Vicino a means "near" and lontano da "far from", and both prepositions merge with the article: vicino alla stazione, lontano dal centro. Used on their own, with no place after them, they work as adverbs: abito vicino, è lontano?
Examples
- La banca è vicino alla posta.
- The bank is near the post office.
- Abito lontano dal centro.
- I live far from the centre.
- Il parco è lontano?
- Is the park far?
The mistake to avoid
It is lontano DA, not "lontano di" - and da + il is dal.
Where this fits in
Home & neighbourhood, Italian A1: Describe your home and its rooms, say where things are, and talk about the places near where you live.