Italy is the land of contradictions.
On the one hand seaside, sun, sand and rocks and on the other hand mountains, snow and arid land. Different characteristics, but with one common factor: some of the most beautiful places in the world included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO.
Italy is the country that holds the world record of sites, in fact it counts 51 sites included in World Heritage List of outstanding cultural and natural importance. We have chosen a few of them, from north to south, very particular sites that still preserve the greatness of the past.
Laguna di Venezia
UNESCO site: Venezia and the Laguna
(Region of Veneto)
Venice in the 10th century became a major maritime power well known all over the world, especially for its position between the West and the East. Consequently, the development of architecture arts has been noteworthy. The city and its over 118 small islands, are themselves an extraordinary work of art that contain some of the greatest artistic treasures by artists such as Tintoretto and Veronese.
UNESCO site: Sassi di Matera
(Region of Basilicata)
In the southern region of Basilicata, we can find the most notable example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, founded by the Romans in the 3rd century BC and still perfectly intact. That’s why “the city of the rocks” (sassi) as they call it, is considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Words are not enough to explain, you have to see this place, also because in 2014 was elected European Capital of Culture 2019 and because it has been used as setting for The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson.
UNESCO site: The Trulli of Alberobello
(Region of Puglia)
They are old stone buildings of prehistoric origins of the central-southern Puglia, among the provinces of Brindisi, Bari and Taranto. The city of the trulli par excellence, is Alberobello, whose historic center is entirely made up of these well preserved particular houses, testimony of a disappeared civilization.
UNESCO site: Nuraghi di Barumini
(Region of Sardinia)
According to UNESCO, Nuraghi represent “a masterpiece of human creative genius”. They were a type of building in the shape of a truncated cone made of large boulders. The ancient settlements in the area of Barumini are the best preserved ones and date back to the Bronze Age (1700 BC).
UNESCO site: Val di noto and Mt Etna
(Region of Sicily)
The eastern area of Sicily called the “cradle of Baroque era” including Catania, Caltagirone, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa, Scicli and Militello, for UNESCO represents the culmination of Baroque art in Europe regarding the architectural and artistic achievements. This area hosts another site, Mount Etna, the highest mountain of the island and the most active volcano in the world. Dearly called “a muntagna” (the mountain), its eruptions during the centuries have transformed the surrounding nature, turning it into a lunar landscape.