Italy- Bel Paese
(Beatiful Country)
Introduction Page:
Italy, the country that has such a rich history, great cuisine and dozens of beatiful cities.
A country so beatiful that it’s almost unfair to the rest of the world!
The country itself left such a huge mark on the world, just think about the Roman era when they nearly conquered all of Europe and Northern Africa.
The era that still leaves a huge mark on Italy to this day!
Roman ruins fill the landscape with of course the Colosseum as the most famous one!
But there are dozens of other sites from that time, well preserved texts and sculptures of rulers back then(who doesn’t know Julius Caesar).
- Capital: Rome
- Population: 59.5 Million
- Currency: Euro
- Independence Day: 2nd of June
- Country size rank: 73
But perhaps most famous are the Italian cities, each and every one of them unique, rich in history and huge touristic attractions.
Take Venice for example, a stunning city and truly unique in this world.
Now if Venice would have been the only big Italian city it would have been fair to the rest of the world but include: Rome, Naples, Florence and Milano and Italy is just kicking the rest of us as big bullies(they’ve got a good boot to kick with, you get it?😜 Sorry😅)
Top that all of with incredible nature, beatiful coastlines(Cinque Terre!), a world famous cuisine and a pleasant climate and you have a serious contender for best country in the world!
To read all the Italy articles, simply click the button above⬆️
Or scroll down further to see my favorite places in Italy and to see which famous place I still want/need to visit⬇️
My favorite places in Italy:
1: Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre a set of 5 colourful villages built along the coast.
A destination that will leave you stunned in every way, a destination that will fill up your entire phone storage because there’s stunning sights everywhere you look haha.
But above all a place that steals your heart and one that you wish to go back to!
So as I said there are 5 villages here built along the coast, which are:
- Monterosso al Mare
- Vernazza
- Corniglia
- Manarola
- Riomaggiore
Every single one of them is stunning in it’s own way!
Monterosso provides you with the best beaches, Corniglia is the only one built further inland, Vernazza takes the 2nd place for me and is a true site to behold. While Manarola is Riomaggiore but less touristic and Riomaggiore is the most famous of them all but if you ask me also the best one!
Riomaggiore is the one you have probably seen on pictures.
Colourful buildings left and right while in between a wide open street to stroll around in!
A street filled with local life, dozens of restaurants, souvenir shops and just good vibes in general.
I have dedicated an entire article on Cinque Terre, where I will provide you with information on all the different cities, the amazing hiking trails and much more!
You can visit the guide by clicking the button below or the text above⬇️⬆️
Tip 1: Cinque terre is located in Liguria province along the Nortwestern coast, a 1,5 hour drive from the city of Genua and about 2 hours away from Pisa.
TIP 2: There’s a railway connecting every single city to each other.
Trains depart around every 20min and cost 4eu one way!
2: Florence
Florence, a city so beatiful you have absolutely no idea where to look haha..
While I loved Rome this city was the one that stole my heart.
Rome can be chaotic, busy and dirty at times while Florence is the complete opposite of that!
A very old and charming city full of life and full of interesting sights!
Starting off with the most famous one ofcourse: the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore!! (as seen on the picture below)
Located right inside the city center, this Cathedral has stood it’s ground since 1436 while construction started in 1296!
I keep being fascinated how such old buildings are so well preserved because it looks like it’s only 100 years old!
For 585 years people have witnessed this amazing landmark, a structure that at it’s peak is 114m high.
And the good thing is, we can enter it ourselfs!
Witness the stunning sights in and outside but above all feast your eyes on The Last Judgment, the huge dome painting the Cathedral is famous for.
Tickets start from 20eu and they give you the oppurtunity to actually climb the dome and witness the stunning sights over the city!
Other prices range up to 39eu and provides you guided tours and other attractions.
For more check the website: http://tickets-florence.it
Also add to your list the: Ponte Vecchio(the popular bridge), Uffizi Gallery or the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Or how about the: Palazzo Vecchio, after the Cathedral the most popular attraction in Florence.
Once a palace which then became a seat for the government around 1870.
It has now been turned into a museum which holds a wide variety of statues, Renaissance objects and hundreds of old paintings!
3: Rome
Rome had been on my list for years and in 2014 I finally brought a visit to the city.
It turned out exactly what I expected while also exactly what I not expected😅
To start off with a positive note, as you might expect the city is a wet dream for those interested in history, archeology and fascinated by the Roman Empire.
The Colosseum is just as impressive in real life as it is on pictures and so is the inside area.
Cliche maybe but walking around transports you back in time and I can’t help but wonder how things must have been back then…
People being slaughtered, screaming, all while thousands of people are cheering them on, such a strange feeling that those things occurred there!!
Only downside I found was that the area around the Colosseum is super busy and then I am refering to the roads around it.
I just can’t get over the fact that people would build fucking roads around such a huge and important landmark(facepalm)
Another famous attraction, the former Roman temple: Pantheon.
Pantheon⬆️➡️
Or how about the incredible Trevi Fountain, one of the most famous fountains in the world!
Hundreds of people come here every day to enjoy the sight and to toss a coin over their shoulder(meaning that 1 day you’ll return to Rome)
Another option is to visit the Victor Emmanuel II monument or commonly known as: Altar of the Fatherland.
A huge white structure with gorgeous decorations, a sight that will for sure impress you!
Last but certainly not least, Vatican City!
The country within a country and more crazy within a city!
Yes you read that right, visiting the capital of Italy provides you the opportunity to visit 2 countries on 1 trip.
A huge touristic attraction and the holiest place for all Christians around the world.
The sight itself is also worth visiting ofcourse, the famous square features a huge and beatiful structure that surrounds it all around.
A rounded building that has 284 columns and 88 pilasters, impressive!
Top that all of with a visit inside the actual building, providing you with extraordinary paintings, very artistic marble floors and many more sights to behold!
To end it on a negative note, why do I found Rome so nice but at the same time not..
The city is crowded as fuckk, traffic is chaotic and the city can be really dirty!
And trust me, avoid the outer neighborhoods, there are places here that will give you goosebumps all over just because of how dark and ghetto it feels!
Before you go make sure your hotel is in the city center or in a nice neighbourhood and don’t make the same mistake as we did!
TIP: We got pickpocketed in the bus, it’s a huge problem in Rome and you should always be cautious especially in public transport and in the outskirts!
4: Venice
Now I can’t make a list like this without mentioning Venice now can I?
Perhaps the most famous Italian city and one of the most famous cities in the world!
I completely love this city but I’m going do something I haven’t done before…
My Italian front page is getting too long and huge already, I’m getting carried away once again(Just like I did with Austria😅)
That’s why I’ll link you to my Venice article, simply click on the text down below or the button⬇️
Read what my opinion is on Venice, the best attractions, how expensive it is and more right down below.
*The other reason for this decision is because I really want to include this section below:
⬇️ My Italian bucketlist, find out which place i need to see before I die! ⬇️
My Italian Bucketlist🇮🇹
Pompeii, this is a place that has fascinated me for years now, a once thriving city completely destroyed by a volcanic eruption, I think we all know the story by now.
What fascinates me even more is that after all this time the ruins and bodies are so well preserved and are accessible to the public now!
There is something fascinating(and sad) about stories like these..
Think about Pripyat in Chernobyl for example or the Titanic disaster.
These are moments in history that maybe in size aren’t the biggest disasters we’ve ever known but still leave a huge mark on the world and on people like me.
And while visiting the buildings of Pompeii sounds stunning on it’s own there are also many other things I would love to see here.
Dozens of well preserved bodies have been found for example, both human and animals alike.
Or how about all the paintings still preserved on the building walls!
A place I just need to visit once before I die!
