Top 5 Best Italy Regions to Visit
It is not easy to find a place in travelers lists’ ranked as high as Italy. In this country, both exotic and familiar, you will find something that suits your taste.
Teeming with history, delicious food, great music, ancient and medieval architecture, unique culture, sacred sites, charming villages, and breathtaking landscapes, Italy abounds in all of the above. It has an atmosphere that you cannot refuse to enjoy. Plan your trip according to the following list of the best regions to visit in Italy. Andiamo!
Table of Contents
1. Lazio
Lazio is nestled in the heart of Italy, next to the Tyrrhenian Sea, and hosts the Italian government and the Parliament. Lazio is also considered the center of the Catholic world, as well as one of the most popular destinations for travelers for the innumerable architectural sights of the Roman and Etruscan civilizations. The capital of Lazio is magnificent and glorious Rome.
Rome, historically the capital of most of Europe and today one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, is the best choice among tourists traveling to Italy due to its history as significant European capital and its current location as a vibrant city. The ancient relics of Rome – the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon, the Appian Way, and the Palatine Hill – compete with the riches of the Vatican as its main attractions. However Italy is far more than just Rome, its expanses vast and gorgeous, and it is worth admiring its beauties. The best way to acquire new experiences will be traveling on Italy trains, from the windows of which magnificent views will appear in front of you, giving way to no less capturing landscapes and views of the Italian cities.
Then, you can visit the ancient city of Viterbo, located at a distance of about a hundred kilometers from Rome. The history of the city begins in Etruscan times, but most of the architectural landscape of the city was formed in the Middle Ages and Renaissance when the city became the residence of the Popes.
Pay your attention to the picturesque old town of Tivoli, which is lovely for those interested in history and architecture. Architectural sights of Tivoli in Italy: fabulously beautiful villas with luxurious gardens and waterfalls. Tourists coming to Rome often prefer visiting Tivoli to the Italian capital’s more “hyped” views. And only true connoisseurs know that this city is definitely worth a visit.
2. Tuscany
Located in central Italy, Tuscany is one of Italy’s main cultural, artistic, and environmental attractions. It attracts travelers with many fantastic features, including hectares of grape fields, the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, the symbolic Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary, and the Uffizi Gallery, with a design that can be compared to the Versailles itself. Make sure they all are on your Tuscan agenda. Let’s head to the capital of Tuscany – Florence!
It may often seem that Florence is one giant art museum, the central place of works of Renaissance and Italian Renaissance art. Known worldwide for its impressive dome, the Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is a masterpiece of world architecture. An ensemble of Renaissance art unparalleled, this church has a Giotto bell tower inlaid with marble and an octagonal baptistery with incomparable bronze Ghiberti doors.
Florence is not the only great place to visit. Pay your attention to the resplendent city in the hills of eastern Tuscany Arezzo. Once it was one of the largest Etruscan communities, then a strategic ancient Roman city, with thriving trade and crafts. Of the monuments, we will mention a fairly well-preserved amphitheater.
Or the “Ideal City” of the Italian Renaissance, Livorno, which opens the veil of secrets of history to the curious tourist with its neighborhoods separated by canals and fortress walls, a tangle of streets reminiscent of Venice, a Medici-era port, towers, and fortresses wedged into the city center.
3. Veneto
Italy’s Veneto region, situated along the Adriatic Sea, is located in the northeast of Italy. Despite the popularity of Venice as a tourist destination, the region also features other appealing tourism destinations such as Padua and Verona. Many of the regions in Veneto have been ruled by the strong and rich Republic of Venice during long periods in its history, and you can still see the city’s symbol, the winged lion of St. Mark, in several areas of the region.
Those who live in Venice, when its streets “consist” of water, its buses are boats, and the air is filled with the songs of gondoliers, cannot help but love it. The city itself is a major tourist attraction and it is a magical place to visit. Many of its main tourist attractions surround Piazza San Marco, the central square of the city.
Padua is the city of St. Anthony, the second oldest university in the country, and the most charming Late Gothic center in Northern Italy. Located just 37 km from Venice, this dynamic student city with arched streets and medieval squares is worth at least a day trip from its famous neighbor – the “city of canals.” What for? To enjoy Giotto’s creations or to bargain in noisy bazaars.
Italian Verona is perhaps one of the most romantic cities in the world, sung by the great Shakespeare, shrouded in many mysteries and mysteries and invariably attracts hundreds and thousands of tourists. Someone comes to Verona to be inspired by the romantic atmosphere prevailing here, someone – to enjoy the beautiful architecture and historical monuments, and someone – to escape from everyday worries and bustle to a quiet and peaceful city.
4. Sicily
Sicily is the largest island of the Mediterranean Sea and, at the same time, an essential part of Italy. Located near the “toe of the Italian boot,” it is washed by three seas at once – the Mediterranean, the Tyrrhenian, and the Ionian. The island is known both for its magnificent nature, which contributes to an excellent rest, and its ancient historical monuments, which occupy leading positions among the sights of Italy.
The pearls of Palermo, the largest and capital city in Sicily, are the magnificent Palazzo Normanni on Freedom Square, the picturesque church of La Martorana, and the largest Massimo Theater in Italy.
The geographical center of the island is the provinces of Enna and Caltanissetta. They are not as popular with tourists as the coastal areas, but there is something to see here. It is here that the largest nature reserves with ancient forests and lakes, as well as churches, castles, and abbeys, are located.
5. Lombardy
The Lombardy region, which covers a large area, has a wide range of landscapes: the Alps, countryside, towns rich in history, as well as a large number of lakes. For those who are looking for a dynamic, exciting vacation without getting bored, Lombardy is a perfect destination. But from where to start exploring Lombardy? From Milan of course!
Thanks to its airport, Milan serves as a gateway to Italy and an essential starting point for tourists. However, as a destination, it is often overlooked. Milan is one of the most attractive cities for those interested in design and fashion, not to mention shopping, and its architecture is one of the best in all of Italy.
Take your sight to Bergamo! Bergamo is the administrative center of the province of Lombardy, a beautiful and cozy Italian city located on top of a hill. Its architecture is very diverse due to the influence of Venice: from the 15th to the 18th century. The settlement was under the rule of this republic. The city is divided into two districts – Bergamo Alta and Bergamo Basso. They are located on the hills opposite each other and are separated by a fortress wall.
In conclusion, it is worth saying that Italy is incredibly diverse, and it has something to surprise even the most sophisticated traveler! Picturesque views of Lake Como, Campania’s antique architecture, in which lovers of ancient buildings will find an amazing similarity with the Greek, ultra-European Turin, which in pomposity can only be compared with elegant Vienna or royal Paris, the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna, or the azure shores of Sardinia forever settle in the heart…All of it is worth seeing them with your own eyes only once!
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