Venice,Italy

Venice at night, Grand Canal, the largest canal in the city

Venice, capital city of Veneto is a unique place with its own charm. Every monument and place in this city has history. Venice is known as the City of Water because of its canals and the best way to appreciate the history of the region is to understand the canals. There are over 150 of them and are spanned by over 150 bridges. The canals are the main means of transportation throughout the city with the largest one is the Grand Canal with three bridges spanning it. It’s known as Venice’s most important “street” and tourists get the chance to learn more about the Grand Canal while riding through it.

Some of the bridges such as the “Bridge of Sighs” are quite famous. These canals can experience heavy traffic given that they are a major means of transportation in Venice but the boats are large enough to let you sit comfortably allowing you to take photographs and listen to your guide. Although industrial pollution has reduced in the recent years, the water in these canals remains filthy. This is also the reason for the constant maintenance that is regularly done on them. Despite this fact, the canals of Venice are one of the top attractions in Europe and there’s no better way to experience the beauty and uniqueness of this city than to ride through the canals. Apart from this beautiful experience, tourists are also recommended to explore the diverse cuisines of Venice and try some of the local dishes such as Baccala’ Montecata during their trip.

A lot of people are aware that Venice is also famous as being one of the most romantic cities in the world. The New York Times once called it undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man. The uniqueness, mystery as well as beauty associated with Venice makes it worthy of being added to everyone’s bucket list.

Portofino,Italy

Portofino is a small fisherman village in Italy

Portofino is an Italian fishing village, and upmarket resort famous for its picturesque harbour and historical association with celebrity visitors.

Portofino is a small fisherman village, which is sheltered by the sea. This landscape looks incredibly attractive especially in the evenings when its time for the sun to set. The best thing about this landscape is that its not too large and all beaches are at most a walk away. Moreover, the most notable thing about Portofino is its lifestyle. Hence, it is appreciated by artists and visited by Hollywood stars and millionaires. There are some tourist shops for casual browsing as well as posh boutiques from some of the most well known designers of the world.

Similarly, dining options have as much of a variety. Tourists could opt to eat simple Italian food as well as go for fine dining. It’s extremely important for tourists to remember that dinner doesn’t begin until 8pm in Portofino and the weekends tend to get busy so if you want to eat at a specific place over the weekends, you’d have to make reservations in advance. A lot of people associate wine with Italian food and the fact that this place is known for some unique wine cannot come as a surprise. But non-alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are readily available as well.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

The Tower of Pisa is a bell tower, famous for its dramatic tilt to one side. The tower has become an icon of Italy, and millions of tourists flock to the lawns around the tower to take the classic photo pretending to hold up (or knock down) the tower. Visitors can also climb the 294 steps to the top inside the tower.

The tower was not originally intended to lean, but because it was built on soft soils the tower gradually tilted to the side. The Tower of Pisa went through restoration to prevent it from toppling, correcting the angle of tilt from 5.5 degrees to 3.99 degrees.

Vatican City

Vatican City

The seat of the Pope, the worldwide head of the Catholic Church, the Vatican is an independent state within Italy. Many pilgrims make the journey to Vatican City every year, and many of these attend a public appearance from the Pope or attend mass. Vatican City includes the Saint Peter’s Basilica (Cathedral) and Piazza (square), the Vatican Museum, and the gardens. Much of Vatican City is not open to the public, guarded by the Swiss Guards who wear distinctive uniforms.

Entrance to the Basilica is free, but there is a fee to climb the 323 steps to the top of the dome, and for a bit extra, you can take an elevator up part of the way. Below the main level, visitors can see the tomb of Pope John Paul II. A dress code is enforced for entrance to the basilica – no bare shoulders or shorts are allowed.

The Vatican Museum contains the Sistine Chapel, with the world famous ceiling frescoes of Michelangelo.

Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Italy

Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Italy

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (Basilica di San Francesco in Italian) is an Italian cathedral located in the city of Assisi. This cathedral is the head, or mother church, of the Franciscan Order (the Roman Catholic Order of the Friars Minor). The Basilica was constructed after the canonization of Francis on July 16, 1228, by Pope Gregory IX.

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is a popular pilgrimage destination. This is since Saint Francis was known for his lifestyle of non-materialism and his treatment of all creatures as equals, including animals and the poor. The current Pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, chose his name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi consists of the Upper Church and the Lower Church, as well as a third level below, the Saint’s tomb, where the remains of Saint Francis are kept. The Upper Church interior is decorated in the Gothic style. Interior features include many frescoes from contemporary medieval painters such as Giotto di Bondone, Pietro Cavallini, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Cimabue, displaying a variety of Italian art from this period. Other decorative features include the Gothic doorway and ornate rose window, which has been called “the eye of the most beautiful church in the world.”