Venice & East Italy

Venice and East Italy:
From Lecce to Trieste, from Venice to the Tremiti Islands, Italy’s Adriatic Coast has too many sights to see and offers too many activities for a single trip. Let us start up north: from its quiet canals to its majestic official buildings, squares, castle, Roman ruins and churches, to its lush vegetation and quaint houses bordering the open sea, Trieste is truly a sight to behold. Not far, the lagoon island of Grado will fully satisfy lovers of nature with its bike paths and promenades along the sea, canals, harbours and beautiful beaches.

Up next is the unmissable jewel of Italy’s north-east: Venice. One of the most popular destinations on Earth with Paris, everyone has heard of it. So along with the canals (and iconic Grand Canal), the Piazza San Marco and the unmissable La Fenice opera house, do not forget to pay a visit to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Ca’ d’Oro, the Guggenheim Museum, the Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti, the Santa Maria della Salute, the Venetian Arsenal, the Bridge of Sighs and so many others… To cap off this visit of La Serenissima, try the “Little Venices”: Chioggia and Comacchio, two cities to the south which both have thriving fish markets, sandy beaches and are known for their boating trips.

Ravenna is not directly on the coast but if you can afford the detour, it is well worth it: magnificent Byzantine mosaics, churches, monuments and other Roman sites… Cesenatico is a quiet town known for its maritime museum and main canal, designed by Leonardo da Vinci. And Rimini is a more popular destination for partygoers (the city has a vibrant nightlife) and beachgoers. Further south, in the Abruzzo, Vasto is known for its cathedral, palaces and Santa Maria Maggiore church. Further south still, the towns of Rodi Garganico, Peschici, and Vieste have all you expect to tour in Italia (beaches, historic towns, lush forests, etc.). Do not miss the unique Cave Sanctuary of Saint Michael. Those towns are also near the Tremiti Islands, most of which are uninhabited and have beautiful caves, not to be missed if you have your own boat.

Southern Puglia also has treasures like the towns of Trani and its wonderful Romanesque cathedral and castle by the sea, Bari and its seaside promenade and harbour, or Polignano a Mare, built on a cliff, one of the most beautiful towns along the coast. Of course, while you visit, do not forget to try Italian cuisine (on the Adriatic coast: polenta, seafood, risotto, sùgoli, etc.) since Italy, like France, is one of the few countries where you can find delicious food almost anywhere