Entertainment Magazine: Travel: International

International Travel: Southern European Tours

By Fran Walker

With their mixture of scenery, beaches, good food and ancient cultures, southern European tours offer vacations that are hard to beat anywhere in the world.

Greek Tours

If you are interested in sea cruises, beautiful scenery, picturesque villages, city breaks, tavernas or a just a fortnight on the beach, then a Greek tour is the right choice for you. Greece and its islands have so much to offer, planning your tour will be the toughest job. After that, you just need to sit back, relax and enjoy the tour!

With rocky coves, quaint harbors and sandy beaches, the Greek islands are a great place to chill. Ferry cruises allow you to island hop, sampling the many pleasures each island has to offer.

Try the freshly caught fish or a delicious feta cheese salad while you relax near the sea shore or in a local taverna. Some of the islands are bustling; some are unspoilt, so pick your tour venues according to your tastes.

Greece boasts some of the most awesome examples of classic architecture in the world. Tour highlights include the Acropolis in Athens and the monuments of Crete.

Italy Tours

The joys of Italy cannot be easily described. Tour highlights include some of the best cuisine in the world,  classical architecture and glorious beaches.

Any tour of Italy should include Rome,  the “eternal city”, home to the breathtaking coliseum, great restaurants, bars and museums. Culture vultures should flock to Florence, where they will see some of the best art in the world.

The Amalfi coast

For many visitors, the Amalfi coast is the most beautiful on earth. With steep, rugged rocks heading down into the sea, beautiful old houses and impressive churches, it offers so much more than just a beach vacation.

Rome

The coliseum in Rome is surely one of the wonders of the world. The Via Veneto and the Trevi Fountain have also entered Roman folklore. The architecture and are in the Vatican City are breathtaking for religous and none-religious alike.

These are just some of the vast and varied attractions of the city of Rome. No vacation would be complete without pizza and pasta in one of Rome’s many restaurants.

Florence

Historic Florence, home to the Renaissance, is a must see during a tour of Italy.  With traffic banned in many areas of Florence, a walking tour is the best way to sample its treasures.

Art lovers must visit the Accademia and Uffizi art galleries to see works by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto, Cimabue, Masaccio. Other city highlights include Piazza Santa Croce, Piazza Signoria and Giotto 'Campanile' and the 'Gate to Paradise'. Shoppers won’t be disappointed either.

With its architecture, culture, history, cuisine and beaches, tours of Italy really can offer something for everyone. It is hard to describe just how much history, culture, beauty and entertainment in a few words. You really have to try out a tour of Italy for yourself!