Beautiful reasons to visit Italy -The Asian Age

It's the land of "La Dolce Vita," and there arefew places as sweet as Italy -- especially on June 2 when the countrycelebrates its Festa della Repubblica national day.

Its diverse landscape, artistic treasures and fabulous foodmake Italy a feast for the soul, offering something for everyone, like aspoonful of good minestrone soup.

There are the mountains and lakes of the Alps and Dolomitesin the north; fashionable Milan; enchanting Venice; the hills and towns ofTuscany, with Renaissance classics such as Florence.

Mighty Rome is unmissable, with its ancient monuments -- theColosseum, Roman forum and Pantheon -- and the high art of Michelangelo'sSistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican.

Further south there's the seductive Amalfi coast, intriguingSicily off the toe of Italy's "boot," and Mediterranean-lappedbeaches galore.

Then there's the food.

Distinctive, seasonal and highly regional, from lightseafood specialties such as pasta con le sarde (sardines) in the south to themore cheese, cream and meat-based menus in the north.

And there's the smell of freshly ground coffee wafting outof every café, picturesque piazzas, hidden delights around every corner.

We could go on. A sweet life indeed.