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Putzu Idu
Backed by a motley set of holiday homes and beach bars, Putzu Idus beach sits at the north of the peninsula. Its a picturesque strip of sand thats something of a watersport hotspot with excellent surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. To the north, the Capo Mannu promontory is batte
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Porta Napoli
The main city gate, Porta Napoli, was erected in 1548 in anticipation of a state visit from Charles V. Its a typically militaristic effort by General Acaja (builder of the castle), who modelled it on a Roman triumphal arch and gave it a pointy pediment carved with toy weapons and a
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Centro Culturale San Giuseppe
A converted church turned cultural center, this is a lovely place to catch a choral or chamber music performance, or undertake a bracing hike up 134 steps to the 36m belltower (€1). In the basement, 2nd-century archaeological remains from the vanquished Roman Empire have been uncov
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Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta
The neoclassical facade of Aostas cathedral belies the impressive Gothic interior. Inside, the carved 15th-century walnut-wood choir stalls are particularly beautiful. Two mosaics on the floor, dating from the 12th to the 13th centuries, are also notable, as are the treasures displ
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Castelmola
For eye-popping views of the coastline and Mt Etna, head for this hilltop village above Taormina, crowned by a ruined castle. Either walk (one hour) or take the hourly Interbus service (one way/return €1.90/3, 15 minutes). While youre up here, stop in for almond wine at Bar Turrisi
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Palazzo Borgia
The future Pope Alexander VI, then just Cardinal Roderigo Borgia, modified and enlarged this palazzo in 1492. Its home to the Museo Diocesano , which displays an intriguing miscellany of artworks, illuminated manuscripts, tapestries and miniatures. The tourist office is here as wel
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Rocca Sanvitale
Sitting in a stagnant moat, 19km northwest of Parma in the town of Fontanellato, the formidable Rocca Sanvitale is one of the region’s best-preserved castles. Built over an older fort by the Sanvitale family in the 16th century, it contains some superb frescoes by Parmigianino, the
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Roselle
In the 7th century BC Roselle (Rusellae) was already an Etruscan town; it fell under Roman control in the 3rd century BC. Although there are no great monuments, you do get a clear idea of the towns layout from the remaining Roman defensive walls, amphitheatre, traces of houses, for
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Palazzo Sanfelice
Ferdinando Sanfelice’s debut staircase is this double-ramped diva inside the Palazzo Sanfelice . Upon its completion in 1726 it became the talk of the town, and from then on there was no stopping Sanfelice, who perfected his dramatic design in various palazzi across the city, culmi
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Great Synagogue of Florence
Built in the 1870s just after the Jewish community in Italy had gained full emancipation after centuries of persecution, this vast synagogue is a beautiful, polychrome hodgepodge of Islamic, Jewish and Christian religious architecture that recalls the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. A sm
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Chiesa di Santa Lucia in Selci
The small Chiesa di Santa Lucia in Selci is a convent church devoted to the 4th-century martyr St Lucy. It dates to some time before the 8th century, but was reconstructed by Carlo Maderno in the 16th century, who kept it within the then monastery, hence the lack of a facade. It wa
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Chiesa di San Simplicio
Considered to be Gallura’s most important medieval monument, this Romanesque granite church was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries on what was then the edge of town. It is a curious mix of Tuscan and Lombard styles with little overt decoration other than a couple of 13
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Galleria Civica dArte Moderna e Contemporanea
GAM was one of Italys first modern art musueums and has an astounding 45,000 works in its vaults dedicated to 19th- and 20th-century European artists, including De Chirico, Otto Dix and Klee. Its a great place to expand your knowledge of Italys post-war period: Paolini, Boetti, Ans
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Castello di Sarre
Heading west from Aosta towards Mont Blanc, you’ll quickly come across Castello di Sarre . Built in 1710 on the remains of a 13th-century fort, it was then bought by King Vittorio Emanuele II in 1869 to use as a hunting residence. The Savoys sold the castle in 1972 and it now serve
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Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio
L’Aquila’s finest sight, the Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio remains closed although you can admire its two-tone jewel box walls from the outside. In 2014 the church, which guards the mausoleum of Pope Celestine V, was allocated €12 million to restore its badly damaged inter
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Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta
Fronting an ornate cypress-shaded piazza, the Roman headquarters of the Cavalieri di Malta (Knights of Malta) boast one of Romes most celebrated views. Its not immediately apparent but look through the keyhole in the Prioratos green door and you’ll see the dome of St Peter’s Basili
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Roman Insula
At the bottom of the Campidoglio, next to the Aracoeli staircase, you can see the ruins of a Roman apartment block (insula ). Only the upper storeys are visible – the unexcavated ground-floor shops are well below road level – but they provide a fascinating, if fleeting, glimpse int
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Rocca Maggiore
Dominating the city is the massive 14th-century Rocca Maggiore, an oft-expanded, pillaged and rebuilt hill-fortress offering 360-degree views of Perugia to the north and the surrounding valleys below. Walk up winding staircases and claustrophobic passageways to reach the archer slo
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Monte Perone
Just south of Poggio, the SP37 winds to a well-signed picnic site at the foot of Monte Perone (630m). To the left (east) you can wander up the mountain to take in spectacular views across much of the island. To the right (west) you can scramble fairly quickly to a height affording
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Parco del Cardeto
The din of central Ancona fades to a distant hum from this park straddling the hill behind the city, with broad views across the rooftops of the old town to the port and the Adriatic. The pine shade and sea breezes up here are refreshing in summer. Fortifications, a 19th-century li
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