| I've been a frequent visitor to Italy over the | | | | With temperatures rising ever higher, wandering |
| years - it's a place that I love to visit. There are | | | | the streets of Rome in August, for example, is |
| so many great places to see here that I never | | | | not the most pleasant experience. |
| tire of Italy or Italian life. What is it that makes | | | | Enough of the negatives! What did people think |
| this country so popular with tourists? | | | | were the best things about having a holiday in |
| Last time I was in the country I decided to ask | | | | Italy? The sheer beauty of the place scored |
| other visitors what it was that had drawn them | | | | particularly highly. |
| to the country and what there main thoughts | | | | From the countryside of Tuscany to the |
| were on their experiences. In essence, I was | | | | mountain scenery of northern Italy, there was no |
| hoping to get some information on the best bits | | | | doubting that this is viewed as a beautiful place. |
| of this vast country. | | | | That beauty is by no means restricted to rural |
| So what sort of reactions did I get? The first | | | | areas. |
| thing to say is that reactions were largely positive. | | | | The likes of Rome, Florence, Siena and the towns |
| This is not particularly surprising - I was, after all, | | | | of the Amalfi coast were all mentioned as places |
| talking to people who had already chosen to | | | | worth visiting. There's a beauty here that is |
| holiday in the country. | | | | associated with towns and cities in quite a |
| There were a few negatives though. Let's get | | | | different way to many other European urban |
| them out of the way first, so that you'll know | | | | areas. |
| what to avoid if you're planning a visit to the | | | | Many were also impressed with the hospitality and |
| country. | | | | attitude of the locals. Spending time with Italians |
| A number of people mentioned that they didn't | | | | was viewed as being an enjoyable experience, |
| like Naples. It seems that the city has a lively | | | | particularly when it came to eating and drinking. |
| reputation, but many travellers didn't so much | | | | Food and wine were constantly mentioned as |
| object to the city on grounds of their own safety | | | | some of the positives in travelling through Italy. |
| but in terms of health and hygiene. | | | | They were, indeed, mentioned even more |
| With bags of rubbish littering the streets, Naples | | | | frequently than the scenery, the history or the |
| was not thought to represent the best of Italy. | | | | great cities of this country. |
| Similarly, some mentioned that they would avoid | | | | Maybe it's the cuisine that lets you really enjoy |
| almost all major Italian cities at the height of | | | | the best of this wonderful place. |
| summer. | | | | |