10 Nights | ITALIAN SPOTLIGHT
You will visit the following 10 places:
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a gorgeous Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist resorts of the Mediterranean and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The city is nicknamed "Pearl of the Adriatic". The success of Dubrovnik’s tourist industry has brought a certain degree of complacency and self-satisfaction. Certain aspects of the city’s appeal remain immune to tourist numbers, however, most notably the uniquely stunning setting and the unjaded straightforwardness of the DubrovĨani themselves.
Venice
Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. The city is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture, and its artwork. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. Venice has been known as the La Dominante, Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Masks, City of Bridges, The Floating City, and City of Canals. It has also been described as being one of Europe's most romantic cities. It is truly an amazing, stunning and interesting city for the adventurous to explore!
Pisa
Pisa is a city in central Italy's Tuscany region best known for its iconic Leaning Tower (the bell tower of the city's cathedral). Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the city contains more than 20 other historic churches, several medieval palaces and various bridges across the River Arno. Much of the city's architecture was financed from its history as one of the Italian maritime republics. The city is also home of the University of Pisa, which has a history going back to the 12th century and also has the mythic Napoleonic Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies as the best sanctioned Superior Graduate Schools in Italy.
Corfu
Corfu, an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline. Nicknamed ''the island of the Phaeacians'', Corfu is home to the Ionian University. Known also as Kerkyra, is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece. Located off of the far northwest coast of the country, Corfu lies in the Adriatic sea, east of Italy and southwest of Albania. Historically Corfu has been controlled by many foreign powers, notably the Venetians, French, and British.
Messina, Italy
Messina is a harbor city in northeast Sicily, Italy. It is the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina, and has close ties with Reggio Calabria. The city's main resources are its seaports (commercial and military shipyards), cruise tourism, commerce, and agriculture (wine production and cultivating lemons, oranges, mandarin oranges, and olives). The city has been a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to a locally important international fair. The city has the University of Messina, founded in 1548 by Ignatius of Loyola. Messina has a light rail system, Tranvia di Messina, that was opened on 3 April 2003. This line is 7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi) and links the city's central railway station with the city centre and harbour. The city is home to a significant Greek-speaking minority, rooted in its history and officially recognised.
Naples
Naples is a city in Italy; it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. Known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music, and gastronomy, Naples has played an important role in the Italian peninsula and beyond for much of its existence, which began more than 2,800 years ago. Situated on the west coast of Italy by the Gulf of Naples, the city is located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields. Naples has the fourth-largest urban economy in Italy, after Milan, Rome and Turin. It is the world's 103rd-richest city by purchasing power, with an estimated 2011 GDP of US$83.6 billion. The port of Naples is one of the most important in Europe, and has the world's second-highest level of passenger flow, after the port of Hong Kong. The city has long been a major cultural centre with a global sphere of influence, particularly during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras. In the immediate vicinity of Naples are numerous culturally and historically significant sites, including the Palace of Caserta and the Roman ruins ofPompeii and Herculaneum. Culinarily, it is synonymous with pizza, which originated in the city.
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the name ''Civitavecchia'' means "ancient town". The modern city was built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement. The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome. The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress. North of the city at Ficoncella are the Terme Taurine baths frequented by Romans and still popular with the Civitavecchiesi. The modern name stems from the common fig plants among the various pools. And also next to the town is the location of the cruise ship docks. All major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days that allow guests to see Rome and Vatican sights, which are ninety minutes away.
Durres
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located 280 km (170 mi) northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic Sea, between the slopes of the two extremities of the promontory of Monte Conero, Monte Astagno and Monte Guasco. It is one of the main ports on the Adriatic Sea, especially for passenger traffic, and is the main economic and demographic centre of the region. It’s best known for beaches, like Spiaggia del Passetto, and the hilltop Cathedral of San Ciriaco.