Sites To See In Italy

With the advent of the World Wide Web, it's easier than ever to do research into those vacation spots that you've longed to visit. With the cost of travel these days, it's important that you do as much research as possible so that you can pack as much into your vacation as possible.

However, even though you want to experience as much as possible on your vacation, one of the major mistakes that the vacationer makes is to try to do too much. You end up returning home needing a vacation from your vacation!

The best thing to do is make plans to visit one or at most two tourists spots each day. Have a backup site you'd like to visit in case something happens to one of your first two choices.

Well, what's to see in Italy?

That all depends on your interests. There is indeed something for everyone.

All roads lead to Rome, as the saying goes, so let your feet take you in that direction. There are so many museums, churches, art galleries, and other places of interest there that you could spend your entire vacation in the capital city of Italy quite easily.

The Colosseum, located in the center of Rome, is over 2000 years old. Pictures in books do not do this ruined edifice justice, it must be seen to be believed. During its heyday it could seat 50,000 people, gathered together to watch the famous 'circuses' of gladiatorial combat. Nearby is the Forum, where Julius Caesar was killed by his Senators on the Ides of March.

After Rome its on to Naples. Well, Naples is just the starting point to get to Pompeii, and nearby Herculaneum. These are the cities buried under the ash of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the 1st century AD, and forgotten about for 1600 years. Excavations began in the 1700s and are still going on today. You'll travel first to Naples, and from there go on to these famous cities frozen in time.

It's possible to make a daytrip from Rome to Pompeii, so don't miss out.

All Roads Lead To Rome, And Away From Rome

Where to go from Rome? Well, you could go north east, up to Venice. Venice, the city of canals. Indeed, Venice is surrounded by water - the best way to get there is by boat or train. This unique city is located on the southern coast of Italy, with far above it the country of Austria and to the west, Slovakia. Known as the city of canals, it's also the city of bridges. Venice actually covers 117 small islands, with 409 bridges traversing 150 canals. You have never seen any city like it.

If you don't want to go north you can go south, to Tuscany.

Are you a wine enthusiast? Or an oenologist, to put it technically. (That's pronounced een-ol-o-gist, by the way.) If you are, you'll want to visit the region of Tuscany, famous for its winemaking. There are fourteen "wine roads" throughout the region. Each road identifies the type of grape grown in that area, and has signs pointing to the various vineyards and other businesses open to the touring public. You might want to start your tour in the city of Florence, as you'll be able to get in a little culture as well, by visiting the famous Uffizi Gallery.

The island of Elba, famous for its wine, is also a renowned tourist resort. And it's the place where Napolean Bonaparte was first imprisoned (before escaping, regathering his army, losing at Waterloo, and ending up at St. Helena.) You can visit the two villas that Napolean occupied there.

Alastair Hamilton loves writing for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . He provides tips and advice about italy vacations as well as on the traveling to Italy at http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com/CyclingItaly.html