There are so many reasons for you to spend your holidays in Italy! Considered to be the cradle of European civilization and culture, Italy is a country with a great history behind it, sheltering some of the world's most ancient and important tourist sites. Tourism in Italy is very well developed, this magnificent European country attracting millions of tourists from all over the world each year. Italy is known to be the forth most desired tourist destination in the world, welcoming an annual number of 39 million tourists! The scaffolds for today's well defined tourism in Italy were built ages ago, during the times of the prosperous and flourishing Roman Republic, when tourists from all over the world came to visit famous regions such as Venice, Florence, Capri, Naples and Baiae, symbols for the prosperity, beauty and majesty of the Roman society.

Priding with the beauty and the variety of Italy's landscapes, its extended, world renown artistic and architectonic patrimony and its magnificent history and culture, locals refer to their country as ?Il Belpaese? ? ?The Beautiful Country?. Situated in the Southern region of the European continent, Italy consists of a small continental region, a large peninsula that spreads to the Mediterranean Sea and two large islands ? Sicily and Sardinia. Italy is divided into 20 regions, each of them having a specific landscape and offering various tourist attractions. When you travel in Italy, you should spend some time visiting all these magnificent regions, as they offer a wide range of distinctive, important tourist sites.

Although every single region of ?Il Belpaese? has a prominent potential for tourism, Italy is mostly famous for its magnificent capital, which attracts millions of visitors each year. One of the greatest cities in the world, Rome is a major center for history, culture and arts, and the perfect reason for you to spend your holiday in Italy! The main pillar of European civilization, Rome shelters magnificent ancient tourist sites such as the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, the Pantheon, the Golden House of Nero, the National Gallery, St. Peter's Basilica and Trevi Fountain. These are only a few of the diversified tourist resorts specific to Rome, a major center for tourism in Italy. In fact, it is said that a lifetime is not enough for one to learn everything about this imposing ancient metropolis.

An autonomous state situated in the central region of Rome, Vatican has been the headquarters of politics and religion for ages, various historic events of great importance for Europe being decided right here, within the borders of this very small state. For thousands of years, Vatican has been the coronation place for many different generations of popes, prominent figures with a great influence worldwide. If you decide to spend your holiday in Italy, you shouldn't neglect to visit the Vatican Museum, the most famous and vast museum in the world!

Milan is yet another important center for tourism in Italy. Situated in the ancient region of Lombardy, Milan is the country's center for commerce and also the most stylish city in Italy. When you travel in Italy, make sure you don't miss the opportunity to visit ?Il Duomo di Milano? ? The Dome in Milan, and Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie, major attractions of ?Il Belpaese?.

When you spend your holiday in Italy, you should definitely visit the most romantic and mysterious cities found in this country, Venice and Verona. Venice is famous for its unique water canals, beautiful gondolas and carnivals, while Verona, the d'cor for ?Romeo and Juliet?, is well known for its magnificent summer opera season at the Arena, a vast Roman amphitheatre located in Piazza Bra.

Regardless of the places you decide to visit in ?Il Belpaese?, a holiday in Italy is undoubtedly a marvelous, rewarding and unforgettable experience!