• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

White Glove World

  • Travel
  • Dining
  • Entertainment
  • Spa Life

March 7, 2016 ·

Benvenuto to Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

Blog· MOVE· Travel· Walt Disney World

Tour Epcot's Italy Pavilion

Tour Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

Benvenuti amici!  How many of you have strolled along Epcot’s World Showcase, glanced in at the courtyard, and continued meandering?  Arresto!!  I often hear grumblings that there are no attractions or films in this locale, and therefore it is not a worthy stop.  However, if you know and love this Southern European country, allow the authentic details of Italia transport you. (Or do you dream of visiting the real Venice, Florence, or Rome in the future?) Welcome to la dolce vita… Here’s a virtual tour of Epcot’s Italy pavilion.

Architecture

One of the nine original World Showcase Pavilions that opened in 1982, this stop on our tour is modeled after the coastal city of Venice.  The pink and white “marble” buildings surrounding Plaza del Teatro are as authentic and committed to detail as you would expect from a Disney endeavor. It was not until our second trip to Italy that I fully appreciated the Walt Disney World “primer.”

 

Doge's Palace, Campanile di San Marco
Venice 2014- Doge’s Palace, Campanile di San Marco (The real thing!)

Tour Epcot's Italy Pavilion
Notice the near-exact replica of the palace, bell tower, and the two massive columns framing the “square.” Atop one is the winged lion, the guardian of Venice and symbol of St. Mark. On the other, sits St. Theodore, the first patron saint of Venice.  What unsuspecting Guests don’t know is that this mirrors the spot for local Venetian executions. Therefore, it is thought to be a bad omen if you pass between them.  Gee, that makes it hard to feel good about that pizza!
Tour Epcot's Italy Pavilion
Venetian gondola (See the striped moorings pictured above!!)

Elements of Rome are present in the plaza’s “Fontana de Netunno”, which is fashioned after Bernini’s masterpiece in the Trevi Fountain. The Florentine style is evident in the newest restaurant, Via Napoli.

Florence’s architects Stefano Nardini and Raffaella Melucci designed this venue for the Patina Restaurant Group. Its wood-burning pizza ovens are named for the three active Italian volcanoes and designed to portray their designated gods: Etna, Vesuvio, and Stromboli.

Via Napoli
Via Napoli’s open kitchen
Via Napoli chandeliers are imported from the island of Murano off  the Venetian coast.
Italian gelato served out of an authentic donkey cart. This is the same mode of transportation used for centuries in the rugged Italian hillside.

Cuisine

Tutto Italia

Tutto Italia

Lasagna alla Bolognese.  That’s all I need to say.  We most enjoy sitting outside on the patio in temperate weather. (Think people watching- Italian style.) On rainy and HOT days, sit inside in the main dining room, or the enclosed “sun room.” This table service restaurant serves lunch and dinner. DO NOT forget to make your Advance Dining Reservations.

Via Napoli

Via Napoli

The pizza here is as authentic as you will find in the States. And to guarantee that fact, the water used to make the dough is shipped in from… Pennsylvania!  (Evidently, testing shows that it mimics the water found in Naples. Who knew??)  San Marzano tomatoes and hand-rolled mozzarella complete the product, and a dozen other toppings are available.  The menu includes salads and pasta dishes, but the pizza is delicioso!

Vino

No Tour of Epcot’s Italy Pavilion would be complete without the fruit of the vine.

Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar

An Italian wine cellar selling wine, small plates, AND items from the Tutto Italia menu!  A great alternative if you can’t secure a reservation at the other two restaurants on the plaza.

Enoteca Castello

Purchase Banfi wines by the glass.

Epcot World Showcase Wine Walk

Epcot Wine Walk
Italy’s wine offerings, enjoyed in its piazza.

Shopping

Il Belle Christallo (Murano glassware and Venetian glass jewelry, accessories, and perfumes. It’s where my boys buy their cologne.  Exclusively!)
La Bottega Italiano (Apparel, Venetian masks, Italian foods)


Entertainment

IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth (Now Epcot Forever, and a brand-new show coming in 2020!)

A premier viewing spot for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Many private parties are hosted there!

Sergio the mime/juggler

The Flag Wavers of Sansepolcro  (A tradition from the Middle Ages)

Special Events  

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Tour Epcot's Italy Pavilion during Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
Ravioli alla Caprese and Chianti Classico, Placido

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Tour Epcot's Italy Pavilion
Lady and the Tramp Topiary

Holidays Around the World

(During Epcot Festival of the Holidays)

Tour Epcot's Italy Pavilion during Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
La Befana, the Italian good witch who brings presents to children on the Epiphany.

That completes your tour of Epcot’s Italy pavilion. For a touch of amore, a Renaissance history lesson, a good chianti, and a GREAT meal, be sure to wander into the piazza on your next loop around World Showcase.  It’s an offer you can’t (shouldn’t) refuse!!

 

LUV

Don’t miss out!

Previous Post: « A Special Needs Mom Applauds the Message of Disney’s Zootopia
Next Post: What’s New at the 2016 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival? »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. disneynouns.com says

    March 10, 2016 at 1:08 am

    Italy pavilion is very pretty. I will definitely try the pizza during my next visit! Thanks for whetting my appetite.

  2. Mike Ellis says

    March 10, 2016 at 2:20 pm

    Didi, I absolutely love Via Napoli! That was the restaurant Sophie chose in 2014 for her 13th Birthday dinner, and we ate there with incredible friends from our home in Raleigh, NC and friends that flew in from California to celebrate with us. We even ordered a gluten-free cake for dessert so that all of us could enjoy Sophie's birthday. What a memory that night was, thanks for sharing your love of this incredible pavilion!

  3. Rosanne says

    March 10, 2016 at 2:49 pm

    Didi, you know my feelings about this pavilion. Truth is, I hate Italian food in Disney and I hate pizza in Disney. There's one huge exception, and that's this pavilion. I love it so much. The food is just perfect, the buildings are perfect and the shopping is perfect. Tutto Gusto is probably my favorite place in the World Showcase now. Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

  4. MagicalMickeyTips says

    March 10, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    One word for this pavilion is YUM!

  5. Heidi Strawser says

    March 10, 2016 at 4:19 pm

    I love this pavilion. It takes me back to my childhood when my family had opportunity to live in Italy for 5 months. I just love soaking in the atmosphere and being transported back. Personally, though, I was disappointed in the pizza at Via Napoli. That lasagna looks good though!

    • Jennifer says

      March 17, 2016 at 6:03 pm

      I have to agree! I thought I was the only person in the world who wasn't impressed with Via Napoli! 🙂 I'm so jealous too, I was only in Rome for a month and think about returning to Italy (all over, and for as long as possible) absolutely all the time!

  6. Tim Brooks says

    March 10, 2016 at 4:33 pm

    This is one of my favorite pavilions. My family loves the pizza at Via Napoli. It is a great spot to watch Illumnations even the back of pavilion is a great viewing spot for those who don't like the noise of the fireworks.

  7. Cindy Howell says

    March 10, 2016 at 4:59 pm

    This pavilion is so beautiful! I have to visit the fountain every time.

  8. Kimberly Kahl says

    March 10, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    I have to admit, I'm one of those who often passes this pavilion by. I will have to give it another look. Thanks for sharing!

  9. Melissa Knight says

    March 10, 2016 at 9:28 pm

    Now I really wish I was having dinner at Via Napoli. 🙂 We don't really spend too much time here but I plan to on our next trip. You've shown me the light!

  10. The Disney Chef says

    March 11, 2016 at 4:10 pm

    Man, I never really tour this country when I'm at Epcot… I really wish I'd taken the time out to explore it more. I'm really missing out! – Jerusha, TheDisneyChef.com

  11. Kimberly @ Frontierland Station says

    March 15, 2016 at 1:19 am

    Via Napoli is on my must do list for my next visit! I can't wait to try their pizza!

  12. Mary says

    March 20, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    My husband loves this pavilion for the food but for me it is the wine. I have had the most expensive glass of wine at Disney in Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar (definitely a splurge only locations). But Enoteca Castello at the front of th pavilion is one of my favorite stops. Prices are decent, cast members are wonderful and the pours are generous. 😉

  13. Lindsey Leffel says

    March 21, 2016 at 5:06 am

    The attention to detail in the Italy Pavilion is simply incredible.

    I'm craving the Prosciuto and Melon pizza from Via Napoli now… S

Trackbacks

  1. Where to Find the Best Pizza at Walt Disney World - White Glove World says:
    May 21, 2021 at 10:59 pm

    […] Napolitano establishment is Epcot’s ode to pizza. Its product is so authentic, they use imported water to replicate that found in […]

  2. Walt Disney World 1994 | 50 Days to 50 Years - White Glove World says:
    September 5, 2021 at 7:22 pm

    […] always a sentimental family favorite. Perhaps this is why… Unfortunately, this spot in the Italy Pavilion closed in 2007. (You can read what made this destination so autentico HERE.) We always loved […]

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Stay up to date

Footer

Finding a Silver Spoon in the Everyday.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 · ·Beloved Theme by Restored 316