The north is known as "discovered"
Italy. The regions of Piemonte and Lombardy , in the northwest,
make up the richest and most cosmopolitan part of the country
for tourists, and the two main centres, Turin and Milan ,
are probably its wealthiest and largest cities and offer great
holiday accommodation for a short visit or a longer one if
your choose. In the southern parts of Italy, these regions
are sometimes a little flat and scenically dull, especially
Lombardy, but in the north the presence of the Alps shapes
the character of each area skiing and hiking are prime activities,
and the lakes and mountains of Lombardy are a firm favorite
with tourists. Liguria , the small coastal province to the
south, has long been known as the "Italian Riviera"
and is normally crowded with sun-seeking holiday-makers for
most of the summer season. Nonetheless it's a beautiful stretch
of coast, and its capital, Genoa, is a bustling port with
a long seafaring tradition.
Where ever you wish to go in Italy you can always find good
quality holiday accommodation available or perhaps on a self
catering basis renting out holiday homes of different sizes
and quality. Most of the dramatic mountain scenery lies within
the smaller northern regions of Italy. In the far northwest,
the tiny bilingual region of Valle d'Aosta is home to some
of the country's most frequented ski resorts, and is bordered
by the tallest of the Alps - the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.
Moving east, Trentino-Alto Adige , another bilingual region,
and one in which the national boundary is especially blurred,
marks the beginning of the Dolomites mountain range, where
Italy's largest national park, the Stelvio, lies amid some
of the country's most memorable landscapes. The Dolomites
stretch into the northeastern regions of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia
Giulia and are popular with Hikers in the summer months and
the resorts offer great skiing in the winter months. Venice;
a unique city, and every bit as beautiful as its reputation
suggests. If the crowds are too much in Venice, there's also
the group of historic towns outside the city Verona, Padua
and Vicenza, all centres of interest in their own right and
all offer something different for the tourist. To the south,
the region of Emilia-Romagna has a standard of living on a
par with Piemonte and Lombardy due to the industrial boom
there, although it's also a traditional stronghold of the
Italian Left for those of you interested in politics. Its
coast is popular among Italians, and Rimini is about Italy's
brashest and trendiest seaside resort, with a high reputation
on the clubbing scene for the twenties and thirties age range.
You may do better to ignore the beaches altogether, and concentrate
on the ancient centres of Ravenna, Ferrara, Parma and the
regional capital of Bologna, one of Italy's liveliest, most
historic but least appreciated cities.
Central Italy represents probably the most perceived image
of the country, and Tuscany , with its rolling countryside
and the art-packed towns of Florence, Pisa and Siena, is one
of its most visited regions. The area of Umbria is similar
except for its tourist numbers, though it gets busier every
year, as visitors flock to towns such as Perugia, Spoleto
and Assisi. Further east, Marche may go the same way, but
for the moment is fairly untouched, its highlights being the
ancient towns of Urbino and Áscoli Piceno. South of
Marche, the hills begin to change into mountains in the regions
of Abruzzo and Molise, Italy's highest peak - the Gran Sasso
d'Italia. Molise, is a taste of the south, as is Lazio to
the west, in parts a poor and often desolate region whose
rugged landscapes contrast with the more manicured beauty
of the other central regions. Lazio's real focal point, is
Rome, Italy's capital and the one city in the country which
owes allegiance neither to the north or south, its people
proudly aloof from the rest of the country's squabbles. Rome
is a fantastic city quite unlike any other in Italy if not
the whole of Europe, and in terms of historical sights it
easily outclasses everywhere else in the country.
The south of Italy really only begins south of Rome, with
the region of Campania , which is as far as many tourists
get to. Naples is an unforgettable city, and is regarded as
the spiritual heart of the Italian south, and nearby are some
of Italy's finest ancient sites in Pompeii and Herculaneum,
and also the country's most spectacular stretch of coast around
Amalfi. Basilicata and Calabria , which make up the instep
and toe of Italy's boot. Puglia , also in the "heel"
of Italy, has hidden pleasures, the landscape of its Gargano
peninsula, the souk-like quality of its capital Bari, and
the Baroque glories of Lecce in the far south to mention a
few. Sicily , is really a law unto itself, a wide mixture
of attractions ranging from some of the finest preserved Hellenistic
treasures in Europe, to a couple of Italy's fanciest beach
resorts in Taormina and Cefalu, not to mention some gorgeous
upland scenery. Come this far south and you're closer to Africa
than Milan, and it shows, in the climate, the architecture
and the cooking, with couscous featuring on many menus in
the west of the islands restaurants and bars. Sardinia , too,
feels far removed from the Italian mainland, especially in
its relatively undiscovered interior, although you may be
content to explore its fine beaches, which are among Italy's
best, and don’t forget for food lovers the restaurants
are superb just about everywhere you go. Holiday accommodation
can be found on Sicily and self catering is a favorite with
many holiday makers.
Choose your ideal Italian Accommodation , including
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and hotels with secure online reservation- Italian
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