Where to go in Italy
Italy's northern half clusters historic cities - Rome, Venice, Florence – plus exquisite lakes and the cultured foodie towns of Tuscany and Piedmont. In the south, rough-hewn vibrancy epitomised by Naples contrasts with the chic Amalfi coast. Liguria collides mountains with a coast where Genoa and the Cinque Terre ooze atmosphere. The Alps offer winter sports and summer hiking, the Dolomites more distinctive contours and an underlay of Austrian ways. Out in the Med, Sicily is a cultural melting pot with glorious historic towns like Palmero, Siracusa and Taormina, while Sardinia boasts arguably the Med's best beaches plus a wild interior.
Our Italy Vacations
Amalfi Coast walking vacation, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
From
US $1479 to US $1799
8 days
ex flights
Cilento and Amalfi Coast cycling vacation, Italy
Rocky ridges set between small picturesque inlets
From
US $2249 to US $2449
8 days
ex flights
Short break pasta making & Italian food vacation, Tuscany
A Tuscan food adventure, learn to make pasta
From
£700 to £750
4 days
ex flights
Sicily history tour, Italy
One of the most fascinating islands in Europe
From
US $1849 to US $2179
9 days
ex flights
Italian cooking vacation, small group
Immersive gastronomy & cooking trips in undiscovered Tuscany
From
£1450
7 days
ex flights
Mont Blanc Circuit trek, with hotel accommodation
Classic Tour, using small inns and guesthouses
From
US $3979 to US $4199
15 days
ex flights
Mont Blanc vacation, Tour du Mont Blanc
The best of the Tour du Mont Blanc
From
US $1749 to US $1879
8 days
ex flights
Cross country skiing vacation in the Dolomites, Italy
A famously beautiful range of jagged peaks
From
US $1679 to US $2049
8 days
ex flights
Bergamo circular walking tour in Italy
Begamo; start hiking at about 5 km distance from the airport
From
€658 to €829
8 days
ex flights
Piedmont walking vacation, Vineyards of Barolo
A gastronomic gem quietly tucked away
From
£2215 to £2345
9 days
inc UK flights
Tuscany hiking vacation, Italy
Discover Tuscany hiking from town to town
From
€780 to €950
8 days
ex flights
Amalfi Coast small group vacation, Italy
Discover the Amalfi coasts villages, trails & local customs
From
US $1749 to US $1929
8 days
ex flights
Amalfi Coast and Bay of Naples vacations
One of Europe's most dramatic stretches of coastline
From
US $1749 to US $1949
8 days
ex flights
Italian food tours
Flavours of northern Italy on this special food-lovers journey
From
US $3150 to US $3340
10 days
ex flights
Umbria self guided hiking vacation, Italy
Easy hiking tour, through vineyards and cultural heritage
From
€680 to €700
7 days
ex flights
Dolomites walking vacation in Italy
Sandwiched between the spectacular peaks of the Dolomites
From
US $1649 to US $2179
8 days
ex flights
Umbria self guided walking vacation, the North Valley
Along Saint Francis trails through the Green Heart of Italy
From
€800 to €900
7 days
ex flights
Mont Blanc Circuit hiking vacation
Probably the most dramatic walk in Europe
From
US $2249 to US $2349
15 days
ex flights
Snowshoeing vaction in the Dolomites
Michelin recommended cuisine & inspiring walks
From
US $1799 to US $2049
8 days
ex flights
Cycling tours in Italy, Dolomites, Lake Garda & Venice
One of Europe's unique mountain landscapes
From
US $2149 to US $2199
8 days
ex flights
Tuscany tours, walking and wine tasting in Italy
Walking and wine tasting in Tuscany
From
US $1549 to US $1749
8 days
ex flights
Umbria cooking vacation, Italy
italian cooking in a farmhouse between Umbria and Tuscany
From
€1440 to €1650
7 days
ex flights
Sardinia walking vacation, Italy
Superb daywalks amid rich and charming scenery
From
US $1749
8 days
ex flights
Vacation in Umbria
Explore the charms of laid-back Umbria
From
US $1695 to US $1760
8 days
ex flights
Umbria hiking vacation, self guided
World-famous Assisi, the jewel in the Umbrian crown
From
£1385 to £1535
11 days
inc UK flights
European rail tour, 29 days
4 week small group tour inc. trains, hostels & activities.
From
£3169
4 weeks
inc Eurostar
Sorrento Peninsula walking tour in Italy
-Combining history and walking along the Sorrento Peninsula
From
£1099 to £1299
8 days
inc UK flights
Venice vacation and islands in Italy
Dance amongst the pearls surrounding Venice
From
€503
5 days
ex flights
Italy tailor made cultural vacation, Lazio
Enjoy the unsung sights and flavours of Lazio
From
€790 to €890
7 days
ex flights
1. Amalfi Coast
2. Dolomites
3. Emilia-Romagna
4. Italian Alps
5. Lake Como
6. Liguria
7. Naples & Cantabria
8. Piedmont
9. Sardinia
10. Sicily
11. Tuscany
12. Umbria & Le Marche
2. Dolomites
3. Emilia-Romagna
4. Italian Alps
5. Lake Como
6. Liguria
7. Naples & Cantabria
8. Piedmont
9. Sardinia
10. Sicily
11. Tuscany
12. Umbria & Le Marche
Amalfi Coast
1. Amalfi Coast
Though part of Campania with Naples, the Amalfi coast is sophisticated confectionery to Napoli street food. Chic piazzas complement be-seen beaches and A-list hangouts Amalfi, Ravello and Positano. For a fantastic flip side, walk ancient hillside tracks through old villages, lemon groves and wild gorges – try The Path of the Gods or Trail of Charms. Check out the vibrant medieval port Salerno too.
Dolomites
2. Dolomites
There are higher, remoter and more pyrotechnic ranges but few rival the sheer beauty of the jagged rose-tinted Dolomites – peaks that dazzle poets and hikers alike. Several national parks highlight stunning wilderness, alpine meadows and bucolic valleys dotted by wooden houses and vineyards. And feel the vibrant cultural mix of Italy and Austria in charming Bolzano and Merano.
Emilia-Romagna
3. Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna is gourmet paradise, with beautiful Bologna its star. Nicknamed La Grassa (The Fat One), its pleasing mix of hedonism and radicalism is complemented by the world’s oldest university (founded 1088). A foodie trail continues to lovely Parma (parmesan and ham) and Modena (aged balsamic). Ravenna and Ferrara are brilliant too. Burn calories hiking the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park.
Italian Alps
4. Italian Alps
“High life” in the Italian Alps often refers to chic as much to altitude, thanks to A-list ski resorts like Courmayeur. But the area is paradise for nature too. Hikers can delve wildlife spots like the Orobie National Park for eagles, vultures and ibex, while climbers can tackle sheer 1,000m granite walls like the infamous Piz Badile or the spiring Sciora peaks.
Lake Como
5. Lake Como
Wealthy villas have lined the lush shore of Lombardy's grandest lake since Roman empire days. Today you can visit gems like Villa Olmo (Como) and Villa Carlotta (Tremezzo), while enjoying a surround of wooded mountains (snow-capped in winter), bracing boat trips or pottering delightful lakeside towns like Bellagio. Garden lovers should come in April or May for a riot of camellias, azaleas and rhododendron.
Liguria
6. Liguria
Mountains dive into the sea here like a diner falling on fresh pesto in Genoa, its birthplace - a richly historic port laced with twisting lanes (caruggi). Westward, San Remo oozes faded elegance. Eastward, glitzy Portofino contrasts the beguiling Cinque Terre villages, linked by a stunning coastal trail. Inland, visit medieval villages like Dolceaqua and Bussana Vecchia, a ghost town turned unique artists' colony.
Naples & Cantabria
7. Naples & Cantabria
Naples is a siren adept at no-holds-barred seduction, a sensual urban melange whose pulsing street life unfolds amid Baroque splendour. For chic contrast, take a boat to Capri or Sorrento. Nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum are uniquely compelling Roman memorials to the deadly volcanic power of still fiery Mt Vesuvius. West of Sorrento, find an idyllic coast of sleepy hamlets with trails snaking into craggy hills.
Piedmont
8. Piedmont
Piedmont sweetly blends elegant architecture, Alpine vistas and gourmet brilliance – birthplace of the Slow Food movement, with a local larder including arborio rice, white truffle, Castelmagno cheese and Barolo wine. Turin is its powerhouse of culture and invention, complemented by picturesque foodie towns: Asti, Alba, chocolate-obsessed Cuneo. Rolling hills and the Maritime Alps offer diverse routes to cycle or walk off excess calories.
Sardinia
9. Sardinia
Skip glitzy Costa Smeralda. There are lovelier beaches elsewhere, for starters: Nora with its Roman amphitheatre; northeastern beauty La Pelosa; the 30m high white dunes of Baia Chia; the entire Orosei coast. Promenade the sea wall in medieval Alghero, admire mysterious Nuraghe ruins (alongside Phoenician and Roman), or seek out wild horses in Barbagia’s herb-scented mountain wilderness.
Sicily
10. Sicily
Sicily is a potent cocktail blending distinctive ingredients. Unforgettable historic towns include gorgeous Siracusa and rough diamond Palermo, its medieval alleys overseen by Moorish palaces and Baroque churches. Ancient Greek sites include Taormina's superb theatre and Agrigento's Valley of Temples. And volcanoes star on dramatic hiking trails: Mt Etna (Europe's highest active volcano) plus the stunning Aeolian islands of Vulcano and Stromboli.
Tuscany
11. Tuscany
Forget Chiantishire jibes – though not the Chianti produced from Tuscany’s soft vine-swathed hills. Florence’s artistic treasures are complemented by Siena’s Gothic splendour (and its almond biscuits!), San Gimignano’s startling medieval high rises, Renaissance Lucca – and a rather wonky tower in Pisa.... And don’t forget Elba – the rugged Tuscan island that once held Napoleon (briefly) captive but which now captivates hikers and bikers.
Umbria & Le Marche
12. Umbria & Le Marche
Umbria has the charms of Tuscany minus the throngs. Wine and olive country drapes hills rising west to the snow-dusted Apennines and descending east to the Adriatic. Medieval towns like Assisi, Spoleto, Macerata and Gubbio jostle with arty Urbino (birthplace of Raphael) and lively Perugia. Brilliant nature getaways await in the Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini and the stunning coastal Parco del Conero.
Our top Italy Vacation
Amalfi Coast walking vacation, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
From
US $1479 to US $1799
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 2 Nov, 16 Nov
2020: 15 Feb, 22 Feb, 29 Feb, 7 Mar, 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 4 Apr, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 25 Apr, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 27 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec
2019: 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 2 Nov, 16 Nov
2020: 15 Feb, 22 Feb, 29 Feb, 7 Mar, 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 4 Apr, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 25 Apr, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 27 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Italy or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Travel times in Italy
The following times give you a rough idea of the travel times between the main attractions in Italy.
More about Italy
The best time to visit Italy will no doubt depend on whether you’re a lover of snow-capped mountains and winter sports or sun-drenched beaches and alfresco dining however, for those in the know, our month by month guide unveils a whole host of alternatives as to when to visit Italy & when not to.
Explore our Italy travel guide like a wild boar snuffling for truffles in a sun dappled oak orchard deep within the eternally undulating Etruscan countryside.
Our top activities in Italy tend to revolve around the cultural history, the cycling routes, the walking trails and the fabulous hillsides that surround some of Europe’s most iconic cities however, if you’re after things to do in Italy, look no further than the food as the locals truly live to eat and do so extremely well.
Sicily is a Russian doll of an island. The closer you look, the more you’ll realise that everything from the food to the architecture is a puzzle of Greek, Roman, North African and Anglo influences. Sky-high Mount Etna is just the smoking cherry on top. Read our Sicily travel guide to find out more.
The Amalfi Coast jags along the underside of the Sorrentine Peninsula, dealing out cliffside villages and tiny polished pebble beaches along the way.
Travel to Puglia, and you’re diving into Italy’s deep south. Here, rural ways rule the roost. You can stay in masseria agriturismo and conical trulli farmhouses, and spend your days driving (or walking or cycling) from farm to vineyard to whitewashed city in search of some the best food and wine Italy has to offer.
The sheer mountains of the Dolomites aren’t just for winter. Cross country skiing and snow shoeing are the themes when the snow falls, but come spring you’ve got a region creased with impossibly scenic alpine walking routes and WWI-era cycle paths – plus a good serving of vineyards. Read our Dolomites travel guide to find out more.
Most feel feel like they’ve got the measure of Tuscany before they’ve seen it. Florence, Chianti, medieval citadels and poppy fields, right? Well…yes. But there’s also everything in between, from the mountainous Apennines to hiking paths between vines that haven’t made it out of Italy yet. Read our Tuscany travel guide to find out more.
Find out what Responsible Travel recommends if you’re hell bent on traveling in Italy with kids.
Our Italy travel advice page is just perfect for those who love to learn from the local experts with Marta Marinelli, Marina Caldera and Andrea Monti all imparting their pearls of wisdom in addition to our thoroughly worthwhile health & safety in Italy section.
From slow food and sealife centers to preserving rural communities and ancient traditions read our responsible tourism in Italy page if you’ve got plans to find out what you can do to travel right in Italy.
Find all of our Italy guides in one place, for Italy vacations in particular places such as the Tuscany or Sicily, or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of Italy vacations such as walking or cycling.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Rostislav Glinsky] [Amalfi Coast: ronnybas]
[Dolomites: Michiel Ronde]
[Emilia-Romagna: Rob Oo]
[Italian Alps: John Mason]
[Lake Como: Mariya Georgieva]
[Liguria: Daniil Vnoutchkov]
[Naples & Cantabria: Andrea Schaffer]
[Piedmont: Manuel Reinhard]
[Sardinia: Léonard Cotte]
[Sicily: Denilo Vieira]
[Tuscany: Karol Kaczorek]
[Umbria & Le Marche: valtercirillo]
[Travel Times: Ed Webster]
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