GUIDE TO THE REGIONS OF ITALY Map of Italy, © pop_jop - DigitalVision Vectors - Getty Images CONTENTS Burano, Venice, © adisa - iStock - Getty Images ENIT for Italy throughout the world ……………………………………………………………………………… 3 Italy, the land of art and history. ………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Italy, the land of wellness …………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Italy, the land of excellence ……………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Italy, the land of culture ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Italy, the land of the Spirit ……………………………………………………………………………………………5 Italy the land of lakes ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Italy, the land of the Riviera …………………………………………………………………………………………6 Italy, the land of mountain peaks ……………………………………………………………………………… 7 Italy, the land of flavour ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Italian wines ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Food-and-wine itineraries ………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Italy, the land of nature ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Italy, the land of sport and adventure ……………………………………………………………………… 8 Italian hospitality, © ViewApart - iStock - Getty Images 1 REGIONS Valle d’Aosta ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10 Piedmont ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16 Liguria …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22 Lombardy ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 28 Trentino ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34 Alto Adige - South Tyrol ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 38 Veneto …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 42 Friuli Venezia Giulia ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 48 Emilia Romagna …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 54 Tuscany ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 59 Umbria …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 68 The Marches ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 76 Latium …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 82 Abruzzo ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 90 Molise …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 94 Campania ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 91 Basilicata ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 106 Apulia ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………110 Calabria …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………116 Sicily …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 122 Sardinia………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 128 PLACES OF CULTURE Museums and permanent exhibition areas ……………………………………………………………… 134 Theatres and auditoriums ………………………………………………………………………………………… 136 UNESCO sites …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 138 NATURE AND ADVENTURE National parks …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 150 USEFUL INFORMATION …………………………………………………………………………………………… 155 Capri Island, © Janoka82 - iStock - Getty Images 2 ENIT FOR ITALY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD In 1919, when ENIT got started, about Italy, the land of art and history. 180 thousand foreigners were coming to Italy is synonymous with art and history. Italy as tourists. Nowadays more than There is beautiful art everywhere and 50 million visitors cross our borders there are countless and marvellous sur- (source ISTAT), and they also are driven prises in every part of the country. We by a desire to be educated at our excep- have one of the greatest artistic- tional academy of culture and art, to cultural heritages in the world. Italy has bathe in our seas, to enjoy every aspect the largest number of artistic and docu- of our environment and the flavours and mentary properties declared World Her- scents of our land. Foreign tourism con- itage sites by UNESCO. Rome, Florence, tributed to and increased the business of Assisi, Venice, Siena, Pisa or Naples are the tourism industry, for which it now only a few of the most famous art cities supplies more than 40% of the custom- in the country and there are absolutely ers and ensures high employment rates. lovely ancient towns and villages to be Thousands of Tour Operators do busi- found everywhere. This is confirmed by ness with our country. New markets are the statistics: 95,000 monumental aiming at our products for outgoing churches, 40,000 fortresses and castles, tourism. 30,000 historic residences with This is a great source of satisfaction for 4,000 gardens, 36,000 archives and li- Italy. The National Tourism Agency is braries, 20,000 ancient towns and villag- working every day at improving its es, 5600 museums and archaeological image, convinced that a country that is areas, 1,500 monasteries and convents. admired for its past can continue to exert You can travel to discover the private the same intense magnetism in times of residences of old and noble families, to global competition, thanks to three visit world famous museums like the factors: a good quality-price ratio, a sus- U*zi Gallery in Florence, the Capitoline tainable environment, excellent hospi- Museums in Rome, and the Brera Art tality and, above all, the Italian lifestyle. Gallery in Milan, and to see exceptional Rome, St. Peter‘s Cathedral and Tiber River, © sborisov - iStock - Getty Images 3 archaeological sites, like Pompeii and Italy, the land of excellence Herculaneum, where you can breathe in Italy is the ideal destination for the tour- the history of a thrilling and magnificent ism business. The many international air- past. And that is not all: many cultural, ports located throughout the peninsula, artistic and musical events brighten up the adequate infrastructures and the Italian life. Italy constitutes a close-knit breath-taking scenery make our “Bel web of structures that live in natural Paese” (beautiful country) a perfect ven- communion between scenery and cul- ue for congress tourism. Italy guarantees ture, history and art, architecture and beauty and o/ers a wide range of choic- town planning: a thrilling journey from es at any time of the year: both big cities the times of ancient Rome and Greece and small towns o/er new, very high until our own days, just as rich in artistic quality, facilities for organising national and cultural impressions. and international fairs and guarantee not only the purely business aspects but also Italy, the land of wellness. the pleasure of a holiday in Italy. It is easy to be well in Italy. There are Italy is an excellent venue for a congress, many health and wellness facilities, a meeting or a convention. There are dating back thousands of years, which many facilities and congress centres can treat both body and soul. Every- scattered all over the country, suited for where, from the North to the South, you hosting any kind of event. Prestigious can have a di/erent kind of holiday, and modern centres, with all the services dedicated to general well-being, at needed for a successful meeting: Italy natural hot springs, famed for their ex- proudly o/ers a selection of hotels, cellent healing properties and for beauty structures and specialised services that care. There are ancient spa areas that ensure high quality service. There are have remained unchanged for centuries very many settings for a big meeting in and preserve their original attraction in- Italy: ranging from art cities and Rome, tact: natural saunas, caves hidden among the Capital City, to thrilling Milan, with- the vegetation, with very hot steam and out forgetting other places like Turin and a pleasantly irony scent, excellent for Rimini, to mention but a few. There is no restoring the body and treating the skin. end to the choices because congresses A holiday at a spa is always regenerating, and meetings can be held in the splendid thanks to the e/ectiveness of the treat- locations of the Italian lakes, on the Rivi- ments given and to the many services era or in the mountains. The fact is that available but, especially, the charm of Italy is simply the best choice. the scenic setting of the facilities. Italy Italy o/ers prestigious and modern cen- has a number of spa destinations, well tres and events all the year round, known and famous throughout the throughout the whole peninsula. The world: Saturnia, Montecatini, San Gimig- artistic, cultural and natural treasures nano, Abano, Salsomaggiore, Ischia, to make the ideal background for incentive mention just a few. A journey dedicated travel, because they guarantee beauty to health, beauty and fitness in peaceful and comfortable facilities. Industrial places that o/er every comfort. The archaeology attracts many visitors, who wide o/er of wellbeing and wellness travel in search of economic, produc- centres in Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria tion, technical and scientific features. In and Tuscany is worth remembering. Italy there is an exceptional treasure Specialised structures that make use of trove of resources that charm tourists the most up to date techniques and in- and help them to understand the historic novative equipment, with avantgarde evolution of a given area. The big indus- treatments, to give you a holiday dedi- trial centres, in both the North and South, cated to fitness and relaxation. bear tangible witness to the economic history of the country and of the Medi- terranean area: from the big industries to 4 the typical food production centres in countless opportunities for entertain- operation until not long ago, tourism ment and for experiencing intense thrills. dedicated to industrial archaeology is on Art exhibitions inspired by a millenary a decidedly upward trend and Italy is the heritage, and design and contemporary ideal venue and a treasure waiting to be art events, like the Venice Biennale, al- explored. ternate with theatrical and dance perfor- Among the