From Quarto to Teano, a historic itinerary to rediscover the symbolic places of Unification
of Italy
From the cliffs of the Ligurian Sea to the coasts of western Sicily, the Expedition of the Thousand
remains one of the key moments of the Italian Risorgimento. Italian Traditions proposes a
itinerary that follows Garibaldi’s enterprise through places that can still be visited, between ports, villages and
cities linked to the historical event.
In Quarto, a residential neighborhood overlooking the eastern part of Genoa, during the night between the 5th and 6th
May 1860 began one of the most famous enterprises of the Risorgimento. From this stretch of
Giuseppe Garibaldi launched the Expedition of the Thousand on the coast: over a thousand volunteers embarked
on the steamships Piemonte and Lombardo, ships of the Rubattino company, headed towards the island for
support the anti-Bourbon insurrection. The departure took place in secret, while waiting for the
vessels and the risk of being intercepted. The Rock of remains to remember that night
Fourth, the Monument to the Thousand, which dominates the sea, and Villa Spinola, where Garibaldi was
hosted before shipping.
The village of Talamone, overlooking the Argentario, is an often overlooked stop but
fundamental of the route. Here the volunteers stopped to stock up on weapons and ammunition, even
thanks to the support of local patriots. The Aldobrandesca Fortress dominates the port, a fortification
medieval built to control the bay and linked to Garibaldi’s temporary landing. The
historic center, the walls, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and the views of the sea allow you to
Expand your visit beyond the Risorgimento, between local history and the Maremma landscape.
L’11 May 1860 the Thousand landed in Marsala, taking advantage of the presence of ships
British, which helped curb the immediate intervention of the Bourbon fleet. From here he took
I launch the campaign on the island, destined to change the balance of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and to
accelerate the process of national unification. The landing is remembered by the port, by the
Monument to the Thousand and from the Garibaldi Risorgimento Museum, housed in the Complex
Monumental St. Peter. From the sea the route enters the historic centre, between Porta Garibaldi,
Via XI Maggio and Piazza della Repubblica. Just outside the town, the salt pans of the Lagoon and the
Stagnone complete the visit.
After Marsala,Garibaldi reached Salemi, a village in the Trapani hinterland perched on a
hill. Here he assumed the dictatorship of the island in the name of Victor Emmanuel II. The historic center
retains the imprint of the medieval village, with the Norman-Swabian Castle dominating the
landscape. The Museum of the Risorgimento explores the role of the city in the countryside of the
Thousand. Salemi was not just a stop towards Palermo: here the military action took on a clear
political significance.
A few kilometers from Salemi, Calatafimi Segesta was the scene of the first battle between the Thousand and
the Bourbon army. The clash took place on the heights of Pianto Romano and ended with the
victory of the volunteers, paving the way towards Palermo. The famous is linked to this episode
phrase attributed to Garibaldi: “Here we make Italy or we die”. The place is marked by the Shrine of
Roman Cry, with the obelisk designed by Ernesto Basile, and from an area that preserves the
battlefield layout. Not far away, the Segesta Archaeological Park, with the
Doric temple and ancient theatre, alongside the stage, the historical landscape of Sicily
western.
The itinerary ends in Campania with the meeting in Teano on 26 October 1860 between Garibaldi and
Victor Emmanuel II. After the victory of the Volturno, the general greeted the sovereign as the future king
of Italy, sanctioning the passage of the conquered territories to the Savoy monarchy. The episode,
traditionally associated with Teano, represents one of the key moments in the process
unitary. The Monument to the Meeting, with the statues of the two protagonists, reminds us of this
Borgonuovo stele,indicated as a symbolic place, and the local Garibaldi Museum, which
keeps documents and testimonies related to the enterprise.
Following this path means crossing Italy along a trajectory that connects episodes,
landscapes and places of memory. It is not just a journey through history, but a way to
understand how these events contributed to the construction of a united Italy.