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For a relatively small country, Italy is immensely diverse, with more culture and local traditions that you could hope to experience in a year of traveling.  However, if you are going to Italy and have limited time to see as much as you can, hit up these ten crucial places to ensure that you get as much out of your trip as you can.

  1. Milan: Famous for its high-end fashion and business, Milan is filled with historic castles and cathedrals.  At the same time, it is Italy’s quintessentially modern city, and its entertainment factor—nightlife, art galleries, shopping, football, and opera—can’t be beat!
  2. Venice: One of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world, Venice is renowned for its Carnival and canals.  The sanctuary in past centuries for hundreds of European artists and expats, Venice is slowly sinking and won’t be around for long.  So visit soon before it’s gone forever!
  3. Genoa: A port city known for its spectacular seafood, Genoa is filled with trendy boutiques, historic churches, and one of Europe’s largest aquariums.  Plus, it’s the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.
  4. Bologna: A dynamic university city filled with culture and energy, Bologna is less popular among foreign tourists, making it the perfect place to practice your Italian.  It boasts a thriving theatre and nightlife scene, as well as the oldest university in the western world.BBBBB
  5. Florence: An absolute must-see on a trip to Italy, Florence is the city of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, as well as artists Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.  It is the cultural and artistic heart of Italy, with a great deal of historic museums, luxury fashion boutiques, and buildings to visit.
  6. Pisa: A city in Tuscany most commonly known for its Leaning Tower, Pisa also boasts a university with plenty of parties, cultural events, and lesser known architectural wonders that are well worth your attention.
  7. Rome: Known as the “Eternal City,” Rome is a UNESCO Heritage Site and offers something to impress and indulge everyone.  It is steeped in thousands of years of history dating back to ancient times and is filled with ruins, monuments, and basilicas dating back to the Renaissance.  Add to that unbeatable shopping, museums, markets, plazas, and fountains, you could live here for years and still not experience it all.
  8. Naples: The culinary capital of Italy and the birthplace of pizza, Naples is a vibrant city with historic architecture.  But don’t kid yourself—go there for the food.  You’ll be glad you did.
  9. Campania: For the history lover, Campania is where you’ll find the ruins of Pompeii, the ancient city that was wiped out by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.  It offers plenty of insights on the life and culture of the ancient Roman empire.
  10. Palermo: The capital city of Sicily, Palermo offers a completely different lifestyle from the peninsula.  Go there to experience a more rural aspect of Italian life, as well as for their great wine and unbeatable seafood dishes.

Wherever you’re planning to travel to in Italy—especially more rural areas—it will help you immensely to speak a moderate amount of Italian.  Send us an enquiry, or look into our various Italian courses and get started learning right away!