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Tourism and Italy are synonymous, since Italy is a paradise for history lovers, with more than 3,000 museums, churches and archaeological sites dating from roman times. There are hundreds of goods and places protected by UNESCO and open for tourism. The islands of Italy such Capri, famous for its romanticism, or Ischia, with hot springs are visited and revered for centuries. The renaissance movement in arts and culture has left behind a precious heritage that can be admired today in the old town squares and cities, unchanged over time.
Altogether though, wherever you choose to make a trip to Italy, surely will be a pleasant experience. Even if it seems almost impossible, sometime it's good to sink into history and culture, just to forget those small things which perturb our everyday existence.
Italy is one such place...

where history and culture, romance and modernism coexist all together and make tourists take part to a unique experience.

Popular things to Do & See in Italy

• Discover the historical sites of Rome - the Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon. At the Trevi Fountain you can ensure your return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water.

• Enter the Vatican City, an independent sovereign state best known for St Peter's basilica. Among the specific features of the Vatican palace (papal residence) include the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum.

• Explore the city of Venice, a masterpiece of art in itself. St Mark's Basilica and the Doge Palace, overlooking St Mark Square, have gained their fame by appearing in paintings by Canaletto. The Academy Gallery exhibit hundreds of Venetian paintings.

• Discover Torino's sights. The Egyptian Museum is second in the world, after the museum in Cairo. The symbol of the town is Mole Antonelliana (19th century), in which operates the italian National Cinema Museum. In the cathedral you can see a copy of the famous Shroud of Turin.

• In Milan you can appreciate the masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci, "The Last Supper", which can be seen in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. La Scala theatre remains the undisputed opera and ballet theatres in the world.

• In Genoa, the place where Christopher Columbus was born, visit the Galleria di Palazzo Bianco. Here you'll find an extensive collection of genoese artists.

• Visit the romantic city of Verona, the place of Romeo and Juliet tragedy. Casa di Giulietta attracts thousands of visitors each year. The roman arena built in 290 is where the annual opera festival takes place.

• Discover the byzantine and christian monuments decorated with stunning mosaics, in Ravenna, including splendid Galla Placidia mausoleum, a place on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

• Visit Florence to see the revolutionary architecture of the cathedral designed by the architect Brunelleschi. Cross the medieval bridge and visit the Uffizi art galleries and the famous statue of David by Michelangelo, situated at the Academy's Galleries.

• Admire the cathedral of Siena with its numerous columns striped in black and white. The cathedral' s floor, which is covered most of the year, can be seen in september.

• Visit the place where pizza was first invented - Naples. The National Archaeological Museum houses an impressive collection of greco-roman artifacts, including the mosaics from Pompeii.

• Visit the basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, birthplace of St Francis, founder of the franciscan monk order.

• Go to the Piazza del Campo in Siena. The best time of the day is early in the morning and at sunset.

• Go to Sicily to see the remnants of the invading cultures. The most important ancient greek sites include the temples from Valle dei Templi Agriegento, which is said to be better preserved than any site in Greece. The catacombs from Capuchin monastery contain thousands of mummified bodies.

• In Rome, you can stroll through the Trastevere district, an alternative tourist center, with numerous bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

• Go shopping in Milan, Italy's most sophisticated city.

• Learn new skills - italian and art courses are available throughout the country. Italian language courses are often supplemented by cooking or architecture courses. Art courses are offered by Palazzo Spinelli and "Universita Internazionale dell Arte" in Florence.

• Spa centers are famous since roman times. The most modern resorts are Abano Terme and Montecatini Terme, Acqui Terme (Piedmont), L'Andana, Tombolo, Talassa, Terme di Saturnia and Chianciano Terme, Fiuggi (Lazio), Porretta Terme and Salsomaggiore Terme (Emilia Romagna).

• Do not miss the chance to wear an elaborate mask and costume during the Carnival of Venice.

• Head to the coast, where you can practice all sorts of water sports. Popular destinations include the Italian Riviera from Liguria, the Adriatic coast and Amalfi coast. Less busy are the beaches of Sicily and Sardinia.

• From Capri, Italy's most visited island, you can take a boat to the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra).

• Go skiing in the italian Alps. West of Turin, in Piedmont region, you can find many resorts such Bardonechia, Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx. Further north, the ski resorts from Aosta Valley include Cervinia, Courmayeur and La Thuile. The most luxurious resort in Italy is Cortina D'Ampezzo, located in the Dolomites.

• Search for truffles in Umbria, a region of rare natural beauty, famous for its truffles. Black truffles are celebrated each year at the festival in the town of Norcia. Between october and december you have the chance to find rare white truffles.

• Visit the wine cellars of Tuscany. The landscape of this region is characterized by vineyards, cypress forests, sunflower fields and isolated villages. Chianti, the most famous italian wine, is produced in the north of Siena, where some wineries are open to the public.