Walking tour celebrates Italy’s 150th anniversary

Roman scholars look closely at Garibaldi and the events of 1860 to paint a complex picture of the modern Italian state

Rome, November 29, 2010 – Context Travel has launched a new walking tour in Rome to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italy's unification. The walk, Garibaldi, Risorgimento, and the Birth of Italy, looks at some of the most relevant events that took place in Rome during the years leading up to 1861 and the locations where these events happened.

“Rome is often associated only with antiquities and Renaissance, ” says art historian and Context Rome manager Jessica Stewart. “But the Italian capital played a critical role in the events of the 1860s and the unification of Italy. These 19th century landmarks should be an integral part of anyone’s visit to Rome, especially in 2011 when Italy celebrates its 150th anniversary.”

Context’s Garibaldi, Risorgimento, and the Birth of Italy walking seminar starts in Rome’s Campo dei Fiori and defines the Risorgimento in Italy and the struggles that Rome faced while remaining under Papal rule. Using maps, drawings and documents from the time, Context docents will trace the development of the battle to bring Rome into the national fold, delving into the delicate relationship between the power of the Vatican and the new insurgent groups supporting Garibaldi.

Once the group has their historical bearings, the walk continues into Trastevere and up to the Gianiculum hill, a perfect vantage point to admire the city, but also home to such historically significant sites as the Mausoleum-Ossarium Gianicolense, Porta San Pancrazio and Piazzale Garibaldi. These were locations of seminal battles for the establishment of the Second Roman Republic, and finally the unification of Italy in 1861.

“All national stories get simplified over time,” says Context founder Paul Bennett. “But, once you start to penetrate beneath the surface of Italy’s founding story and learn about the fractious situation of local politics then, you gain a much better perspective on Italy today. This walk is the perfect way to gain that perspective.”

Garibaldi, Risorgimento, and the Birth of Italy is limited to 6 participants at a time. The walk is offered both privately on request and as a group walk every day of the week. Group walks are priced at Euro 65 per person, Private walks are available at Euro 290 per party.

For more information, visit the Context Travel website at:

www.contexttravel.com

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and graphic designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals – including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes – who organize and lead didactic walking seminars in several world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, New York, Istanbul, Philadelphia, Madrid, Athens, and Boston. Travel + Leisure has named Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs.