Italy

Wherever you go in Italy, history and great art are always close. Tuscany is widely considered to be the greatest art region, with famous cities such as Florence and Pisa home to Renaissance masterpieces seemingly tucked away in every church, just waiting to be discovered. The country's capital, Rome, boasts Roman ruins, renaissance palaces, Etruscan tombs, and early-Christian churches - enough to quench any art-lover's thirst - and that is without mentioning the treasures of Vatican City. A love of art is by no means the only reason to visit Italy. Each region has its own distinctive character, culture, flavoursome gastronomy and fine wines. Visit local vineyards and cellars to savour the Bardolino, Valpolicella and Soave wines of the Veneto or sample robust reds such as Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany.

We have prepared a collection of sample itineraries, which you can see here, or you can make your own up from scratch with the help of the information below...

Featured Destinations

MoreRome - The bustling capital city of Italy is a place you want to visit again and again; a city steeped in history, art and grand architecture.

More Florence - Florence, the Tuscan capital, is home to instantly recognisable architectural landmarks and world-famous works of art. An abundance of trattorias and pavement cafés await you.

MoreVenice -  Venice, "La Serenissima", has a unique atmosphere and a fairytale beauty. The hundreds of canals, piazzas and bridges are a joy to explore.

More Milan - one of the capitals of world fashion, Milan isn't a conventionally beautiful city but more than makes up for it with some fantastic sights such as the medieval Duomo and the glittering arcades of shops.

Coming Soon Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast - The beautiful rocky coastline south of Naples is a hugely popular destination among Italians and visitors alike, none more so than the charming town of Sorrento, set on clifftops above the bay.

Coming Soon The Italian Lakes - the famous lakes of Garda, Como and Maggiore along with several others form the "Lake District" of Italy, nestling among the Alpine foothills and bounded by attractive villages and towns.

In Depth

Our featured destinations are the most popular in Italy, but there is plenty more to see and do. Here are some more ideas.

Verona - Best known for its connections with Romeo & Juliet, and for the Roman amphitheatre that now hosts regular operas, the enchanting city of Verona is worth a stop on any itinerary.

Lucca - A well-preserved medieval city surrounded by a defensive rampart, Lucca is Tuscany in microcosm: full of characterfull alleyways, little trattorias and beautiful churches. Lucca makes an excellent base for exploring further into Tuscany as well as a charming destination in its own right.

Siracusa - An ancient Greek colony on the island of Sicily, Siracusa (sometimes anglicised as Syracuse) is a great base from which to see the ancient sites of Sicily as well as having some spectacular ruins of its own such as the Greek Amphitheatre and Roman Theatre.

Bologna - With a reputation as a "foodie paradise" within Italy and handsome red-brick architecture and ancient monuments, Bologna is worth a visit at any time of year.

Genoa & the Cinque Terre - The ancient port city of Genoa is proud of its most famous son, Christopher Columbus, and is famous for its excellent seafood cuisine as well as being the birthplace of pesto. Along the spectacular rocky coast, the Cinque Terre ("five lands") are a series of little seaside towns tumbling down steep bays towards the sea.