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When in Rome, do as the Romans do, but whatever you do, enjoy Italy.
Italy, home to Rome, The Eternal City, has the distinction of being the country with the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is a thriving and metropolitan community in Southern Europe. Italy is bordered by France, Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland to the north and has an extensive coastline to the east, south and west. Geographically, Italy is unique as, not only do Vatican City and San Marino, two independent states, lie within its borders, two of its six regions, being Sardinia and Sicily, are islands. The official language of the 59.6 million people presently living in Italy is Italian and the country is famous for its food, its historic sites and its fashion. Italy forms part of the Eurozone and the Euro is therefore valid legal tender.
Of the six regions into which Italy is divided, it is Central Italy that is home to the Italian capital, Rome. No other city in the world can lay claim to attractions of such architectural beauty and historical significance as this city and a tourist can spend a lifetime there and yet not see everything. Must-sees while in Rome include the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum and St Peter's Square and Basilica. Northwest Italy's most famous city is Milan and although the city may be ultra-modern, it can boast of having the oldest churches in Italy, including the magnificent gothic cathedral The Duomo, the completely frescoed Renaissance Saint Maurice Church and Saint Mary of the Graces, which is home to the Last Supper painting.
The most well known city in Northeast Italy must be Venice, with its Bridge of Sighs, tall Campanile di San Marco, bustling St Mark's Square and quaint canals. Venice is situated on a lagoon and sprawls over a huge area on the mainland as well as on 118 nearby islands. No visit to Italy would be complete without a twilight canal cruise after a visit to the islands to see how the famous Venetian masks are made. Naples lies on the beautiful Bay of Naples in Southern Italy and is the capital of the Campania Region. Best known for the Museo Archeologico Nazionale which houses the treasures of destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, Naples broods under the sullen stare of nearby Mount Vesuvius and has its own brand of peculiar charm.
The island of Sicily lies just off the 'toe' of the Italian 'boot' and is best known for its food, Mount Etna (the biggest volcano in Europe) and its lazy hot summer months.
Palermo is Sicily's most captivating city and visitors must make time for the Catacombe dei Cappuccini with its morbid yet fascinating collection of 8,000 embalmed corpses. Last but not least is Sardinia, lying 250km off Italy's south-western coastline. Sardinia is wild and unspoilt and tourists can relax on its beautiful beaches at San Teodoro, Torregrande and Budoni after surviving the hustle and bustle that is the rest of Italy.
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Periodic issues- Free advice and suggestions for making your next travel adventure more enjoyable.
