Most tourists prefer the sea coast of Italy, ski resorts or large cities, with their museums and architectural masterpieces. Those who want to see mountain peaks and alpine meadows, Tuscany lemon groves and vineyards, ancient towns and medieval castles, we advise you to rent a car and go along one of the following routes.
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1. Road S163 along the Amalfi coast: sea, quiet bays and mountain serpentine
Photo: @stpcar73 / @emianofficial / instagram.com
The Amalfi coast is located in the south-west of Italy, not far from Naples, on the Sorrentino Peninsula. In 1997, all 40 kilometers of the coast were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The S163 highway, which was repeatedly called the most beautiful road in Italy, runs along the mountain serpentine through lemon groves and ancient cities, next to beaches, bays and vineyards. Cities and fishing villages on the coast are special – they, like bird nests, are attached to almost steep cliffs and hang over the sea.
S163 passes after six (Pirano, Amalfi, Minori, Majori, Cetar and Vietri Sul Mare) of the sixteen settlements of the coast. The remaining ten are a few kilometers from the road. If there is an opportunity, we advise you to visit all of them, because each of them is unique: in Amalfi there is a cathedral of the rare normal-Byzantine style and an old arsenal, in Minori-excellent restaurants and confectionery, as well as sandy beaches. Ravello lies above other cities, the entire coast is visible from its observation sites, and in Konka-de-Marini there is a huge grotto with stalactites, medieval towers, a monastery and church.
2. Kyanti road in Tuscany: vineyards, cathedrals, locks and hills
Photo: @allie.blaire / @walre037
Kyanti is the most famous Italian wine, it is produced from Sanjovez’s grapes in Tuscany. This region is famous for excellent wine and cuisine, amazing nature and rich cultural heritage. You can visit the natural reserves and medieval cities, try the best wines and see the old castles and monasteries by setting off on the road by Chiantigiana, which connects Siena and Florence.
Italian guides advise leaving Florence and, bypassing wheat fields, vineyards and olive groves, leisurely go from one medieval town to another. The imprint has ancient winery and oil Davilni, the Renaissance Cathedral and the villa of the Medici family, painted by Giovanni Manzzi. Grev-In-Quanti is famous for the wines with the most valuable Chianti variety-“Claint Classic”, ancient frescoes, locks and taverns finished with terracotta. Panzano is surrounded by cypress and olive groves, and in the city center there is a medieval castle.
3. The path along the Dolomite mountains in the northeast of Italy: lakes, pink mountains and medieval castles
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Dolomite Alps is one of the most beautiful mountain massifs in Europe, included in the Universal Heritage of UNESCO. These mountains have an amazing color – they are almost white in the afternoon, and at sunset they are painted in hundreds of shades of red and pink. Le Corbusier, one of the most famous architects of the twentieth century, called them the most beautiful architectural creation in the world. 110-kilometer road from Bolzano to Cortina-D’Ampezzo, which is called a large dolomite way (Grande Strada Delle Dolomiti),
It runs next to the highest peaks, lakes and waterfalls, through alpine meadows and ancient cities.
The road begins in South Tyrol, in the city of Boltsano, where there are medieval castles and the Romano-Gothic cathedral, and the museum is stored in the Archaeological Museum of the Etsi, the Tyrolesky ice man who lived in the mountains about 5300 years ago. Further the path lies through the lake of the bastard, whose waters shimmer in different colors, and the mountain range of Katenaccio, which is called the “gates to the dolomites.” Further the path lies along the winding mountain roads, through ski resorts, coniferous forests and past the ancient Castle of Andraz. Shortly after the castle, the road descends into the Ampzo valley, to the resort city of Kortina-D’Ampezzo, where the Winter Olympic Games were held in 1956.
4. Three roads of ancient Sicily: sea, volcano, ancient Greek ruins and lush baroque
Photo: @nikko1983 / @akselz / instagram.com
Three seas were washed Sicily, there are cleaner beaches, excellent cuisine and amazing architecture. Ancient Greek and early Christian monuments are adjacent to baroque churches, gloomy catacombs and a modern new building. And here is the only active volcano of Europe. Three roads run through the most beautiful places and the main attractions of the island: S114, S115, S113.
S114 stretches along the eastern coast, connecting Messin and Syracuse. The road passes along the coast and plains, next to the Etna volcano, through the medieval Taormin lying on the top of the hill, and port skating with baroque cathedrals, marble fountains and houses made of black volcanic stone.
The S115 highway goes from the Syracuse to the Time in the west of the island, through quiet villages and forests, along the coast and valleys with the ruins of ancient cities. In the Val-Di-Noto Valley, the road runs through the baroque cities of Raguzu and NOO to the coast, turns to the medieval town of Agridento and further leads to the valley of temples-the most famous ancient Greek ruins on the island.
The S113 connects two seaports-Tramani in the north-west of Sicily and Messin-in the northeast, ran along the mountains and northern coasts through Palermo, the capital of the island and Tindari, a quiet city with ancient Roman ruins and medieval monasteries surrounded by beaches and caves.
5. Road around Lake Como in Lombardy: Alps, locks, parks and villas of kings
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Lake Como is one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, located 40 kilometers from Milan, in the north-west of Italy. For centuries, European aristocrats came here, and today their villas with huge gardens, parks and luxurious interiors are popular attractions of the region. The lake is surrounded by the Alps, on its shores there are luxurious villas of 18-20 centuries, parks, medieval churches, museums, ancient castles and a fortress shaft. Como has a rare elongated shape, in which some see the inverted letter Y, while others – the silhouette of a running person. The length of the road walking along the shores and environs is 140 kilometers.
You can start the route in any of the cities on the lake. If you wish, you can not go around the lake in a circle, but use the ferry, which connects 4 cities (Varenna, Belladgio, Menajo, Cadenabbia) at different ends of the lake. We advise you to visit the following places: Castello Di Castle Castle, from where the whole lake is visible from a bird’s height, and the observation deck in Belladgio, with which, according to local residents, the best view of Como opens. At Villa Balbyanello in Lenno, one of the episodes of the Star Wars was shot, the English kings lived at the Villa d’Este in Chernobbio, and Villa Carlotta in Tretetszo is famous for her park and masterpieces of painting. The most beautiful cities of the route are Komo and Lekko, with medieval cathedrals, halls, houses and beautiful embankments.
If you are looking for a place for living in a new city, we recommend paying attention to the OneTwotrip hotel vertical – set the minimum distance to the center in filters and you will quickly find the nearest hotels next to the most interesting locations.
Photo: @chrisholgerson
