Venice
Venice is known as La Serenissima, or the Serene Republic. One look around the city will help you understand why. At first you may not recognize the absence of sound that fills your ears. But then it hits you - there are no cars here. As you walk down the middle of the street, you'll marvel at the beauty around every street corner. It seems like the entire city has been lifted straight out of a painting. There is nowhere else in the world where earth and water exist together so freely, with neither element trying to assert its dominance. Couples from all over flock to the world's most romantic city.
Of course, the secret is out, and the throngs of tourists do detract from the city's pristine visage. During the summer, Piazza San Marco is teeming with people, so many in fact that it seems like the city will sink into the water that runs through it. In actuality, the city is sinking, at an average of five inches every twenty years. Unless something is done to keep Venice afloat, the city may join Atlantis at the bottom of the sea.
Because Venice's fortunes are tied so closely to the sea, it must be noted that Venice loses some of its charm in the autumn months, when high tides flood some of the best parts of the city, including the city's center, Piazza San Marco. On the hottest summer days, the water begins to smell, despite the city's best efforts to keep its waterways clean. However, do not let these small inconveniences distract you from all of the good things Venice has to offer. This is the one location in the world where the city itself is the attraction. You can spend an entire day walking around and sitting outside, stopping for lunch or some gelato, and not step foot in a single attraction. You will still be enchanted, having experienced the most picturesque city in the world.
Corfu
Corfu is arguably the most beautiful of the Ionian Islands. It is set in the northern Ionian Sea at the entrance to the Adriatic. Today, the 100,000 citizens of Corfu offer their land to tourists at a high price, but anyone who has been to the island would argue that it is well worth it. Corfu's tremendous turquoise beaches tantalize, and the lovely land's allure leaves you wanting more. But if the sun-drenched landscape is not sufficient, the island's rich history and reputation for hospitality are sure to please you. Because the land is somewhat divided, it is well equipped to please a wide range of tourists.
Within Corfu there are three entities, each of which attracts different types of people. Corfu, the island, is the place to be if the classic vacation elements are what you are looking for. The island is encircled by beaches and filled with delicious restaurants, resorts ranging in price from inexpensive (for students) to very expensive, and is home to a vigorous nightlife. Corfu town is a more sophisticated place where the emphasis falls on history as well as Greek, Italian and French culture. Corfu's mainland interior is a quieter, lesser-known haven of villages, vegetation, and agriculture. Most tourists, young people especially, opt for the excitement of Corfu Island, which boasts of having over one million visitors per year.
Corfu has inspired artists and historians alike. It is said to have been a favorite place of artists like Alfred Sisley and literary giants like Wilde and Goethe. Homer's Odysseus visited the island on his journey home, and marveled at its splendor. Shakespeare's The Tempest was inspired by Corfu. Even Napoleon was awed by the land's magnificence. And when you visit, you will quickly realize why so much brilliance has been born in and of Corfu. Its beaches are like no other, and its atmosphere of relaxation is instantly recognizable.
Sorrento
Sorrento has long held a special place in the heart of Italians. Its rugged beauty has attracted poets, philosophers, playwrights, and authors for centuries. Roman mythology places Sorrento as the spot where sailors were lured to their death by the songs of the sirens, mermaids who used their beautiful voices to lead men to their watery graves. It's said that the mythical hero Ulysses stuffed his crew's ears with wax to deafen them and strapped himself to the ships hull in order to resist their allure.
Today, the city is still every bit as alluring. Sorrento is on the beautiful Amalfi Coast, a strip of land in Western Italy that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The small island of Capri is just three miles off shore, and one of Italy's most beautiful (but dangerous) roads winds along from Sorrento, through Amalfi and into Salerno. Sorrento is equidistant from both Naples and Salerno, exactly 43 miles away from each. Vic Damone's tear-jerking hit, Come Back to Sorrento may become your theme song once you visit this little slice of paradise.
Ajaccio
Corsica may be French territory, but its wild, adventurous spirit is its own. French vacationers come here to get away from France without actually getting away from France. The rugged beauty of this island attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Corsica is not that big, measuring only 133 miles long and fifty miles wide. But the sheer diversity of both the terrain and the people make it seem much larger than it is. The Greeks called it Kalliste, or the most beautiful, but it was its advantageous geographical location that made republics battle over the small island. Located just one hundred miles south of France and fifty miles west of Italy, Corsica has seen its share of rulers over the years. Genoa made a huge impact on the island during its two centuries in power, with watchtowers still standing from Corsica's days as a military outpost. Pisa momentarily ruled Corsica, before eventually ceding the island to the French. Corsica's language did not cede, instead becoming an intricate mix of French, Italian, and Latin.
Corsica derives its greatest fame from Napoleon Bonaparte. The French emperor was born in Ajaccio in 1769, and his birthday is celebrated nationwide with a full day of festivals, parades, and celebration. Museums and art galleries all over Ajaccio are devoted to Napoleon, even though the man himself never returned to his homeland after he came to power.
Ajaccio is Corsica's administrative capital, with French government offices housed here. The city is on Corsica's west coast, in Corse du Sud, the southernmost of the two Corsican regions (Haute Corse is to the north). The confluence of Mediterranean water, Riviera sunshine, and a cheerful population have led to Corsica becoming one of the more sought-after vacation spots in Europe.
Monte Carlo
Monaco is something of an anomaly in toady's democratic world. Monarchies worldwide have either dissolved completely or they have seen their once absolute power reduced to ceremonial titles. But the Principality of Monaco presses on, with the Grimaldi Dynasty having been in control of these 370 acres since 1297. Although France did manage to annex Monaco in the late 1700?s, the Grimaldi family recovered rule in 1814.
Prince Rainier III is the current ruler of Monaco. His marriage to famous actress Grace Kelly in 1956 was a worldwide event, and elevated Monaco to a sort of fantasyland, with storybook romances and a jolly ruler. Princess Grace had three children, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stephanie. Grace died tragically in a car accident in 1982, and the mere mention of the accident still conjures up painful memories for locals.
Of particular concern to the people of Monaco is the bachelor status of Prince Albert. A treaty signed almost 100 years ago states that Monaco would become a territory under French protection if the ruling family were to run out of heirs. Albert is still not married, which has the locals a little nervous.
Almost all of the country's economy is centered around gambling and tourism. Not surprisingly, the economy is doing fine. Mercedes and BMW's are common here, and the public transportation system is flush with electronic displays keeping track of the buses and trains. Even the train station in Monte Carlo would pass as a tourist attraction in some places. There is no income tax in Monaco, which has made the Principality the chosen home of many of the world's wealthiest people.
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