Attractions

Sorrento:

Museo Correale di Terranova: Sorrento has been a resort town for over two thousand years. Sorrento’s excellent museums include the Museo Correale di Terranova and the Inlaid Woodwork Museum. The relatively new Mineralogical Museum boasts a dinosaur collection containing baby dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs, and Permian reptiles that predate the dinosaurs by millions of years. Before you leave Sorrento, visit its historic city center, which includes some protective walls from the Middle Ages, the 14th century Saint Francis Cloister and a much older neighboring monastery.

Caserta/Palace of Caserta (a UNESCO World Heritage Site): Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range. The city is best known for the Palace of Caserta. It is one of the most visited monuments in the country. In it you can find more than 1,200 rooms, decorated in various styles. It has been the set for famous movies, such as the first three episodes of Star Wars and St. Peter’s Cathedral in Mission Impossible III. The park is two miles long and contains many falls, lakes and gardens, including the very famous English gardens.

Palazzo Vecchio: The “Old Palace” is a construction of the 14th century renovated by Luigi Vanvitelli as provisional residence for the royal court.

Rome:

The Colosseum: The Roman Colosseum is a tremendous amphitheater, the embodiment of both the grandeur and cruelty of the great Roman Empire. Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum hosted spectacular games that included gladiator exhibitions, fights between animals, prisoner executions and—strangely enough—naval battles.

The Roman Forum: Towering Ionic columns stretch proud and fragmented into the Italian sky and ancient porticoes stand guard over the empty shells of buildings that were once the centers of commerce, justice and worship for the city.

The Pantheon: Of all the great buildings constructed during the crest of the Roman Empire, only this one still stands. Pantheon history states that the interior of the roof is intended to symbolize the heavens, and the giant hole above is supposedly the eyes of the gods.

Trevi Fountain: The Trevi Fountain dominates a small square in the heart of the city near the Spanish Steps. The fountain entered pop culture thanks to the nighttime bathing scene in the film La Dolce Vita by Fellini, or for many Americans, the popular 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain. This huge Baroque fountain, inspired by sea mythology, took 30 years to build.

The Sistine Chapel: The pièce de résistance of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel is the culmination of Michelangelo’s finest work. Frescoes detailing the life and times of both Jesus and Moses line the walls beneath the benevolent portraits of former popes.

The Vatican Museums: Deep in the holy center of Vatican City, the Vatican Museums house an enormous collection of art collected through centuries of history, from Egyptian pieces to Etruscan ruins to Renaissance paintings and, of course, the legendary Sistine Chapel. Of all the museums, not just in Italy but the world over, these are not to be missed.

Greece:

From gorgeous terrain to historical museums, you can find it all in Greece. Here are a few favorites:

The Acropolis and the Parthenon: A must-see in Athens! Featuring Athena’s sacred temple, the Parthenon, this famous rock is a great site any time of the year, but should be visited either in the early morning or late afternoon, as it gets crowded.

The National Archaeological Museum: Even if going to a museum is not your idea of a good time, you must go to this one. The tall, enigmatic kouroi statues are exquisite. Don’t forget to look at the Egyptian antiquities collection upstairs.

Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon: The epitome of ancient Greece, these ruins showcase the beauty of nature. The Aegean Sea sits below you as you gaze out across the landscape. This is best enjoyed at sunset, as it is most beautiful then, and less crowded.

The Island of Santorini (Thira, Fira): Discover a remarkable island, rich with gorgeous landscapes, villages, and architecture. Many Greek singers have chosen this Island as the setting for their videos. Many TV series have been shot here, as well as some Hollywood movies.

The Island of Mykonos: This is Greece’s most famous Island. Those looking for great shopping, exciting nightlife, and just plain craziness, will make this their leading destination. If you’ve had enough of the frenzy, the other side of the Island offers a much more tranquil environment.

The Ancient Theater of Epidaurus: You’ll find the best acoustics here, so seeing a play on your trip would be worthwhile. There is a great museum on site just past a wonderful village bakery/liquor store in Adami.