Diary/travelogue of our holiday in Italy, including Rome, Florence, Venice and Pisa

Things to See and Do in Italy

OK, so this is hardly impartial. When it says 'things to see and do', it's more like 'things we saw and did'. But it can at least give you some ideas. Here are a few shortcuts to the things we did and saw in Italy that you might also like to try:

• Venice
  • Visit St Mark's Square, take photos by The Bridge of Sighs, climb up The Campanille tower, take a gondola ride up The Grand Canal, walk over the Rialto Bridge
• San Marino
  • Visit the independent republic of San Marino and enjoy the hill-top views from the castle
• Rome
  • Visit The Collisseum, throw coins into Trevi Fountain for luck, take a pew and watch the world go by on the Spanish Steps, take a stroll through the gardens around Villa Borghese, admire the obelisk at Piazza del Popoli, go shopping down Via del Corso, visit the 'Wedding Cake' building (otherwise known as 'Il Vittoriano'), explore the ancient ruins at the Roman Forum ('Foro Romano'), take a walk to The Pantheon, watch the artists at work while drinking coffee in one of the many cafés at Piazza Navona
  • Admire the beautiful Sistine Chapel, visit St Peter's Basilica ('Basilica di San Pietro') and climb its dome for breath-taking views over the city, take photos of the basilica from ground-level at St Peter's Square, take a walk to the fortress: Castello St Angelo, visit more ruins in Area Sacre
• Pisa
  • Pose for photos infront of the leaning Tower of Pisa, browse for souvenirs at the market stalls, have a coffee or spot of lunch at the many eateries in front of the tower
• Florence
  • Visit one of Florence's finest churches: Santa Croce containing a sculpture of the famous Michelangelo, climb up The Cathedral dome ('Duomo', which strangely does not actually mean dome!) for some breath-taking views including a close-up of the Giotto Tower, watch street-performers outside the Uffizi Gallery, walk over the Pontevecchio Bridge, visit Pitti Palace ('Palazzo Pitti'), wander around the tranquil Boboli Gardens
• Lake Garda
  • Riva
    • Wander around the shops along the narrow cobbled-streets of Riva
    • Trek up the mountain to The Castle - Il Bastione - and up to the church if you are super-fit, visit the Cascata di Verone waterfall, take a refreshing dip in the lake or sunbathe on the shingle beach
  • Gardone, Sirmione and Lazise
    • Take a trip around the lake to get your bearings - covering towns like Gardone, Sirmione and Lazise
  • Torbole and Malcesine
    • Watch the windsurfers at Torbole, follow the winding cobbled-pavements to the Malcesine Castle ruins, pick up a trinket or two at the Malcesine Market stalls, take a cable-car ride up to the top of Mount Baldo to get a stunning view over the town of Malcesine
  • The Dolomites
    • Take a day-trip to The Dolomites, passing the pretty valleys of: Val di Fiemme and Val di Fasse, visit the Austrian-looking town of Ortisei to admire the beautiful chalet-style architecture
  • Limone
    • Follow the steep narrow streets down to Limone, a small picturesque town tucked away on the hill-side