The Italy Pavilion is a cultural area within Epcot theme park where Guests of all ages can experience the flavor of Italy. Enter this beautiful pavilion filled with architecture reminiscent of the city of Venice and feel the allure and romance of this remarkable locale. Find true attention to detail in the bridges, gondolas, colorful barber poles, the Neptune fountain in the central Plaza del Teatro and a stunning 83-foot version of the bell tower, Campanile of St. Mark's Square.
The Italian Pavilion features a plaza surrounded by a collection of buildings evocative of Venetian, Florentine, and Roman architecture. Venetian architecture is represented by a re-creation of St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) and a replica of the Doge's Palace. The pavilion's design is inspired by other hallmarks of Italian architecture, such as the Neptune Fountain (reminiscent of Rome's Trevi Fountain) and the Il Bel Cristallo shop (meant to resemble the exterior of the Sistine Chapel). Musicians, clowns and acting troupes often appear in the piazza throughout the day. There are also small shops selling Italian goods, such as candy and wine.
The 83 foot belltower in the World Showcase's Italy is an authentic replica of the original campanile in St. Mark's Square. The great attention paid to detail is found on the angel atop the belltower that is covered with real gold leaf even though it is up so high that guests really cannot appreciate it.
The romance of Venice is demonstrated in the Venetian bridges and the gondolas that are moored to a festive striped barber shop-style poles alongside the World Showcase lagoon.
A spectacular replica of the 14th century pink and white Doge's Palace is authentic right down to the marble like facade similar to that used in the original. In the central plaza area of the pavilion, the Plaza del Teatro, you'll find the "Fontana de Nettuno" a fountain inspired by Bernini's Neptune fountain. Live street theatre and the singers of Naples, "I Cantanapoli" entertain guests in the plaza as well.
Touring Tips
- Throughout the day musicians, clowns and acting troupes often appear in the piazza to entertain Guests of all ages.
- The landscaping of Italy will delight gardening buffs with the olive trees, Mediterranean citrus, kumquat trees, cypress and pines found in the formal garden.
Dining
Tutto Italia Ristorante - Authentic Italian cuisine is found at the full serve Tutto Italia Restaurant. There's also a cart where you can get Italian pastries, wines and Italian Margaritas. Tutto Italia Ristorante is part of the Patina Restaurant Group. Noted for their "Naples" restaurant in Disneyland, the Epcot venue features the cuisine of Master Chef Joachim Splichal.
Via Napoli - Via Napoli, an authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant, opened in 2010. It features an open kitchen and prep area, where guests can watch their pizzas be made and cooked in one of the massive stone pizza ovens.
Shopping
The Italy Pavilion has many shops with a variety of genuine Italian goods such as fine leather, jewelry and more at the handsome Il Bel Cristallo. There are many quaint little shops offering a broad variety of Italian merchandise. You will discover fine Florentine soaps, Illy espresso coffee, and hand-made paper mache Venetian masks. Creamy Italian chocolates, traditional snacks and Italian wines are also found here. The pavilion has a large selection of cookbooks covering Rome, Tuscany, Naples and Italian Farmhouse cooking. If beautiful crystal, fine Murano glassware and porcelain figures are your heart's desires, a stop at "Il Bel Cristallo" is a must. In this store you will also find San Lorenzo Venetian glass jewelry, Antica Murrina jewelry, Pulicati leather handbags, Ferrari merchandise and a nice selection of Italian perfumes.
Facts
- The city of Venice was the inspiration for the Italian Pavilion.
- The architecture is a reproduction of the Doges Palace in Venice. Since it would be virtually impossible to find an exact duplicate of the marble, the Disney Imagineers created their own. In this case, the marble is actually fiberglass (covering brick supports) that has been painted and specially treated to resemble the real thing.
- Sergio, the juggler, appears Monday - Friday in the courtyard. The World Showcase Players also entertain (and there is audience participation).
- Holidays from Around the World features storytellers in each country. In Italy, La Befana makes appearances throughout the afternoon. La Befana is the good witch who brings gifts to children on the Epiphany, January 6.
- The statues on the Doges Palace are hollow and are held in place by steel rods which run through the base into the statues themselves.
- A smaller version of Campanile includes an angel sculpted using a model of the original and covered in gold leaf. The sea god Neptune is featured at the pavilion's fountain.
- The garden is more like a garden patio: blue, white and pink hanging baskets add color to the large buildings and garden walls. Citrus trees, such as orange and lemon, along with other Mediterranean trees, dominate the landscape. Flowering plants in authentic containers decorate the plaza.
History
The original plans for the pavilion called for an expansion that would be built in Epcot's "Phase II" of construction, thus leaving a wall with nothing behind it at the rear of the pavilion. The expansion would have included a gondola dark ride and a Roman ruins walk-through. When "Phase II" was canceled, the pavilion was left incomplete. However, a restaurant by the name of Via Napoli, designed by the Florentine architects Stefano Nardini and Raffaella Melucci, opened under the Patina Restaurant Group in 2010, and brought the pavilion its long-awaited completion. It features Florentine architecture and authentic Neapolitan cuisine. The water used to make pizza dough is imported from Pennsylvania to simulate authentic Neapolitan dough. Via Napoli's three wood burning ovens pay tribute to the three active volcanoes in Italy: Etna, Vesuvio, and Stromboli. To do this, each of the three ovens are sculpted in the shape of the face of the god that their corresponding volcano is named after. The long communal table in the center of the room was built in Florence and features hand painted tiles depicting iconic monuments in Italy. Other notable features of Via Napoli are its high and vaulted ceilings, imported ceramics and blown glass, and the abundance of windows that flood the establishment with natural light
The original table-service restaurant in the pavilion, L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante, closed in the summer of 2007. The restaurant space has been acquired by the Patina Restaurant Group, which has re-launched it as Tutto Italia.
Hidden Mickey
- Look at the bottom right corner sculpture to see three leaves in the shape of a distinct Mickey.