Genoa to the Brenner Pass Great Continental Railway Journeys


Genoa to the Brenner Pass

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I'm embarking on a new railway adventure that will take me

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across the heart of Europe.

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I'll be using this,

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my Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, dated 1913,

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which opened up an exotic world of foreign travel

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for the British tourist.

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It told travellers where to go, what to see,

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and how to navigate the thousands of miles of tracks

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crisscrossing the continent.

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Now, a century later,

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I am using my copy to reveal an era of great optimism and energy,

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where technology, industry, science and the arts were flourishing.

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I want to rediscover that lost Europe

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that in 1913 couldn't know that its way of life would shortly

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be swept aside by the advent of war.

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I'm starting a new rail journey through northern Italy,

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where Bradshaw tourists sought out picturesque coastal resorts

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and stunning mountain scenery.

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By the time of my guidebook,

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Italy had been a united kingdom for about 50 years,

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and was one of the largest countries in Western Europe.

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But its economy was relatively backward.

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And it had no empire to compare with those of Britain, Holland and France.

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What's more, some Italians argued that the unification process should

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continue, as numerous Italians lived outside the kingdom,

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as subjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary.

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The astute Bradshaw traveller might have detected a tendency towards

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nationalism and imperialism, which, as the 20th century progressed,

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would bring catastrophe to Italy.

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'Following railway lines carved through coastal cliffs

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'and mountain passes,

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'I'll learn how expansionist political ambitions

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'drove technology.'

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What do you say in Italian for "take that"?

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Prendi la mira.

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Prendi la mira!

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'And how modern innovation is reshaping the railway network today.'

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Fire!

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'I'll discover how, a century ago,

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'Britons made their mark on Italian culture, from motorsport...'

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He ordered a bottle of champagne and he poured a glass

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inside the radiator. Yeah.

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'..to football.'

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My country's future depends on this.

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'And get a taste of Edwardian era Italy.'

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Buono, buono, buono! I'm so excited!

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THEY SING IN ITALIAN

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Grazie.

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My journey will take me from the shores of the Mediterranean

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to the foothills of the Alps.

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Starting in Genoa, the capital of Liguria,

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I'll explore the Italian Riviera,

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taking in the luxury resort of Portofino

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and the naval city of La Spezia.

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Turning inland, I'll stop off at the gastronomic hot spot Parma,

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en route for the Alpine city of Trento,

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finishing my journey where the railway pierces the mountains

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at the Brenner Pass.

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My first port of call will be Genoa,

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which Bradshaw's tells me is the chief commercial city of Italy.

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"Viewed from the harbour, the beauty of the city is striking,

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"and this, associated with the number of its palaces, justifies

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"the qualification la superba."

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La superba means not so much superb as proud,

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possibly even arrogant.

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And I would like to know what made this city so high and mighty.

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TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITALIAN

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I arrive at the Stazione Piazza Principe,

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which my Bradshaw's describes as the principal railway station

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close to the old harbour.

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The ornate decorations denote the city's pride in its railways,

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but Genoa's primary love was the sea.

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The first thing the rail traveller sees

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is a statute to the most famous of all Genoese, Christopher Columbus,

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the first European to set foot in the Americas,

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who made a fortune for his royal patrons.

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Unfortunately for Italy, they were the King and Queen of Spain.

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But he personally was very charitable.

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He gave one-tenth of his wealth

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to the bank of St George in Genoa for the relief of taxation on food.

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Columbus might not have made Genoa rich,

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but as I arrive in this stunning city today,

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it's clear to me that something or someone did.

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True to my guidebook's description,

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the modern bustling harbour is backed by historic streets

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where lavish palazzi abound.

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I love these Genoa palaces.

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They're so ornate.

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They've got balustrades, and carvings, and little figurines.

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And I imagine the competition between the great rich families,

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the Spinola family saying to their architect, "Look,

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"those Grimaldis have got a fantastic cornice

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"and we have to have an even better one."

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How to keep up with the Grimaldis.

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I followed Bradshaw's to the palazzo-lined Via Grimaldi,

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where guide Paola Terrile will tell me about

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the source of this maritime city's wealth.

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Paola, when was the heyday of Genoa?

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The real heyday,

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the golden centre of Genoa, was between the 16th and 17th century.

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And why did Genoa become so rich and so successful?

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Because after the discovery of America in 1528,

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the Admiral Andrea Doria was in charge of the government

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and he made an alliance with Spain.

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Spain had financed Christopher Columbus and for everything that was

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discovered in the New World, it belonged to the Spanish crown.

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Andrea Doria put his fleet of ships at the service of the Spanish

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to fight the pirates in the Mediterranean

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and in exchange he obtained for Genoa

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the monopoly of all the transportation

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from the New World to the Mediterranean.

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As Genoese ships crossed the Atlantic, laden with sugar,

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spices, precious metals and tobacco from the Americas,

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the city's ship-owning families made their fortunes.

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During that period, Genoa became

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one of the most important financial centres in Europe.

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The merchants became so wealthy trading with the New World that

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they started to work as bankers.

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There was a saying that went like this - gold and silver are born in

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America, they die in Spain, but they are buried in Genoa.

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And I suppose it's because of that wealth that we have these lovely

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palaces which are mentioned in Bradshaw's?

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That's right, yes.

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This is the historic context when these mansions were built.

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And this street was called the Strada Nuova when it was built,

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which means the New Street.

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Because it was a new way of living.

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It was the first time in Europe when a group of families decided to build

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a private district.

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MALE CHORAL SINGING IN ITALIAN

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Today, the area around the Via Garibaldi is considered

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the "old town".

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But the city is no museum -

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Genoa is very alive and the energy is palpable.

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What's this kind of singing called?

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-It's Trallalero.

-Trallalero.

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And what's its origin?

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Do you know?

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Yes. The men who worked in the port began to sing to pass time.

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Then they exported everywhere in Genoa

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and it has become a very typical tradition here.

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-It's beautiful.

-Yes.

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HE INVITES HIM IN ITALIAN

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Do I want to listen to it in the centre? Grazie! Si, si.

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THEY SING IN ITALIAN

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Grazie!

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What a special moment. Grazie.

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I could linger in these lively streets for hours,

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but to understand the city better, I head to the waterfront

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to explore what is still Italy's most important commercial port.

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Last year, over 12 million tonnes of goods, packed into containers,

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left its harbour.

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After the country was united in 1861,

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the north of Italy raced to industrialise

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and to compete with its European neighbours.

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I'm meeting history professor Ferdinando Fasce,

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to discover the role that Genoa played in that transformation.

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By the end of the 19th century and 20th century,

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the golden age of the palaces is over.

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What is happening to Genoa then?

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Well, it was actually undergoing a new...

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something like a new golden age,

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because Genoa becomes a global city again

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due to international trade, shipping, shipbuilding

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and so forth and so on.

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How did the industrialisation of Northern Italy work?

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What were the components?

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Well, the components were three main places.

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That is Turin, Milan and Genoa.

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The so-called industrial triangle.

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The factories of that triangle needed to import coal for power.

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Where was coal coming from?

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Mostly from Britain because of the quality of the coal

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and also because of the long-standing relationship

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between Britain and Genoa.

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It sounds as though at the end of the 19th century,

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beginning of the 20th century,

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it's quite a strong link between Genoa and Britain.

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Did it leave its mark on the city?

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Absolutely, because there was quite a conspicuous community of British

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people living in the city -

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merchants, brokers, professionals, technicians.

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Those British ships and workers brought with them British customs,

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including a sport that the Italians would soon clutch to their hearts.

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It was British people who brought here football.

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How did that happen?

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Some British professionals working here decided to

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establish a cricket club,

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and that extended to comprise footballs as well

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and it was a guy named Spensley,

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who was a doctor on the British coal ships,

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who started all this business.

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Dr James Richardson Spensley arrived in 1897

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to care for the crews of British coal ships.

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He joined the expatriates at Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club

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and persuaded them to add a new game to their repertoire.

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So, do you mean the Italians didn't have football then?

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Actually, there was some kind of a football but it was quite different

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from the British football.

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A year later, Dr Spensley became manager,

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opened the club to Italians and changed the name

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to Genoa Cricket and Football Club,

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creating Italy's first official football team.

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In 1898, Genoa won the inaugural Italian national football championships

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and the rest is history.

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Fernando, you must be proud of the Genoa football team

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since it is so historic?

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Absolutely, yes.

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It has a great tradition.

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I do admire it even though I must say that I pull for the other team, Sampdoria.

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Today, Genoa CFC remains one of Italy's top teams.

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To make sure that it lives up to the city's proud footballing heritage,

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the club needs to nurture future talent.

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I'm dropping in on the youth squad, which trains at the Sciorba Stadium.

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Coach Manuel Rimassa has invited me to put my best foot forward.

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Hello, Manuel, I'm Michael.

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Nice to meet you, Michael.

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Very nice to meet you. What are the chances that one of these lads could be a star one day, do you think?

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Depends by them, is a difficult way.

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They increase their level training by training,

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day by day, month by month.

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But it is not a simple way.

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You need to be also lucky.

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Are these Genoa lads or

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are they from all over Italy?

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They are from Genoa or close to Genoa.

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This is our idea to find a player in our region, Liguria.

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Good, that's good, that's good.

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This is Genoa Cricket and Football Club.

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Does the name James Richardson Spensley mean something to you?

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He is special for us.

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He founded Genoa and created the football in Italy.

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How good is your cricket, Manuel?

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Not very well. I prefer football, for sure.

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What does Genoa CFC mean for you?

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Frank Sinatra say I feel you under my skin.

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I can say that about Genoa.

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You can feel Genoa under your skin.

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It's pure passion.

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'Who could resist such enthusiasm?

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'Maybe Manuel can succeed where others have failed

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'and make a goalkeeper out of me.'

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Ready!

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Come on, Michael, you can do better. Come on!

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Close, Michael.

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My country's future depends on this.

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'Che fermata! What a save!'

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After all that effort, I need to refuel.

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There's no better way to fill up a hungry Genoese footballer

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or dock worker than with a hearty plate of pasta

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served in the traditional local style.

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I've come to Bar Greta to be schooled in Genoa's signature dish

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by Mariapia Merzagora.

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-Hello.

-Hi. I'm Michael.

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Mariapia.

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Now, this is lovely. You have all the ingredients for pesto.

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Pesto. Genovese.

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This is very typical for Genoa, is it?

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Very, very typical - only in Genoa you can eat.

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So, what do you have here?

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So, is basil, then we have pine nuts, garlic,

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and Parmesan and hard Sardinian cheese.

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-I am your slave. Tell me how we make the pesto.

-Allora.

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'The word pesto means something that has been pounded.'

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-It's a lot of work.

-Yes.

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The great thing is, you lose more weight making it than you put on eating it.

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Yes, and then you can eat it again.

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Boss tells me that it's not done yet.

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Ancora un po'.

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Ancora un po'!

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Just a little.

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The secret of good pesto is...

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Muscle!

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-Basta.

-Basta sounds pretty rude

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but it's the Italian word for "that's enough".

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That's enough.

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-Basta!

-Basta!

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So, shall I put our lovely pesto on top?

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Shall we taste?

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-Shall we taste it?

-OK.

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-Congratulations.

-That's wonderful.

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A delicious end to a glorious day in Genoa.

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All that remains is to find a bed for the night

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and I'm sure that La Superba

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will not disappoint.

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I'm checking into the Bristol Hotel.

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An advertisement in Bradshaw's tells me that it is high-class in every

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respect, and patronised by royalty.

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It was also a favourite haunt of the film director Alfred Hitchcock

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and in his movie Vertigo

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a long flowing staircase like this one appears.

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Spooky.

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Arrivederci, Genoa.

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It's time I took to the tracks.

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I'm boarding my next train at Genova Brignole.

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This is the second railway station that I've used in Genoa

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and they're both magnificent.

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My short journey will take me 25km south-east

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along the rugged Riviera di Levante.

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The landscape of Italy, the topography, is uncompromising.

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Over much of the country you have steep-sided mountains,

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from coast to coast, that reach right down to the sea.

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And so in the 19th-century,

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the railway engineers had no option but to build vast numbers of tunnels

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linked by very large numbers of viaducts.

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And when, a century later, Italy came to build its motorways,

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the whole process had to be repeated.

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The tracks that won their battles with the landscape here in

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the 19th century made previously remote settlements

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accessible for Edwardian tourists.

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I've arrived at Santa Margherita Station

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and Bradshaw's tells me that "a beautiful road leads

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"to the village of Portofino.

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"A little port snugly sheltered in a bay near the south-east extremity of

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"a headland. Population of 1,500, mostly fishermen,

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"here lace is made by the women."

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Well, I should think that in the last century

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few places have changed more than Portofino.

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Apparently, Portofino was founded by the Romans

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with the name Portus Delphini

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because of the plethora of dolphins that populated its waters.

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Bellissimo. Gracie. Arrivederci.

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This natural harbour once provided a safe haven for the merchant fleet

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of Genoa. As trade expanded, it soon outgrew its confines,

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leaving only the fishing vessels

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that remained at the time of my guidebook.

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These days it's glamorous pleasure craft rather than working boats

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that first strike the visitor.

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I took an early train this morning,

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and because of that I'm seeing Portofino as it is now rarely seen,

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with no people in it.

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It just makes it a little bit easier to imagine it with those fishermen

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and those lacemaking women.

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'I'm overdue for breakfast,

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'and I'm meeting Natalie Mayor from the Hotel Splendido.'

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-Hello.

-Good morning, hello.

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-It is lovely to see you.

-Very good to see you.

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-How are you?

-Oh, very well.

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What a lovely breakfast. Thank you very much.

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I see these enormous yachts here of the rich and famous,

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so Portofino has changed quite a bit, hasn't it?

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Well, it's changed in a certain way

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because it was a fisherman village a long time ago

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but it is still today.

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Each day our fishermen on the little boats that you can see over there,

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they will go to fish, to refurnish all the local restaurants.

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So there is a big contrast here in Portofino

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between tradition and luxury.

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When did Portofino begin to attract tourists?

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It started maybe thanks to the railway

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because before, there was just one road to come to Portofino,

0:21:520:21:55

or by boat, and the railway helped people to be able to come in.

0:21:550:22:01

Portofino started to become famous.

0:22:010:22:03

It's easy to see why this lovely town

0:22:040:22:07

appealed to early railway tourists.

0:22:070:22:10

But 77 years after the tracks arrived,

0:22:100:22:13

Portofino's future hung in the balance.

0:22:130:22:15

In April 1945, as German troops retreated from Italy,

0:22:150:22:20

the local commandant was ordered to destroy Portofino.

0:22:200:22:24

The town is beautifully preserved and I'm quite surprised.

0:22:240:22:27

I mean, for example, why was it not damaged during the war?

0:22:270:22:30

Portofino was very, very lucky thanks to a very important woman.

0:22:300:22:34

She's called Jeannie Von Mumm.

0:22:340:22:35

Actually, she was from Glasgow.

0:22:350:22:37

So a British woman married with a German.

0:22:370:22:40

They were living here during the Second World War.

0:22:400:22:42

She knew that the German commandant had the order to blow up the village

0:22:420:22:47

and she just implored him and asked him not to do it,

0:22:470:22:51

so she saved the village of Portofino,

0:22:510:22:52

and that's why today it is such a beautiful place.

0:22:520:22:56

Six months later,

0:22:580:22:59

Jeannie received a letter from the imprisoned commandant.

0:22:590:23:02

It read, "I can say to you today that I had the order to blow up

0:23:020:23:07

"the whole mountain. You were my good angel."

0:23:070:23:09

In 1949, she was made an honorary citizen of Portofino.

0:23:110:23:15

That is a fantastic story.

0:23:180:23:20

So Portofino has to be very grateful to Jeannie from Glasgow.

0:23:200:23:23

Absolutely. Fantastic, isn't it?

0:23:230:23:26

Portofino has since been a playground for a Who's Who of 20th-century power and glamour.

0:23:260:23:31

Many have stayed at the Hotel Splendido, which opened in 1902

0:23:310:23:36

on the site of a 16th-century clifftop monastery.

0:23:360:23:39

The main period was in the '50s, you know.

0:23:410:23:44

During La Dolce Vita, when Liz Taylor came here several times.

0:23:440:23:48

She came four times for the honeymoon, with four different husbands.

0:23:480:23:51

Ava Gardner, Alain Delon, Humphrey Bogart but also Winston Churchill,

0:23:510:23:56

or the Prince of Monaco.

0:23:560:23:57

Royal persons, royal families and nowadays we have a lot of VIPs,

0:23:570:24:02

important designers are living here like Dolce and Gabbana, or Armani.

0:24:020:24:06

Tempting though it is to idle in La Dolce Vita of Portofino,

0:24:130:24:17

I'm continuing 47km south-east with my Bradshaw's.

0:24:170:24:22

The line along the coast from Genoa to Pisa

0:24:300:24:33

was completed in 1874 and this section,

0:24:330:24:37

clinging to the cliffs from Sestri Levante to La Spezia,

0:24:370:24:40

was the toughest engineering challenge on the route.

0:24:400:24:43

Bradshaw's description in this area is absolutely on track.

0:24:470:24:51

"Numerous cuttings and short tunnels,

0:24:510:24:53

"villages huddled in narrow valleys or on the equally narrow seaboard.

0:24:530:24:59

"Lemon groves, palm trees, handsome villas."

0:24:590:25:03

I'm headed for Vernazza, after changing at Levanto,

0:25:030:25:07

to find out how, amongst all the tourism,

0:25:070:25:10

the traditional way of life survives.

0:25:100:25:12

This rail journey is the big tease - between the tunnels,

0:25:300:25:33

tiny glimpses of paradise.

0:25:330:25:35

This dramatic strip of coast on the Riviera di Levante

0:25:410:25:45

encloses five isolated and impossibly picturesque villages

0:25:450:25:49

known as the Cinque Terre.

0:25:490:25:51

Amongst them, Vernazza has the only secure harbour

0:25:560:25:59

and it presents a striking spectacle, lined with quaint houses,

0:25:590:26:04

painted in a dizzying array of colours.

0:26:040:26:07

It's even suggested that fishermen offshore could easily identify

0:26:070:26:10

their homes, and check that their wives were hard at work.

0:26:100:26:14

One of the great things about these villages, the Cinque Terre,

0:26:180:26:21

is that they are inaccessible, or virtually inaccessible, by car.

0:26:210:26:25

You either go by train or you walk,

0:26:250:26:27

and there are the most fantastic walks

0:26:270:26:30

between one village and the next.

0:26:300:26:32

You go up steps, they're very vertiginous, they're exhausting,

0:26:320:26:36

you get very hot - they're one of the best experiences of your life,

0:26:360:26:41

and they get you away from the tourists.

0:26:410:26:44

What a stunning place.

0:26:530:26:54

I mean, you can complain that it is absolutely mobbed with tourists,

0:26:540:26:57

but just look at it.

0:26:570:26:59

The buildings are just lovely and the rock formation,

0:26:590:27:02

the topography, just spectacular.

0:27:020:27:05

The villages and coast line were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.

0:27:090:27:14

And two years later,

0:27:170:27:18

the Cinque Terre became an Italian national park.

0:27:180:27:21

'Fisherman Pepe Martelli is my guide to the local azure waters.'

0:27:280:27:33

THEY SPEAK IN ITALIAN

0:27:330:27:36

Pepe, these lovely villages are now full of tourists.

0:27:410:27:44

Is there still a business for fishermen?

0:27:440:27:47

Well, not exactly.

0:27:470:27:49

For us, when the national park was born

0:27:490:27:53

and when tourists became to come much more than before

0:27:530:27:56

it was the beginning of the end.

0:27:560:28:00

I'm sorry to hear that. But you still go fishing?

0:28:000:28:03

Yes. I still go fishing and I am happy to be a fishermen but it was

0:28:030:28:07

necessary for the park to have a no-fishing area

0:28:070:28:11

and the area was declared

0:28:110:28:13

in the place in which we were used to go fishing,

0:28:130:28:16

by our lamps during the night.

0:28:160:28:19

Now I try to continue my work with the possibility that I have,

0:28:190:28:23

but I had to change.

0:28:230:28:24

I am a supporter of sustainable fishing

0:28:240:28:27

and so I want to work with the park.

0:28:270:28:31

The Cinque Terre are moving with the times.

0:28:310:28:35

Just as they did back in 1874,

0:28:350:28:36

when the new coastal line between Sestri Levante and La Spezia

0:28:360:28:40

opened for business.

0:28:400:28:42

The railways must have made an enormous change to these villages.

0:28:420:28:45

Yeah, of course, it is true.

0:28:450:28:47

When the train arrived it was so important.

0:28:470:28:49

I remember, also, when I was a little boy,

0:28:490:28:52

I went to La Spezia with 500 kilos of sardines, by train.

0:28:520:28:57

It was the only possibility that we had to go to the market.

0:28:570:29:01

What other change did the railway make?

0:29:010:29:03

When someone was ill and it was necessary to bring him to the hospital,

0:29:030:29:07

they went to the train station and they stopped any train,

0:29:070:29:13

because they had no ambulance, no car, no street.

0:29:130:29:16

And so it was absolutely necessary.

0:29:160:29:19

You know, most of us who come as tourists,

0:29:190:29:21

we see these lovely villages from the land

0:29:210:29:23

but we don't see them from the water.

0:29:230:29:25

You get a very special view.

0:29:250:29:27

Yes. I know that I have a privilege.

0:29:270:29:31

And today, Pepe, you've shared the privilege with me.

0:29:310:29:33

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:29:330:29:35

Yeah.

0:29:350:29:36

Ciao, Pepe!

0:29:360:29:38

A new day, and my next train beckons.

0:29:540:29:58

Having followed the coastline from Genoa,

0:30:080:30:10

I'm now embarking on the final stretch of my Riviera route

0:30:100:30:13

towards La Spezia.

0:30:130:30:15

From there, I'll turn inland

0:30:150:30:17

towards the cultural and culinary treasures of Parma.

0:30:170:30:21

My journey then takes me north

0:30:210:30:23

to the Alpine towns of Rovereto and Trento

0:30:230:30:26

before finishing at the Brenner Pass on Italy's Austrian border.

0:30:260:30:29

It's well known that the First World War was preceded by a dangerous

0:30:360:30:40

arms race between the German and British navies, but listen to this,

0:30:400:30:44

from Bradshaw's -

0:30:440:30:45

"The Italian Navy at the time had 15 battleships, 21 cruisers,

0:30:450:30:50

"35 destroyers and 18 submarines" - the navy of an ambitious country.

0:30:500:30:56

I'm arriving in La Spezia.

0:30:560:30:58

The guidebook tells me that it's "a naval port with the largest arsenal and dockyard in Italy."

0:30:580:31:05

Edwardian travellers came here to admire the so-called Bay of Poets,

0:31:170:31:22

frequented by Lord Byron, where Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned.

0:31:220:31:25

By the time of my guide, verses had given way to vessels.

0:31:260:31:30

The royal government commissioned a naval arsenal here in 1861,

0:31:320:31:37

as Italy consolidated its unification.

0:31:370:31:40

And La Spezia is still one of the most important Italian naval bases.

0:31:400:31:45

Gregory Alecci is an expert in Italian military history.

0:31:450:31:49

Gregory, why is it that La Spezia becomes, as my guidebook tells me,

0:31:490:31:53

the premier naval port and dockyard for Italy?

0:31:530:31:57

Well, La Spezia as such is a natural harbour.

0:31:570:32:01

Well defended, which is something navies always look for.

0:32:010:32:04

In broader terms,

0:32:040:32:05

the newly-minted Italian nation intended to build up its navy.

0:32:050:32:09

It grew fourfold within 30 years.

0:32:090:32:13

By the turn of the century, it was the world's third-largest navy.

0:32:130:32:16

Then, in 1911, just before my guidebook was published,

0:32:170:32:21

Italy decided to flex its new-found military muscle.

0:32:210:32:24

In a bid to compete with its imperial neighbours,

0:32:250:32:29

Italy invaded Libya,

0:32:290:32:30

then controlled by the Ottoman Empire.

0:32:300:32:32

The invasion was welcomed by Italian nationalists,

0:32:340:32:37

but the Libya campaign also marked a seminal moment

0:32:370:32:41

in European military history.

0:32:410:32:43

To hear the story, Gregory and I are taking to the sky.

0:32:430:32:46

La Spezia was where the Italian Navy had its first flight experiments.

0:32:540:32:58

During the war with Libya,

0:32:580:33:00

Italy made the first real war operational flights in the world.

0:33:000:33:05

And what use did Italy make of aircraft in Libya?

0:33:050:33:09

Well, over the eight or nine months of the campaign,

0:33:090:33:12

they actually tried everything.

0:33:120:33:15

Scouting, so looking for the enemy.

0:33:150:33:17

Messages. They would report what they had seen

0:33:170:33:20

to troops on the ground,

0:33:200:33:22

literally scribbling notes and dropping them out of the window.

0:33:220:33:26

And eventually something more offensive - dropping bombs.

0:33:260:33:30

An engineer by the name of Giulio Gavotti

0:33:300:33:33

took to the air carrying a small case of 3lb bombs.

0:33:330:33:38

He would put the bomb in a tube,

0:33:380:33:39

and it would be projected well clear of any obstacles.

0:33:390:33:43

And it worked.

0:33:430:33:44

The first hits had great psychological effect.

0:33:440:33:47

The troops and the people on the ground were frightened.

0:33:470:33:50

This was completely new to them.

0:33:500:33:52

Gavotti's bombing had only a modest direct effect,

0:33:530:33:56

but with his flights over Libya, he expanded the scope of warfare,

0:33:560:34:00

helping to shape the conflicts of the 20th century.

0:34:000:34:04

So, the Italians invent aerial bombardment.

0:34:040:34:08

As an historian, what's the significance of that?

0:34:080:34:10

Rather than having to take every inch of ground

0:34:100:34:13

as in the First World War,

0:34:130:34:14

from a great distance, you can achieve results.

0:34:140:34:18

You can hit Germany from Britain.

0:34:180:34:21

You can hit Japan from an obscure island in the Pacific.

0:34:210:34:26

And the idea is that you can shorten war.

0:34:260:34:28

And that idea is still with us today.

0:34:280:34:31

While the Mediterranean remains the focus for the Italian military....

0:34:350:34:39

Buon giorno.

0:34:390:34:40

'..the challenges and the technologies available to confront them are always changing.'

0:34:400:34:45

WHISTLE BLOWS

0:34:470:34:49

'Captain Giancarlo Ciappina honours me

0:34:500:34:52

'by piping me aboard his frigate.'

0:34:520:34:54

Good morning, Michael.

0:34:540:34:56

Welcome onboard the ITS Virginio Fasan.

0:34:560:34:59

Captain Ciappina. Onore e privilegio mio.

0:34:590:35:02

-Oh, very nice meeting you.

-Thank you.

0:35:020:35:04

Captain, this ship, which I think you call a frigate,

0:35:070:35:10

is actually extremely capable.

0:35:100:35:12

What is it built to do?

0:35:120:35:14

This is a multipurpose frigate.

0:35:140:35:15

So it's supposed to do a lot of missions.

0:35:150:35:18

Conventional warfare, anti-piracy, illegal immigration control,

0:35:180:35:22

protection of our traffic lines in the Mediterranean Sea.

0:35:220:35:26

Today, how big is the Italian Navy?

0:35:260:35:28

The Italian Navy is going through a programme of renewal.

0:35:280:35:31

This frigate is the second one of a programme of ten frigates that are

0:35:310:35:36

being delivered to the navy, and this is the newest ship in the navy.

0:35:360:35:40

The Italian Navy is getting smaller and smaller,

0:35:400:35:43

but of course it is increasing in its technology and capabilities.

0:35:430:35:47

In today's unpredictable world,

0:35:490:35:51

armed forces must be prepared for anything.

0:35:510:35:53

Should piracy re-emerge as a threat in the Mediterranean,

0:35:550:35:58

frigates like this will be in the front line.

0:35:580:36:00

Meanwhile, Captain Ciappina allows me to indulge

0:36:030:36:07

my swashbuckling fantasies.

0:36:070:36:09

Please, Michael, I'm going to show you right now our self-defence gun.

0:36:110:36:15

This gun is a 25mm gun.

0:36:150:36:18

And this is used, of course, against small targets.

0:36:180:36:21

Just have a comfortable seat over here.

0:36:210:36:23

And just be very gentle.

0:36:230:36:26

Now, lift this, and you can move it.

0:36:260:36:28

Ah, bene.

0:36:280:36:31

Here we go. That's the way.

0:36:310:36:33

Up and down, you move the barrel, this way.

0:36:330:36:35

-All right.

-Captain,

0:36:360:36:38

I'm just going to drop the barrel to take aim at that pirate.

0:36:380:36:42

What do you say in Italian for "take that!"?

0:36:420:36:44

-Prendi la mira!

-Prendi la mira!

0:36:440:36:46

I'm leaving La Spezia and the Italian Riviera behind.

0:36:510:36:54

My next train is carrying me inland into the province of Emilia Romagna,

0:36:560:37:00

which lies between Italy's Mediterranean shores

0:37:000:37:03

and the cooler mountains to the north.

0:37:030:37:06

This region's unique microclimate has helped to make it a magnet

0:37:100:37:14

for gastronomes.

0:37:140:37:15

I'll shortly be arriving in Parma.

0:37:170:37:18

Bradshaw's promises, "a cathedral, libraries,

0:37:180:37:21

"collections of paintings and antiquities."

0:37:210:37:25

But at this stage of the journey, I need not just food for thought,

0:37:250:37:28

but food, and Parma goes together with ham like love and marriage.

0:37:280:37:34

And I want a slice of it.

0:37:340:37:35

According to my 1913 guide,

0:37:530:37:55

"Parma is a place of very old foundation

0:37:550:37:58

"but presents a quite modern appearance."

0:37:580:38:00

On first impressions,

0:38:000:38:02

Parma has lost none of its fin de siecle charm.

0:38:020:38:06

For a classic taste of the city,

0:38:060:38:08

I head for a traditional shop run by Silvano Romani,

0:38:080:38:11

and his father before him,

0:38:110:38:13

since 1965.

0:38:130:38:15

-Buona sera.

-Michael.

-Ciao.

0:38:150:38:17

Sono Silvano.

0:38:170:38:19

-Piacere.

-Ciao.

0:38:190:38:20

You want to cut some prosciutto with us?

0:38:200:38:22

Yes, grazie!

0:38:220:38:24

De la?

0:38:240:38:25

Parma ham has been recognised as a delicacy for centuries.

0:38:260:38:31

The pigs are fed on the whey that's drained from the curd while making

0:38:310:38:34

Parmesan cheese.

0:38:340:38:36

The resulting ham is air dried and the humidity in Parma contributes to

0:38:360:38:41

its unique flavour.

0:38:410:38:42

-Molto gentile.

-Molto gentile.

0:38:430:38:45

-Piu veloce.

-Piu rapido. A bit faster.

0:38:480:38:51

OK, bravissimo!

0:38:510:38:52

Bring the knife up...

0:38:520:38:54

HE SPEAKS ITALIAN

0:38:540:38:55

-Oh!

-Buono, buono!

-Buono, buono, buono!

0:38:570:38:59

I'm so excited!

0:38:590:39:00

Michael, number one!

0:39:000:39:02

-Can we taste it?

-Si, si!

0:39:020:39:05

I'm going to start with some Parmesan cheese.

0:39:070:39:10

Trenta mesi in montagna.

0:39:100:39:12

30 months old...

0:39:120:39:14

HE CONTINUES IN ITALIAN

0:39:140:39:16

Absolutely pure. Milk and salt.

0:39:200:39:22

Milk from the mountain. Wonderful.

0:39:240:39:26

Mmm!

0:39:260:39:27

The longer it sits, the more flavourful it is.

0:39:270:39:30

Well, this is immensely flavourful.

0:39:300:39:32

Fantastico! Auguri!

0:39:330:39:35

-Congratulations!

-Grazie!

0:39:350:39:38

You may think me cheesy,

0:39:380:39:40

but in Parma, I'm a ham!

0:39:400:39:42

Ha-ha!

0:39:450:39:46

-She does understand!

-Yes, I did!

0:39:460:39:49

As well as its culinary delights, Parma provides a musical feast.

0:39:540:39:58

Composer Giuseppe Verdi was born just 20 miles away, in 1813.

0:39:580:40:03

A century later, when my guidebook was still hot off the press,

0:40:050:40:09

tourists flocked here to honour Parma's most famous son.

0:40:090:40:12

I'm thrilled to be invited to the world-famous Teatro Regio,

0:40:170:40:21

one of Italy's most prestigious opera houses,

0:40:210:40:24

to hear the story from general manager Anna Maria Meo.

0:40:240:40:28

Anna, it seems that in 1913 you had the most enormous celebration

0:40:280:40:33

of Verdi's centenary.

0:40:330:40:35

Of course. It was a need to celebrate Verdi.

0:40:350:40:39

It was a special need by all the population here in Parma.

0:40:390:40:43

They wanted to honour the composer in the best way possible.

0:40:430:40:48

The three month-long exhibition

0:40:480:40:51

featured a dazzling array of attractions,

0:40:510:40:54

including performances,

0:40:540:40:55

displays of industrial and agricultural prowess

0:40:550:40:58

and sporting tournaments.

0:40:580:41:00

So, what does Parma feel about Verdi?

0:41:010:41:05

Something that is part of the heart.

0:41:050:41:07

Verdi's lovers, they know every single note,

0:41:070:41:11

they know every single word of the librettos,

0:41:110:41:14

so whoever sings here has a very difficult judgment

0:41:140:41:19

from the loggionna,

0:41:190:41:20

which is the balcony, which are the more popular seats.

0:41:200:41:24

So the singers are worried about what's going on in the cheap seats?

0:41:240:41:27

Very, very worried

0:41:270:41:29

because if the loggionna doesn't like your interpretation,

0:41:290:41:33

they don't hesitate to boo.

0:41:330:41:35

They are like soccer fans.

0:41:350:41:38

Entering the exquisite auditorium of the Teatro Regio,

0:41:430:41:47

it's hard to imagine fans heckling from the ornate balcony.

0:41:470:41:51

I'd love to settle into a seat here for a performance of Rigoletto

0:41:530:41:57

or Aida, but I have the privilege of getting behind the curtain

0:41:570:42:01

with a backstage pass.

0:42:010:42:03

For centuries, before television and cinema,

0:42:040:42:07

these buildings were the places where performers hatched illusions,

0:42:070:42:13

and I like opera because it is today I think the most complex thing,

0:42:130:42:18

bringing together orchestra, soloists,

0:42:180:42:21

chorus, dancers, sets, lighting,

0:42:210:42:26

magic.

0:42:260:42:28

Every October, the Teatro Regio organises a Verdi season.

0:42:310:42:36

Co-director Saskia Boddeke is rehearsing her production

0:42:360:42:40

of his early work, Giovanna D'Arco,

0:42:400:42:43

which tells the story of the martyred Joan of Arc.

0:42:430:42:46

-Hello, I'm Michael.

-Hello, nice to meet you.

0:42:480:42:50

Very good to see you. Thank you for taking a moment while you're putting

0:42:500:42:53

your production together.

0:42:530:42:55

Why is Verdi enduringly popular, do you think?

0:42:550:42:58

I think because it's possible to

0:43:000:43:02

connect the content of what he's saying,

0:43:020:43:05

it's very political,

0:43:050:43:07

to what's happening now, and that is, I think, why he stays popular.

0:43:070:43:10

Verdi strongly supported

0:43:120:43:15

the unification of Italy's disparate states into a single country.

0:43:150:43:19

Some of his works,

0:43:190:43:20

such as the famous Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves,

0:43:200:43:23

were adopted as unofficial anthems of Italian nationalism,

0:43:230:43:28

and Verdi even served in the united Italy's first parliament.

0:43:280:43:33

Saskia's interpretation of Joan Of Arc

0:43:330:43:36

will itself raise plenty of political issues.

0:43:360:43:39

I don't know how a director works.

0:43:390:43:42

What are you working out now with these cubes?

0:43:420:43:44

Well, this is the end of the opera,

0:43:440:43:47

because I'll use actually nothing of stage or props, only these cubicles.

0:43:470:43:52

At the end of the opera, Giovanna has died

0:43:520:43:55

and we build up with these cubicles a wall

0:43:550:43:58

and then we will have a video on it of a dance,

0:43:580:44:00

and the children, refugee children, around Europe.

0:44:000:44:03

A contemporary reference.

0:44:030:44:05

Yes, absolutely.

0:44:050:44:07

CHORUS SINGS IN ITALIAN

0:44:070:44:09

HE GIVES INSTRUCTIONS

0:44:130:44:15

The great Verdi choruses were repeated

0:44:330:44:36

by crowds of patriotic Italians in their day,

0:44:360:44:39

but it's fascinating to see how the professional chorus has to

0:44:390:44:43

rehearse again and again to achieve perfection.

0:44:430:44:47

Un cappuccino, per favore.

0:45:070:45:10

My train ride today will take me to a huge change of scenery

0:45:140:45:18

and of culture.

0:45:180:45:20

With 170km to cover on this leg of my journey,

0:45:260:45:30

I'm taking the fast train.

0:45:300:45:32

It carries me north-east,

0:45:320:45:34

across the fertile plains of the Po Valley

0:45:340:45:36

and toward the foothills of the Alps.

0:45:360:45:39

A century ago, the traveller on this line would shortly have crossed into

0:45:460:45:51

Austria-Hungary, because the border in those days ran along

0:45:510:45:55

the northern shore of Lake Garda,

0:45:550:45:58

even though many Italian speakers lived further north.

0:45:580:46:03

After the First World War,

0:46:030:46:05

the victorious Allies redrew the border with Austria

0:46:050:46:09

here at the Brenner Pass, and the rechristening of these towns

0:46:090:46:14

with Italian names began.

0:46:140:46:17

High-speed train, alpine scenery. Bradshaw's says,

0:46:250:46:29

"In South Tyrol, a wonderful route leads over the Fugazza Pass."

0:46:290:46:35

The Alps, which had so long been a challenge for railway engineers,

0:46:350:46:39

proved, by the time of my Bradshaw's,

0:46:390:46:42

to be a superb testing ground for the nemesis of the train -

0:46:420:46:46

the motor car.

0:46:460:46:48

Tucked into a beautiful mountain landscape,

0:47:040:47:07

Rovereto is built along the Adige River

0:47:070:47:10

and dominated by its 14th-century castle.

0:47:100:47:13

In the early 20th century,

0:47:130:47:15

all eyes turned to it during a celebrated challenge

0:47:150:47:19

for the world's best-known carmakers, the Alpine Trial.

0:47:190:47:22

I'm reliving the glamour and excitement

0:47:240:47:27

in one of the most luxurious cars

0:47:270:47:29

available to the 21st-century motorist,

0:47:290:47:32

a Rolls-Royce Dawn.

0:47:320:47:33

Sharing the thrill on the winding roads above Rovereto

0:47:360:47:40

is motoring writer Davide Bassoli.

0:47:400:47:43

What were these trials that were held here

0:47:440:47:47

in the early part of the 20th century?

0:47:470:47:49

Yeah, the Alpine Trial was an endurance test

0:47:490:47:53

for the major car manufacturers. These endurance tests had rules.

0:47:530:47:59

One of the rules was that the cars cannot stall,

0:47:590:48:02

and this was for 1,800km,

0:48:020:48:05

1,200 miles.

0:48:050:48:07

What sort of technology did they have in those days?

0:48:070:48:10

The gearbox was very difficult to use

0:48:100:48:12

because you needed the double-declutching,

0:48:120:48:15

not just for the down change but also for the up change.

0:48:150:48:18

So it was very, very difficult to drive those cars

0:48:180:48:21

and also the steering - no power steering at all.

0:48:210:48:24

Rolls-Royce knew that a win at the trial

0:48:270:48:30

would show the world what British engineering could do.

0:48:300:48:33

In 1912, British motorist James Radley

0:48:330:48:37

tried and failed when his Silver Ghost stalled on the mountain roads.

0:48:370:48:41

But Radley was not to be deterred.

0:48:410:48:44

In 1913, the next year, they entered four cars.

0:48:450:48:50

Three cars were official by Rolls-Royce

0:48:500:48:54

and one private, by James Radley.

0:48:540:48:57

When James Radley took delivery of the car in London,

0:48:570:49:01

to christen the car,

0:49:010:49:02

he ordered a bottle of champagne,

0:49:020:49:04

and he poured a glass inside the radiator.

0:49:040:49:08

So, at the end of the trial, what is the result?

0:49:080:49:10

Oh, it was immense.

0:49:100:49:12

James Radley was the man who won this race.

0:49:120:49:15

In Europe, and outside Europe, also in America,

0:49:150:49:18

everybody knew now about the Rolls-Royce and its reliability,

0:49:180:49:22

and Europe and the world realised that that was

0:49:220:49:26

the best car in the world.

0:49:260:49:28

My four-wheeled alpine diversion has been invigorating

0:49:350:49:39

but the rails beckon once more.

0:49:390:49:41

The Brenner Railway transports me north,

0:49:460:49:49

through the province of Trentino.

0:49:490:49:51

My next stop will be Trent, or Trento.

0:49:530:49:56

It's in Italy today but appears in Bradshaw's in the Austrian section.

0:49:560:50:01

"It has many fine streets,

0:50:010:50:04

"palaces and towers, and is thoroughly Italian in character."

0:50:040:50:08

At the time of my guidebook,

0:50:100:50:12

the status of Italian-speaking places like Trento

0:50:120:50:16

was increasingly controversial.

0:50:160:50:18

Some felt the unification of Italy wouldn't be complete until these

0:50:220:50:27

so-called unredeemed lands were part of the motherland.

0:50:270:50:31

An ardent campaigner was Cesare Battisti.

0:50:310:50:34

Historian Francesco Frizzera is sharing the story.

0:50:340:50:38

-Hello, Michael.

-How are you?

-I'm fine, thanks.

0:50:380:50:41

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to be here.

0:50:410:50:43

-Who was Battisti?

-Well, Battisti was a socialist,

0:50:430:50:48

he was born in Trento, just over there.

0:50:480:50:50

He was convinced that the

0:50:500:50:52

Italian-speaking population of Trentino

0:50:520:50:54

could have better working opportunities in Italy

0:50:540:50:59

because they were a minority group in Austria-Hungary.

0:50:590:51:03

But the local population was used to the status quo

0:51:030:51:07

and loyal to the Austro-Hungarian crown.

0:51:070:51:10

Battisti set out to use the press to win hearts and minds.

0:51:100:51:14

He founded a very important newspaper, whose name is Il Popolo.

0:51:150:51:20

That was a socialist newspaper.

0:51:200:51:22

He became a formidable journalist

0:51:220:51:25

and he developed a great ability to manage the public opinion.

0:51:250:51:31

The nationalist cause in Trentino gained momentum.

0:51:310:51:35

But it was war that would change the province's destiny.

0:51:350:51:39

When the First World War erupted, Italy took a neutral stance,

0:51:390:51:42

but Battisti fought to change that.

0:51:420:51:45

In 1914, he fled to Italy

0:51:450:51:49

and then he organised a great campaign

0:51:490:51:52

to convince the Italian middle class

0:51:520:51:54

to join the war against Austria-Hungary.

0:51:540:51:58

You have to think that Italy and Austria were allied since 1882

0:51:580:52:03

and, also, the Italian parliament in 1914 was against the war.

0:52:030:52:09

Nevertheless, he was able to convince the Italian public opinion

0:52:090:52:13

to enter the war.

0:52:130:52:15

The Allies had promised to redraw the Italian border

0:52:150:52:18

in the event of victory.

0:52:180:52:20

After four years of bloodshed,

0:52:200:52:23

the Treaty of Saint-Germain gave Trentino to Italy.

0:52:230:52:27

Battisti's vision was realised, but he didn't live to see it.

0:52:270:52:31

Fighting for Italy in 1916,

0:52:310:52:33

he was captured by Austrian troops and executed for treason.

0:52:330:52:37

The skilful use of the media, the manipulation of public opinion,

0:52:380:52:43

these are sometimes known as the black arts of politics.

0:52:430:52:47

Starting from a position where the Italian population of Trento

0:52:470:52:50

didn't feel discontent living under a foreign emperor,

0:52:500:52:54

Cesare Battisti managed to persuade all of Italy

0:52:540:52:58

to go to war with Austria-Hungary.

0:52:580:53:01

Quite an achievement.

0:53:010:53:03

I've re-joined the railway line north of Trento

0:53:230:53:26

on a delightful morning

0:53:260:53:28

at a beautiful railway station called Vipiteno.

0:53:280:53:32

On the final leg of my journey,

0:53:360:53:39

I'm climbing 21km north-east into the Alps

0:53:390:53:43

to Brenner on what is now the Austrian border.

0:53:430:53:46

Bradshaw's recommends the spa of Brennerbad,

0:53:550:53:58

4,390 feet above sea level at the watershed between the Adriatic

0:53:580:54:04

and the Black Sea,

0:54:040:54:06

at the highest point of the celebrated Brenner Railway.

0:54:060:54:10

The Brenner Pass, for centuries the route for armies and pilgrims,

0:54:100:54:14

was mastered by the railways in the 19th century.

0:54:140:54:17

I'm keen to penetrate how they're boring ahead today.

0:54:170:54:21

At 1,371 metres, the Brenner Pass is the lowest in the Alps.

0:54:320:54:38

The Austria-Hungarian Empire built the first railway here in 1867,

0:54:380:54:43

and almost half of all alpine freight

0:54:430:54:45

still passes along this route.

0:54:450:54:48

But the line is steep and curved, with inclines of up to 27%.

0:54:480:54:53

Now a new high-speed railway

0:54:530:54:56

will bore straight under the mountains in the

0:54:560:54:59

world's second-longest tunnel, the Brenner Base Tunnel,

0:54:590:55:02

and I'm privileged to get a look behind the scenes.

0:55:020:55:07

Hi, Michael. Nice to have you here on the Brenner Base Tunnel Project.

0:55:070:55:10

I can't wait to see it.

0:55:100:55:12

To reveal the vast scale of the project,

0:55:120:55:15

Simon Lochmann is driving me deep beneath the mountain,

0:55:150:55:18

and the first thing that hits you is the smell.

0:55:180:55:22

The smell is because of the explosions.

0:55:220:55:24

When explosive gets in contact with concrete,

0:55:240:55:27

it has a kind of sulphate-ammonia smell.

0:55:270:55:30

On the current twisting rail route,

0:55:300:55:33

speeds rarely exceed 70km per hour.

0:55:330:55:37

The engineers here are literally moving mountains

0:55:370:55:40

in order to cut journey times across the Alps.

0:55:400:55:44

So what you are seeing here is the main tunnel

0:55:460:55:50

of the Brenner Base Tunnel.

0:55:500:55:52

We have two big tubes where the tracks are inside,

0:55:520:55:55

there's just a single track,

0:55:550:55:57

and the trains always go just in one direction.

0:55:570:55:59

That permits us also to go at quite a high velocity,

0:55:590:56:02

that means the trains can reach up to 250km per hour.

0:56:020:56:06

And what size is all this going to be?

0:56:060:56:09

From Innsbruck to Fortezza in Italy is 55km long.

0:56:090:56:14

So we have an entire tunnel system of around 230km to do,

0:56:140:56:19

and all this spoil has to come out of the mountain, of course.

0:56:190:56:23

Immense tunnel-boring machines drill the main tunnel tubes,

0:56:230:56:28

but for smaller sections, explosives are used.

0:56:280:56:32

Simon, what are these guys here doing?

0:56:320:56:35

So they are preparing the next explosion here.

0:56:350:56:37

How far forward will that take them?

0:56:370:56:39

Normally, we are making 1.7 metres every time we make an explosion,

0:56:390:56:44

but it could be that we make 2 metres or 1.3.

0:56:440:56:47

It's really depending on the rock.

0:56:470:56:49

That's an awful lot of bangs to build your tunnel.

0:56:490:56:52

This boring machine has two arms on each side,

0:56:520:56:56

and they're used to thrust forward this drill into the mountain

0:56:560:57:01

and into those boreholes the explosive will be placed,

0:57:010:57:05

and following the explosion, with luck,

0:57:050:57:08

we'll be 1.7 metres nearer to our destination.

0:57:080:57:12

Travellers on the Brenner Railway above have no idea that beneath them

0:57:120:57:17

there's an explosion every three to six hours.

0:57:170:57:20

HE SHOUTS

0:57:200:57:23

The Brenner Base Tunnel should open in 2026,

0:57:260:57:29

revolutionising trade and travel throughout Europe,

0:57:290:57:33

the project's ambition and complexity

0:57:330:57:36

underlying the achievement of those 19th-century engineers

0:57:360:57:39

on whose success we've relied for more than 100 years.

0:57:390:57:44

On my journey through many tunnels, I've seen how brilliant were the

0:57:440:57:49

Italian railway-builders of the 19th century.

0:57:490:57:52

Some Italians thought that a modern nation's prestige

0:57:520:57:56

required colonies too

0:57:560:57:58

and were lured into the First World War

0:57:580:58:01

by British promises of territorial gain.

0:58:010:58:04

Italy then fell victim to the extreme nationalism

0:58:040:58:07

of Mussolini's fascists and to defeat in World War II.

0:58:070:58:12

It has emerged from that darkness into true modernity and, today,

0:58:120:58:17

once more, expresses its ambition and its internationalism through

0:58:170:58:22

dramatic civil engineering.

0:58:220:58:25

'Next time, I take an invigorating dip in the Baltic Sea...'

0:58:300:58:34

Absolutely FREEZING!

0:58:340:58:38

'..I'm caught up in a macabre medieval tournament...'

0:58:380:58:41

It seems to be very brutal.

0:58:410:58:43

They're using their shields to strike each other's throats.

0:58:430:58:47

'..the bell tolls for me...'

0:58:470:58:49

BELL CLANGS

0:58:490:58:51

That's an enormous noise.

0:58:510:58:53

'..and I find peace on the water.'

0:58:530:58:56

A completely different and special moment.

0:58:560:58:59

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