A Preview of Italy's Wonders

[joe_logs]

Home to the most delicious pasta, wine, olive oil, sunshine, mafia, renaissance castles, and classical Roman ruins, Italy is nevertheless a place worth visiting. Yearly, tourists from all over the world travel and flock in Italy to uncover the interesting and superb tourist destinations that are often broadcasted to all and sundry. By personally coming to Italy, you’ll discover that everything is much more stimulating and lovely.

Tourists like you will never get bored in your entire stay in Italy. Remarkable tourist centres are easily accessible. Try it for yourself and live life the “la vita Italiana” way!

Every corner in Italy tells you about something. Beautiful landscapes in the Verona Province never fail to fascinate a visitor. The north western part of Italy is the best spot for people who take interest in learning its culinary styles and tricks. The capital of Milan, Lombardia, is the centre of commerce and haute couture. Verona and Venice are two of the most romantic tourist spots in Italy where whirlwind love affairs often develop. If you have a great admiration for quality wines, then Piemonte must be your destination. In here you’ll find wines that are squeezed out of the Nebbiolo grapes. Museums, books fairs, music festivals, and modern art galleries are among the remarkable places to visit when you’re in Italy.

If you’re just planning out your travel towards Italy, I advise that you come for sightseeing in the months of March until May and from September down to November. For enjoying the feel of the beach, it’s best to visit Italy between May to September. For skiing trips, it’ll be advisable to come from January till March.

Take part in the festivities of Italy. As one Catholic country, Italy celebrates major spiritual events year-round most especially during the Easter and Christmas seasons. Scheduling your visit during the summertime will give you the opportunity to partake in the historic events, local festivities, and art festivals. The Carnevale is celebrated in February wherein the most unusual costumes are worn by the attendants. The Lo Scoppio del Carro is done during the Easter time with lots of fireworks displays. The festival of snakes is celebrated in May. The Verona Opera Season is held from mid-June until August where the best opera performances are aired.

Other activities that I can suggest are the following:

Skiing. Plenty of skiing destinations await you in Italy. You can do a country skiing or a downhill skiing.

Climbing or hiking. The official hiking season in Italy starts from June 20 up to September 20. Paths and trails are marked. Trek guides can also be arranged for. One of the most challenging hiking treks is the Alps and the less challenging ones are in Umbria and Tuscany. Likewise, the islands of Sicily, Capri, and Sardinia have lots of hiking and climbing routes too.

Swimming. Italy’s mainland beaches may be crowded during the peak of the summer season but then you can always find usable sands in the beaches of Italy.

Snorkelling and diving. These water sports are much popular in Sicily. The best places for snorkelling and diving are in Ustica, Sardinia, and Tremiti Islands. Diving schools offer diving lessons in very affordable fees.

Sailing. Sailing maps are always available at the tourist offices. For beginners in sailing, you can try out the Archipelago della Magdalena. Windsurfing is likewise common in Lake Garda, Iseo Lugano, Lake Como, and Maggiore.

Fishing. Sea waters are excellent in Sicily and Sardinia. Tuscany and Umbria are also great spots for fishing. Fishing boats can be rented out so that your fishing experience will be maximized.

River rafting or canoeing. For dramatic sceneries while you go for the rafting and canoeing rides, try the Alps in the northern part.

Cycling. Bicycles are commonly out for rent so that tourists will be more at ease in finding their way around the cities.

Camping. Campsites are one of the major tourist attractions. Camping sessions are mostly held in the holiday parks all over Italy.

Golf playing. Golf courses are relatively all over the country from Trentino, Lombardy, Sardinia, Calabria, to Lazio, and Tuscany.

Other courses that tourists like you can engage in are lessons in the Italian language, arts, and cooking.

An Italian vacation is one wonderful experience that you must never miss out. Affordable tour packages for Italian trips are often made available for would-be visitors like you.

[Island-in-the-sun]

How about the hotel packages that are provided by travel agencies? Can you recommend one?

[summersun17]

What fishing boat rental company can you suggest that we try out? I’m travelling with my friends by the end of the month. Will it be possible to arrange for a fishing spree?

[summersun17]

sailing in italy? that seems nice

[joshuajames]

Hey,
Really very good info.
thanks!!

[Italy]

1) Rome - Roma


Rome is the capital of modern Italy. Rome is full of history everywhere you look. It has many ancient monuments, interesting medieval churches, beautiful fountains, museums, and Renaissance palaces. Modern Rome is a bustling and lively city and has some excellent restaurants and nightlife. The Vatican and St. Peter's are also found in Rome.
more info...


2) Venice - Venezia


Venice is a unique city built on water in the middle of a lagoon. It is considered to be one of Italy's most beautiful and romantic cities. The heart of Venice is Piazza San Marco with its magnificent church. There are many museums, palaces, and churches to visit and wandering along the canals is interesting. Venice is in the northwest of Italy and historically was a bridge between East and West.


3) Florence - Firenze


Florence is one of the most important Renaissance architectural and art centers. Its Duomo and Baptistry are magnificent but crowded with tourists as is their large piazza. Florence has several interesting museums with many famous paintings and sculptures. There are also Medici palaces and gardens. Florence is in Tuscany.


4) Turin - Torino


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. Turin is in the northeast of Italy, between the Po River and the foothills of the Alps.



5) Milan - Milano


Milan, one of Europe's richest cities, 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. Milan is in northern Italy, about 30 miles south of the alps, and near Lakes Como and Maggiore.


6) Naples - Napoli


Naples is one of Italy's most vibrant cities. It lies on the coast south of Rome and is the most important city in southern Italy. Naples has recently undergone some renovation but still retains much of its old character. It holds many historical and artistic treasures.


7) Bologna


Bologna is known for its beauty, wealth, cuisine, and left-wing politics. Its streets are lined with beautiful arcades, making it a good place to walk even in the rain. It has one of Europe's oldest universities and a nice medieval center. There are several attractive squares, lined with buildings with nice porticoes. Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.


8) Perugia

Perugia is a very cosmopolitan city and home to two universities. It hosts a world-famous jazz festival in the summer and its University for Foreigners is a great place to learn Italian. It's a walled city on a hilltop with great views over the valley and has several important monuments and a good central square. Its history goes back to the ninth century BC. Perugia is in the center of Italy and is the capital of the region of Umbria.


9) Genoa - Genova


Genoa, on the northwest coast of Italy, is Italy's principal seaport. Genoa was a 2004 European Culture Capital; money flowed into the port city made famous by Columbus and now it's a better place than ever to visit. 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.



10) Padua - Padova

Padova is a university city and has some of the best nightlife in the Veneto. It has lively squares and narrow medieval streets and is home to the oldest botanical garden in Europe as well as Giotto's frescoes. Its Basilica of Sant'Antonio is one of Italy's main pilgrim shrines. Not far from Venice, it makes a less expensive base for exploring Venice for a day trip by train.


11) Siena

Siena (often mispelled "Sienna") may be the best-preserved medieval city in Italy, thanks to its conquest by Florence nearly 500 years ago. While the Florentines were busy launching the Renaissance, the Senese played the role of country cousins--and as a result, Siena (or at least the walled portion of the city) still looks much as it did in the Middle Ages.


12) Capri

Twenty miles from Naples, rising abruptly out of the azure gulf, is the little island of Capri, its shape something like a gigantic hour glass. It seems to exercise a peculiar fascination on all visitors to Naples, and few can withstand the temptation of braving the not always pacific Bay of Naples, in order to visit the island which has inspired so many pens.


13) San Marino

San Marino claims to be the oldest republic in the world, with a history of independence dating back to 301 A.D. It's certainly the smallest country you're likely to visit; the total area is just 24 square miles (61 sq. km.), or about 1/3 the size of Washington, D.C.

14) Lucca

The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the region. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species.

15) Verona

Verona is famous for its Roman amphitheatre , the Arena , completed around 30 AD, which is the third largest in Italy, after Rome's Colosseum and the arena at Capua . It measures 139 meters long and 110 meters wide, and could seat some 25,000 spectators in its 44 tiers of marble seats.

16) Palermo

Palermo was founded in the 8th century BC by Phoenician tradesmen around a natural harbour on the north-western coast of Sicily.

17) Pisa

Pisa's origins are unknown. The city lies at the junction of two rivers, Arno and Auser (now disappeared) in the Ligurian Sea forming a laguna area. The Pelasgi , the Greeks , the Etruscans and the Ligurians have variously been proposed as founders of the city.


18) Ferrara

Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna , Italy , capital city of the province of Ferrara .
It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna , on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River , located 5 km north.

[rick22]

hey nice summation all that is beautiful in italy .... thanks alot !!

[johan66]

What a heap of info! And I 've found out that I'm one of the people that misspells Siena...

[Venice]

1) Rome - Roma


2) Venice - Venezia

Venice is a unique city built on water in the middle of a lagoon. It is considered to be one of Italy's most beautiful and romantic cities. The heart of Venice is Piazza San Marco with its magnificent church. There are many museums, palaces, and churches to visit and wandering along the canals is interesting. Venice is in the northwest of Italy and historically was a bridge between East and West.

I agree with it .. however I would say not one of the Italian most beautiful city, but in the world I believe everyone at least once has to visit it as there is no equal on earth, also for the fact that there are no cars!

[Corinne]

Italy is beautiful and unforgettable

Hi everybody,

I really appreciated this nice introduction of Italy: a territory full of wonderful things to admire.

It is important to have a previous general vison of Italy in order to decide the best tour to do: there are too many places that deserve your attention.

I can suggest you a new site that I discovered surfing in internet where you can find not only the description of the Italian cities and villages but you wll also find the explainations of the most important Italian traditions, recipes and events.

If you want to take a look this is the URL: Incoming guided tours for travelling in Italy

[kikic985]

Wow,thanks for the info,very useful...

[chillout]

I agree with it .. however I would say not one of the Italian most beautiful city, but in the world I believe everyone at least once has to visit it as there is no equal on earth, also for the fact that there are no cars!

I would have to agree there too. Venice is a beautiful city and is one of a kind, The only thing i would advise is to stay away from the bars in Piazza San Marco. You end up paying around €10 for a coffee and brioche when in other cities in italy it will cost no more than €2

Venice has a wonderful yearly carnival too which is usually in February.

[travelgeek]

wow ? 8 bux different ?

thats a lot.

is it really worth it ?

[colin]

Hello to all

Thank you for sharing information with all. Please keep sharing more and more.
The migrations of Indo-European peoples into Italy probably began about 2000 B.C. and continued until 1000 B.C. From about the 9th century B.C. until it was overthrown by the Romans in the 3rd century B.C. , the Etruscan civilization was dominant. By 264 B.C. , all Italy south of Cisalpine Gaul was under the leadership of Rome. For the next seven centuries, until the barbarian invasions destroyed the western Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. , the history of Italy is largely the history of Rome. From 800 on, the Holy Roman Emperors, Roman Catholic popes, Normans, and Saracens all vied for control over various segments of the Italian peninsula. Numerous city-states, such as Venice and Genoa, whose political and commercial rivalries were intense, and many small principalities flourished in the late Middle Ages. Although Italy remained politically fragmented for centuries, it became the cultural center of the Western world from the 13th to the 16th century.

Have a nice day
Thanks

[andreson]

I really appreciated this nice introduction of Italy: a territory full of wonderful things to admire.

It is important to have a previous general vison of Italy in order to decide the best tour to do: there are too many places that deserve your attention.

I can suggest you a new site that I discovered surfing in internet where you can find not only the description of the Italian cities and villages but you wll also find the explainations of the most important Italian traditions, recipes and events.