To be honest, I’ve avoided the task of creating a photo tour of the Italy pavilion for quite some time. The reason is simple… there just isn’t that much in this particular pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase. Whereas most of Epcot pavilions have an attraction, two or even three restaurants, and several shops—Italy originally had only one restaurant (l’Original Alfredo di Roma Ristorante), only two small shops, and no attractions at all. In more recent years, some outdoor seating has been added for Alfredo’s, but the original lineup in this pavilion is pretty much the same as the day it opened.
Epcot’s Italy pavilion from across the lagoon. Photo by Brian Bennett.
On the bright side, the pavilion is very beautiful. Inspired by the gorgeous City of Venice, the entire pavilion is based on the city’s well-known scenic sites. Out in front of the pavilion, across the World Showcase Promenade in fact, is a small re-creation of Venice’s Grand Canal complete with a few gondolas. Unfortunately, these boats are just for show.
A gondola floats on the lagoon in front of Epcot’s Italy pavillion. Photo by Brian Bennett.
A gondola floats nestled in the canal near the Italy pavilion. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Looking back at the pavilion from the lagoon side of the promenade, there are two free-standing colonades. One, on the left, is topped by a winged lion, the symbol of St. Mark who happens to be the other, and more familiar, patron saint of Venice. The column on the right is very similar to a column in St. Mark’s square in Venice depicting St. Theodore of Amasea, a martyr who was an early patron saint of Venice, tramping on a crocodile of Egypt. According to local legend, it is bad luck to walk in between the two columns as that very location was once the place for public executions. I guess the Imagineers weren’t too concerned about the taboo since they positioned the columns in such a way that insures that about ninety percent of all visitors to the pavilion do just that.
A winged lion caps the left colonnade. Photo by Brian Bennett.
St. Theodore, the patron saint of Venice, stands atop the right side Colonnade. Photo by Brian Bennett.
By far the most imposing structures in the pavilion is de Campanile di San Marco, or the bell tower of St. Mark’s Cathedral located right smack dab in the center of the pavilion and the Palazzo Ducale, or Doges Palace, located at the far left.
De Campanile di San Marco, or the bell tower of St. Mark’s Cathedral, is in the center of the pavilion. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The Palazzo Ducale, or Doges Palace, was the seat of government in Renaissance and Medieval Venice. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The Palazzo Ducale is reproduced in splendid detail.
Note the winged lion that appears in the center of the stone carving. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Brick and carved stone are used together to produce startling results. Photo by Brian Bennett.
St. Mark stands guard at the corner of the building. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Unlike the closed-in “Bridge of Sighs” that spans the canal between the Palazzo Ducale and the Doges’ prison in the real Venice, this bridge spans the area between the Palazzo Ducale and l’Original Alfredo di Roma Ristorante in the rear-most building of the Italy pavilion.
This Bridge provides yet another gem of architectural detail. Photo by Brian Bennett.
L’Original Alfredo di Roma Ristorante is one of Epcot’s most popular restaurants. Featuring Italian specialties such as Le Original Fettuccine All’Alfredo, Spaghetti Al Fiocco Di Pomodoro Saraceno (made with freshly made pasta and a special sauce featuring fresh plum tomatoes), Bocconcini Di Vitello Al Funghi (sautéed veal in a mushroom, tomato, and wine sauce), and Trittico di Pasta (a trio of Lasagna, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Ziti with a fresh plum tomato sauce), it’s not difficult to see why.
This sign points the way to Walt Disney World’s most authentic Italian food. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Pasta is still made daily on the premises.
Freshly made pasta is the specialty of the house. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The dining room of L’Original Alfredo di Roma Ristorante is quite crowded and tends to be very noisy. The draw is the food, not the atmosphere, at this place.
Alfredo’s dining room is dark, crowded, and noisy. Photo by Brian Bennett.
This painting hangs in the dining room of L’Original Alfredo di Roma Ristorante. It depicts Renaissance Venice and shows de Campanile di San Marco to the left and the Palazzo Ducale to the right.
The busy port of Renaissance Venice. Photo by Brian Bennett of a painting hanging in the dining room at L’Original Alfredo di Roma Ristorante.
Murals decorate the walls and give the impression of depth and size. Even so, the dining room is rather plainly decorated and arranged.
This mural depicts an Italian patio. Photo by Brian Bennett.
A troupe of performers entertains in this mural. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Back outside, and just to the left as you exit the restaurant, there is a very small garden area with cypress trees, some palms, and a lot of great flowers.
This small garden lies in the very back of the pavilion. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The garden wall is decorated with banners proclaiming the new Mediterranean itinerary of the Disney Cruise Line in 2007. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Around the corner, Neptune and a couple of scaled friends provide a splash of refreshment.
This beautiful fountain is located toward the back of the pavilion on the right-hand side. Photo by Brian Bennett.
As we continue walking clockwise, the next item of interest is the Kidcot station where children are encouraged to work on a small coloring project when they visit the Italian pavilion.
Italy’s Kidcot stop is mid-way to the back of the pavilion on the right-hand side (as you look from the promenade). Photo by Brian Bennett.
Also on that same side of the pavilion, the right-hand side as viewed from the pavilion is the La Bottega Italiana shop which sells decorative masks, kitchen utensils and supplies, chocolates, and Italian wine.
The rear of la Bottega Italiana has a beautiful tile roof and gorgeous painted details. Photo by Brian Bennett.
You can’t visit Venice without a mask. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Imagine these plates filled with fettuccine all’Alfredo or spaghetti with tomato sauce. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Fine wines from Italy, of course, are also featured in la Bottega Italiana. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The front view of la Bottega Italiana shows a rack of wine barrels on display. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Inside the Palazzo Ducale, or Doges Palace, on the opposite side of the pavilion square from la Bottega Italiana is the Il Bel Cristallo shop. Il Bel Cristallo sells glassware and porcelain figurines, fragrances, imported Italian leather bags, clothing (ties for men and blouses for women, among other things) and more.
Beautiful glassware is on display at Il Bel Cristallo. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Il Bel Cristallo offers several full lines of fragrances in many different forms. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Leather bags, an Italian fashion mainstay, are in good supply at Il Bel Cristallo. Photo by Brian Bennett.
More bags and women’s clothing are also available. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The Italy pavilion, although lacking in any permanent attraction, has had a reputation of being one of the pavilions with the most entertainment on any given evening. Various musical groups and a wonderful group of “living statues” have entertained guests here over the years.
A “living statue” performs in Italy during the 2002 Christmas season. Photo by Steven Railing, used by permission.
A “living statue” performs in Italy during the 2002 Christmas season. Photo by Steven Railing, used by permission.
The annual Flower and Garden Festival also makes a big splash in the Italian pavilion each year. The impatiens tower and a wonderful collection of planted containers dress up the pavilion each spring and many of those displays are kept on stage through the early summer as well.
This beautiful impatiens tower is an annual treat at the International Flower and Garden Festival. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Planted containers are a Mediterranean specialty, and they are prominently displayed during the International Flower and Garden Festival. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Garlands and other seasonal decorations dress up the pavilion at Christmas time. Photo by Brian Bennett.
I wish every Epcot pavilion had a film, presentation, ride or other attraction. Epcot’s Italy lacks that, and it’s one of the reasons why I spend very little time in this pavilion. Still, the shopping is good and the restaurant is one of Epcot’s most popular, so you’ll never find Italy to be a quiet spot in World Showcase.
With good shopping and good food, Italy is always a busy pavilion in World Showcase. Photo by Brian Bennett.
