Rimini is located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and it is also the capital of the Rimini province. It is located along the shores of the Adriatic sea and is perhaps the best known resort in the Adriatic. The city has been inhabited since 268 B.C by the Romans and it boasts of its grandeur in it buildings. Rimini is just the place if you’re looking for the sun and the sand in Italy. Rimini has its own international airport and is well connected with the rest of the European cities.
The Augustus Arch that was constructed in the year 27 B.C is a feast to the eyes, so is the 13th century Cathedral of Tempio Malatestiano. The Domus of the surgeon is an archeological area that documents the history of the region over 20 centuries. La Marina that includes 15 kilometers of beach front along with a number of Roman ruins and medieval monuments is another attraction in the historic town of Rimini. You might also want to check out the local delicacies along with Piadina – a special type of local bread.
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Alghero is a small town in the Northwestern part of Sardinia in Italy. The region is known for its beauty in the form of beaches and other historical monuments. It became a popular tourist destination after the Second World War and was also called as Little Barcelona. Among the best historical monuments that can be visited here, is the Alghero Cathedral which was first constructed in the Catalan-Gothic style and then renovated in the Late Rennaissance style. The church of St’Francis that was constructed in the 14 th Century stands as a good example for the Catalan-Gothic architecture. There are a number of megalithic edifices called Nuraghe in the region that trace the history of Sardinia and its regions.
The town is known for its beaches with sparkling blue waters and offers a number of activities like Scuba diving, snorkelling etc. The underwater Nereo cave, which is considered to be the largest cave in the Mediterranean sea is a hot spot for Scuba divers! There are also a number of other activities like rock climbing, bird watching or caving that you can do on this beautiful island.
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The capital of the Italian region of Campania, Naples is a beautiful city that is known for its art,culture and history since the Roman times. The city is located on the shores of the Gulf of Naples and was founded by the Greek and later became an important city in the Roman Empire. The city was declared a UNESCO Heritage site and is synonymous with pizza and music!
Naples is known for a number of historic buildings like castles and museums that preserves the historic remains of the city. The Castel dell’Ovo at Porto Santa Lucia, Castelnuovo and the Castel Capuano are some famous castles tha thave some beautiful paintings on display. The Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale are museums that shouldn’t be missed out as they have a number of paintings mostly belonging to the Renaissance period and a number of artifacts from Pompeii and other historical cities. The New Jesuite Church is yet another attraction that is a must see for any tourist as it is one of the most extravagant Baroque churches in the world! Make sure you do not forget to taste a fresh pizza in one of the local pizzerias.
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The second largest island in the Mediterranean, Sardinia is one of the regions of Italy and lies pretty close to the Italian mainland and the French island of Corsica. The island is said to derived its name from the Sardi tribes who used to live in this island centuries ago. The island is well connected by air and ferry services from Corsica and the Italian mainland. Sardinia has a pleasant Mediterranean climate for most part of the year with warm summers. It is believed to have been one of the ancient lands in Europe as archealogical evidence suggest that the region has been inhabited from 8000 B.C!
Sardinia has lots of places for both the casual tourist and the history loving tourist. Budoni is a sea resort in northeast Sardinia and it is considered to offer some of the best views of the Mediterranean sea. The archealogical remains at Nora and Tharros are worth a visit and any history lover would just love it! Costa Smeralda and Stintino are considered to have some of the best beaches in Sardinia while Tavolara island is the perfect place for scuba diving enthusiasts!
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Located in the Gulf of Naples, Capri is a small beautiful island in the southern region of Campania in Italy. It is about 5 kilometers off the mainland and was known to have mentioned in Greek mythology. The island was for long a favorite holiday resort to many Roman emperors and has remained a famous tourist spot ever since. The island was perhaps named by the Greek who first inhabited the islands and the name of the island is presumed to have originated from Kapros, the Greek word for a wild boar.
Capri has a number of picturesque locations and a number of hiking trails. There are a number of natural trails in the island however, tourists have to be careful about a number of things like cacti and steep slopes when going on a hike. The Blue Grotto is perhaps the most visited natural attraction- a natural lit cave with a small entrance. The magnificent Faraglioni Rocks are yet another attraction in Capri. Tourists who are experienced in swimming can also swim in the grottoes and have an experience of a lifetime!
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The fourth largest island in the Mediterranean sea and located to the Southwest of the French mainland and to the west of Italy, Corsica is one of the territories of France. Corsica has always been called the Island of beauty and has been inhabited from the Mesolithic age. Corsica has a pleasant Mediterranean climate and tourists mostly flock the island mostly in the month of August.It is well connected by air, but the most popular and the fastest way to reach the island is to take the Navire à Grande Vitesse – a high speed boat from the French mainland.
Corsica is the ideal destination for a person who loves the sea and hiking. There are a number of beautiful hiking trails including the GR20 which is a 15 day trail that traverses through Corsica’s mountains. However, tourists have to be careful when going on this trail as the region is known for strong summer storms. Corsica also has a number of lovely beaches that offers a number of activities like scuba diving and wind surfing among others.
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Pompeii, the ancient Roman city that was buried under the ashes of Mount Vesuvius is located near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania. Pompeii is known for its well preserved details that threw light into the Roman civilization. It remained buried in the ashes for more than 1800 years until it was discovered in the year 1748. Pompeii attracts tourists from all around the world and is one of the most popular tourist destination in Italy.Pompeii is well connected by train services from Sorrento and Naples.
The ancient Roman city is to be explored by foot only and mostly in cobble stoned streets. Get you cameras ready as you can shoot some great pictures when you’re here. Rich is historic value, the city has a number of large houses and the House of the Vettii was a rich merchant’s home. The public market called the Forums and The Basilica, which served as the court house are other important places of interest. Another striking feature in this ancient city is the cateyes tiles that can be found in the ground. These tiles reflect moon light or candle light at night so that people could see where they were walking! Also do not forget to checkout the National Museum which house a number of artifacts and remains of people who have been preserved intact in the ashes!
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A city in the Southern region of Italy, Lecce is the capital of the the Lecce province that lies in the Apulia region. It is over 2000 years old and is an important city in the Salentine peninsula. Owing to the strong influence of the Baroque architecture in the monuments here, its is sometimes also called “The Florence of the South”. Lecce is known for the “Lecce stone” which is a soft type of limestone used for sculptures.Lecce is approximately a six hour drive from Rome, a distance of 370 miles.
The Church of the Holy Cross is perhaps the best example for Baroque architecture that you’ll find here. It has a richly decorated façade with grotesque figures and animals and a big Romanesque central rose window. The Roman amphitheater that was built in the 2nd century, the Triumphal Arc that was erected in the 15th century and the Obelisk are other beautiful monuments. Another thing that is not to be missed when you’re here is the Italian cuisine!
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Turin, the largest city and the cultural center of the Northern Italian region of Piedmont is situated on the banks of the Po River and is surrounded by the Alpine mountains. The city is called as the Capital of the Alps or the Automobile Capital of Italy. Turin was inhabited right from the times of the Romans and had about 5000 inhabitants then. Turin is just an hour’s drive from the French border and wooes tourists from the neighboring European countries.
Turin’s main attractions are the palaces, churches and a number of world renowned museums. The Mole Antonelliana is the highest masonry structure in Europe and is an important landmark in Turin. The palace of Venaria Reale located about ten kilometers to the North of Turin is a magnificent palace that sprawls out to 8000 square meters and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. The Museo dell’Automobile, The Egyptian museum and the National Cinema museums are some of the finest museums in Italy and are worth a visit!
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Venice, a city in Northern Italy is the capital of the Veneto region and has been an independent nation in olden times. It is considered to be one of the most loveliest and romantic tourist places in the entire world. The city also has other names including “The City of Bridges”, “The City of Water”, “The City of Light” etc. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities constructed by mankind and has been almost the same what it was six centuries back. The city is spread on 118 islands in the marshy Venetian lagoon and has more number of tourists than the local inhabitants.
The city is the world’s only pedestrian city and the whole city can be easily accessed by walk. Venice has a number of churches and museums that need to be checked out. Among the churches, the Basilica di San Marco and the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari are the most visited ones while the Correr museum and Doge’s Palaces are the noted museums. A trip to the romantic city would be a waste if you miss out on a romantic gondola ride with your loved one!
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