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Travel Blog: Amo l’Italia

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter.

Italy is undeniably the centre of art, culture and history. Rome, Florence, Venice, Pisa and Naples are its most renowned cities of art, but the whole country boasts towns of breathtaking beauty. Tourists can explore impressive archaeological sites – such as Pompeii – and immerse themselves in an exciting, grandiose past.

Rome, the capital of Italy, is also the capital of the region of Lazio, and is considered the centre of civilisation. “Colosseo”, “Basilica di San Pietro” and “Vaticano” are the most important monuments of beautiful Rome. Moreover, Rome has various squares – known as the “piazze di Roma” – where tourists love going for a walk. “Fontana di Trevi” is one of the symbols of Rome and it is among the most visited monuments. Tourists throw a coin in the fountain to bring them good fortune in order to return to Rome. “Piazza di Spagna” and “Piazza Navona” are very famous as well.

Venice is located in the region of Veneto. It is situated on a group of 117 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. “Piazza San Marco”, with “Basilica di San Marco” and “Palazzo Ducale”, are the prime sights of the town, with the “Rialto Bridge” as another major symbol of the city. It is a must to take a gondola ride through the city of romance, history and beauty. Buying a mask, which has always been an important feature of the Venetian Carnival, is definitely the best souvenir for tourists.

Florence, in the region of Toscana, is really worth visiting. Florence’s museums, palaces and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world.  The “Duomo” of Florence is the building that dominates the city – it is also the fourth largest cathedral in the world. Furthermore, “Galleria degli Uffizi” is also one of the most visited museums in the world.

The city of Pompeii was an ancient Roman town near modern Naples. Pompeii was mostly destroyed and buried under four to six metres of ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, however nowadays it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Italy.

Milan is a major world fashion and design capital. The “Duomo” cathedral is a major sight and you have the valuable opportunity to gaze upon a breathtaking view of Milan from its roof. “Galleria Vittorio Emanuele” arcade, with its glass and iron dome, magnificent mosaics and marble floorways, is definitely one of the world’s most glamorous shopping malls.

Italy offers a rich combination of masterpieces from different areas, blending landscape and culture, history and art. It offers an exciting journey through time, from the Ancient Greeks and Romans to the present day. I went to Italy seven years ago and I highly recommend that you visit this amazing country, which has so much to offer to visitors of every taste. As St. Augustine said: ‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page’. Arrivederci a tutti!

Image sources:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Colosseum_in_Rome,_Italy_-_April_2007.jpg

http://images.jetlineholidays.com/holidays/library/deals/Trevi.jpg

http://ysfine.com/world/ital/venice15.jpg

http://muchneededvacations.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Piazza_San_Marco-Venice.jpg

http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/images/Firenze/Firenze_Skylines/900/Florence-Duomo-Nov07-RAW4827AR900.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/X2l4HUMPJe7EHzDk9SVXclOn5dM3ErV_3pYVKW8aX1eihXs6DfoT5d1pyKU1hh5pWIyGMhPdhm_pzAhhi3WY7pzgFgH0e85xYRv5lQ0yHhWG9ZCx9SN2M3a_hg

http://paradiseintheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/milan-city.jpg

 

My name is Elina Stylianou.I am 18 years old and I am from Cyprus.I am a first year student of English Language and Literature in the University of Leeds.I speak Greek, English,French.I have played the piano for 11 years and I adore music.I also adore travelling and that is why I am going to have a travel blog in Her Campus.