Travel Tips

If you are drooling at the prospect of the taste of the most delicious wine and pasta, a grab of olive oil, a taste of the rejuvenating sunshine, and the captivating sights of the renaissance castles, mafias, and the classical Roman remnants–Italy is the best place to visit.

On a yearly basis, tourists hailing from all over the world come and flock to Italy in their attempt to unearth the interesting and exceptional tourist destination spots that are more than often highlighted by the travel agencies to all and sundry. By personally visiting Italy, you will discover for yourself that everything is indeed much captivating and stimulating.

Visiting tourists like you will never have the time to feel bored during your stay in Italy. The remarkable tourist sights are pretty accessible. You just have to try it out for yourself so you can definitely say that you have experienced living life the “la vita Italiana” manner!

All corners of Italy suggest something. The lovely landscapes of the Verona Province simply never fail to captivate the interest of a visitor. The north western portion of Italy is more so the perfect spot for individuals who are interested in learning all sorts of culinary designs and tricks. The capital of Milan, Lombardia, is nonetheless the core of haute couture and commerce.

Venice and Verona are two of the most romantic tourist destinations of Italy where the so called whirlwind romantic affairs often progress. If you take particular attention to the characteristics of wines, then the best place to go to is Piemonte. In this spot you will find the wines which are squeezed directly out of the Nebbiolo grapes. Book fairs, museum visits, music festivals, and art galleries are among the topnotch places to pay a visit to when you set your foot in Italy.

Activities to Get Busy with

The months of March up to May and from September up to November are the best durations to go to Italy. If you prefer to take a marvelous sight at the beaches, then you must schedule your visit in between the months of May down to September. Meanwhile, skiing adventures are mostly advised from January to March.

The Italian festivities are also very rich. As a Catholic nation, Italy almost fills its calendar with the principal spiritual festivities all year round. Among the eye-catching celebrations include the Christmas and Easter seasons. If you plan your Italian tour in the summer months, then you can grab the opportunity of being a part yourself of the local festivities, historic events, and the series of art festivals. The month of February is the celebration of the Carnevale.

The most authentic costumes are worn by the people who partake in such festivity. The Easter celebration is vividly given life by the Lo Scoppio del Carro with several fireworks displays to enjoy. In May, the festival of snakes is held. Likewise, the Verona Opera Season is much awaited from the middle part of June up to August for the most favored opera performances to marvel at.

European family vacations are all worth it. For a worry-free travel, you can contact the trusted travel agencies which specialize in European tours. You never know but you may chance upon the discounted rates especially if you do group bookings!

Milan is one of the largest cities in Italy and one of the most highly developed areas of all of Europe. If you like to be in a city when you go on vacation then you must visit Milan when you are in Italy. It makes for a great combination of a city vacation amidst cultural and historic relevance. There are over one million people living in Milan. Not only is this where you will find Da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper” but this city is also one of the best shopping centers of the world. Many fashion designers have their houses here and you will find opportunity for a lot of window shopping or real shopping while in Milan for your Italy vacation.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuel II is said to be the oldest shopping mall in the world. It was designed and built in the 1800s and features a huge glass and steel arch covering a long street. At its center is a large glass dome and to this day the oldest shopping mall in the world continues to be a bustling retail center with shops selling everything from books to haute couture and numerous restaurants serving tourists and residents of Milan. During your Italy vacation in Milan you will find that the Galleria Vittorio Emanuel II connects 2 of Milan’s most popular attractions. These are the Duomo and the Teatro Ala Scalla.

The Duomo is the cathedral of Milan that you may visit while on vacation in Italy. This is where the Archbishop of Milan resides. With its amazing gothic architecture this cathedral played an important role in establishing Catholic traditions and spreading the Catholic faith. In Italy, the only church that is larger than the Duomo is St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City in Rome. Most guided tours of Milan will feature a visit to the Duomo and you will get a chance to see this beautiful feat of Italian history.

The Teatro Alla Scala is a world famous opera house in Milan that you must visit on your Italy vacation. It was built in the late 1700s after a carnival fire destroyed the previous opera house. It was known to be the gathering place of the rich in Milan and had a gallery area above the boxes where the less wealthy were allowed to come to also enjoy the opera performances. After much controversy the theatre was renovated a few years ago. Most of the controversy was regarding a concern with whether the historical details would be lost. But during your Italy vacation here if you see the Teatro Alla Scala you will find that an excellent job was done in preserving the history of this great opera house.

When in Milan on your Italy vacation, you must also visit the Sforza Castle. It took 10 years to build this in the 1300s. It was built to be a defensive fortress and has undergone several reconstructions, additions and transformations over the centuries. There are several museums here that you can visit on your Italy vacation and most of them feature castle art such as defensive armor and furniture from its royal inhabitants. This castle also holds Michelangelo’s final work of art, a marble sculpture known as the Rondanini Pieta.

Along with London, Paris and New York, Milan and Rome are on the list of the famous fashion centers of the world. When you are on your Italy vacation you may not be able to help yourself but to indulge a little in this aspect of Italian culture. By all means make sure you visit the rolling hills of Florence, take a gondola trip through Venice and visit a vineyard in Tuscany. But don’t forget that you are in the country of the likes of Armani, Versace, Fendi, Prada and Valentino. If this at all interests you do find out if your visit coincides with any fashion exhibits or public fashion shows in Rome or Milan.

When you are in Rome make sure you visit the Vatican City but you must go to the original stores of all the Italian designers. You will not only see little old ladies in Italian villages while on vacation in Italy but when you arrive you will quickly realize that Italians have a very high fashion sense, care very much about their looks and are very sophisticated especially in Rome and Milan. You must visit the famous shopping strip Via Montenapoleone in Milan. Here you will find boutiques for Chanel, Dolce e Gabbana and Fendi along with numerous others. Even if your budget does not allow you to purchase anything, this will make for an unbelievable window shopping experience during your vacation in Italy. Many of these boutiques are open from 10 am till 7 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays with shorter hours on Mondays and are closed on Sundays.

Italy is especially known for its high fashion industry or “haute couture” and the runway fashion shows that the designers use to debut their new collections each season. The houses of Valentino and Fendi originated in Rome while the houses of Prada, Versace and Armani originated in Milan. With near perfect craftsmanship, Italian fashions are said to rival those of France and many people even feel the Italian fashions are superior.

During your Italy vacation you may hear of AltaRoma, an organization that has been responsible for putting Italian designers on the map over the years through its yearly fashion shows. These fashion shows feature established designers as well as new designers. They are closed to the general public but AltaRoma also organizes another event that is open to everyone. If your Italy vacation is in mid July the Donna Sotto del Stelle is worth catching. It means “Woman under the Stars.” It is an open air fashion event that takes place at the Piazza de Spagna in Rome and features several newer designers.

To further take in the couture culture during your vacation in Italy, you should also visit the most prominent fashion school in Rome. This school has produced some very talented new designers and usually has fashion exhibits and shows open to the public. Valentino also opened a fashion school in 1990 which also hosts some fashion and art shows open to the general public.