Italy guide
When considering Italy’s most challenging and newsworthy locations, it is really difficult to name the best Italy travel attractions. Yet, you can’t ignore the icons, so here are 10 excellent locations that will remain in your memory as summoning of all that is special and great about Italy nowadays.
Amalfi Coast
There are many stunning coastal areas, but the Amalfi Coast, extending along the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, in the province of Salerno, has many charming towns with a rich maritime history. The Cathedral of Amalfi, actually two churches with an ancient crypt, is amazing. Be positive to take a boat to the Grotta dello Smeraldo.
Assisi
Set in the province of Perugia, in the Umbrian region, Assisi became a Christian small town in 238 AD and became known in the 11th century, when St. Francis founded his monastery there. Today, the city is a World Heritage Site where you can experience cultural, historical, as well as spiritual 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 solid construction is today a ruin, it once could seat up to 45,000 viewers, on its four levels, while the rooms for performing warriors and animals were underneath the big arena.
Florence
Florence, once the heart of medieval European trade and finance, is not only a treasure-trove of art and architecture, but also a vibrant urban center with its own charm that attracts students, keen shoppers and art lovers. Renaissance artwork prospered here, and the city raised the talents of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Don’t miss Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s oldest bridge, with its many peculiarity stores. In summertime, the bridge is crowded with street kiosks, performers, portrait painters, and those who come to soak up the atmosphere.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Pisa’s marvelous inclined bell tower dates from 1173. Although the building stretched over 200 years, the famous lean developed not long after the tower was completed. For apparent reasons, perhaps, the architect still remains unknown. Efforts to straighten the tower, or at least stop its tendency for inclination, have stopped short of making it vertical, so it will probably to retain its distinctive leaning for years to come.
The Pantheon
The massive dome of the Pantheon, in Rome, is a distinctive turning point, along with the fountain that adorns 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 archeological gems. Many of Pompeii’s streets and buildings have been revealed and the lives of its people, whose possessions and quarters were preserved by the ash, look frozen in time.
The Spanish Steps
Rome’s legendary Spanish steps or ‘Scalinata di Spagna’, are at their best in May when the colorful pink azaleas are flowering. Leading from the Piazza di Spagna, to the beautiful Trinita dei Monti church, the steps have long been a meeting point, dating from the 18th century when photogenic women encountered there in the hope of being chosen as artist’s posers.
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 renowned Michaelangelo ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Don’t miss the Etruscan Museum, the Raphael Rooms and Loggias, and the Egyptian Museum.
Venice
As you stroll beside the numerous canals and waterways of Venice, you have to wonder how such a city could survive as it does, built over water. Venice’s main fare, the Grand Canal, is lined with edifices, and all kinds of boats ply the waterways. The Ponte di Rialto, right in the centre of the city, crosses the Grand Canal. Astounding architecture is everywhere, and the Piazza San Marco, the city’s main square, is bordered by the fascinating Basilica di San Marco, which gives the Square its name, and the Palazzo Ducale, the Doge’s Palace, once the hub of government. Sit down outside one of the city’s many cafes and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere.
