Attractions in Italy

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the island of Sicily, a region of southern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. You’ve planned for weeks and months and now your dream to travel Italy is almost a reality. Here are a few helpful pointers to help make your adventures go more smoothly.

Italy, a real treasure chest of culture and heritage - with Italy food, Italy wine, Italy culture and Italy history, is always on the top of a European tour list. A tour to Italy would not be complete without going to Florence. This city is in the heart of Tuscany and is sometimes considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. It is a place that is famous for its abundance of fine art and architecture and in the modern day, its fashion and leather goods.

In general the weather is very hot and steaming in the dead of the summer. We recommend that you wear light clothing. Be sure to have sunglasses, hat and sunblock, as they are essential. Afternoon thunderstorms (brief) are common in Rome and inland cities, so you may want to consider bringing an umbrella. The most romantic wedding traditions from around the word: Italy, Spain & Egypt

If you are feeling a little tired out after a few days of sightseeing in Florence, a Florence hills tour can be a great way to relax and wind down. With a great ambience and an aura of solitude the hills of Florence are very popular and ideal for those who wish to take a break from the city.

If you only have a few hours to spare and don't want to venture too far from Florence, then a trip to the town of Fiesole is highly recommended. Set amongst the hills, just 5 miles from Florence, Fiesole makes a pleasant half-day trip from Florence and provides a wonderful view of the city. You can get there by bus from the centre of Florence in around 20 minutes.

If you have a full day to spare there are numerous tour companies that can organize day trips by bus, walking tours or biking trips. On the other hand you can hire a car and use a map to discover the delight of the Tuscan countryside for yourself.

A guided walking tour of the Florence hills will provide you with an insider's view of Florence & Tuscany - you can discover the hidden treasures and learn of great legends and stories, giving you a more intimate experience of the region of Tuscany. A walk through the Florence hills is invigorating and you can soak up the beauty of the surroundings as you breathe in the fresh air and bask in the warm sun. You'll also find plenty of photo opportunities as you pass by churches, castles, hill top towns and villages, olive trees and vineyards

Wine clubs love the historic wine regions of Italy, including Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. The wines from these regions offer a modern day wine from some very ancient vines that still produce grapes today. This article looks at these three historic wine regions along with the culture of the times when these ancient vines were originally planted.

Campania

The capital of Campania, Naples was founded by the Greeks, enlarged by the Romans, and subsequently invaded by the Normans, Hohenstaufen, French, and Spanish among others. Established by the Greeks in the 11th century BC, Naples was the earliest of a cluster of far-flung settlements throughout southern Italy.

Many important figures of the age, including Pythagoras, Archimedes, and Aeschylus lived in these settlements, and today some of the best ruins of the ancient Greek world can be found there. Along with mathematics, architecture, and drama, the ancient art of winemaking also flourished in the hills and valleys of the region as the cult of Dionysus spread. Aglianico and Greco, grapevines that the Greeks introduced, are highly priced today and prized by wine enthusiasts and wine of the month club members. The Greek historian Herodotus called this part of Italy Oenotria, the land of wine.

Basilicata

Along with Sicily, Calabria, and Puglia, Basilicata was part of Magna Graecia in the sixth century BC, when the Greeks planted one of Italy's finest grapes, the noble Aglianico. Later the Romans dominated the region, calling it "Luciana," but Basilicata derives its name from its Byzantine rulers.

Greek ruins, medieval abbeys, Norman castles, and a collection of hill towns grace this wild and remote region, the most mountainous in Italy with only eight percent of its surface area flat. Despite southern Italy's reputation for semi tropical weather, Basilicata's capital, Potenza, is often the coldest city in Italy, chilled by cold winds from the Balkans and the Apennine mountains. The best vineyards have developed on the high ground of Monte Vulture, both on the steep eastern side of the volcano and on the high plains around Venosa. The wines from the Basilcata region are a favorite of most wine clubs.

Puglia

Puglia, the heel and spur of the Italian boot, is rich in art and architecture that reflect the many cultures that have dominated the region over the centuries. The Greeks, Romans, Saracens, Normans, Swabians, and Spainards among others have all left their imprints there. The octagonal fortress in Castel del Monte was built by Emperor Frederick II in 1240. The towns of Otranto and Gallipoli evoke the Greeks. And much of Lecce is Baroque in style, having flourished in the 17th century.

Alberobello is the capital of the "trulli," whitewashed, circular buildings with conical roof tiles, whose origins no one is certain of. In the north, the terrain is hilly and the climate temperate. Red wines dominate but the region produces many white wines enjoyed by wine of the month club members. In the south, the traditional wines of Salento are the powerful reds Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, and Primitivo, related to California's Zinfandel, a common favorite of many wine clubs. Salice Salentino is the most prominent zone and is noted for its rich reds and its rose. These three historic wine regions of Italy still produce wines today using these ancient grapevines, providing a taste of the past along with enjoyment for today.