small town attraction

[hoomlay33]

i was wondering what smaller cities outside of the more larger crowded attractive cities would be fun to experience during my stay in Italy, also what beaches would be most accommodating for a young 25 year old college student

[MadiSteps]

The answer to your prayers is a little hilltop town called Perugia. It lies exactly between Florence and Rome and is therefor simple to get to on the train. Not only is the two-hour ride cheap, but you get the benefit of seeing a classic Italian town without going out of the way of the major tourist stops. Perugia is basically a beautiful Italian college town that even has a university for foreigners in addition to the Italian universities. For a 20-something traveler the nightlife couldn't be better and meeting locals is a breeze. The epicenter of the town is a long wide avenue with restaurants and high-end shops that connects two lovely plazas. Plaza Italia is where the bus will drop you off from the train station and it has awesome artisans fairs on Sundays. The plaza on the other end is the hot-spot from 11 pm to 5 pm. There is a big fountain and an even bigger set of steps that is the meeting place. This is where hundreds of young people congregate nightly to share drinks, cigarettes and laughs. Everyone is welcomed and also treated to a show by starving hippies playing with juggling sticks.

As for beaches, Remini is on the coast directly to the east of Perugia and offers a more laid-back, Jersey shore feel while the beaches of Cinque Terre (north-west) and the Amalfi coast offer more serene and upper-class experience. Lodging is of course cheaper in Remini (shower head over the toilet) and accommodations in the ritzier areas are cozier and you get more bang for your buck.

[ftuley]

While Rome is the country’s most visited destination, with Venice and Florence among the other main contenders, the lesser-visited cities are blessed with equally attractive museums, amazing sights, fantastic restaurants and, of course, that inimitable Italian style. .
If you like Milan…try Parma there you have Battistero the Baptistry, located next to the Cathedral, is undoubtedly one of the tallest expressions of art in Italy. The solemn Gothic interior features a double baptismal font dating from the end of the thirteenth century.
The Palatina library was founded by Philip Bourbon in 1761 and was opened to the public in 1769. The old Benedictine convent of San Paolo is located behind the Chiesa di S. Ludovico (today you can see its recently recuperated small oratory or Sacello which dates back to around the 10th century) on Via Melloni.
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Steccata, this church is an example of Renaissance architecture in Parma.
If you like Rome…try Turin I been there myself and had a great time. Turin tourist attractions, you should consider investing in the Torino Card, a good-value ticket giving you free entry to over 120 museums and attractions in the Turin and Piedmont area.
There you can visit Piazza Castello the hotspot of tourist Turin, home to grand palaces such as Palazzo Reale, the royal palace of the Savoy dynasty, and Palazzo Madama, previously a castle, prison, barracks, senate house, and now a museum (under restoration).
Duomo and the Turin Shroud, one of the only disappointments for visitors is that you can't see the Turin shroud. Although it is housed in the city's Duomo - when not being subjected to testing - the shroud is currently kept safely locked up. A large photograph is the nearest you can get to examining the shadowy impressions. The charming cathedral itself comes as a refreshing Renaissance surprise after all the 'Liberty-style' grandeur of Turin, while from its steps you can see the ruins of Roman Turin. The Egyptian Museum one of Turin's best museums is the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum), reckoned to be the best collection of Egyptian artefacts outside Cairo. Some displays are extremely well-presented, with texts in English, but other parts of the museum await modernisation. There are fascinating reconstructions of burial chambers, and plenty of mummies to delight the macabre imaginations of children.
Superga a popular destination for Turin's visitors, Superga is the basilica on the hill which dominates views from the town.
Monte dei Cappuccini for a pleasant stroll from the city centre, visitors can cross the Po and ascend the little hill of Monte dei Cappuccini. Fittingly, there is a great view over the city to the snow-capped Alps. You can visit the monastery's church, scene of vicious fighting in the seventeenth century, or simply sit and enjoy the view in a peaceful break from the hubbub of the city.
If you like Venice…try Verona also a great place to go, the city of the most famous lovers in history: Romeo and Juliet. But Verona has much more to offer.
But Verona has much more to offer. The city, also known as Urbs Nobilissima, is the second biggest city in Veneto (after Venice). It is one of the cities that has better preserved its artistic heritage in Italy. Verona Photographic Tour in front of one of the most famous monuments in town: the Roman Amphitheater, commonly known as The Arena. It was constructed in the first century outside the city walls, but in the third century the walls were extended to include this arena.
And there you can visit Verona, Palazzo Barbieri, In front of the Arena sits the 'Piazza Bra'. On this huge square there are many bars, restaurants and souvenir shops (at our back) and some interesting buildings. Other interesting buildings are the 'Gran Guardia' Palace, a 1610 Sanmicheli inspired building, and the 'Palazzo Guastaverza', a Sanmicheli work. Verona, Piazza delle Erbe 3 The Chamber of Commerce, the old ‘Domus Mercatorum’ is a work of Alberto I della Scala (1301). And so much more to see there trust me! If you like Florence…try Lucca, the Tourist Attractions - Museums Gardens Towers and Churches
Lucca has quite a few interesting churches and other places of historical interest. And don't forget a stroll on top of Lucca's walls--it's free, scenic, and it'll get you ready for Lucca's brand of Tuscan cooking!
And my final one, if you like Palermo…try Cagliari, Cagliari is Sardinia's capital and biggest town, with a busy industrial port. Despite its size the old centre is charmingly compact, contained within the city walls and Pisan fortifications. The main attractions are the National Archaeological Museum, which contains prehistoric tombs and other significant artefacts from the Punic and Roman periods, the impressive cathedral, and a smattering of Roman ruins. The suburb of Poetto has a four-mile (6km) stretch of sandy beach with some small bars nearby.

Hope my answer has been helfpul!

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Links of interest:
Things To Do In Italy
City of Turin Italy
When To Go