The O
Big O
Story O
italy O
Courses O
of O
true O
love O
But O
soft O
what O
light O
through O
yonder O
window O
breaks O
It's O
the O
Bard's O
second O
home O
and O
there's O
plenty O
to O
take O
in O
writes O
Francesco O
da O
Mosto O
WILLIAM O
Shakespeare B-PER
set I-PER
a I-PER
third O
of O
his O
plays O
in O
Italy. O
Ahead O
of O
his O
new O
BBC O
series O
exploring O
the O
Bard's O
other O
country O
Francesco O
da O
Mosto O
takes O
us O
on O
a O
guided O
tour O
of O
Shakespeare's O
Verona O
Padua B-LOC
and O
Venice B-LOC
three O
fair B-LOC
cities O
in O
which O
he O
laid O
his O
scenes. O
Save O
for O
an O
obsession O
with O
cups O
of O
tea O
and O
apologising O
nothing O
defines O
English O
culture O
more O
than O
William O
Shakespeare. O
Yet O
truth O
be O
told O
the O
Bard O
had O
split O
loyalties. O
While O
many O
of O
his O
38 O
plays O
were O
set O
in O
''this O
sceptred O
isle'' O
of O
Britain O
13 O
of O
them O
were O
based O
or O
partly O
based O
in O
the O
sunnier O
climes O
of O
Italy. O
From O
the O
lovelorn O
streets O
of O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet's O
Verona O
and O
Julius O
Caesar's B-LOC
murderous O
machinations O
in O
Rome O
to O
the O
frothy O
mix O
of O
sex O
money O
and O
intrigue O
in O
Othello's O
Venice O
Shakespeare's O
fascination O
with O
Italy O
is O
a O
constant O
undercurrent O
of O
his O
work. O
His O
Italian O
settings O
are O
so O
crucial O
to O
his O
plots O
that O
they O
have O
become O
characters O
in O
their O
own O
right. O
There's O
no O
one O
better O
to O
explore O
the O
Bard's O
continuing O
influence O
in O
Italy O
than O
Francesco O
da O
Mosto O
a O
Venetian O
writer O
architect O
and O
the O
presenter O
of O
new O
BBC O
series O
Shakespeare O
in O
Italy. O
Francesco O
believes O
Shakespeare O
set O
some O
plays O
in O
Italy O
so O
he O
could O
tackle O
sensitive O
political O
topics O
without O
risking O
the O
displeasure O
of O
England's O
rulers. O
''In O
Shakespeare's O
time O
Italy O
was O
a O
place O
where O
anything O
could O
happen O
'' O
he O
says. O
''It O
contained O
both O
warring O
city O
states O
and O
sophisticated O
political O
entities O
like O
the O
Venetian O
Republic. O
By O
setting O
his O
plays O
in O
Italy O
Shakespeare O
could O
deal O
with O
issues O
including O
political O
assassinations O
such O
as O
the O
one O
in O
Julius O
Caesar O
that O
would O
have O
landed O
him O
in O
trouble O
if O
he'd O
set O
them O
in O
England.'' O
Shakespeare O
wasn't O
averse O
to O
pinching O
a O
few O
ideas O
from O
Italian O
writers O
either O
some O
claim O
he O
might O
have O
been O
Italian O
himself. O
''Many O
of O
Shakespeare's O
ideas O
came O
from O
Italian O
stories O
called O
'novellas' O
'' O
explains O
Francesco. O
''The O
Merchant O
of O
Venice O
was O
based O
on O
an O
Italian O
story O
about O
a O
money O
lender O
while O
the O
names O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet O
may O
have O
been O
taken O
from O
poet O
Luigi O
Da O
Porto.'' O
So O
without O
further O
ado O
about O
nothing O
here O
is O
Francesco's O
guide O
to O
some O
of O
Shakespeare's O
favourite O
Italian O
cities O
the O
grand O
northeastern O
trio O
of O
Verona O
Padua O
and O
Venice. O
Verona O
''In O
fair O
Verona O
where O
we O
lay O
our O
scene'' O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet O
Verona O
a O
wonderful O
city O
surrounded O
by O
hills O
arranged O
like O
banks O
of O
theatre O
seats O
is O
the O
city O
in O
which O
Shakespeare's O
legacy O
is O
felt O
strongest. O
There O
is O
a O
saying O
in O
Italy O
that O
''Venetians O
are O
great O
lords O
Paduans O
are O
great O
doctors O
people O
from O
Vicenza O
eat O
cats O
[during O
wartime O
allegedly] O
and O
people O
from O
Verona O
are O
all O
crazy''. O
People O
from O
Verona O
are O
full O
of O
life O
very O
funny O
and O
welcoming O
a O
curious O
breed O
who O
love O
to O
meet O
visitors O
and O
appreciate O
new O
influences. O
Verona O
was O
not O
thought O
of O
as O
a O
city O
of O
romance O
before O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet O
in O
fact O
not O
many O
people O
would O
have O
heard O
of O
it O
as O
it O
was O
very O
much O
in O
the O
shadow O
of O
Venice O
at O
that O
time. O
It O
is O
now O
regarded O
as O
one O
of O
the O
most O
romantic O
places O
in O
the O
world O
and O
thousands O
of O
lovers O
visit O
the O
city O
each O
year. O
We O
don't O
know O
whether O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet O
existed O
although O
Italian O
poet O
Dante O
did O
mention O
two O
feuding O
families O
called O
the O
Montecchi O
and O
the O
Cappelletti. O
But O
it's O
irrelevant O
in O
every O
one O
of O
us O
there O
is O
a O
Romeo O
or O
a O
Juliet. O
The O
city O
is O
full O
of O
sites O
associated O
with O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet. O
The O
famous O
balcony O
where O
Romeo O
is O
said O
to O
have O
declared O
his O
love O
to O
Juliet O
is O
close O
to O
Verona's O
main O
promenade O
although O
since O
the O
balcony O
was O
apparently O
added O
to O
a O
suitably O
old O
house O
in O
1936 O
it's O
doubtful O
it O
is O
the O
original. O
There O
is O
a O
statue O
of O
Juliet O
outside O
and O
her O
bedroom O
has O
been O
re O
created O
inside. O
The O
stone O
architecture O
of O
the O
building's O
courtyard O
entered O
through O
a O
little O
arched O
passageway O
has O
kept O
the O
other O
worldly O
atmosphere O
of O
ancient O
times. O
My O
favourite O
site O
in O
Verona O
is O
Juliet's O
tomb. O
It's O
in O
a O
13th O
century O
Franciscan O
convent O
where O
Juliet O
died O
in O
the O
play O
the O
only O
one O
outside O
the O
city O
walls O
at O
the O
time O
when O
the O
events O
were O
supposed O
to O
have O
taken O
place. O
People O
go O
there O
to O
pay O
tribute O
to O
Juliet O
and O
Shakespeare O
even O
Dickens O
visited. O
It O
really O
feels O
like O
one O
of O
the O
saddest O
places O
in O
the O
world. O
Casa O
di O
Giulietta O
via O
Cappello O
23 O
(+39 O
045 O
803 O
43 O
03) O
Tomba O
di O
Giulietta O
via O
del O
Pontiere O
9 O
(+39 O
045 O
800 O
03 O
61). O
See O
* O
Piazza O
delle O
erbe O
The O
finest O
square O
in O
the O
city O
ringed O
with O
cafes O
and O
full O
of O
locals O
catching O
up O
on O
the O
gossip. O
The O
Piazza O
is O
also O
home O
to O
some O
of O
Verona's O
finest O
architecture O
including O
the O
Baroque O
Palazzo O
Maffei. O
* O
Basilica O
di O
san O
Zeno O
Maggiore O
Said O
to O
contain O
the O
crypt O
where O
Romeo O
and O
Juliet O
were O
married O
this O
is O
an O
archetypal O
example O
of O
Romanesque O
architecture O
with O
a O
''wheel O
of O
fortune'' O
rose O
window O
and O
12th O
century O
bronze O
doors O
on O
its O
facade O
(admission O
$3; O
Piazza O
San O
Zeno; O
ph O
+39 O
045 O
800 O
61 O
20). O
Eat O
* O
Al O
Pompiere O
Al O
Pompiere O
means O
''the O
firefighter'' O
and O
this O
tavern O
still O
has O
the O
original O
owner's O
fire O
helmet O
on O
the O
wall. O
It's O
famous O
for O
its O
salami O
platters O
and O
Italian O
favourites O
such O
as O
braised O
beef O
ravioli O
(mains O
from O
$11; O
alpompiere.tv/en). O
* O
Bottega O
del O
Vino O
A O
spectacular O
wine O
list O
is O
reason O
enough O
to O
stop O
off O
here O
not O
to O
mention O
a O
menu O
of O
Venetian O
liver O
and O
suckling O
pig. O
Some O
wines O
have O
been O
bottled O
exclusively O
for O
the O
Bottega O
(from O
$25; O
anticabottegadelvino.net). O
* O
Anfitheatro O
B&B O
Situated O
close O
to O
the O
arena O
the O
Anfitheatro O
with O
its O
high O
ceilings O
attracts O
a O
thespian O
and O
operatic O
clientele O
(from O
$130; O
anfiteatro O
bedandbreakfast.com). O
* O
Casa O
Coloniale O
Cool O
hoops O
of O
colour O
ring O
the O
modern O
rooms O
of O
Casa O
Coloniale O
like O
a O
billiard O
ball O
it's O
a O
great O
location O
too O
just O
off O
the O
Piazza O
delle O
Erbe O
(from O
$100; O
casa O
coloniale.com). O
Further O
reading O
Tim O
Parks' O
A O
Season O
With O
Verona O
($19.95; O
Vintage) O
tells O
the O
story O
of O
an O
English O
writer O
following O
Verona's O
football O
team O
around O
Italy. O
Also O
try O
Lonely O
Planet's O
Italy O
guide O
($45.99). O
Padua O
''I O
come O
to O
wive O
it O
wealthily O
in O
Padua'' O
The O
Taming O
of O
the O
Shrew O
Shakespeare's O
early O
comedy O
The O
Taming O
of O
the O
Shrew O
written O
about O
1590 O
was O
one O
of O
his O
first O
plays O
set O
in O
Italy. O
He O
owed O
part O
of O
this O
story O
about O
a O
man O
who O
attempts O
to O
''train'' O
his O
new O
wife O
into O
a O
submissive O
spouse O
to O
a O
comedic O
play O
called O
I O
Suppositi O
by O
the O
poet O
Ludovico O
Ariosto. O
Shakespeare O
chose O
to O
set O
his O
play O
in O
Padua O
a O
city O
between O
Verona O
and O
Venice. O
The O
University O
of O
Padua O
was O
one O
of O
the O
first O
in O
the O
world O
and O
in O
Shakespeare's O
time O
the O
city O
was O
very O
well O
known O
as O
a O
centre O
of O
learning O
throughout O
Europe O
Galileo O
(of O
telescope O
fame) O
and O
Casanova O
(of O
sexual O
conquest O
fame) O
are O
both O
alumni. O
He O
wanted O
to O
turn O
this O
city O
of O
learning O
and O
science O
into O
a O
city O
of O
love O
and O
political O
incorrectness. O
He O
used O
its O
reputation O
rather O
than O
actual O
locations O
as O
a O
backdrop O
apart O
from O
the O
University O
he O
rarely O
mentions O
specific O
sites. O
Experience O
Shakespeare's O
Padua O
is O
by O
strolling O
around O
the O
university. O
There O
is O
a O
marvellous O
wooden O
anatomical O
amphitheatre O
in O
the O
Medical O
School O
that O
was O
built O
in O
the O
16th O
century O
where O
they O
dissected O
humans O
and O
animals O
for O
the O
students. O
It O
is O
still O
a O
leading O
medical O
university O
today. O
The O
life O
of O
the O
university O
runs O
thorough O
the O
city. O
It's O
lovely O
to O
walk O
through O
the O
portico O
walkways O
that O
run O
under O
the O
houses O
and O
into O
the O
Prato O
della O
Valle O
one O
of O
the O
main O
city O
squares. O
It O
is O
laid O
out O
like O
a O
formal O
Italian O
garden O
ringed O
by O
a O
canal. O
It O
feels O
like O
a O
little O
world O
to O
itself. O
University O
of O
Padua O
via O
8 O
Febbraio O
No2 O
(+39 O
049 O
827 O
8511) O
l O
Prato O
della O
valle O
via O
Michele O
Sanmicheli O
49 O
(+39 O
049 O
875 O
7367). O
See O
* O
Cappella O
degli O
Scrovegni O
Giotto's O
frescoes O
in O
this O
church O
revolutionised O
art O
in O
religious O
venues O
by O
giving O
biblical O
figures O
more O
humanistic O
features O
and O
characteristics O
inspiring O
none O
other O
than O
Leonardo O
da O
Vinci O
(admission O
from O
$17; O
www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it). O
* O
University O
of O
Padua O
The O
reason O
why O
Shakespeare O
used O
Padua O
as O
a O
location O
the O
University O
lies O
in O
the O
Palazzo O
del O
Bo O
take O
a O
tour O
of O
Galileo's O
lecture O
hall O
and O
see O
the O
world's O
first O
anatomy O
theatre O
(guided O
tours O
$6; O
www.unipd.it). O
Eat O
* O
Enoteca O
dei O
Tadi O
A O
warm O
welcome O
a O
cosy O
atmosphere O
and O
good O
Italian O
cuisine O
such O
as O
Venetian O
stew O
or O
homemade O
lasagne O
is O
on O
offer O
at O
Enoteca O
dei O
Tadi O
plus O
an O
excellent O
wine O
list O
(mains O
from O
$11; O
closed O
Mon; O
enotecadeitadi.it). O
* O
OsteriadalCapo O
A O
tiny O
trattoria O
often O
packed O
with O
locals O
tucking O
into O
traditional O
Veneto O
dishes O
such O
as O
liver O
and O
onions O
with O
grilled O
polenta. O
Deservedly O
popular O
be O
sure O
to O
book O
ahead O
(mains O
from O
$37; O
closed O
Sun; O
Via O
degli O
Obizzi O
2; O
+39 O
049 O
66 O
31 O
05). O
Sleep O
* O
Belludi37 O
At O
this O
flash O
but O
friendly O
boutique O
hotel O
most O
of O
the O
generously O
sized O
and O
neatly O
furnished O
rooms O
afford O
great O
views O
of O
the O
Basilica O
of O
St O
Anthony O
of O
Padua O
(from O
$140; O
belludi37.it). O
Further O
reading O
One O
of O
Oscar O
Wilde's O
earliest O
and O
lesser O
known O
plays O
romantic O
royal O
melodrama O
The O
Duchess O
of O
Padua O
($17.95; O
Digireads) O
is O
full O
of O
references O
to O
Shakespeare's O
portrayal O
of O
the O
city. O
Venice O
''What O
news O
on O
the O
Rialto O
'' O
The O
Merchant O
of O
Venice O
There O
is O
much O
debate O
about O
whether O
Shakespeare O
ever O
visited O
Italy. O
Some O
of O
his O
Italian O
plays O
display O
a O
lot O
of O
local O
knowledge. O
In O
Julius O
Caesar O
he O
describes O
an O
African O
style O
summer O
thunderstorm O
in O
Rome O
the O
type O
of O
storm O
which O
comes O
and O
goes O
very O
quickly O
and O
is O
just O
not O
found O
in O
England. O
And O
he O
seems O
to O
capture O
the O
Italian O
habit O
of O
talking O
a O
lot O
as O
we O
say O
''talking O
like O
a O
river''! O
Some O
argue O
that O
he O
could O
have O
found O
out O
about O
life O
in O
Italy O
by O
talking O
to O
merchants O
who O
arrived O
at O
the O
River O
Thames. O
But O
as O
there O
were O
no O
political O
relations O
between O
Venice O
and O
England O
during O
Queen O
Elizabeth O
I's O
reign O
that's O
doubtful. O
And O
interestingly O
nobody O
knows O
where O
Shakespeare O
was O
between O
1585 O
and B-LOC
1592 I-LOC
there O
is O
every O
chance O
he O
went O
to O
Italy. O
He O
set O
The O
Merchant O
of O
Venice O
and O
Othello O
in O
the O
city O
and O
mentions O
the O
Rialto O
Market O
area O
several O
times O
in O
The O
Merchant O
of O
Venice. O
He O
even O
talks O
about O
gondolas O
and O
''the O
tranect'' O
which O
could O
refer O
to O
the O
''traghetto'' O
ferry O
which O
transported O
people O
from O
Venice O
to O
the O
mainland. O
It O
still O
exists O
at O
several O
points O
along O
the O
Grand O
Canal. O
If O
he O
did O
visit O
Shakespeare O
would O
have O
spent O
his O
time O
wandering O
the O
streets O
eavesdropping O
on O
people's O
conversations O
and O
observing O
the O
goings O
on O
in O
shops O
and O
the O
market. O
A O
walk O
to O
the O
Rialto O
is O
certainly O
evocative O
of O
that O
time. O
The O
Palazzo O
Ducale O
with O
its O
magnificent O
Gothic O
facades O
and O
huge O
council O
hall O
is O
probably O
what O
he O
had O
in O
mind O
as O
the O
setting O
for O
the O
final O
courtroom O
scene O
in O
The O
Merchant O
of O
Venice O
while O
the O
two O
bronze O
figures O
on O
top O
of O
the O
Torre O
dell'Orologio O
clock O
tower O
in O
St O
Mark's O
Square O
are O
known O
as O
''i O
mori'' O
or O
''the O
Moors'' O
a O
key O
reference O
in O
Othello. O
In O
Shakespeare's O
time O
the O
''Venetian O
Ghetto'' O
was O
one O
of O
the O
only O
places O
in O
Europe O
where O
Jews O
were O
allowed O
to O
live O
and O
trade. O
The O
word O
''ghetto'' O
actually O
comes O
from O
an O
Italian O
word O
''gheto'' O
which O
means O
''slag'' O
as O
in O
the O
waste O
product O
from O
melting O
iron O
the O
main O
industry O
of O
that O
area O
in O
those O
days. O
Nowadays O
ghettos O
have O
negative O
connotations O
but O
back O
then O
this O
was O
a O
place O
of O
salvation. O
It O
was O
the O
first O
ghetto O
in O
the O
world O
and O
was O
the O
reason O
why O
Shakespeare O
had O
his O
character O
Shylock O
live O
in O
Venice. O
A O
Jewish O
community O
remains O
there O
are O
five O
synagogues O
and O
it O
is O
a O
fascinating O
place O
to O
explore O
with O
a O
relaxed O
peaceful O
atmosphere O
that O
feels O
a O
little O
removed O
from O
the O
rest O
of O
Venice. O