Italy Review
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Latest homepage update: 1 May 2022
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Throughout the pages of Italy Review, you'll find the very best of what Italy has to offer. There are more than three thousand pages on the website, covering every region, every island and split into various categories.
The idea of the website is to provide inspiration for new places in Italy to visit, as well of course, as covering in-depth the more established attractions that you may have already heard of. You can use the sections at the top of the website to quickly navigate to whatever interests you, do the same by using the search box or use the related links at the top of each page. |
Castelluccio, Umbria
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Related links
There are hundreds of categories to choose from throughout the website with generally-speaking, the best or most interesting places listed towards the top. This provides you with an at-a-glance guide to which are the most exciting places to visit. However, even if something is at the bottom of one of these lists, it still means it's been selected from thousands of places across Italy to be one of the very best in its category and therefore, of the highest standard. The difference is places closer to the top of each list are simply unmissable.
I have personally visited every destination listed on the website with just a few notable exceptions: the islands of Montecristo and Gorgona (currently a prison), which are largely inaccessible to visitors and the Sicilian Island of Lampione which requires patience, detailed planning and a fair wind due to its remote location. All of the photos on the website are my own, except for those from the few places listed above that I haven't yet visited, and from the Sistine Chapel in Rome where photos are not permitted. Every region of the country has been scoured to find the weird, wonderful or dazzlingly beautiful.
I have personally visited every destination listed on the website with just a few notable exceptions: the islands of Montecristo and Gorgona (currently a prison), which are largely inaccessible to visitors and the Sicilian Island of Lampione which requires patience, detailed planning and a fair wind due to its remote location. All of the photos on the website are my own, except for those from the few places listed above that I haven't yet visited, and from the Sistine Chapel in Rome where photos are not permitted. Every region of the country has been scoured to find the weird, wonderful or dazzlingly beautiful.
May 2022 |
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Good morning and a Happy Festa del Lavoro to you all! The 1st of May is celebrated as a national holiday in Italy and this year it happens to coincide with a number of eased travel restrictions.
As of today, 1 May 2022, the controversial Green Pass is no longer required to access cultural attractions such as museums, restaurants, bars or even public transport as we gradually move away from the worst days of the pandemic. Entry rules have also been simplified with the removal of the requirement to complete the Digital Passenger Locator Form. |
Basilica Palladiana, Vicenza
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The obligation to wear face masks has also been eased and to all intents and purposes, the only place where tourists are required to wear them still is on public transport. These rules will be in place until the middle of June, at which point we are hoping for all Covid-related restrictions to be scrapped.
Since my previous update at the beginning of January, a lot has changed in the world with the most notable change being the horrific situation in Ukraine which currently shows no sign of ending. It's hard for all of us to go about our daily lives without giving a thought to the ongoing suffering there and we can only hope that the unnecessary violence comes to a complete end without further bloodshed.
When writing at the beginning of January, I had no idea how this year would turn out in terms of tourism in Italy but the news on this front is at least one thing we can all feel positive about. Yes, the Covid pandemic is still with us but the combined severity and prevalence of the virus coupled with the amount of vaccinations and previous infections, means we're now able to cope with it much better.
With the gradual easing of restrictions, more flights being available and a greater confidence on the part of travellers, we've seen interest levels return to how they were pre-pandemic. I personally look after the three Review websites and we've had a huge number of enquiries this year on both Ischia Review and the slightly newer Sorrento Review.
The anticipated pent-up demand for travel is being strongly felt right now and notwithstanding the other problems the world is currently facing, this is a great source of joy. It means people can come and witness for themselves the unlimited delights of Italy once again and I myself have already indulged in a trip to north-eastern Italy this spring,
Apart from my longing to explore Italy which has no limits, the aim was to improve the photo collection of cities in the regions of Veneto and Emilia Romagna. My whistle-stop tour by train took in Treviso, Vicenza, Ferrara, Rovigo, Padua and Venice; some of the most beautiful Renaissance cities in Italy. My previous visits to Vicenza, Treviso and Ferrara were on cloudy, misty days when it was really difficult to appreciate their beauty but you'll now find some much sunnier, prettier images to enjoy from each city.
For me, the pick of the cities was Vicenza which isn't the first name on most tourists' lists of places to visit in Italy but I can highly recommend it. Vicenza was the architectural playground of Andrea Palladio whose incredible body of work there earned the city its UNESCO World Heritage status. Among the dozens of impressive Renaissance buildings in the city are two that stand out in particular: the Basilica Palladiana which dominates the city centre, and the incredible Teatro Olimpico with its numerous innovations.
Well, that's all from me today; I suppose I should stop working on "Workers Day" but describing Italy can hardly be described as a job can it! Let's hope that by the time of my next update, the world will be a much better, happier place.
Dion Protani
Sunday 1 May 2022
Since my previous update at the beginning of January, a lot has changed in the world with the most notable change being the horrific situation in Ukraine which currently shows no sign of ending. It's hard for all of us to go about our daily lives without giving a thought to the ongoing suffering there and we can only hope that the unnecessary violence comes to a complete end without further bloodshed.
When writing at the beginning of January, I had no idea how this year would turn out in terms of tourism in Italy but the news on this front is at least one thing we can all feel positive about. Yes, the Covid pandemic is still with us but the combined severity and prevalence of the virus coupled with the amount of vaccinations and previous infections, means we're now able to cope with it much better.
With the gradual easing of restrictions, more flights being available and a greater confidence on the part of travellers, we've seen interest levels return to how they were pre-pandemic. I personally look after the three Review websites and we've had a huge number of enquiries this year on both Ischia Review and the slightly newer Sorrento Review.
The anticipated pent-up demand for travel is being strongly felt right now and notwithstanding the other problems the world is currently facing, this is a great source of joy. It means people can come and witness for themselves the unlimited delights of Italy once again and I myself have already indulged in a trip to north-eastern Italy this spring,
Apart from my longing to explore Italy which has no limits, the aim was to improve the photo collection of cities in the regions of Veneto and Emilia Romagna. My whistle-stop tour by train took in Treviso, Vicenza, Ferrara, Rovigo, Padua and Venice; some of the most beautiful Renaissance cities in Italy. My previous visits to Vicenza, Treviso and Ferrara were on cloudy, misty days when it was really difficult to appreciate their beauty but you'll now find some much sunnier, prettier images to enjoy from each city.
For me, the pick of the cities was Vicenza which isn't the first name on most tourists' lists of places to visit in Italy but I can highly recommend it. Vicenza was the architectural playground of Andrea Palladio whose incredible body of work there earned the city its UNESCO World Heritage status. Among the dozens of impressive Renaissance buildings in the city are two that stand out in particular: the Basilica Palladiana which dominates the city centre, and the incredible Teatro Olimpico with its numerous innovations.
Well, that's all from me today; I suppose I should stop working on "Workers Day" but describing Italy can hardly be described as a job can it! Let's hope that by the time of my next update, the world will be a much better, happier place.
Dion Protani
Sunday 1 May 2022
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All of the opinions expressed on the website are my own and based upon my own experiences of each place I've visited. There are numerous lists such as best beaches in Italy for example, but no two lists are ever the same; these are not definitive lists, they are just opinions and of course we all differ in our views. I am also happy to hear from any of you whose views may differ or if you feel that somewhere has been unfairly omitted from these pages.
The lists aren't set in stone and the beauty of a website (as opposed to a printed guide book), is that it evolves over time to give the most up to date snapshot as possible of how things stand at the present time. Another feature on the website you may want to follow is the Italy Review Blog which I write myself. It's updated as regularly as possible but certainly more so during the winter when things are a little quieter. I'll try to keep you abreast of any important travel information relating to the pandemic, as well as writing cultural articles; the latest one looking at the anglicisation of Italian place names and there will be more of those coming soon. |
This is me!
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So I hope you enjoy the way the website has been laid-out, but more importantly, that you find it to be a useful tool in planning your trip to Italy.
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Dion Protani: founder of Italy Review.
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Email: info@italyreview.com
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The Best of Italy
In the slide show below there's a photo for each of the main categories, most of which then have sub-categories. You can either click on the photo that interests you most from those below, or you can use the menu options at the top of the website to navigate your way around.
Be Social
Keep up to date with the latest developments in Italy as well as the latest articles and features on the website with our social networking pages. Italy Review can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest with a slightly different format on each platform.
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The must see Italy section is divided up into ten main categories. The cities of Italy are split into four different sections which detail the major cities, the unmissable, the simply beautiful and those that are most associated with the Renaissance.
With around eight thousand official municipalities in Italy, the towns and villages of Italy is divided into a dozen sub-sections designed to showcase the very best. Everything from the major hill towns to the ski resorts and some more unusual ways of looking at things with mural towns, ghost towns and colourful towns for example each having a section. |
Sant'Angelo Le Fratte in Basilicata - one of the mural towns of Italy
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The Italy section covers the large swathes of country that most visitors to the country miss out on to concentrate on the most famous cities, islands or seaside resorts.
Italy is divided up into twenty regions including the two island regions of Sicily and Sardinia. Each region is covered in great detail and further split into Northern, Central and Southern Italy. Within the regions you'll find countless hidden gems that lay off the typical tourist trail. Each region has its own set of categories so you can really research each one and decide which places you'd like to visit if you happen to be planning a trip there. |
Altomonte, Calabria
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The travel section is designed to give you the tools you need to undertake any journey to, from or around Italy.
At the time of writing, the coronavirus pandemic is still a key factor to consider for any trip and all of the current travel regulations and requirements are detailed, along with where to take a Covid test. Each of the 36 Italian airports has a page explaining which flight companies operate out of them and which locations they serve. A large percentage of the website is given over to the hugely complex web of ferry timetables for every Italian port. |
Lake Como ferry, Lombardy
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Italy Review has teamed up with Booking.com to provide accommodation ideas for every region of Italy. Just enter your travel dates in the search box for the latest prices and best Italy hotels.
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