TRAVEL
TRACY MASON TRAVEL FEATURE
Tracy Mason Travel Advice this edition looks at Italy
My partner and I want to visit Italy this year but have no idea where to go , what can you suggest ?
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Italy is the one country that everyone either wants to visit or has lasting memories of a fabulous holiday spent in one of its many historic cities or spectacular coastal resorts .
Where ever you go you will want to go back , and you will never tire of the uniqueness of each city and region from its architecture and scenery , to its art and history .
The choice is immense , from Rome with its ancient buildings and the beating heart of the Eternal City , to Venice with its network of canals , slowly crumbling architecture and the History of hundreds of years of trade and commerce and of course Florence , home to Michelangelo ’ s sculpture of David , the world renowned Ponte Vecchio , Giotto bell Tower and the terracotta tiled dome of the Duomo , designed by Brunelleschi .
Once you have ticked these three off your wish list , then there is still Milan , the renowned fashion centre of the world , and the hub of Italy ’ s modern commercial trade . Verona , once a flourishing outpost of the Roman Empire but now the host to the annual opera in the magnificent Roman Arena , and visited by thousands of visitors each year to see the setting of Shakespeare ’ s Romeo and Juliet and the famous balcony at the house where Juliet lived , or Naples sitting in the Bay of Naples in the shadow of the still active volcano Vesuvius which destroyed both Pompeii and Herculaneum in Roman times , and now is famous for its art and architecture and the beautiful frescoes in the city ’ s cathedral , the Duomo di San Genera .
Away from the cities you can enjoy the scenic coast line of Amalfi and travel across by ferry from Sorrento to Capri , to visit the Blue Grotto or take the cable car to the scenic heights of Mount Salaro with its panoramic views of the Bay of Naples .
A visit to Italy has to encompass a trip to either Lake Garda and Lake Como , or indeed Lake Maggiore , again each with a individual feel of its own and uniquely Italian .
Lake Garda has a real Mediterranean feel in the South , with the largest city Desenzano combining a picturesque lakeside resort with the vibrant atmosphere of Italian cafe culture . With two harbours and two public beaches Desenzano makes a fabulous base to visit the area with the best ferry and hydrofoil services on the Lake so all the main lakeside towns like Sirmione , Peschiera and Garda are extremely accessible and with excellent rail and bus services to connect you to Verona , Venice and Padua .