Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world with tens of millions of visitors heading there worldwide. But why do so many people flock here and then return again year after year? Read on to find out some of the top reasons to visit Italy.
1. To enjoy the Italian food
If you’re a foodie then there’s no better place to visit than Italy. There’s a reason Italian restaurants can be found all over the world, but it’s impossible to appreciate just how good Italian food actually is until you eat it in Italy.
From pasta and risotto, to meat and fish dishes and delicious desserts, Italian food is heavenly. Plus, with every town and region having its own specialities and even its own pasta shapes, it’s actually very diverse and impossible to get bored of. From carbonara in Rome, to ossobuco in Milan to arancini in Sicily, there’s so much more to Italian cuisine than what you find at home. It’s all simple but so so delicious.
2. To marvel at the history
Italy is a history lover’s paradise and there’s no better place to revel in history than in Rome. Known as the Eternal City, it is one of the most historic cities in the world.
Home to the Pantheon, the best-preserved ancient Roman building in Rome completed around 126 A.D, as well as the Colosseum, i.e. the largest ancient amphitheatre in the world. Completed in 80 AD, it is a marvel of engineering and a must-visit in the city.
There’s also the archaeological site of Pompeii, buried under metres of ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D, and so much more.
To explore the cities
Cities in Italy are unlike anywhere else. With beautiful architecture, historic buildings and stunning churches at every turn, you won’t find any shiny new skyscrapers here. Even Milan, the economic capital of Italy, is still a beautiful and lively city with the beautiful Duomo at its centre and of course, a vibrant shopping and fashion scene.
Florence (seen below) is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Surrounded by the hilly Tuscan countryside and on the banks of the Arno River, it’s known for Renaissance art and architecture and monuments.
Bologna is one of the most underrated cities but has a beautiful historic centre and an amazing food scene.
Venice is an incredibly unique city known for its canals and gondolas and is a popular romantic destination.
4. To visit the dramatic coastal towns
For many, the image that comes to mind when thinking of Italy is small colourful houses perched above turquoise blue water. To see this in person, head to the coastal towns of Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast.
Cinque Terre is a pretty collection of old seaside villages on the Italian Riviera coastline in the northwest of Italy. In each of the five villages, colourful houses cling to steep terraces leading down to harbours filled with fishing boats. Hiking between the villages is the perfect way to see the picture-perfect Italy you’d always imagined.
The Amalfi Coast is another iconic Italian destination known for its stunning coastline, colourful villages with narrow streets, and pebble beaches. Head to Positano, the most famous and iconic town along the coast.
5. To eat the best pizza of your life
Yes we may have already mentioned Italian food once (or twice!) on this list, but the pizza in Italy deserves a spot of its own. The city of Naples is where this worldwide famous food was invented and the pizza here is simply unbeatable.
Sold all over the city for as little as a couple of euros, pizza here can be a street-side snack folded up and eaten on the go, or eaten at a sit-down restaurant with a knife and fork. Either way, with the doughy Neapolitan crust, gooey centre and high-quality toppings like buffalo mozzarella, it’s mind-blowingly good! It’ll be the best pizza of your life for sure!