Posts Tagged attractions

Travel to Italy Land of Beauty and History

Italy, the land of beauty, fashion, history and culture has been regarded as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. For those who like to travel and visit romantic places, Italy is the best place to stop at, not only it is romantic but it has extremely interesting buildings, monuments and architectural achievements which are part of history, so those who love to scrutinize the meaning behind art will find this place to be a fantastic historical and artistic puzzle.

When traveling to this fantastic country it is important to make sure you plan the tours you want to take and the places you want to visit since some tours and guides will show you around the most tourist places and other tours will take you on exclusive rides throughout a specific region. One thing is sure though, Italy is a big country which has much to offer to the tourist and it can’t all be seen in just one trip.

Great musicians born in Italy have written and composed touching musical pieces and those who appreciate this form art dream about taking a gondola ride to the soothing and romantic lyrics of songs such as “O Sole Mio” or “Time to say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) – Andrea Boccelli & Sarah Brightman”, as you may think this is definitively the perfect place to spend an unforgettable honey moon.

Once you are in Italy a couple of cities you definitively must visit are Rome and of course the already mentioned Venice, this doesn’t mean that these two places hold all of Italy’s attractions, it only means that there are several interesting landmarks which you definitively have to see in person. In Rome you can find the Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon among several other landmarks and tourists attractions; Venice on the other hand is much appreciated and admired for being the “floating city” because all of it is placed on water. This city is actually sinking so as a tourist it is better to visit this beautiful place while it is still a float!

Whenever you decide to take some time of and get a way for a couple of weeks your plans should definitively include Italy because of the many attractions, culture, architecture and rich heritage which can’t be found anywhere else. Italy is best known for its fantastic people and it’s definitively a place which most tourists hope to be in at least once in their lifetime.

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Ten Travel Tips For a Holiday in Italy

Italy offers fabulous art and architecture in awe-inspiring cities and fascinating little towns, a glorious variety of countryside and coastline, and some of the finest food and wine served anywhere. You can meet friendly, civilised people and you can easily spend your entire annual clothing budget on designer clothes at bargain prices. All that and Puccini opera under the stars. Holiday bliss!”

Here are 10 excellent reasons to consider a holiday in Italy:

Beaches: You’ll find well-maintained sandy beaches at traditional resorts on the Adriatic coast and in Tuscany. Sardinia is also a bather’s paradise with some classy hotels. For quieter beaches, consider Sicily or Puglia.

Nightlife: Clubbing hotspots include Rome and lively university centres such as Milan. Rimini is among resorts with a party atmosphere. Something more restrained? There’s opera everywhere, including Verdi festivals in Verona and Puccini in Torre del Lago, Tuscany.

Food: Try the delicious regional cuisine. Hearty game and other rustic specialties are enjoyed in the north, while the south is best-known for its seafood and vegetable dishes. Bologna is regarded as the country’s gastronomic capital.

Wine: Italy cultivates more grape varieties than anyone else and almost every region produces memorable wines. Reds include Tuscany’s popular Chianti and Piedmont’s robust Barolo, while Verdicchio and Gavi are among distinctive whites.

Art: The land of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci reputedly has 60% of the world’s most important works of art – and half of these are in Florence. Galleries in every main city display stunning Renaissance works and many, such as the Guggenheim in Venice, have eminent modern collections.

Cities: Places like Rome and Florence offer a wealth of art and history and the big-city attractions of excellent restaurants, entertainment and shopping. Venice is a must for romantics – and check out smaller cities such as Lucca in Tuscany, or Orvieto in Umbria.

Nature: Enjoy the fabulous scenery and wildlife of the national parks, such as those in Abruzzo and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Sicily has two parks and Mount Etna to explore. If you’re mountain-minded, try inland Sardinia or head north into the Alps.

History: There’s no escaping Italy’s rich heritage. Rome launched an empire, Venice was one of the world’s great commercial and maritime centres, and virtually everyone – from the Greeks and Byzantines to the Normans – left their mark on Sicily.

Shopping: Fashionistas head for Milan, but most cities have stores selling the latest from Prada, Armani and Versace. Bargains can be found in designer outlets, particularly in Tuscany, and at street markets around the country.

Touring: Popular routes take in the medieval hill-towns of Tuscany or Umbria, and the lesser-known rural delights of Puglia, the ‘heel’ of Italy.

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10 Reasons To Visit Sicily Italy

You just can’t ignore Sicily, if you are out to travel Italy. Sicily certainly is the place brimmed with captivating beauties, exotic sites, luring landscapes, seducing skylines, mesmeric mountains, bewitching beaches, oceanic charms, and lots more. If you are looking for loads of scenic beauty, Sicily has it all. Its pleasant climate and scenic beauty make it a perfect vacation & travel photography destination.

Separated from the mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina, Sicily is an exotic island, in west of the southern end of the Italian peninsula, in the Mediterranean Sea. Sicily also includes the Aeolian Islands, the Egadi Islands, the Lipari Islands, the Pelagie Islands, the Pantelleria Island, and Ustica Island. There certainly are numerous reasons to visit Sicily, but here are top 10 reasons.

1. Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is one of the major tourist traps of Sicily. Located on the north coast of the island, Palermo is known for churches, palaces, museums, theatres, and other remarkable sites. Some of the top attractions of the capital are – Cathedral, Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Gesu Church, San Giovanni degli Eremiti, Cappella Palatina, Palazzo dei Normanni, Museo Archeologico, and Quattro Canti.

2. Taormina, a charming hillside town, is one of the main tourist resorts of Sicily. On the east coast of Sicily, about midway between Messina (ancient Messana) and Catania (ancient Catana), Taormina is home to some of the finest beaches of Sicily. Some of the attractions of Taormina are Giardini Naxos – beach resort, Letojanni – beach resort, Teatro Greco – impressive open-air theatre, and Torre dell’Orogio – clock tower.

3. Cefalù, an attractive city in the province of Palermo, is one of the major tourist attractions in the region. Located on the northern coast of Sicily, on the Tyrrhenian Sea, Cefalù is Sicily’s main beach resort. Cefalù is known for its attractive Cathedral (Duomo) dominating the centre of town, old town streets, pretty harbour – Piazza Marina, and gorgeous beach. Cefalù is about 75 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina.

4. Ragusa, a city in southern Italy, on the island of Sicily, is one of the well known tourist traps. The city is known for its impressive baroque architecture. Ragusa is one of eight jewels of Val di Noto region that have been listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ragusa Ibla, which is home to most of the tourist sites, is famous for its narrow streets, steep winding steps, old churches, and fantastic views.

5. Catania, the economic center, is a great tourist attraction of Sicily. Located on the east coast of the island, at the foot of the active volcano Mount Etna, halfway between Messina and Siracusa, Catania is known for ancient monuments of Roman Age, baroque and historical churches, palaces, liberty style mansions, urban parks, and numerous other sites. It is also famous for its La Playa beach.

6. Syracuse (Siracusa) offers a nice mix of ancient and modern, on the eastern coast of Sicily. It is an attractive old town known for its Greek ruins. Once described by Cicero as “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all,” the ancient center of Syracuse is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Neapolis is the ancient city that has the Greek Theatre, Quarries, Caves and Roman Amphitheatre. Other attractions of the town include Apollo Temple, Old Town on Ortygia Island, Cathedral, Piazza Del Duomo, Sanctuary Madonna Della Lacrime, Maniace Castle in Ortigia, and Ipogeo in Duomo Square.

7. Mount Etna or Etna Volcano certainly is one of the top reasons to visit Sicily. It’s a “must see” site, widely known for its scenic beauty. One of the finest expressions of Scenic beauty, Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe, on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. On top of the Etna volcano, you can enjoy fantastic views of ocean, or you can enjoy walking around the old crater, or you can enjoy skiing down the Etna.

8. Sicilian Beaches are the top attracts of Sicily. You can really find some of the most beautiful beaches in Sicily. The places known for beaches are Catania, Taormina, Cefalù, Eraclea Minoa, Ragusa, and the Aeolian Islands. La Playa beach (Catania) is an excellent beach. Mondello (near Palermo) is a very popular beache. Sabbie Nere (Vulcano) is the best beach on the Aeolian. Other notable beach resorts include Giardini Naxos and Letojanni (Taormina), and Saint Vito lo Capo, near Trapani.

9. Aeolian Islands (Isole Eolie), including Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, and Panarea, is an archipelago of attractive islands in the Tyrrheanian Sea. Attracting up to 200,000 visitors annually, the Aeolian Islands are popular tourist destination in the summer. The islands have some of the fantastic sites and beaches. Vulcano is known for its fango baths. Lipari and its Museo Archeologico Regionale Eoliano are major attractions of the islands.

10. Sicilian (Italian) Foods & Wines surely are one of the top reasons to visit Sicily. You find a very wide rage of local and Italian foods & drinks in Sicily. Every city and town in Sicily has its own dishes as well as the more popular Italian foods. You can enjoy various local specialties in Sicily. You can also enjoy some of the finest Italian wines in Sicily.

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