the last photo she was about to use the view-finder to look more closely at the mountains in the distance, called the Dolomites.
On top of the big hill with lovely views, is also The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico. (photo on the left) It was built in 1428, but has been updated many times by lots of different architects including Palladio.
The large square, or piazza, in front of the church is called Piazzale della Vittoria. It was built after World War 1 to celebrate the victory (that's where the name Vittoria comes from, and where the English name Victoria comes from too) and to remember those who had died in the war. The monument with the statue is called the Angel of Victory. (middle photo)
There is a long covered walkway called an arcade, or portico, that goes all the way up Monte Berico to reach the church and piazza at the top. It was built in the 1700s so that people could walk up to the church in the shade. Porticos are very common to see in northern Italy, and one of the longest in the world is just a couple of hours away from Vicenza, in Bologna Italy.
Food in Vicenza
Every region of Italy has different foods that are popular. You might be surprised to find out that foods Americans think of as "Italian" aren't always as popular in Italy. For instance, you would almost never find a dish called "spaghetti and meatballs". You can find spaghetti with a tomato or meat sauce, but you would have to order the meatballs separately, if they even have them on the menu!
In the Vicenza area a pasta dish called "bigoli con anatra" (BEE-go-lee cohn AHN-ah-tra) is one of the most popular things you'll find on restaurant menus. (left photo below) "Bigoli" is the type of pasta, and it's like a thicker spaghetti noodle. "Con anatra" means "with duck" and duck is very popular around here. It's ground up like beef and made into a ragu-type sauce. It's a mild, easy flavor that is eaten a lot. Faith was a good sport and tried it. She liked it too!
Something that is very popular all round Italy is gelato!! It's kind of like ice cream and it is delicious. Faith REALLY liked going out for gelato! You can get it in a cone or a cup and sometimes they'll put a little extra candy or cookie on top! (middle photo below)
Because Vicenza is not very far from the ocean (about an hour's drive), sea food is also extremely popular here and you'll find all kinds of sea food dishes at restaurants and lots of sea food to buy for yourself at grocery stores and local markets. Faith said "no thank you" to trying the octopus or squid she saw at the local grocery store! (photo right below)
Finally, one thing that IS Italian and is popular all around Italy, and in America too, is pizza! In most places in Italy the pizza has very thin crust and a sauce that is more tomato-y than in America. But it is just as delicious, if not more! Because it's so thin it's almost always eaten with a knife and fork, not just with your hands.
Christmas Markets in Northern Italy
Faith was lucky to be visiting during Christmas time, so she got to see some Italian Christmas markets. Christmas is called Natale (nah-TAL-ay) in Italian. Going to the markets is a big tradition, not only in Italy but across the rest of Europe too. You can find them in many, many towns and villages, big or small. They are usually full of locally-made goodies, all kinds of food and drinks, Christmas ornaments and decorations, and other fun winter items like scarves, hats, and slippers. Sometimes Santa is even there! Adults will drink hot wine and kids will drink hot chocolate to stay warm. It's a fun time for the whole family!
In the photos above, on the left she is entering the Christmas market in Verona, which is about an hour from Vicenza. In the middle she is at a booth with lots of meats and cheeses. In the photo on the far right, she had gone to Bolzano, a town known for being the gateway to the Dolomites mountain range, and also known for having a wonderful Christmas market. She found some other flat friends when she was there! It was really cool!
At markets like this, spices are often sold like you see in the photo on the left above, so you can get exactly the amount you want. Also very common throughout Italy during Christmas time are nativity scenes, called presepe (preh-SEH-pay). They are set up in churches, in piazzas, at Christmas Markets, and in homes. Christmas decor is often focused on the nativity scene. Italians will set up the nativity in early December but they will not put the baby Jesus in the scenes until mid-night on Christmas Eve.
More fun at the Bolzano Mercato Natale - Christmas Market!
At Caserma Ederle
Caserma Ederle or Camp Ederle (ED-air-lay) is a military complex in Vicenza, Italy, where the United States Army has troops stationed. The Vicenza Military Community is made up of soldiers, family members, civilians and military retirees. The post serves as the headquarters of United States Army Africa and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Caserma Ederle also serves as the headquarters of U.S. Army Garrison Italy. The post is named after Major Carlo Ederle, an Italian hero of World War I.
The winged lion is on the SETAF crest and is known as the “Lion of St. Mark”. It is a symbol of peace through strength. It is also a symbol of the city of Venice, and you can find statues and carvings of these winged lions all over the city. On the book part of the statue you can see the word "Pax", which means peace, in Latin.
Also at Ederle is an eternal flame that burns in remembrance of all the soldiers that fought and died for both Italy and the United States. Faith got to go to Ederle often and she visited the lion statue and the eternal flame.
Sophia has another family connection to Caserma Ederle. Her great-grandfather's brother (Joe Rodwell) was in the army and was stationed there in the 1960s with his family.
Getting Involved in the Community
When people are in the military or work for the government, they often move every few years. Rarely do they get to stay and live in one place for a long time. Moving so often can be hard and a little bit scary because you have to leave friends and family behind and start new. It can be very helpful to get involved in the local community, so you can meet new people and learn about fun, interesting activities that are available in your new home.
Sophia's cousin Tyler got involved in the theater program that is offered on the military base. Faith got to come to some rehearsals for a play they put on! It was really fun and turned out to be a wonderful way to meet lots of nice people.
Another important thing to do when you move to another country, is to try and learn the language. Tyler also signed up for Italian classes offered for free on the military base. Faith came along to class sometimes too. She helped put together a list of important basic Italian words and phrases that are a great start to learning the beautiful Italian language! (see third photo below)
Visiting Zagreb, Croatia
A super cool thing about living in Europe is that you are often very close to other countries. From northeastern Italy you can easily visit other countries like Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia just as easily as you can drive from North Carolina to Virginia or South Carolina.
After the Christmas holidays Tyler and her husband decided to visit the capital of nearby Croatia, Zagreb. The city has a rich history going all the way back to Roman times. These days it is both the political and cultural heart of Croatia.
Zagreb is easy to walk around. Faith went to the main square and found a statue of a famous Croatian army general, Ban Josip Jelačić (YEL-ah-chich), who fought for Croatia to be independent from Austria in the 1800s. She also went to a cute park that still had Christmas decorations up.
One of the "must-see" places in Zagreb is St. Mark's Church. (photo above left) It is one of the oldest architectural monuments in Zagreb because it dates back to the 1200s. The colorful roof tiles are a little bit newer though. They were added in the 1880s and show the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia on the left side, and the emblem of Zagreb on the right.
And a "must-eat" food in Zagreb is called štrukli (STR-ook-lee). (photo above right) It is popular in northern and northwestern Croatia and is made with pastry dough, cottage cheese, cream and then either savory or sweet ingredients. The one in the photo is honey walnut, but there was also one with basil and cheese. They were both so delicious and different. It is really cool to be able to try foods from another countries. It's an interesting way to learn more about the people and culture of that country.
Around The Neighborhood
Sophia's cousin doesn't live right in the middle of Vicenza, but is in an area about 15 minutes from the city center called Monticello Conte Otto (mon-tee-CHE-lo con-TAY OH-ttoh). And the closest town is very cute. There is always a church in the center of every town (photo on right) and you can see some of the other things in town listed on the signs (photo on left) - a pool, nursery school, secondary school (like junior high or middle school), and the library.
Something else that you'll see on corners all around Italy are street shrines, called Madonnelle (ma-don-EL-ay), that show a statue or painting of Mary, Jesus's mother. (middle photo) They are usually covered by glass or a canopy so they'll be protected from the weather and they have lights on them at night. They are there to inspire people to be good and not commit crimes because Mother Mary is always watching. As you can see in the photo, people will bring flowers and sometimes candles as offerings to her or to thank her for protection. This Madonnelle is at the corner of the street where Sophia's cousin lives.
Visiting Nearby Towns
When you move to a new place it's always a good idea to get out and see what is nearby. Luckily in Italy it's not hard to find interesting, historic places practically around the corner.
One weekend Faith went to Asolo, a town about 40 minutes from Vicenza. It's nicknamed "The City of a Hundred Horizons" because it's on a hill and you can see for miles all around it on a clear day - which this was not. It has also been named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
In the photo immediately below you can see the fortress called, La Rocca, on the top of the hill. It was built in the 1100s to house soldiers who were there to protect the town. In the photo further below on the left you can see Faith on one of the streets that still looks much like it would have in medieval times. And in the photo below on the right you can see Faith in the window of an ancient castle that was the home of Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus, Jerusalem and Armenia from1472-1489 and Lady of Asolo from 1489 - 1510.
In the photo immediately below you can see Faith outside of the famous Verona Arena. It was built in AD 30 and the shows and games performed there were so popular that people came from many other places, often very far away, to see them. The amphitheater could hold more than 30,000 spectators in ancient times. It is still used today for concerts and operas, but it only holds 15,000 people now.
Excitingly, it will be used as the Closing ceremony venue for the 2026 Winter Olympics and two weeks later will be used for the Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
Not my photo (immediately above) but cool shot of the arena at night.
In the first two photos below Faith was in Siena, Italy. Siena is the region of Tuscany and it's about 3 and half hours south west of Vicenza. The military base has an organization that puts together day trips to interesting places around Italy, so Faith got to go on this one to Siena.
Siena was one of the most important cities in medieval Europe, and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Siena is famous for its food, art, museums, medieval architecture and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year in its Piazza del Campo.
In the photo below on the left, you can see Faith checking out the Basilica of San Domenico, one of the most important churches in Siena. In the middle photo you can see Faith with the Torre del Mangia. It is a tower in the center of Siena built in the 1300s. It is in the main square, Piazza del Campo, next to the Palazzo Pubblico or town hall. When it was built it was one of the tallest secular (not church-related) towers in medieval Italy, but now it is the second tallest.
In the photo below on the right, Faith is in the small town of Cittadella. This interesting little town was founded in the 1200s and is completely surrounded by a wall that you can walk on top of, all the way around the city. In medieval times cities often had walls like this to protect them from people wanting to invade and take over. But there are not a lot of cities that still have the walls intact all the way around. The wall is from 46 to 52 feet tall and is surrounded by a moat on the outside. Faith got to walk around the entire wall.
Last Thoughts on Italy
What an adventure to get to visit such a beautiful and interesting country! Sophia's cousin had so much fun showing Faith around and sharing these experiences!
Photos from around the Veneto countryside.