Italy:
Italy is an extremely diverse country and one of my favourites.
It has a fascinating history, going back to the ancient
Romans and beyond and was a cultural powerhouse during the Renaissance
period. It is truly one of the cradles of Western
civilization.
Rome
is the "Eternal City": Today a hustling and bustling overcrowded
metropolis, it was the hub of Ancient Rome, the capital of an enormous
and powerful empire. Today one can admire many relicts from Roman
times: the Roman
Forum (Foro Romano), the Colosseum
and the Pantheon,
among many others, are witnesses to a highly refined culture that
existed more than 2000 years ago. A visit to the Vatican
also underscores the uniqueness of this city. Outside of Rome there
is just so much to discover.
Florence
comes to mind immediately, one of the primary tourist destinations.
Florence is the capital of Tuscany
and known for its many sights: the Duomo
(the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Fiore), the Uffizi,
the Ponte
Vecchio,
Michelangelo's
David, and many more. You can also enjoy the quieter villages and
serene landscapes
in the interior of Italy, with Tuscany
as one of the preferred destinations for interior travel. A favourite
Tuscan location is San
Gimignano, fabled for its many historic towers.
The word Venice
immediately evokes romantic notions of canals, the Piazza San Marco
and the Doge's
Palace, the Rialto Bridge, and of course the gondolieri. There
are many other cities and towns to explore. Milan,
for instance, is Italy's fashion capital and has stunning architecture
to admire. The old city of Verona
is the setting for Romeo
and Juliet. Genova
is an important harbour city on the Ligurian coast. The glamorous
coast along the Italian
Riviera around San Remo and Imperia has attracted many Hollywood
celebrities. Many other famous historic towns are located in the
north:
Bologna, Siena, Padova, Vicenza, Trieste.
In the south
there are cities such as Naples,
Cosenza, Salerno, Sorrento and many more that let you explore Southern
Italian hospitality. The eastern side of the boot-shaped Italian
peninsula is generally quieter than the western side and cities
such as Ancona, Pescara, Bari and Brindisi and their surrounding
areas have their own charm. Historic sites in the south include
the ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii
that were destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. Needless to
say, geologists are going to be interested in seeing the still active
volcanoes Etna
and Vesuvius.
Italy's landscape is truly stunning.
The Italian
Alps with the limestone spires of the Dolomites
are simply majestic, and the famous
lakes such as Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago di Garda, Lago
di Iseo are blue jewels embedded in green mountains and hills. Hiking,
mountain
biking, skiing and windsurfing are favourite acitivites in the
north of Italy.
Naturally, Italian
cuisine and wine
are appreciated the world over and a trip to Italy can become a
venerable feast for the senses. Some of the most visually stunning
scenery can be found just south of the Bay of Naples,
along the Amalfi
coast and the island of Capri.
The islands of Sardinia
and Sicily,
reputedly the birthplace of the Mafia,
glisten like gems in the Mediterranean.
There are just too many places to mention, Italy is simply a fabulous
place to visit. Check out some of the links below and dream about
all these beautiful far-away places.
Essential links for travelling to Italy:
Italy's
Official Tourism Website
Frommer's
Italy website
Lonely Planet Italy website
Official website
of Rome
Official website of Florence
Official
website of Naples
Official website of Venice
Tourism in Sicily
Essential books for travelling to Italy:
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