The Italian Regions

Sep132010

Written by Delicious Italy Team

North Italian Regions

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

The region of Triveneto or Friuli Venezia Giulia includes Udine, Pordenone, Trieste, Gorizia, Grado, Cormons, Carnia, Cividale del Friuli and Aquileia. The history of this corner of Italy, or perhaps Middle Europe as it should be referred to, is well documented. The latest chapter was the opening of the borders to Slovenia, Croatia and the Istrian peninsular in 2004 with Gorizia and Trieste most directly involved.

VENETO

The heart of Veneto is a straight line due west from Venice taking in Padova and Verona before arriving at Lake Garda and Bardolino. The rich merchants of Venice knew this and even constructed the canal along the River Brenta to where their palacious villas and mansions were built.

TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE

Trentino and Alto Adige, it's important to bear this in mind. The region includes Bolzano, Trento, Selva Val Gardena, Merano and Riva del Garda. Two distinct zones and, for anyone who has been, the northern cultural border of Italy is clearly Bolzano.

LOMBARDIA

The Gallic or Celtic tribes of the Po Valley were the first inhabitants of today's Lombardia to have left a long lasting mark. Many of the region's towns and cities can trace their origins and names to this pre-Roman period eg. Bergamo, Como, Milan or Mediolanum.

VALLE d'AOSTA

The region includes Aosta, Courmayeur, Cervinia, Gressoney Saint Jean, Cogne and La Thuile. Ideal for the two main tourist seasons of the region, summer and winter. Summer offers long mountain treks and bike riding in the valleys.

PIEMONTE

Lake Maggiore is the premier visitor destination in Piemonte and it includes the towns of Stresa, Baveno and Lesa. Alba and Asti come next for the truffles and wine of course.

LIGURIA

If you have ever driven from Nice to the Cinque Terre in a vintage Beetle you'll soon discover its a very long way indeed. Passing the many snug coastal resorts before Genoa, we must mention Spotorno. The home of pesto and the national association is based here.

EMILIA ROMAGNA

The region of Emilia Romagna is actually two separate territories, Emilia and Romagna, and includes the cities of Bologna, Modena, Forlì, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Rimini and Ravenna. No prizes for guessing, but it is important to bear this in mind when you're hurtling down the Via Emilia from Piacenza.

Central Italian Regions

TUSCANY

Everybody wants to discover a little corner of Tuscany and make it their own. Delicious Italy included. Pisa and Siena are the outstanding tourist destinations and do not disappoint. But go to Florence off season, perhaps even in the middle of winter to indulge in the meat dishes and wine that little bit more.

LE MARCHE

A tour of the region should include Monte Conero, Urbino, Ascoli Piceno and Loreto, but we advise reading as much as possible before making a visit, as Le Marche is full of unexpected treasures and history.

UMBRIA

Umbria hosts the cities and towns of Perugia, Terni, Orvieto and Assisi of course, and is referred to as the 'green heart of Italy' and, in fact, the geographical centre of the country is Narni in the province of Terni.

LAZIO

If all roads lead to Rome, then they must come from somewhere. Follow them and find out more about the food, culture and history of the never dull Lazio region. For example, consider the southern coastal resort and ancient fishing town of Sperlonga, famed for the Grotto of Tiberius and its Greek myths and legends.

ABRUZZO

The inhabitants of the Abruzzo region have a reputation for being hard headed characters but very generous. Certainly some of the toughest tribes the Ancient Romans fought were based in the mountainous Conca Peligna towards Corfinium and Sulmona. Forte e gentile.

MOLISE

Molise is Italy's least visited region and an itinerary to discover the history and culture of what used to be part of Abruzzo should take in the towns of Scapoli, San Vincenzo al Volturno, Isernia, Agnone, Sepino, Pietrabbondante and Capracotta in that order.

South Italian Regions

CAMPANIA

There's a lot to experience in Campania, more than you can possibly imagine and the past is ever present. You have to go to Amalfi along the Amalfi coast of course and don't miss out on Naples and especially the Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte before setting out on an excursion to the Vesuvius.

PUGLIA

The region of Puglia includes Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, Taranto, Foggia, Alberobello and the Tremiti islands and can be neatly split into three general zones. Salento has the beast beaches in Italy after Sardinia.

BASILICATA

Also known as Lucania, Basilicata is most famous today for the Sassi of Matera. A region so often overlooked is suddenly finding itself with all the right pieces in place for the sustainable tourism of the future.

CALABRIA

Calabria is perhaps Italy's least known region, even for Italians. Off the top of our heads (before we were invited by the Chambers of Commerce of Crotone, Reggio and Cosenza to vist the region) Italy's boot is famous for bergamots, brigands, being next to Sicily and that's about it. It is a huge region with over 40% covered in mountains and a coastline of 710km.

SICILY

Sicily includes Catania, Palermo, Trapani, Taormina, Enna, Ragusa, Siracusa, Messina, Agrigento, Caltannissetta, the Egadi, Aeolian and Lampedusa islands. The best way to get around Sicily might be by helicopter. Nevertheless, such a trip would still follow a classic itinerary.

SARDINIA

The region of Sardinia includes Cagliari, Nuoro, Sassari, Oristano, the Costa Smeraldo, Oristano, Alghero and Santa Teresa di Gallura. For over 40 years it was really only about two months along the the Emerald Coast following the creation of the exclusive Consorzio Costa Smeralda.