Rome
Rome is one of the most vibrant and unforgettable cities in the world, the city is rich with massive monuments displaying its glorious historical past yet offering a very cosmopolitan and distinctly Italian atmosphere.  Rome is the capital city of Italy as well as the country's largest and most populous at about 4 million people.  Within the city of Rome itself, lays the smallest nation in the world, the State of the Vatican City, the epicenter of Catholicism and the home of the pope.  Referred to as la Città Eterna, "the Eternal City" in Italian, Rome has a long and prosperous history starting in 753 BC.  This is when, according to legend, the city of Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus before going on to become the most powerful empire of the ancient world.  This successful dominance depended on military expansion, commercial predominance, as well as assimilation of any civilization within its realm.  For almost a thousand years, Rome was the richest, largest and most politically important city in the Western world.  Rome offers travellers of all ages and budgets a plethora of things to see and do; whether it be gazing out over the ruins of the mighty Colosseum where men and beasts competed in battles to the death; or standing before the giant doors of St Peters and being dwarfed by one of the most religiously significant buildings on earth; or strolling the streets of Rome and taking in the beautiful city squares adorned with gushing fountains and statues carved by the finest Italian artists over the centuries.  Rome is a repeat destination.  It seems no matter how much time you spend exploring all it has to offer there still remains something important that was missed.  Rome is one of my top 10 cities in Europe.

Venice
Venice is one of the most picturesque and enchanting cities in the world and is located on the Adriatic Sea in northern Italy.  Venice, often referred to as the 'Queen of the Adriatic', is the capital of the Veneto region and was at one time a major sea power that controlled vast amounts of trade throughout the Mediterranean.  The city is built across an archipelago of over 100 islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea.  Within the city there are about 150 canals connected by over 400 bridges.  Due to the wealth generated by trade, the city became a major supporter of art and music.  Venetians also brought back large amounts of plunder and booty during their expansionist period which now adorns major buildings in the city in an almost over the top display.  There is something intangible about Venice that you feel as you get lost strolling the canals or sit in the beautiful Piazza San Marco absorbing a vibe that feels refined elegant and magical.  A trip to Italy just isn't complete without riding a small ferry the length of the grand canal, exploring the lavishly decorated Doje Palace or gazing up at the gold mosaic images in the domed Basilica.  Visit Venice before the threat of rising ocean waters takes this amazing piece of human history away for good.  Venice is another one of my top 10 cities in Europe.

Florence
Florence is a stunningly beautiful city in the heart of Tuscany and is world famous for producing some of the finest artists and architects in history.  Florence, or Firenze in Italian, is the capital city of the region of Tuscany and has been located on the Arno River since being founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BC.  A key centre of medieval trade and finance Florence experienced an explosion of artistic, literary, and scientific advancement between the 14th and 16th centuries.  This was due to Florentines' being fixated with money, banking and trade, and displaying their wealth.  During the height of Florence's power the city was ruled by the powerful Medici family.  The Medici's were great patrons of the arts, commissioning works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli to name only a few.  Visiting Florence can often be the highlight of any traveller's trip to Italy, whether appreciating some amazing works of art in the massive Uffizi Gallery, hiking the seemingly endless narrow worn stairs to the top of the magnificent Duomo Cathedral, or viewing the beautiful skyline of the city from Piazza Michelangelo while enjoying a rapidly melting gelatti.  Florence will impress you with its magnificence and charm you with its beauty and character.

San Gimignano
San Gimignano is a unique walled medieval hilltop town in Tuscany and is famous for its medieval stone skyscrapers that tower above the town and can be seen for miles around.  Located southwest of Florence, San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC.  The town didn't gain its distinctive skyline until medieval times when rich families competed in the erection of high towers, which served as housing, fortresses, and symbols of prestige.  All around this area of Italy, other towns and cities had similar towers that have disappeared over time due to wars, catastrophes, or urban renewal.  Thirteen towers survive to this day of which one, the Torre Grossa, stands 54 meters high and was completed by 1311.  It is the tallest and the only one that allows access to the top.  The view from above the town is of neighbouring towers backed by the green rolling hills of Tuscany. If you have the time, spend a night in San Gimignano and experience the city after the mobs of day-trippers file out.  Sipping some fine local red wine while enjoying a large slice of pizza in the shadows of these stone towers will be a lasting memory of your trip through Tuscany.

Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is a group of five coastal villages near the city of La Spezia in the Liguria region of Italy.  The beautiful coastline, the five picturesque villages, and the trails that link them together are all part of a national park that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The Cinque Terre is popular for the hiking trails that link the 5 isolated fishing villages.  These trails offer stunning views of some of Italy's finest Mediterranean coastline, with trails that range from easy and flat to thigh burning stair climbs to narrow winding paths in olive groves perched precariously on cliff tops.  For those who don't want to walk but want the scenery there is a train that runs through a tunnel to each village.  Bring a packed lunch, lots of water and enjoy a bit of exercise to work off all that wine and good food Italy provides while appreciating the beautiful surroundings. 

Pompeii
Pompeii is an exceptionally well preserved Roman city in the south of Italy near the city of Naples.  The cities preservation is due to the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24th 79 AD, the city was engulfed in ash and debris with almost no warning.  Pompeii has been progressively excavated since the 18th century providing a complete and vivid picture of Roman society and daily life at that specific moment in history that is without equal anywhere in the world.  Founded in the 7th century BC the city, by the time of its destruction, was a thriving and wealthy port city of the Roman Empire.  There are acoustically perfect amphitheatres, colourful vibrant frescoes, a former gladiator colosseum and villas of once wealthy Romans.  Pompeii is a must see site that gives any visitor the opportunity to step back in time, all the while pondering how you could survive if that giant looming volcano ever went off again.