Cities of Italy
Rome
Rome (Roma) is the capital of the Italian Republic since 1870, a cultural and political center of Italy. The city is located in the Lazio region, on the banks of the Tiber river which falls into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The population of the city is 3 million people. According to a legend, Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 B.C. Being the center of a giant Empire for many centuries, later to become the capital of the Papal state, Rome laid the grounds of the European civilization as we know it. Until this day Rome carries the proud name of "Eternal City".
Many people find it difficult to understand what makes Rome so special once they visit the "Eternal City" and see its narrow streets and the stained old houses. However, Rome is impossible to picture with fresh painted bright colored facades. The stamp of time lies on this old city, just like it would on a piece of antique coin or vase. If you clean it until it shines then the city will lose its charm.
Rome is the kind of city that doesn't open instantly to its visitors, instead it shows new angles as time goes by, and one will keep finding something new as the days go by. Walking around the endless street paths, ancient Rome becomes a marble frieze or a porphyry column, built into the walls, an ancient porch in front of a church. But the exhausted space suddenly opens up and becomes the Grand Coliseum, behind it Imperial palaces, thermals, chapels, churches, and tombs.
Milano
Milano is a city in Northern Italy, the administrative center of the Lombardia region and the Milano province, the largest economical and cultural center of the country. Milano is located in the central part of the Padan plain, at the intersection of railroads and highways coming from the Alpine passages; it is connected by canals that support navigation to the Po river; it is an crossing point for airline routes of international importance. The geographic location of Milano makes it the center of the Italian North, and the enthusiasm of its people makes it the fastest growing city in Italy.
The old name of the city is Insubria Mediolanum, and dates back to 197 B.C., when the local Celtic population was conquered by the Romans. The status of Milano as one of the main cities of the Roman republic, later Empire, quickly strengthened. In 292, during the rule of Emperor Maxentius, Milano was temporarily the capital of the Roman Empire.
Venice
Venice is considered to be one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the world. Indeed, the city rises right out of the water, a typical first impression is that water is everywhere; but the truth of the matter is that the buildings and churches are built on tiny islands fortified with thousands of stilts nested deep in the ground. The canals, which pass between the islands, serve as streets and boats of various size and constitution substitute our cars and trucks.
Venice is located on 188 islands, separated from each other by a vast network of canals. This unique city, which hosts tourist from all over the world, is situated in the shallow waters of the Venice Lagoon. The lagoon is "alive" in the sense that its waters are cleaned daily during tides. The territory of the city includes the lagoon's islands and also the dry-land, continental part of Venice (Mestre and others). There is also a free exit leading into the sea which is about 6 kilometers to the east from the San Marco square; and in the western side of the "archipelago" lies the dead lagoon, where the water is stationary.
Florence
Florence is the cultural capital of Europe and it is situated in the center of the Tuscany province. This city lies in a spacious valley on both sides of the Arno river and is surrounded by vivid and colorful hills. Great masters like Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Donatello, Botticelli, and many others have lived and worked in this city. Many centuries later the spirit of these great artists seems to still be living just about on every street. Florence is also called the cradle of the Italian language due to the activity of such poets like Francesco Petrarcha, Giovanni Boccaccio, and Dante Alighieri. Besides, the Florentine dialect became the blueprint of the literary Italian language.
Florence is also the birthplace of the powerful Medici dynasty. The city succeeded in preserving its historical image and today it is an open-air museum where one can truly enjoy an atmosphere of elegance and beauty.
The largest portion of Renaissance period works was preserved in Florence: paintings, sculptures, architectural works, such as the Pitti palace, for example, passed on to the people of Florence by the last of the Medici bloodline – Anna Maria Louise. Her generosity allowed to preserve enormous artwork treasures, which are safely kept at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Cosimo the Elder was the head of the Medici family, and the period of his rule left marks on the Northern part of the city where the San Lorenzo church is located, as well as San Marco and Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.
Napoli
Napoli is one of the oldest and prettiest places in Italy, founded in the 7th century by Greek colonists, who also gave the city its name, meaning "New City". In the 19th Century the coast where Napoli is located became a traditional resort area for aristocracy and the bohemian public, including the Russian one. Clean sea water, mountain air, a multitude of thermal springs and a rich culture attract many tourists to Napoli, but the city itself is considered somewhat overpopulated and one of the most urbanized areas in Europe.
The main characteristic of Napoli is Mount Vesuvius, at the bottom of which lies the city itself. On the slopes of Vesuvius lifeless fields of solidified lava alter with gardens and vineyards.
Napoli is packed very tightly with buildings of different styles and the narrow street run down high hills towards the sea. The city and its neighborhoods became a real center of archeology because ancient cities such as Pompei and Herculanum were discovered here under the cover of ash settled after the great eruptions of the Vesuvius in 79 B.C. Today these cities are museum under the open sky.
Napoli is also one of the most controversial cities in Italy, since people either love it or hate it. Life in Napoli flows in a noisier, more intensive, brighter and simpler way than in any other city. The sunny weather, the abundance of historical sites, and the hospitality of the people make this city very attractive for tourists.
