Italy’s great food, beautiful countryside, fabulous wine, and long history make it an excellent country to visit. I fall in love with it every time I go. The vineyards in Tuscany, the history of Florence, the ancient streets in Rome, the laid back nature of Southern Italy, the gorgeous Cinque Terre, and the romantic canals in Venice all make the country irresistible. Italy leaves no one underwhelmed and, with so much to do and see, you better download the Italy Travel Guide and Offline Map to help you plan your trip.
1. Tuscan Hills
Tuscany has a timeless familiarity with its iconic Florentine cathedral dome, gently rolling hills dipped in soft morning mist and sculptural cypress alleys. Get out, explore, hike and ding your bicycle bell, as this rousing landscape demands. Then there's the food. No land is more caught up with the fruits of its fertile earth than Tuscany, a gourmet destination whose residents spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about, discussing and consuming food and wine.
2. The Ruins of Pompeii
The ghostly ruins of ancient Pompeii make for one of the world's most engrossing archaeological experiences. Much of the site's value lies in the fact that the town wasn't simply blown away by Vesuvius in AD 79 but buried under a layer of lapilli (burning fragments of pumice stone). The result is a remarkably well-preserved slice of ancient life, where visitors can walk down Roman streets and snoop around millennia-old houses, temples, shops, cafes, amphitheatres, and even a brothel.
3. Venetian Grandeur
The Grand Canal, reflects the glories of Venetian architecture lining its banks. At the end of Venice’s signature waterway, the Palazzo Ducale and Basilica di San Marco add double exclamation points. But wait until you see what’s hiding in the narrow backstreets: neighbourhood churches lined with Veroneses and priceless marbles, Tiepolo’s glimpses of heaven on homeless-shelter ceilings, and a single Titian painting that mysteriously lights up an entire basilica.
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