ROME        Rome is halfway on the western coast of Italy, about 20 km from the sea. In spite of its big size, central Rome with its historical sites is within walking distance from the main central station , the “ Stazione Termini”. You can start from the Colosseum and, walking through the nearby Forum, continue to Piazza di Spagna and willingly reach the Vatican in one day, but you might consider it rather over-ambitious. All the main monuments are on the west side of the station, however we recommend you to go around with a city map in order not to get lost around the many secondary streets and waste your precious time.

The Palatine and the Forum are the heart of ancient Rome. From the Forum you can reach Piazza del Popolo to the north, walking through via del Corso, or Piazza di Spagna and the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) on its eastern side. Northwest of the Forum, on the other side of the river “Tevere” there is the Vatican.

Most of the less expensive hotels also called “pensione” ( two star hotels) are around the area of the central station “Stazione Termini” .  Anyway, you might find it more attractive and confortable to stay in more central hotels, some of which are slightly more expensive. You can eat nice and non expensive meals around the streets of Piazza Navona or Trastevere.

VENICE    Everyone knows Venice. Gondolas bobbing on the Grand Canal, and a picturesquely decaying city sinking slowly into the waters of the Lagoon. And yet Venice is a city of many surprises and delights for the visitor.

The first one is that you will spend most of your time walking - the pavements play as major a role in the city as do the canals. The one thing you won't see is cars, drivers have to leave their vehicles at the city gate, and that makes exploring this romantic, art-filled and utterly unique city very enjoyable. And though tourists crowd the city, most of them head straight for the Basilica di San Marco and the Doge's Palace; a little trip off the beaten track yields huge rewards, as you nip down narrow alleys and find beautiful little churches, street markets and yet another canal before you.

FLORENCE             was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. At one time this charming city was the European capital of art, architecture, commerce, and politics. Florence has survived centuries of battles with wars and acts of nature and still remains one of the most captivating, artistic cities in all of Europe. In 1966, the people of Florence banded together with tourists to save important and priceless works of art when the Arno River flooded the city. You can see plaques located on some buildings that indicate how high the river flowed. Florence is the perfect city for walking, sitting, and enjoying life. Sit at a café next to the Duomo or stroll along the narrow, cobble-stoned streets by the Uffizi Museum. However you enjoy life, Florence is guaranteed to deliver.

NAPLES         First and foremost, Naples has a grand position on the Bay of Naples that has few places to rival it in Italy. The views over Naples are stunning. Naples has its grand architecture. There is a world-class archaeological museum with the best finds from Pompeii & Herculaneum. It is the home of pizza and the kind of spaghetti Americans know best. So why is it not one of the great destinations in Italy? First of all, Naples is urban-earthy in a way that might remind you of the big inner-cities in the northeastern USA, places you are probably not anxious to visit. This is a very poor city, terribly overcrowded and in desperate need of a facelift.  You can also meet some of the friendliest, most generous and genuinely honest people in Italy on a trip to Naples, as I have. There are lots of pluses and minuses to consider. Before planning a stop at Naples, talk to someone who's been there or do some reading so you can make an informed decision.

POMPEII   The foundation of the very ancient Pompeii with Oscan origins goes back to the 4th century B.C.,  even if som historicians assert that it existed  already in the 8th century. For some points Pompeii had the same history of Naples:  being attacked by the Etruscans,  it allied with the Greeks from Palepolis and Cumae; conquered by the Samnites, in 310 B.C. it tried to defend itself from the attacking Romans,  who already controlled the region Campania,  but it had to surrender. In 89 B.C. Silla took Stabia and assaulted Pompeii occupying it totally

RAVELLO    Ravello rises in a high and particularly fortunate and suggestive position; Between the two valleys of  Valle del Dragone and Valle del Reginna  at a distance of 27 kilometres from Salerno it can be reached by a street of great beauty and is placed in  one of the points with the largest view over the Gulf. Far away from exasperated worldliness and full of an atmosphere of intellectual refinement,  the place always fascinated everyone who stayed there,  like Wagner,  Boccaccio and Grieg. Tradition tells that it was founded by the Roans in the 6th century

GIGLIO TRAVEL US

info@gigliotravelus.net