|
Nature
Italy offers an extraordinary choice
of landscapes and climates: beyond 7000 kilometers of rocky
and sandy coasts; the Alps and the Dolomites in the north
and the Apennines from the north-west to south-east; the Po-veneta
plain, the largest of southern Europe; the beautiful zone
of lakes in the north; beaches and the magical atmosphere
of the islands; the parks and nature reserves scattered all
over the Country.
Lakes
The main lakes of Italy are in the north, in Piedmont and
Lombardy. All the seasons are good in order to visit them,
but in spring and at the beginning of autumn the clearness
of the air makes their majestic frame stand out. The biggest
is the Lago di Garda, limpid and rich of delicious small cities
that show themselves on its shores. Here it is possible to
discover roman rests, medieval castles and splendid beaches,
like those of Riva del Garda, Sirmione and Gardone Riviera.
On the Lago di Como, in an idyllic scenery among mountains
and hills, it is instead possible to admire the elegant villas
of Como, Bellagio and Lecco. The Lago Maggiore is a large
expanse of water that wedges itself in mountains and lengthen
until the Swiss Alps. In the middle of the lake the Isole
Borromee (Borromean islands) arise, small paradises adorned
with baroque palaces and splendid gardens. The lago d' Orta,
at the foot of the Alps, splendid and little attended. In
the middle of the lake we find the small and romantic isola
di San Giulio (St Giulio's island), with a valuable decorated
and frescoed basilica. Among other Italian lakes, all very
typical, to point out are the lago di Trasimeno, in Umbria,
and the lago Bracciano near Rome.
Useful Information:
- Laghi Italia (Italian Lakes): http://www.laghitalia.it/
Everything on Lago Maggiore, Lago Lugano, Lago d' Orta:
history, routes, climate, art, and so on. In Italian and
German.
- Perle d'Italia (Pearls of Italy): http://www.perleditalia.it/perleditalia_laghi.htm
Link to web sites of the main Italian lakes and to web sites
on surf, nautical sailing and sports.
- Itinerari Italiani (Italian Routes): http://www.itinerariitaliani.com/
Web site on the natural wonders of Italy.
- Paesi on line (Countries on line): http://www.paesionline.it/raccolta/laghi.htm
The pages offer historical, geographic and tourist information
on the beautiful, big and important lakes of Italy.
- Ciao Ciao Italy (Hello Hello Italy): http://www.ciaociaoitaly.it/indice.laghi.htm
All on lakes and hotels situated in the nearby.
- Navigazione Laghi (Navigazione Laghi Management):
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/
Timetables, prices, tourist excursions and other information
on Lago di Como, Maggiore and Garda.
- Lago di Como: http://www.lagodicomo.com
A complete guide to the lake of Como, with the typical routes,
information on the accomodation structures, products, culture
and gastronomy speciality. Clicking on the interactive map
on homepage, we have access to the profiles of the single
localities, with historical news and advices on what to
visit.
- Lago d'Orta: http://www.orta.net/ita1/index.htm
Among illustrious quotations the web site puts at our disposal
useful information (history, museums, curiosities, map)
and tourist information.
- Lago Maggiore: http://www.lagomaggiore.it/
The splendour of the two lakes in a web site structured
in twelve sections: it is indeed for all the tastes among
culture, events, garden and parks, gastronomy, churches
and beaches, and a section particularly well made on the
green routes (with interactive map).
The sea and the coasts
The Italian coasts are quite different: their appearance depends
on various factors, like the alluvial contribution of the
rivers and the presence of reliefs behind the shoreline. The
Ligurian coasts, on which the wide and deep gulf of Genoa
is open, are high, steep and jagged. The northern part of
the Ligurian Coast is called Gulf of the Poets, because at
the beginning of the century were hosted important exponents
of the English romanticism like Byron and Shelley. The Coast
is divided in westward, in the west of Genoa, and Levant,
in the east of the main city. Among the well known localities
it is worth visiting Portofino, Portovenere and the Cinque
Terre (five lands).
The tirrenic coast is characterized in the north by a low
and uniform shoreline. The Tuscany archipelago, with the Island
of Elba, shows itself on a rocky coast in the south of Livorno
and sandy one in the zone of Viareggio, the Versilia.
The Amalfitana Coast, between the Gulf of Naples and the one
of Salerno, is among the most evocative of the Country: magnificent
landscapes in which rocks sinking on the sea and gorges adorned
with a luxury and perfumed vegetation of oranges, lemons,
olives, almonds tree, vines and coloured flowers follow one
another. Not to miss are the localities of Amalfi and Revello,
the beaches of Positano and Praiano, the islands of Procida,
Ischia and Capri.
In the channel of Sicily the coast returns to be plain, with
features of exceptional suggestion, like the small Reserve
of San Vito lo Capo and all the surrounding islands. The Adriatic
sea, quite touristic and crowded in Veneto and Emilia Romagna,
bathes also the apulian coasts, where the cape of the Gargano
stands out. A small peninsula with a shoreline jagged by inlets
and reefs and dipped in a wild nature that shows oneself on
magnificent small villages rich of history and tradition.
From Vieste, colourful coastal city, we can make a journey
to the islands Tremiti and to the numerous marine coves. More
in the south we find the coasts of the peninsula salentina,
where a beautiful little attended limpid sea frames the evocative
white cities from the Greek taste.
Useful References:
Italian Mountains
The Alps
The Alps characterize especially the Piedmont and Valle D'Aosta,
making the latter one of the most panoramic and colorful regions
of Italy. Here we find the highest summits of Europe: the
Monte Bianco, the Cervino and the Monte Rosa, with several
skiing resorts in order to practice ski mountaineering and
the cross-country skiing. The charming tracks of bottom inside
the Park of Gran Paradiso,
make us admire particularly the protected flora and the fauna.
We can visit the well known and very preserved Castles
of Valle d'Aosta, like the one of Fenix (1340), and enjoy
the beauty of the places in which they are located. We can
admire thegrandiosity/hugeness of the mountous system and
the snowy summits of the glaciers just taking a walk in the
heart of Turin.
The Dolomites
The Dolomites, with their vertical walls from the sharp needles,
are the majestic background of several cities of the north-eastern
Italy, among which Trento. The forms and the colours of these
mountains are so rich and numerous to make them uncomparable.
Moreover they offer a lot of opportunities for skiing, climbing
or simple walks. The most important ski stations are in Bolzano,
Trento, Cortina d'Ampezzo (very well known venue attended
by VIP) and Brunico, all extraordinary points of departure
for magnificent excursions.
The Apennines
The mountous system of the Apennine covers nearly all the
peninsula of Italy. About 1350 kilometers of mountains, from
Liguria to Tuscany, from Umbria to Abruzzi, from Cilento to
Vesuvio, with the large massive of Pollino (2271), between
the Ionian sea and the Gulf of Policastro, to mark the end
of it. Then the relief of Aspromonte begins: the Sila, the
Coastal system and the ridge of Serre, that continues in Sicily
with the Peloritani. The most touristic zone is the one of
Abruzzi, with the highest summits and the national Park in
the south-west of the region equipped for ski, camping and
excursions.
Useful References:
 The
natural Parks
The 10% of the Italian territory is protected by laws defending
the environment that have helped the founding of Parks and
Reserves aimed at the development of the nature in all its
forms. In a Park or an Italian Reserve, not only the animals
are "untouchable", but also the vegetables, the
minerals, the waters and the air. In Italy there are 20 National
Parks (and 4 are about to turn into it), 130 Regional Parks,
270 Regional Reserves, 150 State Reserves, 47 Humid Zones,
7 Marine Reserves. These protected zones are managed by the
State, the Regions, the Provinces, the Town Councils or the
enviromental and protectionist Associations (Italia Nostra,
WWF, Lega Ambiente, Greenpeace, LIPU, Touring Club,just to
name a few).
Here a list of the Italian National Parks:
We have listed all of them just to prove that
in Italy the nature is loved and protected, in the North as
well as in the South.
Useful References:
- Parks: http://www.parks.it/
This is the web site of the Italian Federation of Parks
and Natural Reserves. In the Home Page you can find the
list of all the national and regional parks, the reserves,
the protected areas and the Italian humid zones. For each
park are available a descriptive card (also in English language)
and numerous other information regarding the Visiting Centres,
the routes, and so on. You can have the same information
every day dialling the toll number 800 072757 from 8.30
to 20.30. Those who have an alphanumeric keyboard can dial
the same number as: 8000-PARKS.
- Ministero dell'Ambiente (Ministry of the Environment):
http://www.minambiente.it/Sito/settori_azione/scn/Home_scn.asp
The official site of the Ministry, besides the list of the
protected zones, offers in Home Page an useful collection
of links to web sites and enviromental associations.
- WWF: http://www.wwf.it/oasi/home.asp
The web site of the national wwf offers the possibility
to discover the WWF oases in Italy.
- Parchi Marini (Sea Parks): http://web.tiscalinet.it/areeprotettemarine/
Web site dedicated to the Italian Sea Parks.
- Parchi (Parks): http://www.geologia.com/vacan/parchi.html
The natural parks in Italy and in the world and thematic
routes.
- Parchi e riserve marine (Parks and marine reserves):
http://www.nautica.it/info/parchi
A collection of articles and comments on the parks and the
Italian marine reserves.
Itineraries
Useful References:
- Itinerari italiani (Italian routes): http://www.sottocoperta.net/itinerari/italia.htm
Portal of routes in Italy and in the world, natural parks
and museums to see.
- Itinerari italiani (Italian routes): http://www.itinerariitaliani.com/
Routes in bicycle, on foot among the mountains and valleys
of Italy, along the roads rich of nature, art and history,
in train along the minor railway lines that cross Italy
on the snow of the Alps and of the Apennine.
- Italian routes: http://www.jumpy.it/Canali_J/Viaggi/Itinerari
It is possible to choose the most interesting route by clicking
on an interactive map or choosing one of the voices from
the fast choice menu.
- Italian routes: http://itinerari.puntopartenza.it/
Collection of link to web sites related to cultural, thematic,
sports, environmental routes, itinerant tourism on foot,
by motorbike, by bicycle, by camper...
- Viaggi in rete (Travel in net): http://www.viagginrete-it.it/itinerari_italiani.htm
Routes in Italy proposed by travels in net.
- Viaggio nell'Italia del Medioevo (Journey throughout
Italy of Middle Ages): http://www.europamedievale.it/europa_medievale/itinerari_italia/
|
