Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

All this week we've been asking our staff members to pick and share some of their favourite spots all around Italy because who better to make great travel suggestions than locals, Italophiles and Italian travel professionals and experts?

If you have been thinking of planning a trip to Italy but haven't quite settled on a location, read on and consider the most beautiful places we've ever seen. Who knows, you just might find the perfect holiday destination of your dreams?

4. The Tuscan Archipelago

Few people outside of Italy ever consider the coast when they think of Tuscany. Instead, they focus on the cities and the cultural gems. However, as one of our staff-members notes, there is one part of the coast that is a serious beauty this part is “the Tuscan archipelago with [its] beautiful islands like Pianosa, Capraia, Montecristo, all inside the natural park.”

Another highlight is Giannutri, a small island south of Grosseto, where you will find the ruins of the lovely Roman Villa Domizia and incredible views over the sea.

If you have been thinking of visiting Tuscany and considering various locations, why not browse our incredible listings and find a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast? Then you can spend lazy days exploring the many beautiful sights that it boasts for yourself.

The staff here at Easy Reserve (who run the websites Italy Villas, Tuscany Villas, Easy Reserve and more) is made up of both Italians and passionate Italophiles and we thought, who better to give you insight on the best places to visit and the lesser-known, hidden gems in Italy? Here are some of our members of staff's picks of their favourite spots in Italy and why they made them fall in love!

1. Trieste's Piazza Unità d'Italia

One of our staff members is from Venice, has family from the south of Italy and has spent his university years in Bologna but his pick is actually a magical corner of Trieste! Specifically, he singled out the Piazza Unità d'Italia, “because it is surrounded by beautiful buildings and...one side of the piazza is actually the sea, the Gulf of Trieste. So, especially at night, with the lights and everything, there is a really nice atmosphere.”

In the previous post, we discussed how hard it can be for those planning their first trip to Italy to even decide upon a location in the first place.

If you are struggling to choose, read on, answer our important questions and find the right holiday destination in Italy for you!

3. Love the seaside?

There are plenty of locations that are great for those interested in a seaside getaway as Italy juts out into the sea and very few regions are completely landlocked (Lombardy, Trentino-Alto-Adige, Umbria, Valle D'Aosta, Basilicata and Piedmont are the only ones).

Syracuse is one of the oldest and most influential cities in the Mediterranean and began as the small island of Ortygia when the Greek Corinthians settled the area around 734 BC. Ortygia then grew outwards and developed into the much larger city of Syracuse over the centuries. The small island remains today as its historic heart and soul and a reminder of its origins. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, it is easy to see why it has captured the hearts of so many as it is an utterly picturesque gem; surrounded by the impossibly blue waters of the Ionian Sea, it stretches out into the water as a walled diamond of winding little streets and glittering white buildings.

Wandering the labyrinthine ancient streets is a joy in of itself and getting a little lost (you can't really get lost as a few minutes walk in any direction will get you back to a main street) is half the fun but there are plenty of little delights that you can stumble upon around the district. Among them is the incredible Cathedral of Syracuse that is built on a site dating back to the 5th century BC and which was an ancient Temple of Athena. The Greek Doric columns of the temple are still visible inside the church today.

Bellagio is a unique and charming town located on the shores of Lake Como in Lombardy. Known variously as the “pearl of the lake” and the “most beautiful town in Italy”, it is a popular ferry stop along the lake so, if you're exploring the area, you're likely to find yourself in the town at some point if you have found a vacation rental in Lake Como.

The village is a pretty cluster of winding old cobbled streets and alleys, picturesque houses and sweeping vistas over the lake from the surroundings hills. Bellagio is also particularly famous for its two villas and gardens; Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi. Both are worth visiting for their lovely gardens but the incredibly maintained and grandiose gardens of Villa Serbelloni are an especially great spot to visit as it is perched above the town and offers wonderful views. Visits are by guided tour only and places are limited, so head to the Bellagio Tourist Office to try and get your hands on some as soon as you arrive in town!