Down With Utopia

"The distinction between Firenze and Florence that I mentioned seems inspiring. These are two realities, built on top of each other, which overlap geographically like different levels of reality, although they are impenetrable [...]. As for other important Italian cities, we can also talk about a similar split between the world in which the locals live, increasingly dependent on newcomers, and the world of tourists, mentally and materially far from the first one. Venice continues the long-standing tradition of a spectacle performed for tender souls, onlookers and newly married couples; For centuries, losing its financial and political importance, it became a hotbed of entertainment. Rome is called the Eternal City for a reason and combines many functions: religious, aesthetic, sightseeing; this has been the case since the early Middle Ages. The old European passion for travel and the pursuit of wonders of the world could be realized there, especially since there was enough material for many categories of travelers - from pilgrims to scientists. The history of Rome seen through someone else's eyes creates a huge library; few places on our planet have been described and admired to such an extent."