Major
Attractions
Rome
The City of Rome is concentrated in history, legend and monuments. There
are layers of the stuff - Etruscan tombs, Republican meeting rooms,
Imperial temples, early-Christian churches, medieval bell towers, Renaissance
palaces and baroque basilicas.
Florence
If Rome is the historical hot-pot, Florence is like stepping back into
a Fiat and Vespa-filled Renaissance: the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio, the
trademark Duomo, the gem-filled Uffizi Gallery, the turreted Piazza
della Signoria and the Medici Chapels. Florence is one of Italy's most
atmospheric and pleasant, retaining a strong resemblance to the small
late-medieval centre that contributed so much to the cultural and political
development of Europe.
Venice
Consist of 117 small islands, Venice’s harmonious architecture
seems to have sprung uniformly from somewhere between the 12th and 16th
century, its secretive walls and enticing balconies sparkling with flashes
of water glimpsed through cracks and windows. Dark paths suddenly emerge
into the clear, bright daylight of a church-filled square or cross the
city's myriad canals by way of numerous and wonderful little bridges.
The atmosphere is magical and inexplicably festive.
Milan
Visitors come to Milan for its fashion, cuisine, opera, church, Renaissance
castle and da Vinci's Last Supper fresco. But this is very much a working
city, the country's business and finance capital. Shopping is huge in
Milan, the eating is legendary and nightclubbing is the best. The huge
city sprawls for miles, but the main historical attractions can be found
between the two most important: the huge duomo - bordered by the world's
most beautiful shopping mall and the spiky Sforza castle. Milan has
plenty of art galleries and collections, but the most popular venue
is the Vinciano Refector, which is home to the Last Supper.
Naples &
Pompei
Naples' historic centre features the church-filled Piazza del Gesù
Nuovo, the duomo, the Palazzo Reale and San Carlo Opera House. The 13th-century
Castel Nuovo overlooks the ferry port, and further along the waterfront
there's a Norman castle, surrounded by a tiny fishing village, the Borgo
Marinaro. The National Archaeological Museum contains a fine collection
of Greco-Roman art, and the priceless treasures discovered at Pompeii
and Herculaneum.
Easily accessible
from Naples is enigmatic Pompei, the thriving resort town for wealthy
Romans that was buried under ash and mud during the devastating eruption
of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD. The vast ruins provide a fascinating insight
into how the ancient Romans lived, and include impressive temples, a
forum, one of the largest known Roman amphitheatres, luxurious houses
with frescoes and mosaics, and streets lined with shops.
Amalfi Coast
Stretching for 50km (31mi) along a promontory from Sorrento to Salerno
is some of Europe's most beautiful coastline. The road hugs the zigzagging
bends and curves of the cliffy coast, overlooking intensely blue waters
and passing picture-postcard villages that cling to the cliff walls
like matchbox houses.
Siena
Siena has many reddish-brown buildings gave the world 'burnt sienna,'
and a thriving cultural scene was dubbed the Sienese school in the 13th
and 14th centuries. The Piazza del Campo, Italy's finest medieval square,
has graceful town hall and emblemic tower nearby. Siena's duomo is a
stunner, with black and white stripes of marble on the facade. Palazzos,
piazzas, art collections, museums and churches are scattered throughout
the easily walkable old town, making Siena a great destination for visitors
who like to see things from the pavement up.
Assisi
Assisi has somehow managed to retain some tranquil refuges amid the
tourist hubbub. The visual impact of its shimmering white marble buildings
is magnificent. Relics from Imperial days include the excavated forum
and the pillared facade of the Temple of Minerva; Roman foundations
are a common feature of many buildings. The town's many churches include
Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro, St Clare and the Basilica of Santa
Maria degli Angeli.
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