Top 3 Italian Cities To Visit
January 5, 2010 by Travel Guide
Filed under Sites To See, Travel Tips
So you’ve decided to visit Italy. All your bags are packed and ready to go, but one thing’s missing, you still don’t know where exactly in Italy you want to go. If that’s the case, then try checking out these top three Italian cities that are considered to be a must-see when traveling to Italy!
When All Roads Lead To Rome
Top of the list would be Rome. With the mention of the name, you may have sudden picture flashes in your mind of Roman soldiers and the likes; however, present Rome or Roma is far from being old aged as you imagine. In fact, it’s quite well developed nowadays and maintains its vibrant and lively aura, yet still has remnants of its rich history everywhere.
The city is situated on the western part of Central Italy, not that far from the coast. Its main port is Civitavecchia, which is where cruise ships dock to visit the city.
When you visit Rome, you are sure to encounter a lot of ancient monuments, Renaissance and medieval fountains, buildings, and great museums. This city is modern Italy’s capital and boasts a lot of fine cafes and restaurants, along with great nightlife, lively streets and wonderful squares. Even though Rome is a big city, it has a quite small historic center. It is also home to the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica.
If you are planning a trip then you will find that holiday apartments in Rome are widely available and good value for money.
Venice: Looking At Water In A Different Way
Second to visit would be Venice, which is considered to be one of the most stunning and romantic cities in Italy. It is built on the water amidst a lagoon. For sure you’ll find the city’s small traffic-free streets pleasing for walking along the winding canals. There are a lot of magnificent churches and beautiful palaces, lively squares, and exciting shops along the way.
You can fin Venice on Italy’s northern coast and it’s actually protected by a strip of land called Lido from the Adriatic Sea. Veneto is the name of the region around the city. The city is actually consisted of 117 bodies of land that are connected by over 400 bridges with 150 canals. The city’s main street would be The Grand Canal, which cuts through the city’s center.
Because it’s situated near the sea, the city is blessed with moderate weather, though there could be some rainfall throughout the year. Summertime is humid while winter could be wet and foggy. If you don’t want to go with the crowd, then it would be best that you visit the city during spring and fall.
Art At Its Best In Florence
Third in the list would be Florence. This is a beautiful Renaissance city situated in the heart of Tuscany. It houses some of Italy’s prime museums, stunning cathedrals and outstanding churches. You can also find a lot of interesting streets and lively squares that has numerous elegant buildings and exciting shops.
If you’ll be going to Florence, Centro Storico would be one of the must see places since this is where most of the sites are situated. Florence’s most popular square is Piazza della Signoria, which is the heart of the city’s historic center and caters an open-air free sculpture exhibit.
You may also want to visit Loggia della Signoria, which holds a number of important statues such as a copy of David by Michelangelo. It would also be interesting to visit the piazza, which has been the political center ever since the middle ages and at present is Florence’s town hall.
When you are planning your visit here you will find that holiday apartments in Florence are often better value for money than hotels.