You’re thinking about going on a vacation. You’re considering Italy. But before you start booking flights and hotels, you want to make sure that you’re choosing the right place.
What does Italy have to offer anyway? In truth, quite a bit. Without further ado, here are the 8 best places to see in Italy.
1. Venice
Venice is the city that dreams are made of. As beautiful a place as you’re ever going to find on this earth, it’s comprised of hundreds of canals and bridges. As such, it’s best navigated via gondola (a traditional water taxi powered by a single boatman known as a gondolier).
But Venice isn’t all intricate waterways and ethereal beauty. It has a lot of history and culture to offer as well. Some of its greatest sites include Doges’ Palace, Saint Mark’s Basilica, and the Rialto Bridge.
Because it’s small and compact, all of Venice can be experienced over the course of a single vacation. And believe us: it’s worth the experience.
2. Rome
Melding the past with the present, Rome is an astounding city in all respects. Not only does it offer tons of culture and history but a range of entertainment as well.
Some of Rome’s most coveted attractions include St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon, to name just a few. But, in truth, you could spend a year getting lost in all of the attractions that this city has to offer.
Rome’s nightlife is as eclectic as they come. Whether you’re looking for a pub, a nightclub, a wine bar, a brewery, or otherwise, you will be served in spades.
And then there’s the city inside the city: the Vatican City. Headquarters of the Catholic Church, it’s home to the pope as well as the legendary Sistine Chapel.
Whether you’re the type that gets tipsy and hits the nightclub or the type that has a delicious meal and tours the Basilica, Rome will have you covered. It’s got a little something for everyone.
3. Sicily
Located off the coast of intercontinental Italy, Sicily is an island that measures in as the biggest in the Meditteranean Sea. Characterized by sandy, white beaches, and clear, blue waters, it’s arguably the most beautiful spot in all of Italy.
While Sicily is ideal for the beachcombers out there, it’s not a bad spot for sightseeing either. It offers a number of attractions, including but not limited to the Valley of the Temples, the Cappella Palatina, and Mount Etna.
4. Tuscany
Are you a fan of Italian wine? If so, you might want to see the place where it’s made: the Tuscany Region. Characterized by hilly and green expanses of land, this region is as inviting a place as you’re ever going to find.
In the rural areas of Tuscany, you can tour vineyards and check out olive groves. But it’s not just the rural areas of Tuscany that are worth seeing. The region is home to many fine urban locations.
For instance, in Pisa, you can see the Leaning Tower. In Florence, you can see a variety of Rennaissance-era art and architecture. And in Siena, you can see sites such as Torre del Mangio.
5. Pompeii
Pompeii just might be the most unique place on the planet. Sitting at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, it was leveled by pumice and hot ash in 79 AD.
The result? Preservation.
Not only are the buildings and the streets preserved but the human beings as well. That’s right: real-life human beings preserved in the state in which they died, encompassed by pumice stone.
While it can be a little chilling, this site is unlike any other in the world. For this reason, if you’re coming to Italy, you have to make sure to visit it.
6. Cinque Terre
If you’re looking to catch one of the most picturesque sights the planet has to offer, you should head to Cinque Terre. This is a small region consisting of 5 towns, each of which juts up against the coast. These towns are popularly characterized by their homes, which are painted a variety of bright, fluorescent colors and which sit at the edges of steep, ocean-bordering cliffs.
There is a hiking trail running along the entirety of the region, allowing you to take in the towns from a vantage point that’s just adjacent to the coastline. If you’re looking for a laid-back way to spend a pleasant day, Cinque Terre has you covered.
7. Lake Como
One of the most romantic spots in Italy is Lake Como, a resort area located at the base of the Alps. Adjacent to the towns of Bellagio and Como, it’s characterized by Rennaissance-era architecture and colorful, lakefront houses.
If you have the time to stay in Lake Como for a few days, you should consider lodging in Bellagio. If you’re only able to stop in for a day, Milan would be the perfect city in which to base yourself.
8. The Dolomites
Like to hike? Into beautiful and rustic sites? If so, you would be wise to visit the Dolomites.
These mountains are staggeringly gorgeous, pushing up toward the clouds in a way that is nothing short of breathtaking. Containing a bevy of hiking trails at a wide range of difficulties, these mountains allow you to experience rural Italy at its best.
There Are All Sorts of Places to See in Italy
When it comes to places to see in Italy, there is no end. The places reviewed above comprise only a small portion of the awesome sights that Italy has to offer. If you want to see the rest, your only choice is to make a trip in person.
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