The Best Places to Visit in Italy; My Personal List
Italy, one of the world’s favorite and much loved travel destinations could easily take a lifetime to explore. City after city beckons not only for their ancient monuments and art treasures but also for gastronomic delights, a frenzy of fashion, breathtaking landscapes and warm, friendly people. Though even the best travel guides to Italy will be at a loss when asked to pick and choose places in Italy one should not miss, listed below is an attempt at condensing the best of Italy. Venice – If you get a choice when it comes to loosing your way while on vacation, opt for getting lost in the winding waterways and mysterious passages of Venice - an archipelago of 118 islands all picturesquely connected to each other by beautiful bridges and charming canals. One of the most alluring cities in the world, none can rival Venice, a city drenched in beauty and romance. Not to miss sites – the Grand Canal, Palazzo Ducale.
Florence – If beauty could be labeled as a city it would be called Florence. Famous for its hoards of art and architectural treasures, Florence is legendary as an outdoor museum. Its world-renowned art galleries Ufizzi and Pitti Palace rub shoulders with a bevy of reputed museums and stunning churches. Not to miss sites – Michelangelo’s David, Piazza del Duomo. Milan - Fashion mecca to most, Milan also doubles up as a culture buff’s dream destination. Its fashionable streets, lined with designer shops and teeming with well dressed wonders also lead to magical sites like Santa Maria della Grazie – the church that is home to Leonardo DaVinci’s The Last Supper. The La Scala Opera House and the Milan Cathedral, having survived heavy bombing during the Second World War, stand today in Milan for visitors’ viewing pleasure. Not to miss sites – Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Naples – Home to the pizza, spaghetti and parmigiana, food is taken with a certain degree of seriousness here. A gastro-hub, Naples is known for its quality cuisine. Visit Naples also for its various monuments and historic sites. Feast your eyes on finds excavated from the destroyed cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried under Mt. Vesuvius’ lava, now on display at Museo Archeologico Nazionale.
Pisa – Synonymous with the Leaning Tower, Pisa also retains other glimpses of its former grandeur as a commercial hub during the middle Ages. Sites to visit include the Duomo, Baptistery and Camposanto.
Amalfi Coast – Stretching 30 miles along Italy’s southwestern coast, Amalfi Coast is one of the country’s top tourist spots. Known for its sheer physical beauty, the coastline also boasts plush resorts and charming villas perched on rocky cliffs facing its sparkling bays.
Bologna – Though not a tourist magnet like Florence and Rome, this historic university town is charming in its own right, and fun to discover in a laid back way. Sample the cuisine, if only to see how it is different from what is served under the city’s name in other parts of the world!
Rome – What trip to Italy can conclude without Rome in the mix? Also called the Eternal City, it has been the seat of power since the times of the Roman Empire. So, it is jam packed with cultural and historical sites of much significance. Not to be challenged in the religious field, Rome proudly shows off the Vatican City. Known for its squares and fountains, doing justice to the Italian capital can mean spending the entire span of your vacation in one city. Not to miss sites – Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Colosseum, St Peter’s Basillica.