Tourism and cultural activities in Italy

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical

Italy is world renown for its many tourist sites. A great number of the most well-known and frequently visited historical monuments are in Rome, including: the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican. Other cities have many visitors, such as: Venice and its famous canals, Florence and its Uffizi gallery and Pisa and its Leaning Tower.

Cultural

The historical centres in Rome, Naples and Florence are great to experience by walking. Tuscany and Umbria are two of the most famous regions, known for their culinary delights and stunning landscapes. The Reggia de Caserta (Palace of Caserta), the Villa d'Este, Villa Adriana and the Necropolises of the Etruscans are also very well-known destination.

Night life in Italy caters for all tastes, including: opera and theatre, bars, discotheques and night clubs.

Nature

Destinations for tourists looking to experience the natural beauty of Italy include: the Aeolian islands, the island of Asinara, the Maddalena archipelago and the Strait of Bonifacio, the Cascades of the Marmore, the vineyards of Langhe, Monferrato and Valtellina. Mount Etna in Sicily is one of the biggest volcanoes in the world.

Religious

While beautiful churches can be found across Italy, the heart of Italian religion can be found at the Vatican, with its famous churches and basilicas.

Thermal

Italy has numerous spas- some of which date back to antiquity. Some of the biggest and best equipped spas and therapeutic resorts in Italy are: Abano Terme and Montegrotto Terme (Veneto), Acqui Terme (Piedmont), Chianciano and Montecatini Terme (Tuscany), Fiuggi (Lazio), Porretta Terme and Salsomaggiore Terme (Emilia-Romagna), Sciacca (Sicily) and Sirmione (Lombardy).

Beach

Italy has countless beautiful beaches- including the islands, Liguria, Tuscany, Puglia and Sicily.

Winter Sports

The Alps make up Italy's northern border and the Apennine chain runs the whole length of the country. As a result, Italy is an ideal mountain holiday destination, especially in winter for those who love snow and winter sports.

For further information, consult the Skiinfo website.

Outdoor Activities

Outdoor activities of all sorts- climbing, sailing, trekking and golf- are readily available.

Shopping

Italian products are recognised all over the world for their class and high quality- many of which are made by local craftsmen at attractive prices.

Florence, Milan and Rome are known the fashion centres and have a tremendous variety of retail destinations. Some places are known for specific products: Como (Lombardy) for silk, Prato (Tuscany) for textiles, Empoli (Tuscany) for the production of bottles and glasses in green glass, Deruta (Umbria) and Faenza (Emilia-Romagna) for pottery, Carrara (Tuscany) for marble, Torre Annunziata (Campania) and Alghero (Sardinia) for coral crafts, Cremona (Lombardy) for violins, Castelfidardo (Marche) for accordions, guitars and organs, Valenza (Piedmont) for goldsmiths, Vietri sul Mare (Campania) for ceramic tiles and Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna) for mosaics.

Tourism Organisations

ENIT, National Tourist Office