Francesco Umbria - Italy travel guide: essential tips for first-timers in Italy: How to travel Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Sicily and much more

Italy has fascinated travelers since ancient times. Jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea, Italy seemed to naturally attract travelers and invaders alike, and most who came to this enchanted peninsula never left. Indeed, Italy is and will likely remain a popular tourist destination, in part because of the architectural remains and fascinating culture that all of these cultures left behind. In fact, Italy is unique in Europe for both the variety and the age of its monuments.

Of course, there is more to Italy than its ruins. Many are also drawn by its beaches. As a long country surrounded by the sea, it is impossible that a beach lover would not find at least one beach to fall in love with here. And because many regions of Italy are close to the sea, a beach vacation can easily be incorporated into a tour of the sites. Although many tourists may be drawn to Italy by its beaches and monuments, many find themselves most impressed by the vibrant culture and love of life of the people. For many people, the image of Italy comes as much from the films of Pier Paolo Pasolini and Luchino Visconti as it comes from stories of Rome in the history books and tells of its beaches.

The beaches of Italy are incredible, but they are just one of many draws to Italy. And it is no surprise that Italy would be blessed with them. With over 1,000 miles of coastline, Italy has a greater number of famous beaches than most European countries, with only Spain, France, and Greece giving the Italians a run for their money. Indeed, Italy's favorable position in the Mediterranean means that many of the tourists to this land come from European countries, but that has not stopped Italy from being patronized by tourists all the world over.

Beaches would not be much of a draw if it were not for the climate. Greenland and Tierra del Fuego have beaches, too, but there are few tourists lining up to head to those places. The Italian climate is perfect for the beachgoer or anyone who has a passion for outdoor sports. This is especially true of Southern Italy where the climate may remain appropriate for beach-going and other outdoor sports even in the dead of winter.

This naturally leads to one of the most fascinating aspects of Italy: its variety. The variety in climate and geography has led to a variety of culture, too. In fact, many tourists are surprised to find that the Italian nation is host to a variety of languages, dialects, cuisines, styles of dress, and other expressions of culture. The natural division is between Northern and Southern Italy, separated by the high mountain ranges of Central Italy, but even in these two areas are there notable differences.

Northern Italy is home to Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, the Veneto, and other areas each with their own language or dialect and way of life. Of course, one cannot forget Tuscany which is home to Florence, Siena, Pisa, and many other cities that have left their mark on European history because of the Italian Renaissance, humanism, and other important cultural traditions that sprung from this area. Indeed, even the language is known today as Italian sprung from the Tuscan language that originated in this influential region.

Rome and Central Italy occupy a place between Northern and Southern Italy, with features of both regions as well as traditions uniquely Roman. The reasons that tourists are drawn to Rome are obvious, with the monuments of its imperial past in varied states of ruin and preservation, but some aspects of the allure of Rome have to be experienced to be understood. In fact, this can be said of Italy in general. From the food to the ruins, to the joie de vivre of the people, Italy as a tourist nation is practically without compare in the world.

Although the marks of the Roman Empire are most felt in their capital, they can be experienced anywhere in Italy. Temples, where the Romans worshipped Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Augustus, Apollo, and Mars, can be found all over Italy and the Mediterranean region. Massive arenas that were the sites of gladiatorial combats and places where Christians were once fed to lions can also be found. Indeed, few countries have been the beneficiaries of such good marketing as Italy, with the fascination of people worldwide with the Roman emperors and gladiators serving to draw people to this land year after year.

There is more to Italy than the lure of the Romans. This is part of what makes Italy such a remarkable tourist destination. The barbarian tribes, popes, Moors, condottiere, modern Italian monarchs, and others all left their mark on this European crossroads. The remains of Northern African invasion can be found in Southern Italy, leaving its legacy in the form of peculiar cathedrals, churches, and dwellings. Even the native language of Sicily bears testament to history quite different from the rest of Italy.