Europe

Main Attractions in Italy

Arezzo, Piazza Grande

Italy is truly an exciting holiday destination. The changing landscape and rich cultural heritage together have blessed the nation with many of the outstanding attractions that keep attracting tourists throughout the year. Regarded as one of the stylish countries on the globe, the main attractions in Italy range from fine pubs to chic museums. You can expect all kinds of historic, natural, and modern sightseeing along with varied things to do. In this article, I will take you on a tour of some of the main attractions in Italy.

Arezzo, Piazza Grande
Arezzo, Piazza Grande

Lombardy is one of the famous tourist spots sharing a frontier with Switzerland and offering the ideal skiing and climbing opportunities. All this is possible because of the high mountains in the north and a temperate climate. Also, there are spectacular lakes of Como, Garda, Maggiore, and Lugano to explore.

Mantua (Mantova) was where a many famous Italians were born such as Virgil and Tazio Nuvolari, a famous racing driver. Do explore the churches such as the Sant’Andrea planned by Alberti and the burial place of the town’s popular court painter namely Mantegna and the Baroque Cathedral in the Piazza Sordello. These both are known for their architecture. Other major attractions are its two palaces namely the Palazzo Ducale and the Palazzo del Te. The former was the largest in Europe in the past and was the residence of the Gonzaga family now boasting a myriad of stunning paintings from the artists, Mantegna and Rubens. The Palazzo del Te is a Renaissance palace for Frederico Gonzaga (playboy) and his mistress, Isabella.

Liguria, stretching 320 km (200 miles), is full of rocky shore stretching from France to Tuscany marking the site of beginning of the Italian ‘boot’. This region is a must to visit and holds a special place in the list of main attractions in Italy, as it is dubbed as the Riviera. For tourists, many amenities are available here.

Explore Trento, the main town of Trentino that is much more appreciated for its collection of art works that are assembled by the princes of many dynasties, who have dominated the region between the 10th and 18th centuries. To view these artistic exhibits, head to the town’s museums such as the Castello di Buonconsiglio, Museo Diocesano Trentino, and the Museo Provinciale d’Arte.

Bolzano, the principal and commercial town of Alto Aldige, in the north is where you will come across the most unexpected panoramic drives that is the mountain route via the Dolomites to Cortina d’Ampezzo named La Grande Strada delle Dolomiti. This route begins from the Val d’Ega where the vistas are abruptly blooming with vegetation and rocks as the light becomes dim in the wooden trees. At some 20 km (12 miles) is the Lake Carezza that refers to an awesome limpid pool of bright green water where in the reflection of the trees and mountains can be seen clearly. To explore much more attractions on this grand passage through its alpine towns, ski resorts, never-ending panoramas of rocky peaks, and green mountainsides, take up a drive on your own. To the north of the city at 28 km (17 miles) lies the most famous mountain resort that is the second-largest town in the region – Merano. This is where you can try out some rejuvenating spas, be in the therapeutic thermal waters, and experience the moderate climate that is above the freezing point in winter. Also, you can enjoy some of the vastest landscaped gardens and buildings exhibiting a blend of architectural styles from Gothic to Art Nouveau. To discover the historic castles, be at the Merano Valley that is flanked by many of them out of which some have been converted into beautiful castle hotels.

Occupying the Lower Po Valley, the eastern bank of Lake Garda, and the eastern Dolomites, Veneto offers many resorts. Nestled on the Adriatic coast, there are many commercial seaside resorts like Jesolo here. Just go up high in the Dolomites where the stylish town of Cortina d’Ampezzo is the ideal ski resort, but is not that challenging. In 1956, this was where the Winter Olympics were organized. Come here in summer when exploring Dolomites is really worth doing.

One of the main attractions in Italy is the city of Padua (Padova) that is best-known for its seven-domed Basilica of St Anthony of 13th century. It was here that St Anthony was cremated making it a vital pilgrimage spot. In the interior, the bronzes on the main altar and the equestrian statue in front of the entrance are worth noticing. Other key highlights in the city are the small Scrovegni Chapel adorned with an amazing cycle of 14th century biblical frescoes, Prato della Valle as an extensive square with a green zone, and the Orto Botanico that are the botanical gardens, the oldest ones in Europe.