13. Tourist Destinations In Italy
Home to many of the world's greatest works of art, architecture and gastronomy, Italy
elates, inspires and moves like no other.
Cultural Riches.
Epicentre of the Roman Empire and birthplace of the Renaissance, this European virtuoso
groans under the weight of its cultural cachet: it's here
that you'll stand in the presence of Michelangelo's David
and Sistine Chapel frescoes, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera and da Vinci's
The Last Supper.
In fact, Italy has more Unesco World Heritage cultural sites than any other country on Earth.
Should you walk in the footsteps of ancient Romans in Pompeii, revel in Ravenna's glittering
Byzantine treasures or get breathless over Giotto's
revolutionary frescoes in Padua?
It's a cultural conundrum as thrilling as it is overwhelming.
Inimitable Style.
In few places do art and life intermingle so effortlessly.
This may be the land of Dante, Titian and Verdi,
but it's also the home of Prada, Massimo Bottura and Renzo Piano.
Beauty, style and flair furnish every aspect of daily life, from those immaculately knotted
ties and seamless espressos to the flirtatious smiles of
striking strangers.
The root of Italian psychology is a dedication to living life well, and effortless as
it may seem, driving that dedication is a reverence for the finer things.
So slow down, style up and indulge in a little, "vita all'italiana", (life, Italian style).
Endless Feasts.
It might look like a boot, but food obsessed Italy feels more like a decadently stuffed
Christmas stocking.
From delicate tagliatelle al ragu' to velvety cannoli, every bite can feel like a revelation.
The secret: superlative ingredients and finely tuned know
how.
And while Italy's culinary soul might prefer simplicity,
it's equally ingenious and sophisticated.
Expect some of the world's top fine dining destinations,
from San Pellegrino World's Best 50 hot spots to Michelin-starred musts.
So whether you're on a degustation odyssey in Modena, truffle hunting in Piedmont
or swilling powerhouse reds in the Valpolicella wine region,
prepare to loosen that belt.
Spectacular Landscapes.
Italy's fortes extend beyond its galleries, wardrobes and dining rooms.
The country is one of nature's masterpieces, with extraordinary natural diversity
matched by few.
From the north's icy Alps and glacial lakes to the south's fiery craters and turquoise
grottoes, this is a place for doing as well as seeing.
One day you're tearing down Courmayeur's powdery slopes, the next you could be galloping across
the marshes of the Maremma, or diving in coral-studded
Campanian waters.
Not bad for a country not much bigger than Arizona.
Here, an overview of 13 Tourist Destinations that you can choose during your vacation in Italy:
Cinque Terre
Set amid some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the planet, these five ingeniously
constructed fishing villages can bolster the most jaded
of spirits.
A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997,
Cinque Terre isn't the undiscovered Eden it once was but, frankly, who cares?
Sinuous paths traverse seemingly impregnable cliffsides, while a
19th-century railway line cut through a series of coastal tunnels
ferries the footsore from village to village.
Thankfully cars were banned over a decade ago.
Rooted in antiquity, Cinque Terre's five villages date from the early medieval period and while
much of this fetching vernacular architecture remains,
Cinque Terre's unique historical draw is the steeply terraced
cliffs bisected by a complicated system of fields and gardens that have been hacked,
chiselled, shaped and layered over the course of nearly two millennia.
The extensive muretti (low stone walls) can be compared
to the Great Wall of China in their grandeur and scope.
Amalfi
It is hard to grasp that pretty little Amalfi, with its sun-filled piazzas and small beach,
was once a maritime superpower with a population of more
than 70,000.
For one thing, it's not a big place you can
easily walk from one end to the other in about 20 minutes.
For another, there are very few historical buildings of note.
The explanation is chilling: most of the old city, and its populace, simply slid into the
sea during an earthquake in 1343.
Despite this, the town exudes a sense of history and culture, most notably in its breathtaking
cathedral and fascinating paper museum.
And while the permanent population is a fairly modest 5000 or so these days,
the numbers swell significantly during summer.
Just around the headland, neighbouring Atrani is a picturesque tangle of whitewashed alleys
and arches centred on a lively, lived-in piazza and popular
beach; don't miss it.
Lake Como
Set in the shadow of the snow-covered Rhaetian Alps and hemmed in on both sides by steep,
verdant hillsides, Lake Como (aka Lake Lario) is perhaps the
most spectacular of the three major lakes.
Shaped like an upside-down Y, measuring around 160km in squiggly shoreline, it's littered
with villages, including exquisite Bellagio and Varenna.
Where the southern and western shores converge is the lake's main
town, Como, an elegant, prosperous Italian city.
Among the area's siren calls are some extraordinarily sumptuous villas, often graced with paradisiacal
gardens.
The mountainous terrain means that opportunities for taking bird's-eye views of the lake and
its towns are numerous.
And with a fraction of the visitors drawn here compared to Lake Maggiore or Lake Garda,
Lake Como and its surrounding area offer the traveller the chance
to enjoy a real sense of discovery.
Milan
Milan is Italy's city of the future, a fast-paced metropolis where creativity is big business,
looking good is compulsory and after-work drinks are an
art form.
Cultural Legacy.
Ruled by the Caesars, Napoleon, the Austro-Hungarians and Mussolini, Milan has an ancient and fascinating
cultural history.
Mercantile Milan invented the idea of the city-state and the Edict of Milan (AD 313)
ended
the persecution of Christians.
Art collections old and new mark the genius of Old Masters and provoke new
conversations about where the world is headed.
Prestigious nights at La Scala and an illustrious literary
heritage are balanced by a diverse contemporary music and publishing scene.
In short, Milan is so much more than the puritanically work-obsessed city
it is often portrayed as.
A Modern Miracle.
Since Leonardo da Vinci broke all the rules in his stunning Last Supper, the indefatigably
inventive Milanese seem to have skipped straight from the Renaissance
to the 21st-century.
Not only is Milan a treasure trove
of 20th-century art, but art deco and rationalist architecture abound.
Today the city leads the way with the largest post-war re-development in Italy,
impressive, sustainable architecture and a futuristic skyline
modelled by Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and César Pelli.
And there's more to come with ambitious plans to
mould the city into a hi-tech hub, home to the likes of Google, Microsoft, Alibaba and
Apple.
Living By Design.
Though Italian design is world renowned, its roots lie in 1930s Milan and seeing it in
a home context offers fresh appreciation.
A visit to the Design Museum is a wonderful way to pay homage to the work of Italy's
best and brightest.
In addition, Milan is home to all the major design showrooms and an endless round of
trade fairs.
And it's not just insiders who have all the fun.
Milanese fashion houses have branched out into
spas, bars, hotels, galleries and restaurants.
So, why not join them for a touch of la vita moda (the stylish life).
Buon Appetito.
Cucina povera (peasant cooking) may be the cry of the south, but Milanese cuisine is
a product of a rich urban culture.
Just note the golden hue of its quintessential dishes: cotoletta (burnished, buttery veal)
and saffron risotto.
It was in powerful commercial cities such as Milan that Italy's great cuisine was born,
marrying Mediterranean fruits, spices and herbs with cooking methods, pastry techniques
and eating styles
from France and central Europe.
Even today Milan continues to push Italy's culinary boundaries, making sushi
and dim sum their own, and holding the second highest number of Michelin stars in the country.
Naples
Italy's third-largest city is one of its oldest, most artistic and most appetising.
Naples' centro storico (historic centre) is a Unesco World Heritage
Site, its archaeological treasures are among the world's most
important, and its swag of vainglorious palaces, castles and churches make Rome look positively
provincial.
Then there's the food.
Blessed with rich volcanic soils, a bountiful sea, and centuries of culinary know-how,
the Naples region is one of Italy's epicurean heavyweights, serving up the country's best
pizza, pasta and coffee, and many of its most celebrated seafood
dishes, street snacks and sweet treats.
Certainly, Naples' urban sprawl can feel anarchic, tattered and unloved.
But look beyond the grime, graffiti and occasional gruffness and you'll uncover
a city of breathtaking frescoes, sculptures and panoramas,
of unexpected elegance, of spontaneous conversations and profound humanity.
Welcome to Italy's most unlikely masterpiece.
Pisa
Once a maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, Pisa now draws its fame from an architectural
project gone terribly wrong.
But the world-famous Leaning Tower is just one of many noteworthy sights in this compelling
city.
Education has fuelled the local economy since the 1400s, and students from across Italy
compete for places in its elite university.
This endows the centre of town with a vibrant cafe and bar scene, balancing an enviable
portfolio of well maintained Romanesque buildings, Gothic
churches and Renaissance piazzas with a lively street life
dominated by locals rather than tourists a charm you will definitely not discover if
you restrict your visit to Piazza dei Miracoli.
Pompeii
City in western Italy, southeast of Naples.
The city was buried by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ad 79;
excavations of the site began in 1748 and revealed well-preserved remains of buildings,
mosaics, furniture, and the personal possessions of the city's
inhabitants.
Modern-day Pompeii, may feel like a nondescript satellite of Naples, but it's here that you'll
find Europe's most compelling archaeological site: the ruins
of Pompeii.
Sprawling and haunting, the site is a stark reminder of the malign forces that lie deep
inside Vesuvius.
Positano
Positano is the Amalfi Coast's most photogenic (and expensive) town, with vertiginous houses
tumbling down to the sea in a cascade of sun-bleached peach,
pink and terracotta.
No less colourful are its steep streets and steps, flanked by wisteria-draped hotels,
smart restaurants and fashionable retailers.
Look beyond the facades and the fashion, however, and you will find reassuring signs of everyday
reality: crumbling stucco, streaked paintwork and even,
on occasion, a faint whiff of drains.
There's still a
southern Italian holiday feel about the place, with sunbathers eating pizza on the beach,
kids pestering parents for gelato and chic signore from Milan browsing the boutiques.
The fashionista history runs deep moda Positano was born here in the 60s and the town was
the first in Italy to import bikinis from France.
Rome
A heady mix of haunting ruins, awe-inspiring art and vibrant street life, Italy's hot-blooded
capital is one of the world's most romantic and inspiring
cities.
Historical Legacies The result of 3000 years of ad hoc urban development,
Rome's cityscape is an exhilarating spectacle.
Ancient icons such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon recall the city's golden
age as caput mundi
(capital of the world), while its many monumental basilicas testify to its historical role as
seat of the Catholic Church.
Lording it over the skyline, St Peter's Basilica is the Vatican's epic showpiece church,
a towering masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.
Elsewhere, ornate piazzas and showy fountains add a
baroque flourish to the city's captivating streets.
Artistic Riches Few cities can rival Rome's astonishing artistic
heritage.
Throughout history, the city has starred in the
great upheavals of Western art, drawing the top artists of the day and inspiring them
to push the boundaries
of creative achievement.
The result is a city awash with priceless treasures.
Ancient statues adorn world class museums; Byzantine mosaics and
Renaissance frescoes dazzle in the city's art-rich churches;
baroque facades flank medieval piazzas.
Walk around the centre and without even trying you'll come across
masterpieces by the giants of Western art sculptures by Michelangelo, canvases by Caravaggio,
Raphael frescoes and fountains by Bernini.
Living the Life.
A trip to Rome is as much about lapping up the dolce vita lifestyle as gorging on art
and culture.
Idling around picturesque streets, whiling away hours at streetside cafes, people-watching
on pretty
piazzas these are all an integral part of the Roman experience.
The tempo rises as the heat of the day gives way to the evening cool and the fashionably
dressed aperitivo (pre-dinner drinks) crowd descends on the
city's bars and cafes.
Restaurants and trattorias hum with activity and cheerful hordes mill around popular
haunts before heading off to cocktail bars and late-night clubs.
Roman Feasting.
Eating out is one of Rome's great pleasures and the combination of romantic alfresco settings
and superlative food is a guarantee of good times.
For contemporary fine dining and five-star wine there are
any number of refined restaurants, but for a truly Roman meal head to a boisterous pizzeria
or convivial neighbourhood trattoria.
These are where the locals go to dine with friends and indulge their passion for
thin, crispy pizzas, humble pastas, and cool white wines from the nearby Castelli Romani
hills.
Then to finish off, what about a gelato followed by a shot of world-beating coffee?
Venice Imagine the audacity of building a city of
marble palaces on a lagoon and that was only the start.
Epic Grandeur Never was a thoroughfare so aptly named as
the Grand Canal, reflecting the glories of Venetian architecture
lining its banks.
At the end of Venice's signature waterway, the Palazzo Ducale and Basilica di San Marco
add double exclamation points.
But wait until you see what's hiding in the narrow backstreets:
neighbourhood churches lined with Veroneses and priceless marbles, Tiepolo's glimpses
of heaven on
homeless shelter ceilings, and a single Titian painting that mysteriously lights up an entire
basilica.
Venetian Feasts Garden islands and lagoon aquaculture yield
speciality produce and seafood you won't find elsewhere
all highlighted in inventive Venetian cuisine, with tantalising traces of ancient spice routes.
The city knows how to put on a royal spread, as France's King Henry III once found out
when faced with 1200 dishes and 200 bonbons.
Today such feasts are available in miniature at happy hour, when bars mount lavish
spreads of cicheti (Venetian tapas).
Save room and time for a proper sit-down Venetian meal, with lagoon
seafood to match views at canalside bistros and toasts with Veneto's signature bubbly,
prosecco.
An Artful Lifestyle Pity the day trippers dropped off at San Marco
with a mere three hours to take in Venice.
That's about enough time for one long gasp at the show-stopper
that is Piazza San Marco, but not nearly enough time to see
what else Venice is hiding.
Stay longer in this fairy-tale city and you'll discover the pleasures of
la bea vita (the beautiful life) that only locals know: a morning spritz in a sunny campi
(square),
lunch in a crowded bacaro (bar) with friends and fuschia-pink sunsets that have sent centuries
of artists mad.
Defying Convention Eyeglasses, platform shoes and uncorseted
dresses are outlandish Venetian fashions that critics sniffed
would never be worn by respectable Europeans.
Venetians are used to setting trends, whether it be with
controversial artwork in the Punta della Dogana, racy operas at La Fenice or radical new art
at the Biennale.
On a smaller scale, this unconventional creative streak finds vibrant expression in the showrooms
of local artisans where you can find custom-made red-carpet shoes, purses fashioned from silk-screened
velvet and glass jewels brighter than semi-precious stones.
In a world of cookie-cutter culture, Venice's originality still stands out.
San Gimignano
As you crest the nearby hills, the 14 towers of the walled town of San Gimignano rise up
like a medieval Manhattan.
Originally an Etruscan village, the settlement was named after the bishop of Modena, San
Gimignano, who is said to have saved the city from Attila
the Hun.
It became a comune (local government) in 1199,
prospering in part because of its location on the Via Francigena.
Building a tower taller than their neighbours' (there were originally 72) became a popular
way for prominent
families to flaunt their power and wealth.
In 1348 plague wiped out much of the population and weakened the
local economy, leading to the town's submission to Florence in 1353.
Today, not even the plague would deter the swarms of summer day trippers, who are lured
by a palpable sense of history, intact medieval streetscapes and
enchanting rural setting.
Sicily
Eternal crossroads of the Mediterranean, the gorgeous island of Sicily continues to seduce
travellers with its dazzling diversity of landscapes and cultural
treasures.
Classical Crossroads Seductively beautiful and perfectly placed
in the heart of the Mediterranean, Sicily has been luring
passersby since the time of legends.
The land of the Cyclops has been praised by poets from Homer to
Virgil and prized by the many ancient cultures Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Elymians, Romans
and Greeks whose bones lie buried here.
Whether in the classical perfection of Agrigento's Concordia temple,
the monumental rubble of Selinunte's columns or the rare grace of a dancing satyr statue
rescued from Mazara del Vallo's watery depths, reminders of bygone
civilisations are everywhere.
Sparkling Seas, Restless Mountains Sicily's varied landscape makes a dramatic
first impression.
Fly into Catania and the smoking hulk of Etna greets you; arrive in Palermo and it's
the sparkling Golfo di Castellammare.
This juxtaposition of sea,
volcano and mountain scenery makes a stunning backdrop for outdoor activities.
Hikers can wind along precipitous coastlines, climb erupting volcanoes and traipse through
flowery mountain
meadows; birders benefit from the plethora of species on the Africa-Europe migration
route; and divers and swimmers enjoy some of the Mediterranean's
most pristine waters.
Whatever your personal predilections,
Sicily and its dozen-plus offshore islands offer enough activities to build an entire
vacation around.
Tuscany
With its lyrical landscapes, world-class art and a superb cucina contadina (farmer's kitchen),
the Tuscan experience is perfectly in symbiosis with the land.
Sensational Slow Food No land is more caught up with the fruits
of its fertile earth than Tuscany, a gourmet destination whose
residents spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about, discussing and consuming food
and wine.
Local, seasonal and sustainable is the Holy Trinity and Tuscans share enormous pride in
the quality of their produce.
Tuscan travel is grassroots: to wineries to taste blockbuster wines like Brunello di Montalcino
and
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano; to a family-run pastificio tradizionale where artisan pasta
is cut by hand; and road trips in quest of the best bistecca
alla fiorentina (chargrilled T-bone steak).
Buon appetito!
Perfect Landscapes Tuscany has a timeless familiarity with its
iconic Florentine cathedral dome, gently rolling hills dipped in
soft morning mist and sculptural cypress alleys.
But then, this regione in central Italy is postcard material.
Golden wheat fields, silver olive groves and pea-green vineyards marching in sharp terraced
rows on hillsides form a graceful prelude to soul-soaring
medieval hilltop villages, mountain ranges and fecund
forests in the north, and a garland of bijou islands beaded along the coastal south.
Get out, explore, hike and ding your bicycle bell, as this rousing
landscape demands.
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