Ancient cities, lingering lunches and coastlines built for slow days.
Italy packs three thousand years of history into a country you can cross by train in a day. Rome's ruins, Florence's Renaissance art and Venice's canals are the classic trio, but hill towns, lakes and island ferries are where many trips turn memorable.
Every region cooks differently, so the menu changes as you travel. Spring and autumn bring the best mix of weather and space; August is hot and busy, especially along the coast.
Best time to visit Italy
April, May, June, September, October.
Places to visit in Italy
Rome: The Colosseum, the Vatican and a city where every corner has a few centuries of history.
Florence: The cradle of the Renaissance, with the Duomo, the Uffizi and Tuscan hills at the edge of town.
Venice: A car-free city of canals and bridges; stay overnight to see it after the day crowds leave.
Amalfi Coast: Cliffside villages, lemon groves and boat days along one of Europe's most dramatic coastlines.
Dolomites: Jagged pale peaks with world-class hiking in summer and skiing in winter.
Milan: Italy's business and fashion capital, with a Gothic cathedral, Leonardo's Last Supper and a serious aperitivo culture.
Naples: The birthplace of pizza, a chaotic and magnificent old centre, and the gateway to Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast.
Cinque Terre: Five colourful fishing villages linked by clifftop trails, trains and boats on the Ligurian coast.
Lake Como: A deep alpine lake of grand villas, lakeside villages and ferry hops, an hour from Milan.
Pompeii: The Roman city buried by Vesuvius, with streets, houses and frescoes preserved under volcanic ash.
Siena: A beautifully preserved medieval city in the Tuscan hills, famous for the Piazza del Campo and the Palio.
Bologna: A red-roofed university city with miles of arcades and some of the best food in Italy.
Verona: A handsome city of Roman ruins and Renaissance squares, famous for its arena and as the setting of Romeo and Juliet.
Palermo: Sicily's capital, a crossroads city of Arab-Norman churches, baroque squares and legendary street food.
Taormina: A clifftop resort town with an ancient Greek theatre overlooking the sea and the smoking cone of Etna.
Capri: A glamorous island of sheer cliffs, sea grottoes and chic piazzas in the Bay of Naples.
Matera: A city of cave houses and rock churches carved into a ravine, one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth.
Sardinia: A large, rugged island of white-sand beaches, clear water and ancient stone towers.
Puglia: Italy's heel, with cone-roofed trulli, baroque towns, olive groves and long stretches of coast.
Turin: An elegant former royal capital beneath the Alps, known for its Egyptian Museum, cafés and chocolate.
Val d'Orcia: The classic Tuscan landscape of cypress avenues, rolling fields and Renaissance hill towns.
Essentials
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Language: Italian
Plugs: Type C / F / L, 230 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer)
Tipping: Not expected; a cover charge is common, rounding up is appreciated
Getting around: High-speed trains between cities; a car helps in the countryside
Entry: Schengen rules apply; check the official requirements for your passport