Thinking of a romantic destination to visit? If that’s so, you better consider southern Italy, also known as Mezzogiorno. The region has beautiful vibrant cities and important sites which were once part of Ancient Greece. Southern Italy also boasts of unique cultures, cuisine, and architecture. Also, the region is famous for wineries like Primitivo, which produces high-quality wines.
The historical heritage of the region draws more tourists. Also, the island life and warm Mediterranean climate are vital attractions. If you are a tourist planning to visit and enjoy the excellence of southern Italy. Below, you will find three listed towns to visit and foods to eat. So read on!
1. Naples
Naples, also known as Napoli, is one of the largest cities in Italy. It prides itself as a historic centre, with a heritage dating back twenty centuries. The architectural designs of its streets, churches, piazzas, monuments, castles and public buildings represent an exceptional artistic and historical treasure. When you visit Naples, expect to see actual historical art, treasures, and indelible signs of past dominations. Because of this uniqueness, the city earned a spot on the 1995 list of UNESCO World Heritage.
The city is also famous for pizza; however, that is not the unique culinary tradition available. Most Italian foods like pizza and spaghetti originated from here. When in the city, spare some time and take a food tour. The pleasant variety of flavours and recipes will surprise you. If you have a guide, ask them to take you to the best food venues, where locals dine. As you move through the meandering streets and artisan shops, you will get the best street food, such as mozzarella, fried pizza, and maccheroni omelette.
Equally, renowned restaurants offer mouth-watering delicacies like pasta and bruschetta. They prepare these dishes using local ingredients combined with explosive flavours.
Naples’s main tourist attraction sites include Castel Nuovo, Medieval castle, and the Castel del’ovo, the seaside fortress. Also, it neighbours Vesuvius, the remaining active volcano in Europe.
2. Amalfi Coast
Are you looking for the most scenic coastline? Well, look no further. Just visit the Campania region in Southern Italy. In a province called Salerno. Here you will find the Amalfi Coast. It features stunning sheer cliffs and the jewel-toned Mediterranean featured in most Hollywood classics. Plus, you will get to see a landscape of villages terraced on the steep panoramic hillsides, enchanting vistas with turquoise water, luxury gardens, and green mountains.
Apart from the fantastic coastline, the Amalfi coast has thirteen colourful seaside towns. Each town has stunning cliffs and beaches that contribute towards the cultural and scenic heritage of Amalfi, which made the coastline receive a UNESCO Heritage Site status.
Amalfi was among the powerful maritime republics together with Venice, Pisa, and Genoa in the middle ages. So here, you get to experience and learn more about the Tavole Amalfitane and the oldest maritime codes. You will also witness firsthand lemon experience. It makes the Amalfi coast famous for limoncello liqueur production.
While in Amalfi, ensure you taste the gourmet speciality. It’s prepared according to ancient procedures and used to cook spaghetti. Without a doubt, this is a dish recipe you will live to remember.
3. Alberobello
Have you experienced Trullo architecture? If not, you need to take a trip to southern Italy, Alberobello. Here, you find the best examples of Trulli homes. These homes are unique because of their conical stone roof. Interestingly, the builders did not use mortar and sourced stones from local limestones. It’s believed the oldest Trulli home dates back to the 14th century, thus making it a must-visit town in southern Italy.
Besides the Trulli being famous in Alberobello, their unique characteristics and beauty represent an extraordinary example of folk architecture found in Italy. Construction of those houses occurred during a historical period when the authorities highly taxed stable dwellings. As a result, the inhabitants of this region adapted exceptional cleverness and used local stones to build temporary houses, which they called Trulli. The entire construction process and originality earned Trulli of Alberobello recognition as a World Heritage Site.
When in Alberobello, you will not only experience Trulli-gazing, but here, you will stay, shop, and drink in trullo homes, shops, and bars. You will also taste some of its favourite food products, such as olive oil, almonds, cheese, wine appellation, and many more.
The tourist destinations mentioned above are just a few places you can visit in southern Italy. Other towns and sites include Paestum, Sorrento, Tropea, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Capri. A visit to southern Italy will leave you with an authentic taste of a successful adventure.