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Thomson Destinations
Great food. Great sights. Great shopping. Great scenery. Italy's got it all.
Italy
Its food is faultless, its art sublime, and pretty much everywhere you look there's a new sigh-inducing sight to fall in love with. It can only be one place - Italy. The land of star-crossed lovers, this long-legged beauty oozes romance like nowhere else on earth. Trust us when we say decisions don't come easy in this part of the world. Where's it going to be? Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice? Lake Garda, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast? The Neapolitan Riviera? The Venetian Riviera? They're titans that top travel wish lists everywhere. Then you've got island dreams like Sicily and Sardinia to think about, too. Like we said, when it comes to the place that gave us pizza and pasta, decisions aren't easy. One thing's certain though - whether you're strolling through cobbled piazzas, splattering your whites with tomato sauce or picnicking among the Tuscan poppies, the Romeo of Europe will sweep you off your feet.
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Things to see and do Rome From the Neapolitan Riviera you can head up to the Italian capital for the day. With its exquisite rows of arched colonnades, the Colosseum is the centre-piece of the city. Tall shuttered houses surround the famous Spanish Steps. Everyone should sit on the Spanish Steps, even if only for a couple of minutes, to enjoy the bustle of Rome. Immortalised on the silver screen in classics such as Three Coins In A Fountain, Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita, the Trevi is Rome's largest and most theatrical fountain. Be sure to toss in a coin - legend has it this will ensure your return to Rome. Of course, Rome is also home to the wonders of the Vatican City, including the breathtaking Sistine Chapel. Shopping Of course, you can't go to Italy without having a look around some of its famous designer stores. Milan and Rome are internationally renowned as fashion capitals; their shopping streets are lined with smart boutiques and big name fashion houses. Florence has a reputation as a top producer of leatherwork and is well known for its fashion accessories including handbags, shoes, belts and briefcases. The city is also well regarded for its jewellery - many of the workshops overhanging the Pontevecchio house expert goldsmiths. Style aside, Italy is also a hotbed for interior design and technology. Whether it's cuttingedge chairs by Vico Magistretti, classic Venetian glass from Murano and Burano or elegant coffee pots by Bialetti, Italy's creative flair turns mundane, everyday objects into works of art. Streamlined design even extends into Italian food - in the 1980's car designer Giorgio Giugiaro created a new pasta shape called marille'. In fact, Italy's gastronomic fare makes for great presents to take home to friends and family. Eating Out The birthplace of pizza and pasta, Italy is renowned the world over for its fine cuisine. It's also one of the world's biggest wine producers and is known in particular for its light and crisp varieties. The range of eateries available in Italy reflects the national passion for food - from cheap and cheerful hosterias' and trattorias' to smart and sophisticated ristorantes', it's hard to find a bad restaurant in Italy. Mealtimes really are a family affair many sociable hours are spent around a table enjoying good food, good wine and good company. Dinner, in particular, should never be rushed. You'll often see restaurants full until well after midnight with Italians gathered together sipping digestivi' or espresso' coffee. Most Italian meals consists of at least three or four courses - antipasti' (starters), primo' (first main course, usually a pasta dish), secondo' (second main course, usually a meat or fish dish) and dessert rounded off with a coffee or a digestive drink such as grappa'.
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Lamezia Terme
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150 km
© TUI 2006
Beaches Let's be honest. When it comes to a beach holiday in the Med, you don't automatically think of Italy. But what if we told you there's more to Italy than just Roman temples and Renaissance art? That Italy is, in fact, home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the Mediterranean? Shocked? Well, most people are. But take the Venetian Riviera, for instance. Laced with miles and miles of golden beaches and lapped by the Adriatic Sea, it's a sun-worshipper's dream come true. Beautiful Sardinia, meanwhile, boasts startling blue waters and eye-popping sands. And let's not forget the Tuscany Coast. It rivals the South of France in terms of exclusivity.
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London
Sky digital 647 Visit your travel agent up to Call 0871 230 2555 Calls costMobile 10p/min plus 6p set up fee from a BT landline. and other providers' charges may vary.
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