10 Cultural Destinations in Italy

History matters to the Italian people. But food is where their heart and soul lies. Bologna is famous for specialist foods like Prosciutto Ham, Modena Balsamic Vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. With such fabulous ingredients it is no surprise that  restaurant food here is among the best in Italy and can be found at reasonable prices. Book one of our cultural organised trips to Italy and you can learn about la dolce vita by coming to this historic town set within the fertile valley of the River Po.

Although the Colosseum is often considered the greatest attraction in Rome, we would suggest that the Forum Romanum provides a richer sense of the life and times of the Roman era. On an Italy historical guided tour you will see that it is surrounded by many ancient edifices such as the Temple of Saturn, The Arch of Septimius Severus and Basilica Aemilia.

The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City is a wonderful example of renaissance architectural design and innovation and contains Michelangelo’s astonishing ceiling fresco. Michelangelo’s masterpiece attracts hordes of people, and has done for centuries, but this does not temper its emotional impact.

Herculaneum was buried under a much deeper layer of pumice than Pompeii and so has been less extensively excavated and looted over the centuries. The deep ash layer was also more effective in preserving matter such as wood and everyday items in the home. Visiting the House of the Wooden Partition at Herculaneum is testament to this. An added attraction of Herculaneum (and of Pompeii) is that they are nearby the picture-perfect Amalfi Coast.

The 5^th century B.C. temples outside the town of Agrigento are a testament to the Greek empire which colonised Sicily. The remains are in a surprisingly good state of preservation and stand on a ridge with fabulous views of the Mediterranean and the surrounding Sicilian countryside.

Florence is a beautiful city, and it behoves a visitor to simply walk around the historic centre and take it all in. Any visit should, of course, avoid the oppressive crowds of the summer months and should be undertaken in Spring or Autumn. Plan to explore the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and its distinctive and revolutionary dome. Also spend time in the Uffizi Gallery where you will see old masters on display. For our reckoning, the Caravaggio paintings are the real revelation.

For those with an interest in the birth of Science, I would recommend a visit to the Museo Galileo which showcases some of the original apparatus Galileo Galilei used to demonstrate experimentally the acceleration of matter as it falls.

For a wonderfully authentic meal in Florence, we would recommend the Trattoria Boboli.

Lucca is a fairy tale town. The shops and businesses on its narrow, cobbled streets are serviced by specially designed minitrucks which can negotiate its tight medieval corners. The town is surrounded by a perfectly preserved fortifying wall, wide enough to carry cyclists and pedestrians. Although the cafes and shops are charming, we would suggest visiting one of the old print shops selling illustrations of Lucca printed from ancient wooden blocks.

For those interested in tours exploring the best in art and culture around the world, the Biennale Exhibition in Venice takes place every two years, as its name suggests, and it is one of the premier art events. Great artworks grace the city’s galleries and the modern art on display is a source of inspiration for practicing artists from around the world who go to Venice to pay homage.

Avoid the summer and truly enjoy St Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal, with all the iconic and historic buildings and bridges adorning these ‘grand tour’ locations.

Trieste is a port city hidden away just north of Croatia, around the coast from Venice. It is a hub for collaborative international academic research and its diverse historic architecture reflects many influences. As an ancient port, it has an established tradition of importing the best coffee from around the world and is heralded as the coffee capital of Italy.