Italy guide
When thinking of Italy’s most exciting and fascinating locations, it is actually hard to name the best Italy travel attractions. Yet, you can’t ignore the images, so here are 10 excellent places that will stay in your memory as summoning of all that is specific and remarkable about Italy today.
Venice
As you stroll beside the numerous canals and watercourses of Venice, you have to wonder how such a city could exist as it does, built over water. Venice’s main fare, the Grand Canal, is lined with edifices, and all kinds of boats run the watercourses. The Ponte di Rialto, right in the heart of the city, spans the Grand Canal. Amazing architecture is everywhere, and the Piazza San Marco, the city’s main square, is bordered by the attractive Basilica di San Marco, which gives the Square its name, and the Palazzo Ducale, the Doge’s Palace, once the hub of administration. Sit down outside one of the city’s many cafes and enjoy the special atmosphere.
Florence
Florence, once the core of past European trade in and finance, is not only a treasure-trove of art and architecture, but also a vibrant urban center with its own charm that draws students, keen shoppers and art lovers. Renaissance artwork prospered here, and the city sustained the talents of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Don’t miss Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s oldest bridge, with its many specialty stores. In summer, the bridge is crowded with street kiosks, performers, portrait painters, and those who come to soak up the atmosphere.
The Amalfi Coast
There are numerous beautiful coastal areas, but the Amalfi Coast, unfolding along the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, in the province of Salerno, has many fabulous towns with a rich coastal history. The Cathedral of Amalfi, actually two churches with an old crypt, is stunning. Be certain to take a boat to the Grotta dello Smeraldo.
Assisi
Set in the province of Perugia, in the Umbrian region, Assisi became a Christian village in 238 AD and became known in the 11th century, when St. Francis established his monastery there. Today, the city is a World Heritage Site where you can experience cultural, historical, as well as religious rebirth.
The Colosseum
Rome’s 2000-year-old Colosseum, one of Italy’s most well-known buildings, was once the arena for chariot races, gladiatorial battles, and terrific shows held in the name of ‘entertainment’. Although the huge structure is today a ruin, it once could seat up to 45,000 viewers, on its four levels, while the rooms for performers and animals were underneath the main arena.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Pisa’s wonderful inclined bell tower dates from 1173. Although the structure stretched over 200 years, the famous lean grew not long after the tower was completed. For obvious reasons, perhaps, the designer still continues to be anonymous. Efforts to straighten the tower, or at least stop its tendency for inclination, have finished short of making it upright, so it will probably to retain its distinctive lean for years to come.
The Pantheon
The huge dome of the Pantheon, in Rome, is a recognizable turning point, along with the fountain that embellishes the front entering. The building houses the tombs of Italy’s first two kings, and the Renaissance artist, Raphael. It is one of the world’s best surviving examples of Roman architecture.
Pompeii
This partly buried Roman city, close to Naples, in the region of Campania, was buried in ash, when Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, and is now one of the world’s great archaeological gems. Many of Pompeii’s streets and constructions have been revealed and the lives of its people, whose possessions and living quarters were protected by the ash, look blocked in time.
The Spanish Steps
Rome’s legendary Spanish steps or ‘Scalinata di Spagna’, are at their best in May when the bright pink azaleas are flowering. Taking from the Piazza di Spagna, to the beautiful Trinita dei Monti church, the steps have long been a meeting place, dating from the 18th century when attention-getting women gathered there in the hope of being taken as artist’s models.
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums, 12 building complexes with over 1,400 rooms and galleries, showcase the many masterpieces in the Vatican collection, including the legendary Michaelangelo ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Don’t miss the Etruscan Museum, the Raphael Rooms and Loggias, and the Egyptian Museum.
