Italy, 5 Destinations Not To Be Missed.
Welcome to Italy, home to some of Europe’s greatest treasures from masterpieces of art to crumbling ruins such as Pompeii or the Colosseum. No trip to Europe is complete without a trip to the culturally rich Italy. Prepare for a journey of colours amazing smells and picturesque landscapes. Here is 5 of many destinations in Italy not to be missed.
1. Colosseum
Touching close to 2000 years old, the crumbling Colosseum is the epic iconic monument of the Roman empire and the Flavian dynasty. The colosseum is prime real estate located in the magical and otherwise named ‘Eternal city’, Rome. Tickets set you back as little as 12 euros. However, whilst you are there we recommend going all out and taking the underground and dungeons tour or the night tour to get the full VIP experience. Do not worry about booking online as you will tend to pay fees to agencies you can buy tours on the day from tour guide companies standing outside the monument. As standard all these tours include the Colosseum and a free tour of the Palatine hill with access to the Roman Forum!
2. Venice
Venice the city of mirrors and mirages. There is no city quite like this in the world and we recommend 100% you see it. Spread across over 100 small islands Venice is a vast water metropolis without the roads. Whilst there be sure to check out the big attractions such as the Grand Canal, Bridge of Sighs and Piazza San Marco. Be warned Venice has a bit of a reputation for ripping tourists off. We recommend researching where you are eating before to avoid any bland expensive meals. If you really want to do the Gondolas these prices are fixed at 80 euros for 30 minutes but can sit up to four people so, try to find some others who are willing to chip in to keep the cost low.
3. Florence
Florence is beautiful city in the Tuscany region of Italy, birthplace of the Renaissance and home to the world-famous Medici. You can still feel the Medici’s presence in Florence as you walk the streets. Check out the remains of the empire they built such as the famous circular dome on the Basilica in Piazza del Duomo. One of the big draws to Florence is the stunning Uffizi gallery. The gallery is home to masterpieces from great artists such as Da Vinci or Michelangelo. Florence can be super-hot and busy due to the small ancient centre. We highly recommend purchasing pre-paid skip the line tickets for the big attractions such as the Uffizi. Be sure to also wonder the streets and cross famous monuments such as Ponte Vecchio. Finally taste some incredible local cuisine at the indoor Mercato Centrale. Look for Lampredotto, just don’t ask what it is!
4. Leaning Tower
Not far from Florence and an iconic postcard image of Italy and one of Europe’s favourite funny pose photo spots The leaning tower of Pisa. Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) home to the leaning tower has some other breath-taking landmarks including the Camposanto the sacred burial ground and the Cathedral of Pisa. Access to the square is free and you have the option to climb the tower whilst there, there is no need to pre-purchase tickets as lines are generally not long here. Pisa is often visited in only a day or two and there is not much more to do here so we recommend if you have time to try and take a trip to the Tuscan country side or another close city such as the wonderful Lucca.
5. Positano
Positano named after Poseidon the good of the sea is a beautiful village in Campania. You can be reach Positano from Naples fairly easily by car or ferry and is located in the south which gives you the opportunity to see many other great spots such as Pompei and Mount Vesuvius. In many ways Positano is heaven on earth. Home to incredible beaches, breath-taking cliff-side scenery and a selection of fresh seafood it is easy to see what makes it so popular. Positano caters for everyone from Island hoping to the beautiful Capri for sunbathing to incredible hikes with amazing views – Check out Path of the gods hike. For something really unique we recommend having a look at the Emerald Grotto a chanting water cavern with emerald water. Best of all just wonder the unique winding streets of Positano and sink in the Italian atmosphere and sights.