welcome  To Italy , Italy dips down out of Europe and into the Mediterranean like a women's leg firmly planted in a sleek stiletto, so it's hardly surprising that Italians are known for their impeccable style and fashionable dress sense. They're also known for once having an empire that stretched across the globe, and for having the most spectacular churches, frescos, sculptures and Renaissance paintings in all of Europe.The Italy of today is littered with the relics of more than 3,000 years of history, and an atmosphere that ranges from the Armani-wearing-scooter-driving-espresso-drinking buzz of its cities to the quiet, pastoral existence of its hillside olive farms and seaside fishing villages.
From the depths of the canals in Venice, which floats on a series of islands in an Adriatic lagoon, and the bleached sands of San Remo on the Riviera, to the rocky crags of the Alps, Dolomites and Apennines, Italy has everything from beach holidays to luxury mountain ski resorts.Italy's cities reveal awe-inspiring architecture from the curved arches of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence to the crumbling magnificence of the Colosseum in Rome. Home of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Carvaggio and Botticelli, its artworks are a visual delight to all visitors.Nestled into the outskirts of Rome is the independent Vatican City, the seat of the Pope and home to the famous St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The influence of the Holy Catholic Church on the people of Italy is still evident today in a series of holy festivals, carnivals, and parades involving young and old alike in almost every city, town and village.

Winter Games Torino 10-26 Feb...    

Map of Italy

Rome (view info) The eternal city of Rome, constructed of ruins and in whose name the Caesars sought to claim the world, opens for the visitor as a living museum. The centuries peel back with each new vista in this great city of gladiators, lunatic drivers and well-rounded pasta posteriors. Vespas, nippy little Fiats and red sports cars speed past trendy sidewalk bistros and nightclubs, revealing the Rome of Fellini's La Dolce Vita. The chillingly stark facades of the Stadio Olimpico complex bring back Mussolini's attempts to reinvent the architecture of the Caesar Find and Book hotels in Rome , Italy Book your hotel online, view more 150 hotels in Rome http://www.bookings4hotels.com/Bookings/welcome.do?countryCode=IT   Tuscany's (vie info) rolling hills are garlanded with cypress trees, lush vines and olive groves that make way here and there for sleepy villages and medieval hill towns. The area rests languidly in the middle of the Italian peninsula, with parts stretching to the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Snaking through the Tuscan landscape from Florence to Pisa and soaking its thirsty banks is the Arno River. Akin to the gentle flow of a river is the ebb of life in the region. People work in the fields in much the same way their ancestors did before them, producing some of Italy's finest wines and olive oils. From this same landscape emerges a profusion of art and architecture that has fashioned Italy onto the cultural map. Tuscany was the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period of unprecedented innovation in art, architecture and humanist scholarship. The grandeur of the High Renaissance was enjoyed during the Medici family's reign when they commissioned the art and architecture that lives on within the elegant precincts of Florence  Book hotels in Florence hotels in Florence and other locations in Tuscany http://www.bookings4hotels.com/Bookings/welcome.do?countryCode=IT       Italian Alps   -Book hotels Italian Alps   The scenic Italian Alps comprise lush valleys and pine forests set against the backdrop of jagged white peaks stretching through the clouds. Towns nestle in the valleys and ski chalets nuzzle into the crevices offered by the generous mountains. Access to the area is provided along train or bus routes snaking through the Alps but the international cable car connection over the mountains from Chamonix is by far the most spectacular way to enter the region. Tourists flock to these parts and the largely French influence is extended to the street names. The Gran Paradiso National Park is a sublime experience of waterfalls, cliffs and lush vegetation. Hiking is a big attraction along the scenic mountain trails that stretch for miles and are paused in parts by mountain huts and refuges. Favourable months for walking are July, August and September when most of the snow has melted into the thirsty soil. Italy's best ski resorts are in the Valle d’Aosta, within the shadows of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Courmayer and Brevil Cervinia are both world class resorts and the skiing is augmented by the Italian love of life and matchless cuisine and wines       Sardinia (vie info) D H Lawrence passed through Sardinia in 1921 remarking on its geographic location as a place 'lost between Europe and Africa and belonging nowhere'. It is off the beaten track, but therein perhaps lies its appeal. The island's beaches are some of the cleanest and least crowded in Italy. The capital is Cagliari, a good base from which to explore other parts of the island. The National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari contains prehistoric tombs and other significant artefacts from the Punic and Roman periods. The resort of Costa Smeralda is a place of luxury and opulence, not suited to budget tourists, although interesting as a short stop. The Spanish tinted port of Alghero is the favoured package destination, especially among British holidaymakers. The inland town of Nuoro is a good station from which to explore the Gennargentu mountain range and enjoy the traditional village festivals. The Sardinian landscape is peppered with constructions from the ancient Nuragic civilisation. These stone structures are unique to Sardinia and are must-see sites. They are however not easily accessible as they lie in isolated spots throughout the island , Book hotels in Sardinia Cheap hotels in Sardinia http://www.bookings4hotels.com/Bookings/welcome.do?countryCode=IT   Hotels in:  Spanish Hotels - Bulgaria Hotels Hotels in Germany and England  |           Car rental We have the best car rental deals with pick up from city center or airport. Cheap car rental available in over 3000 cities worldwide with great car rental deals in London, Paris, Athens, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Florida, Las Vegas, Chicago, San Francisco. http://www.bookings4hotels.com/Bookings/carReservation.do

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