Best tourist attractions in Italy
Italy is a highly diverse country and one of the favorites to visit. Italy tourist attractions have a fascinating history, dating back to the ancient Romans and beyond and were a cultural fireball during the Renaissance period. When you see Italy tourist attractions you can see they are truly one of the birthplaces of Western civilization. There are just too many sites to mention, Italy is just an incredible place to travel to.
Italy sightseeing tours
The journey winds across Italy from north to south and discovers exciting features of the various areas – from food to shopping – without ignoring their ancient traditions and artistic heritage. Travel to Italy, and you will come across the most famous churches in the world. Even many of the churches have a compulsory standard dress codification for entry.
Tourist attractions in Italy? Tour Italy and witness a whole new world that you never even knew existed. You might have seen a few of the rustic pictures and fabulous cuisines of Italy featured on popular American TV shows.
Italy tourist destinations
Italy top tourist attraction? Rome is the “Eternal City”: Today a hustling and bustling, overcrowded metropolis, it was the hub of Ancient Rome, the capital of an enormous and mighty empire. Today one can look up to many relics from Roman times: the Roman Forum (Foro Romano), the Colosseum and the Pantheon, among many others, are attestant to a highly refined culture that existed more than 2000 years ago. A visit to the Vatican also emphasizes the singularity of this city. And outside of Rome, there is just so much to see.
Florence springs to mind straight away, one of the primary Italy tourist attractions. Florence is the capital of Tuscany. Tuscany proposes beautiful scenery and historic cities and hill towns. Tuscany has Renaissance art and great wine and food.
Tuscany has more classified historical monuments than any country in the world and is known for its many sights: the Duomo (the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Fiore), the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, Michelangelo’s David, and much more.
You can also enjoy the quieter villages and serene landscapes of Tuscany as one of the favorite destinations for interior travel. A popular Tuscan location is San Gimignano, fabled for its many historic towers.
The word Venice instantly evokes romantic notions of canals, the Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge, and of course the gondolieri.
Famous attractions in Italy
1 Colosseum
For travelers making their way through Italy, the Colosseum is a must see. This huge Amphitheater is the largest of its kind ever built by the Roman Empire and has remained a model for sports facilities right up to modern times.
2 Venice Canals
A gondola ride through the canals of Venice is a tradition that travelers have been participating in for centuries. Venice is a city of islands and the canals have long been, in many ways, the city’s streets.
3 Pompeii
Below the rumbling volcano of Mt Vesuvius stand the ruins of Pompeii, an ancient Roman city preserved in time by the eruption in A.D. 79. Excavations have revealed the remains of houses, markets, baths, temples, theaters, streets scarred by the tracks of chariots, and human remains.
4 Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is actually just one of many attractions in the city of Pisa, but its fame, gained from its flaw, is world renown. Work began on the tower in the 1100s and the sinking, which led to the lean, began by the time the tower reached the third story.
5 Lake Como
Lake Como is one of Italy’s most scenic areas, surrounded by mountains and lined by small picturesque towns. Traditionally a haunt of the wealthy, the lake has many old opulent villas and palaces.
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6. Positano (Amalfi Coast)
Positano is a small town located on the Amalfi Coast, a stretch of coastline renowned for its rugged terrain, scenic beauty, picturesque towns and diversity. The city seems to be scattered from top to bottom down a hillside leading to the coast.
7 Florence Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore
Begun in 1296 in the Gothic style and completed in 1436, The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is Florence’s beautiful cathedral and symbol of the city. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white. The basilica is one of Italy’s largest churches, and until the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.
8 Cinque Terre
The “Five Lands” comprises of five villages noted for their beauty. Part of Cinque Terre charm is the lack of visible modern development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach it from the outside. The towns sprout out of the mountainside to provide a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean sea.
9 Vatican City
The star attraction of the Vatican in Rome is St. Peter’s Basilica. The magnificent basilica is topped with a dramatic dome, on whose ceiling Michelangelo himself painted. Built in the early 16th century, St. Peter’s Basilica is now a huge church with an interior that could fit a space shuttle together with its booster rockets. While the facade and the proximity to the Pope are reasons to visit St. Peter’s Basilica, it is the art that is so memorable. Expect paintings and sculptures by the likes of Bernini and Michelangelo.
10 Portofino
With its picture-perfect harbor, verdant scenery and haphazard rows of hilltop and waterfront homes, Portofino is one of the prettiest towns on the Italian Riviera. Located just a short drive south of Genoa, the little fishing village has been a popular day-trip destination for centuries. Portofino is home to landmarks like the 16th century fort called Castello Brown and the 11th century church called St. Martin, but the real attraction in Portofino is the relaxed way of life. Visitors come to stroll along the Ligurian coastline, shop for souvenir glass jewelry and dine on Italian cuisine paired with the local Pinot Grigios.
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There are many other cities and towns to explore in Italy tourist attractions: Milan, for example, is Italy’s fashion capital and has the astounding architecture to admire. The old city of Verona is the scene for Romeo and Juliet. Genova is a major harbor town on the Ligurian coast. The glamorous coast along the Italian Riviera around San Remo and Imperia has attracted many Hollywood celebrities. Many other famous historical towns are located in the north: Bologna, Siena, Padova, Vicenza, Trieste.
The Italian Alps with the limestone spires of the Dolomites are just majestic, and the well-known lakes such as Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago di Garda, Lago di Iseo are blue gems embedded in green mountains and hills. Hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and windsurfing are favorite activities in the north of Italy.
In the south, there are cities such as Naples, Cosenza, Salerno, Sorrento and much more that let you research Southern Italian hospitality. The eastern side of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula is in the main quieter than the western side and cities such as Ancona, Pescara, Bari and Brindisi and their surrounding areas have their charm.
Historic sites in the south include the ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii that were destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. Needless to say; geologists are going to be interested in seeing the still active volcanoes Etna and Vesuvius. Italy’s landscape is truly stunning.
Naples is a fascinating goal itself, but also a perfect place from which to research the Amalfi Coast. Some of the most visually stunning scenery can be found just south of the Bay of Naples, along with the Amalfi coast and the island of Capri. Towards the southern end of the peninsula that stretches out into the Mediterranean sea is the major tourist destination of ritzy Sorrento, where you can catch a ferry out to Ischia or Capri – well-known as one of the most exquisite, charmed and magical of islands. Naples also has beautiful architectural masterpieces.
Naturally, Italian culinary art and wine are appreciated worldwide, and a trip to Italy can become an important feast for the senses.
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