Don’t bypass the Città Bassa

When you come out of the railway station in Piazza Marconi, or get off the bus from the airport outside the station, you will get your first glimpse of the Città Alta (upper town).
You can look down the long, straight Viale Papa Giovanni XX111 and enjoy a marvellous view of the old town in the hills beyond – 800 metres above sea level.
But don’t be in such a hurry to reach the Città Alta that you miss the best bits of the Città Bassa, which is an elegant town with some magnificent buildings erected in the last half of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century.
Walk down the Viale Papa Giovanni XX111 to the Sentierone (big path) which is flanked by smart cafes and turn to your right to go to see the 18th century Teatro Donizetti and the monument to the composer, erected in 1897 in the centenary year of his birth.
The area is characterised by large imposing buildings and wide pavements and is home to some beautiful architecture, housing banks, restaurants and shops.
On the other side of the road, the large and unusual monument to the partisans in Piazza Matteoti was a gift from the sculptor Giacomo Manzu to his home town in 1997.
Turn to the left and walk through the Porta Nuova and you will find both large department stores and smaller shops in colonnaded streets, well served by restaurants and bars.