Itally - Wonderful Destinations

Roma (Rome):

One of the most popular cities of the world is Rome. It is the capital of Italy and exudes charm. There are numerous ancient monuments, with the most remarkable ones being The Vatican City, The Forum, the Collosseum and the ruins of the Circus Maximus - where gladiators would fight against each other to their deaths, often up to 375,000 spectators would attend this barbaric sporting event.

The historical treasures in the many museums of Roma and Vatican City, is located inside of Roma but is a state of its own with its own laws and administration, are unrivaled anywhere. Throw a coin into Roma's Trevi fountain and, legend has it, one day you will return!

World famous Italian paintings and sculptures of Raphael, Bottecelli, Pinturicchio and Belini are displayed in the art galleries. The Vatican City is home to the Pope. It is the smallest independent sovereign state in the world. The Sistine Chapel, with its vast ceiling painted by Michelangelo in 1508 is the most famous tourist attraction. Its ceiling depicts the story of creation and took the artist over three years to complete.

If you go to the Vatican, you'll have to visit St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Library and the beautiful Vatican Gardens. St Peter's can hold up to 60,000 people, the library has more than one million books and manuscripts and the stunning gardens were first landscaped over 1,000 years ago.

It is an important port of the country, situated on the mouth of the river Nile. It is a significant industrial town, known for its textile mills, cotton and oil refineries. Its prosperity however depends on its proximity to the Suez Canal and growth of the cotton trade. The area has a Mediterranean feel about it, and the attraction is the Mediterranean Sea, and to the people of Cairo, a somewhat cooler climate.

Venezia (Venice):

Venice is one of the most unique and romantic cities on earth. It is best to get around by boat. There are a series of over 150 canals, 400 bridges and many ancient pavements. The city is noted for its well-preserved Gothic-style architecture and art history. St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), the center of Venice's water transport system, offers a daily spectacle of people-watching. Piazza San Marco is bounded by several monuments: the Basilica di San Marco; the Palace of the Doge, the elected Duke who ruled the city from the 8th century until Napoleon Bonaparte took the city in 1797; and the Museo Correr, "The Museum of the City and Civilization of Venice," housed in an arcade originally built by Napoleon.

Florence

The capital of Tuscany, Florence has a population of around half a million people. It is an incredible city with stunning natural beauty and inspirational history. It is located right in the centre of the Italian Peninsula, between the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Sea. Firenze was home to authors including Dante, Boccaccio, and Machiavelli and artists Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo. More recently, it was the home of Carlo Lorenzini, the 19th-century author who first brought us the story of Pinocchio. Florentine architecture is so mesmerizing that the city itself is sometimes called "a living museum" because it's impossible to turn a corner without coming upon something enthralling.

The Duomo, Bapistry and the large Piazza are simply splendid. The Medici palaces and gardens are spectacular. No visit to Florence would be complete without visiting the Chianti area, between Florence and Siena. It's one of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy and a famous wine production area.

Milano (Milan):

The main city of northern Italy, is located in the plains of Lombardy. The most populated and developed region in Italy, is often mistaken with the capital of the country. One of Europe's richest cities, Milan is known for stylish shops, galleries, and restaurants and has a faster pace of life than most Italian cities. It also has a rich artistic and cultural heritage. Its Duomo, with its beautiful marble facade, is magnificent. La Scala is one of the world's most famous opera houses.The financial and fashion center of Italy, Milano's spectacular fashion shows have made the reputation of many a designer. Via Montenapoleone, which houses many of the world's leading Italian and international fashion design houses, is an upscale shopper's paradise. Milano is the location of La Scala, the most famous opera house in the world, and the home of Leonardo da Vinci's renowned fresco, The Last Supper. Milano is also a good starting point for a day trip to Italy's Lake District, as it is located near the three largest lakes in the nation.

Napoli (Naples):

The third largest city in Italy and the capital of the southern region of Campania. A buzzing metropolis, Napoli is vibrant and fast-paced, with an unusually active street life and a distinctive tomato-based cuisine, often consumed al fresco. It was the Neapolitans who invented the pizza! Napoli even has its own language, the Neapolitan dialect.

Bologna:

The capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is known for its beauty, wealth, the full-flavored Bolognese cuisine, and left-wing politics it is sometimes called "red" Bologna, due to the reddish colour of most of its buildings and the communist flavor of the local political leaders. Bologna was the first city in Italy to elect a communist town council, and it is the headquarters of the National Gay Alliance. Europe's oldest university is the University of Bologna. A great place for tourist’s to relax and unwind.

Genoa:

Situated on the north-west coast it is the most important seaport of Italy. It has been selected by the European Union as the 2004 European Culture Capital. Genoa has a fascinating aquarium, an interesting port area, and a historic center said to be the largest medieval quarter in Europe, with a wealth of churches, palaces, and museums. The Strada Nuova, or Via Garibaldi, is an excellent example of 16th-century urban planning; the aristocratic palaces along its length include inviting gardens and beautiful interiors that are open to visitors

Torino (Turin):

It lies in the north-east of Italy, between the Po River and the foothills of the Alps. As the capital of Italy's Piemonte (Piedmont) region, Torino's architectural attractions include the royal palaces of the Savoy dynasty. It is a major cultural hub with excellent museums, elegant shops, and good restaurants. There are also some very nice examples of baroque architecture and historic palaces. It has many historic cafes, artisan workshops, and arcades.

The bustling center of Italy's motor car industry, Torino is the location of one of Italy's most prominent universities. Torino is where the controversial "Shroud of Turin," believed by many to be the burial shroud of Jesus Christ, was discovered in a vault in the fourteenth century. The Mole Antonelliana, a tall nineteenth-century brick building topped by an aluminium spire that towers above the landscape, has been reproduced on Italy's Euro 2-cent coins. Torino hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Italy Destinations

Important Towns