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Vatican City
City/Region: Rome
The Vatican City is a remarkable entity in that it is an independent state administered by the Roman Catholic Church and one of the world's richest countries. The population of this enclave doubles during the working week as the residents from Rome cross into the Vatican City to work within its boundaries. Scandal and intrigue has tarnished the papacy's image over the years, but this does not detract from the magnificence of the art collections housed within its buildings. The must-see sights of Vatican City include St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Library. The Pilgrim Tourist Information Office is located at P San Pietro (Telephone: 69 88 44 66 or 69 88 48 66). The Vatican Gardens are open Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 7pm.

Assisi
City/Region: Tuscany
The picturesque hill town of Assisi, to the east of Perugia, is famous as the birthplace of St Francis, a 12th-century monk who founded the Franciscan order devoted to achieving an 'abundance of the divine' through the practice of ascetism, poverty and chastity. Tourists and pilgrims flock to the bustling town for inspiration and worship, and a multitude of conferences, festivals and other religious activities are dedicated to this aim. Approaching the town is a visual spectacle of shimmering white marble buildings perched halfway up Mount Subasio. The town is set against the backdrop of the towering 14th-century hill fortress of the Rocca Maggiore, a landmark with which to orientate oneself from inside the city's medieval ramparts. The most loved and visited church in Italy is the 13th-century Basilica di San Francesco containing frescoes by Giotto commemorating the life of St Francis. Other notable works include paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini's frescoes based on the life of St Martin. St Francis' tomb rests below the lower church.

Pisa
City/Region: Tuscany
Pisa is most famous for its leaning campanile, yet its other equally notable coups include its long maritime legacy dating to 1000 BC, its prized university and its status as the birthplace of the world's greatest physicist and astronomer, Galileo Galilei. The Pisans also created one of the most beautiful squares in the world in the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles). Its key component is the famous Leaning Tower, whose layers of heavy marble were constructed on a shifting subsoil foundation that has been the bane of Pisan engineers for more than 800 years. It seems that the tremulous soil underneath the Field of Miracles has exacted its price on the other buildings too, most notably San Michele dei Scalzi. Other attractions of interest in Pisa include the Museo delle Sinopie, a museum containing a display of sketches from the frescoed cycle that decorated the walls of the Campo Santo cemetery and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in which exhibits of arabesque panels and Corinthian capitals reveal the influences of Rome and Islam on Pisan architects. The Museo Nazionale di San Matteo displays a range of Florentine art from the 12th through to the 17th centuries.

Cortona
City/Region: Tuscany
Cortona perches above the lofty hills of olive groves and vineyards overlooking Lake Trasimeno and the plain of Valdichiana. It is one of the oldest cities in Tuscany and its Etruscan roots have been indelibly imprinted onto its foundations. It also stakes a claim as a 'City of Art', having spawned the great artists, Luca Signorelli and Pietra da Cortona. Most of the Etruscan city is hidden in basements but part of the original 4th-century BC walls can be seen at the base of Porta Colonia's outer side. Climbing the city's cut-stone staircases and meandering along its cobbled streets guides one back through the past from the Renaissance to the Middle Ages and beyond. The medieval houses along Via Janelli are the oldest in Italy; massive timber beams support their overhanging upper stories. Places of special interest include the Palazzo Comunale, Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca (containing a number of major Etruscan artifacts) and the church of San Francesco, the first Franciscan church outside Assisi.

Lucca
City/Region: Tuscany
Lucca is a delightful city comprising a grid of Roman roads contained within mighty medieval ramparts. It is home to Puccini, chamber music, Romanesque churches, museums and monuments. Lucca's flat landscape and narrow winding lanes create the perfect conditions for commuting by bicycle as many locals do. The Piazza del Mercato supports what survives of the ancient Roman amphitheater. Medieval houses frame the square and low archways provide the gateways through which Roman gladiators would have emerged. Some of the city's essential sights include the Duomo, San Michele, San Frediano, Museo Nazionale Guinigi and Torre Guinigi. Casa di Pucini makes an interesting visit for opera lovers, as this 15th century house is a shrine to one of Italy's greatest composers.

San Gimignano
City/Region: Tuscany
The towers of this medieval village peer wilfully onto the stretch of cypress and olive trees below. San Gimignano has been dubbed 'medieval Manhattan', however the skyline of towers numbers only 14 of the original 72. Built as status symbols and defensive outposts the towers played a significant role in the internecine feuds that eventually led to the town's downfall. Prior to its eventual decline into a sleepy backwater, the town prospered through its position along the main pilgrim route from Northern Europe to Rome. Today however it is better known for its tourism, wine production and rich artwork. The Piazza del Duomo is a good starting point from which to explore the historical buildings of the town. In close proximity to the square is the Collegiata church, dating to the 11th century and adorned with frescoes including The Creation by Bartolo di Fredi. Via San Giovanni is a good area to navigate for local merchandise.

Siena
City/Region: Tuscany
The red-brown stone of this medieval city throngs around Italy's finest old square, the Piazza del Campo. As old as the square itself are the traditions reverberating off its pavements twice yearly during the Palio delle Contrade. It is Italy's most colorful festival with rehearsals, processions and pageantry leading up to the climactic bare-back horse race around the Piazza. It is taken very seriously as it provides an outlet to the fierce rivalries that have raged for centuries among the town's 17 medieval districts. All of Siena's streets are a delight to explore but some of its notable landmarks include the Torre de Mangia, Palazzo Pubblico, the Duomo, Palazzo Piccolomini, Pinacoteca Nazionale and Museo dell'Opera. Torre del Mangia is the bell tower to the left of Palazzo Pubblico which stands at 330ft (102m), the second highest in Italy. It is named after the first bell ringer who was known for his infuriating idleness. The Palazzo Pubblico still serves as Siena's town hall although sections of it are open to the public. The Palazzo Piccolomini, built in 1460 for the prosperous Piccolomini family, contains Sienese state archives and financial records. The Pinacoteca Nazionale gallery is noted for its collection of works by artists of the Siena School. Siena's spectacular Duomo is unsurpassed amongst Italy's churches, built in full Gothic style. The carved pulpit panels by Nicola Pisano are magnificent depictions from The Life of Christ. Many of the original statues on the church's façade are copies; the originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.

Lake Como
City/Region: The Lake Country
The pristine waters of Lake Como (known locally as Lago Di Como) are framed by craggy backdrops and magnificent villas festooned with bougainvillea perch over its watery banks. Three long lakes converge to form Lake Como, joining in the Centro Lago area with the four towns of Bellaggio, Tremezzo, Menaggio and Varenna. These can be visited via the boats and buses connecting the towns in all three areas of the lake. Cultural areas of interest include Como's duomo, which combines the best of Gothic and Renaissance elements. Contiguous to this lies the former communal palace, the Broletto and two blocks from here is the Church of San Fedele. Scenic vistas can be explored from a funicolare to Brunate. Hiking trails lead off from here with overnight accommodation en route in the form of baite (modest guesthouses). Across the lake is the Tempio Voltiano a memorial museum devoted to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the battery. There is an outdoor market in Como every Tuesday and Thursday morning and the whole day on Sunday.

Lake Maggiore
City/Region: The Lake Country
Lake Maggiore casts a refined glow from its shores, as it is the preferred holiday destination of the elite. The resort town of Stresa is a haven for Italians, French and Germans who flock to its cobbled streets and enjoy the spectacular mountain and lake views from its quarters. Just a heartbeat away lies further splendor in the form of the Borromean Isles. Daily excursion tickets enable adventurous travelers to hop between the islands at their leisure. Of these isles, the Isola Bella is the most visited. Its claim to fame is the magnificent Baroque palace, the Palazzo e Giardini Borromeo, replete with priceless masterpieces, tapestries, furniture and paintings. The terraced gardens reach their dramatic apex with the unicorn, the Borromeo family emblem. On Isola Madre is the Borromeo bambini doll collection as well as a number of portraits of the family. A magnificent botanical garden flows from the house with plentiful exotic trees, plants and flowers.

Lake Garda
City/Region: The Lake Country
Lake Garda, known locally as Lago di Garda, is the most popular of Italy's northern lakes and has a temperate climate to complement its magnificent setting. The lake towns of Riva, Gardone Riviera and Sirmione can be reached via buses, hydrofoils and ferries from Desenzano. The town of Sirmione boasts the relics of Roman civilization and a magnificent medieval castle. The Sirmione Spa, the largest privately owned thermal treatment center in Italy, offers invigorating therapy from its sulphurous waters. Gardone Riviera was once the playground of the rich and famous and is now the recreational haunt for many a tourist. The hills beyond Gardone are perfect for walking and enjoying the scents of nature bursting from the lemon groves. The alpine cliffs casting their glorious shadows off Riva del Garda, is a perfect spot from which to hike, mountain bike and windsurf. The picturesque pebble beaches provide a slower, languid soaking-up-the-sun experience. See www.lagodigarda.itfor more details.

Alghero
City/Region: Sardinia
The flourishing fishing port of Alghero, situated on the northwest coast, is Sardinia's tourist center. It consists of a picturesque and well-preserved old town enclosed in a stout girdle of walls, outside of which the new town sports a grid of parallel streets filled with hotels and restaurants. A favored package tour destination, Alghero offers beautiful beaches and year-round holiday amenities together with numerous places of interest to visit. The town is very Spanish in flavor having been invaded by Pedro IV of Aragon in 1354. The narrow cobbled streets of the old town are lined with flamboyant churches and wrought-iron balconies, boutiques and cafes, as well as the workshops of craftsmen working the famed coral of Alghero. The local cuisine hints of Spain too, and the town is renowned for its excellent seafood. Authentic Spanish paellas, lobster alla Catalana and tasty fish soups abound, with delicious sea urchins on sale from stallholders in the port. Around the town the coast offers many secluded bays, small inlets bordered by pine forests and high, jagged cliffs washed by the emerald green sea. Inland luxuriant vineyards produce some of the most aromatic wines on the island. Nightlife is sedate, tending more to sipping cocktails on a sidewalk café and watching the sunset from the seafront than frenetic nightclubbing.

Costa Smeralda
City/Region: Sardinia
The jet-set strip of Sardinia, Costa Smeralda is a six-mile (10km) stretch of coastline between the gulfs of Cugnana and Arzachena on the island's northeast coast, which has become a developer's paradise. Legend has it that a fabulously wealthy consortium of businessmen first exploited this beautiful wild coastal strip in the 1960s, backed by the Aga Khan. Today the local villages and towns have become discreet up-market resorts crammed with private villas, luxurious holiday villages, contrived Mediterranean-style shopping malls, low-rise high-priced hotels and huge yachting marinas packed with gleaming yachts. The main town of the area is Porto Cervo, a crime and litter-free playground of the rich with its ranks of pale pink and red villas climbing the hill from the busy marina. The other favorite retreat for celebrities is the town of Porto Rotondo, situated on a natural cove about 10 miles (16km) from Olbia, site of the international airport. The town offers a wealth of beaches, nightclubs, bars and restaurants, most clustered around its Piazza San Marco, and the marina. The main attractions of the Costa Smeralda are the numerous sequestered beaches, none signposted, which can be discovered simply by following a dirt track down towards the sea. Among the most scenic are Cappriccioli, Rena Bianca and Liscia Ruja, all south of Porto Cervo.

Cagliari
City/Region: Sardinia
Cagliari is Sardinia's capital and biggest town, with a busy industrial port. Despite its size the old center is charmingly compact, contained within the city walls and Pisan fortifications. The main attractions are the National Archaeological Museum, which contains prehistoric tombs and other significant artifacts from the Punic and Roman periods, the impressive cathedral, and a smattering of Roman ruins. The suburb of Poetto has a four-mile (6km) stretch of sandy beach with some small bars nearby. The famous nuraghe of Su Nuraxi near Barumini are within easy reach of the town.

Palermo
City/Region: Sicily
Corrupt, decaying, noisy, polluted, over-populated, jumbled and crime-ridden. All these unpleasant adjectives can be applied to Sicily's capital, Palermo, but this does not stop most visitors falling in love with this city on the northwestern coast of the island. It may be exceedingly ugly in some respects, but it is also a place of beauty that is slowly being revived and restored by the determined city fathers to regain a semblance of its former glory. At various times during its varied and colorful history Palermo, beautifully sited on a wide bay under the bulk of Monte Pellegrino, has enjoyed a position as one of the greatest cities of Europe, particularly under Arab and Norman domination in the Middle Ages. The legacy of the past is evident today in its treasure-trove of Byzantine, Baroque and Norman historic buildings and relics in its many museums. The rescue of Palermo has been aided by funds allocated by the European Union and the wane of the reign of the Mafia. Today the pulse of the city beats fast and furious even in the oppressive summer heat in its hectic street markets, cobbled squares and narrow alleyways, where sirens squeal and traffic roars indiscriminately. Old, historic quarters like Kalsa are being restored and restaurants, galleries and cafes are opening to cater for the tourist trade. Several days are required to appreciate the sights of the seething city before moving on to explore the rest of the island.

Syracuse
City/Region: Sicily
Visitors to Syracuse may be forgiven for wondering whether they are in Italy or Greece. This city on the southeastern corner of Sicily's Ionian coastline once rivalled Athens as the most important city in the ancient Greek world. Its Greek heritage can still be found in abundance in both the ruins of buildings older and more splendid than the Parthenon and in the myths and legends centered particularly on its oldest quarter, the island of Ortygia. Archimedes once strode the streets here and today tourists who stroll around the Neapolis Archaeological Park on the Terminite Hill can still get a feel for Syracuse's golden age of power and prosperity. As well as the Hellenic relics, Syracuse also boasts more than its fair share of Roman ruins and some fine medieval Gothic architecture and art, all treasures to be singled out from among the uninspiring high-rises and motorways that make up the modern city. Parking is a problem in the city, particularly on Ortygia where most of the medieval sights and the best shops are located, and the heat can become unbearable in the height of summer; however no visit to Sicily is complete without exploring the antiquities of Syracuse. Most visitors prefer to make day trips to the city from the more comfortable surrounding resort areas, where soft white beaches and fine wines can be enjoyed on the shores of the Ionian Sea.

Lipari
City/Region: Sicily
Just north-west of Sicily lie the Aeolian Islands, the largest of which, Lipari, has become a popular holiday destination with a concentration of tourist facilities in its main town. The town of Lipari is dominated by a cliff-top citadel, built in the 1500s, and buffered by two beaches, the Marina Lunga on which the harbor is sited, and the Marina Corta. Lipari, with its hotels, restaurants and bars, makes a good base for exploring the other islands of the archipelago, including Salina, Filicudi, Stromboli, Panarea and Vulcano, all of which offer beautiful scenery, volcanoes, castles, thermal resorts, watersports, fishing and some lovely volcanic-black beaches. Most visitors get to the Aeolian Islands by ferry from Milazzo, in Sicily, but the more glamorous arrive on yachts.

Taormina
City/Region: Sicily
Sicily's most famous resort town, Taormina, was the 19th-century haunt of British aristocracy and the place chosen by D H Lawrence to write his erotic novel, Lady Chatterley's Lover. The town boasts what is surely the most photographed view in Sicily, across the beautiful ancient Greek amphitheater to the sea with Mount Etna in the background. Taormina today remains Sicily's favorite tourist haunt with its winding medieval streets and tiny passages hiding some great restaurants, cafes and ice-cream parlours, some hidden in secluded gardens and others in pleasant squares or terraces with sea views. It is a great place to shop, too, with thousands of boutiques selling crafts, fashion, jewelry, ceramics, mosaics and porcelain dolls. A popular beach is at Giardini-Naxos, a few miles away, and a funicular connects the old town to the coastal area of Mazzaro below. The stone walls of the old city, sited on a plateau, enclose some fascinating archaeological monuments and medieval palaces including the Palazzo Santo Stefano.

Courmayeur
City/Region: Italian Alps
Located below Mont Blanc on the Italian side of the mountain in the Aosta Valley, the atmospheric resort of Courmayeur is full of character with grand old buildings, narrow cobbled streets and plenty of traditional Italian village charm. The scenery is also spectacular with views towards the Mont Blanc, and is surrounded by fourteen 13,123ft (4,000m) mountain peaks at the junction of Italy, France and Switzerland. The village was once known as a spa town and base for climbing, but became recognized as a ski resort with the opening of the Mont Blanc Tunnel to provide easy access from Chamonix and Geneva International Airport.

Cortina d'Ampezzo
City/Region: Italian Alps
Regarded by many as one the most beautiful resorts in the world, Cortina d'Ampezzo, or Cortina as it is often simply called, overlooks the spectacular Dolomites region of the Italian Alps. Located in northeastern Italy, the resort is popular with international celebrities, the in-crowd from Milan and Rome (many of whom own private chalets), as well as those who can afford it from elsewhere in Europe and North America.

Sorrento
City/Region: Naples
The glitterati of ancient Rome chose Sorrento, with its breathtaking views from the cliff tops over the Bay of Naples, as the place to build their sumptuous summer villas, and today the pretty town remains southern Italy's favorite holiday base, for both local and foreign visitors. The rugged coastline does not offer beaches (except a few rocky strands privately owned by the larger hotels) but Sorrento is perfectly placed for visiting the most popular tourist attractions in the area, including Pompeii, the summit of Mount Vesuvius, the picturesque towns of the Amalfi Drive, and the delightful Isle of Capri with its blue grotto, just a few miles offshore. The bustling city of Naples is also just an hour's train ride away on the narrow-gauge Circumvesuviana line. The town itself is crammed with hotels and apartments, all tastefully blended into the traditional red-roofed architecture stepped down the hillsides amid fragrant citrus groves. The streets tend to be a choked nightmare of chaotic traffic, particularly during the height of the season. The most quaint spot is the little fishing harbor of Marina Grande, set in an inlet where you might find a vacant rock to sunbathe on while soaking up the atmosphere.


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