Timeless cities, magnificent art, sculpture and architecture, bewitching medieval villages, fabulous food, great wine – Italy captivates you from the word go. Its cities boast imposing cathedrals, beautiful palaces and bustling piazzas. The countryside offers you spectacular landscapes and stunning scenery of medieval hill towns set among the lush fruit groves of orange, lemon, olive and chestnut. The amazing gastronomic delights of fresh fruit, seafood, pasta and pizza and fine wine from its vineyards, truly makes Italy the land of la dolce vita!
Italy is a country of diverse experiences. You could spend a lifetime admiring at the multitude of Italy’s wonders and still have more to be in awe of. A land blessed with millennia of history, the most legendary works of art, food and wine that awakens the senses, pristine mountains, peaceful lakesides and a stunning coastline, Italy has it all.
The ancient sun-warmed land pulses with secrets and messages from a rich and enigmatic past. In Italy one peels back the centuries even as one explores a country wreathed in myth and legend. Time has left behind an indelible imprint. The nation has spawned intellectual giants in the fields of literature, art, and science. Homer, Virgil, Dante, Columbus, Michelangelo, Vivaldi, etc have held the world in thrall for centuries and continue to do so even today.
When it comes to art, Italy is a veritable open-air museum. The Rennaisance period, with its creative spirit, left its mark on the cities of Florence, Rome, Venice, Milan, Naples and other smaller, with works by great Renaissance artists such as Leonardo de Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raffaello. The splendour of Baroque architecture is visible throughout the country - in the grandeur of the buildings and intricately decorated churches. The great archaeological wealth of the country includes the unique and fascinating valley of the Temples in Agrigento - one of the most magnificent testimonies of the ancient Greek civilization in Sicily, or the mysteries of Pompeii and Herculaneum in Campania, or of the Etruscan civilisation around Tuscia, in Lazio. Moreover, there are around 3000 museums scattered throughout the country.
The Italian peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea with its boot-like shape kicking the island of Sicily is covered in large parts by mountains. While the Dolomite range that extends across northern Italy is a part of the Alps, the Apennine mountains run down the centre of Italy, stretching from north to south, dividing the east and west coasts. The Italian Alps protected the country in ancient times from barbaric invasions and the imposing Monte Bianco is the highest peak in the country.
Romantic and scenic, Italy’s Lake District is a visual delight making it a perennial draw. The beautiful countryside, lush Mediterranean vegetation and the mild climate make the lake areas with their villages, towns and resorts amongst the most thriving holiday destinations in Italy. Studded with grand country houses and tourist resorts, each lake has its own story to tell and its distinct allure.
Italy’s coastline is striking and diverse. From lively beaches each presenting a distinct local flavour to completely untreaded shores, to mystifying grottoes, to overpowering cliffs dropping into the emerald expanse sweeping at their feet, they offer an unforgettable experience.
It is said that nowhere is Italian life more seductive than in the kitchen and at the table. Italian food is not just an art but has soul as well! It engages your senses of taste, smell, sight and touch and titillates your palate with the flavours of the traditional cooking styles of its many regions.
In the words of Giuseppe Verdi, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy”. Italy is magical yet modern, old world yet fashionable, charming yet chic. Come and experience the romance and splendour of Italy.
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