Attractions in Italy

 Visiting Italy will always be an unforgettable experience, but those heading to this amazing country for the first time should be sure to hit all the major highlights before returning home, armed with hundreds of pictures, souvenirs, and memories that will last a lifetime.

The best way to get a taste of Italy is to be sure to include the Big Three on your itinerary; Rome, Venice, and Florence. These three cities have and always will be Italy's most popular tourist spots, each offering something unique for those who vacation there. With just 7 to 14 days of vacation time, travelers can get a good idea of what each city offers. In addition, travel between the cities whether by car or by coach provides a look at more of Italy's beautiful terrain since the cities are each located in a different region of the country.

The best way to see these three lovely cities, especially on a first visit is to book an escorted tour with a company that knows Rome, Venice, and Florence inside out and backwards. This way, you're hitting all the major attractions but also those little out-of-the-way places, like a favorite cafe or gelato shop you might not find on your own.

Rome

Rome remains Italy's most visited city. After all, The Eternal City is so full of things to see and do, no matter what your particular interest. Of course, if you're a history buff, you'll probably head straight to the buildings and remains of the Roman Empire and other early civilizations. You'll want to visit the Colosseum, built by Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus in 80 A.D.; the triumphal Arch of Constantine, erected in 315 A.D.; St Peter's Basilica with Michelangelo's renowned frescoes; the extraordinary Pantheon, the first temple built for the common people; and the Roman Forum, once the center of political and commercial life in ancient Rome.

Museums abound, including the wonderful Vatican Museums, housing the most extensive and impressive collection of fine art found anywhere in the world. You'll also want to include visits to The Spanish Steps, the renowned Trevi Fountain, the Via Appia Antica (Appian Way), Castel St. Angelo, and Rome's beautiful churches.

Dining is a joy, whether you're in search of a five-star restaurant experience or would prefer to take a seat in a small outdoor cafe on the Piazza della Rotonda and do a little people watching. Either way, the food is stellar!

Try to allow at least 4 full days to enjoy the capital city and if you're on an escorted tour, do a little research ahead of time to decide which sights you'd like to explore during your free time when specific activities are not scheduled.

Venice

Situated in Northern Italy, Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world and is often a top choice for honeymooners. But, of course, anyone can enjoy this spectacular city, which stretches across about 110 small islands along the Adriatic Sea.

You'll need at least two full days to see all the highlights. First time visitors to Venice will certainly want to hop aboard a gondola or a vaporetti (water taxi) and explore the city's system of canals, which take visitors past most of Venice's prime attractions. (The canals serve the same function as roads because Venice is a car-free city.) While on your canal tour, you can decide what you'd like to see once you're back on foot.

Top attractions include pigeon-filled St. Mark's Square, home to St. Mark's Basilica, the magnificent gothic Doge's Palace, and many other buildings and sites. You'll also want to make your way to the Bridge of Sighs, one of Venice's many bridges, known as such because it passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was often the last place prisoners could view the city before their incarceration or death.

Be sure to sample the local seafood as well as the innovative pasta dishes. Venice is also known for its wonderful sweets, so you'll want to include a stop at a patisserie or two while exploring this breathtaking city.

Florence

Florence, the gateway to Tuscany, has become more and more popular during the past few decades. Always Italy's most cultural city, it's been as such since the Renaissance, when Florence families such as the Medicis sponsored artists like Michelangelo and others.

The centerpiece of Florence is the Duomo, or Santa Maria del Fiore. A must see, with its magnificent dome and baptistery, this is the architectural jewel in Florence's crown. After you've seen the cathedral, head to the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), the only to survive World War II, lined with interesting shops help up by stilts. And stop at the Uffizi Gallery, one of the finest art museums in the world, or visit the Academia to view Michelangelo's David.

Wherever your first (or second or third) Italy tour takes you, you're sure to be mesmerized by all this wonderful country offers, from its vibrant cities to its bucolic countryside to its friendly people who welcome you with open arms. Take time to savor the moments!

Once the great center of the Florence Renaissance, Florence Italy is one of the world's most artistic & architecturally beautiful cities, with countless Florence museums and galleries packed with masterpieces, and with fabulous shopping and tremendous cuisine and restaurants. Florence dates back to the Etruscan era, when Fiesole, an important center in Etruria, dominated the valley. The Romans conquered the city in 59 BC, who set up camp by the River Arno in a place that became known as Florentia, "destined to flower". 

During the course of the next thousand years, a small population struggled under successive Byzantine, Goth, Lombard and Frankish rule. The number of residents began to grow from the tenth century onward, with the city being ruled by an autonomous commune from 1115. But the city soon became a battleground in the violent conflict between the pro-imperial Ghibelline faction and the pro-papal Guelphs. However, a strong merchant base, founded on wool and supported by a powerful currency (the florin) saw the city gradually grow.

By the 13th Century, a merchant elite ruled Florence Italy. Powerful families such as the Albizi and then the Medici came to dominate the city. With this oligarchy interrupted by spates of republican rule - influenced by the likes of radical Dominican prior Savonarola and the nobleman Machiavelli - Florence grew ever stronger and richer. It is during this period when Florence assumes its decisive role in European and world history specially Florence history. Experts in both banking and commerce (the Medici financed many of the adventures that opened up trade routes around the globe), the city grew spectacularly rich. 

The families flaunted their affluence, and money was poured into patronage of the fine Florence art. The city became a home to sculptors, artists, architects and musicians. While scholars were rediscovering the fertile literature and archaic culture of Greece and Rome, Europe began to emerge from the Dark Ages; meanwhile the likes of Michelangelo, Donatello and Brunelleschi, as well as countless others whose works adorn Florence 

Italy today, were pushing the bounds of creativity and artistic creation to ever-greater heights. A literal explosion of intellectual power and creativity in the city saw a new crop of radical thinkers, and the spreading of their ideas through the new medium of printing. During this time, the Florentines' ever-growing expertise in banking, accountancy, and the creation of credit saw the entire system become ever richer. Florence, it is often said, was the cradle of all Europe.

Florence Italy next became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, but by the mid-1700's the city was consumed by Austria. In 1859 it was swallowed up by the kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, and only two years later Tuscany proper became part of the new country of Italy. For six years (until Rome joined the union) Florence Italy was actually the capital of Italy. 20th century Florence thrived on the back of tourism, financial services, heavy industry and its old staple - trade. Occupied by the Germans between 1943 and 1944, the city suffered the further misfortune of flooding in 1966, when the Arno burst its banks.

Walking through its narrow, windy streets, it is hard to identify this city with just one symbol. It may be the sculpture of David by Michelangelo, or perhaps the romantic Ponte Vecchio, or Giotto's bell tower. Then again, Florence is equally synonymous with famous people such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo or Dante Alighieri, to name but a few.

Also, of course, there's the world-famous "Duomo" which is perhaps the most recognizable of Florence's monuments. Construction of the Gothic Florence cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore began in 1296 and was completed by Brunelleschi in 1436 with the famous Dome, which was painted inside with frescoes by Vasari and Zuccari. The square Bell tower designed by Giotto in 1334 stands on the right-hand side of the Florence Cathedral and is covered in white, green and red marble. The Baptistery of San Giovanni, one of the oldest monuments in Florence (1128), is located opposite the Cathedral and is built in Florentine Romanesque style.

Today, even though most of Florence's greatness lies in its enchanting Florence history, the city still thrives. It has marvelous shopping, airy gardens & parks, fabulous cuisine, an exhilarating artistic atmosphere and breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

When you aren't admiring the works of artists and sculptors in churches, galleries and museums such as the Uffizi and Accademia, you can wander around the luxury of world famous boutiques, watch craftsmen at work on traditional Florentine leatherwork, and peruse numerous bustling street markets. You can eat in the finest restaurants or in simple trattorie with delicious home cooking. Or buy the ingredients for a quaint open-air picnic at the Mercato Centrale or Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Grab a bottle of Chianti, and make an excursion to the Boboli Gardens or to the ramparts of the Belvedere Fort with its stunning views. Florence Italy has endless fascination. There's nothing in the world quite like it.

Italy is a magical country to visit and spend time; every region has something new to offer whether it is its food, the people, the history or its architecture. Too many people the architecture of a country is it's main attraction and this could easily be said about Italy with it's millennia old stones, sumptuous remains of mysterious Etruscan kings, witnesses to ancient pagan rites, memorials to a history whose origins is lost in the mists of time. Ancient temples that have stood for thousands of years and have amazed all those who run a hand over their immortal columns, such as the temples of Agrigento and Selinunte. Entire cities that remain like some marvellous stage set to tell us about life as it was in the distant past.

A life cut short, in ancient days, by the dramatic whim of a volcano, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, or by the implacable advance of malaria, as in Ostia Antica and Paestum. Walls and buildings that have been witness to a boundless power, that of ancient Rome and its countless conquests. Places still capable of moving us deeply owing to the ingenuity of their construction and the peerless historical heritage that they embody. Italian squares or piazzas that seem to be picture perfect stage sets all complete with outdoor cafes to enable you to sit and watch the world un-fold in front of you. Buildings that were created to enchant and impress visiting dignities from an age gone by with luscious facades and interiors that house unimaginable riches and art treasures now have the same effect on those tourists visiting Italy.

Towers constructed to bear witness to power that now regale unforgettable panoramas to those bold enough to climb to the top. Streets resembling open-air museums. Bridges that create seem-less bonds between the banks of rivers such as the Rialto in Venice or Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Walls originally designed to defend a city have later been turned into wonderfully imposing rings that have been giving communities a sense of security for centuries. Ample flights of steps from which to savour the spectacle of a city's life. The taste for beauty is all pervasive, from the tiny village, to the old town, to cities great and small. Beauty touches every nook, every vista, everything. The ancient Italians left a world of elegant architecture and monuments behind for future generations to stare in amazement at.

Italy has a wealth of religious architecture, towers and churches launched towards the sky. Striking spires, dainty cupolas, artistic facades, and bell towers jutting up towards the blue sky and towards an Italian heaven, mysterious naves that guard artistic masterpieces ancient and modern. Visit any Italian city, town or village and you will see churches everywhere, guardians of and witnesses to a faith thousands of years old and then tiny chapels on the mountain tops, solitary shrines on street corners, statues and frescoes for the protection of the home. Small signs of popular devotion that stand as corollaries to the magnificence of the cathedrals. Italy loves religious architecture.

A series of masterpieces that tell the entire story of western architecture: from the elegant Romanesque forms of Santa Maria all' Aquila to the fanciful Gothic spires of the beautiful Cathedral in Milan, from the perfect example of Renaissance architecture in Florence Cathedral to the baroque wonder of Lecce Cathedral. Each one with its trusty bell-tower at its side to announce its presence; including the most famous one in the world: the Leaning Tower of Pisa.