Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / Italy
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| | | Country of classical beauty |  | Why go on holiday to Italy?
Italy has everything: the splendour of historic cities such as Rome, Venice and Florence, the ancient ruins of Pompeii, the sunny resorts of the Venetian Riviera and even the mega-rave Rimini extravaganza.
There are beautiful islands ranging from the expensively luxurious such as Capri, to the tiny southern islands where cars are banned.
Almost everywhere you visit in Italy is heartbreakingly lovely, almost everything you eat delicious and almost everything you drink very, very good.
How much does it cost?
There are all types of holiday here but as a rough guide, a two-week family holiday for four at the Lido di Jesolo on the Venetian Rivera in September will cost £1,100 for half-board. A short city break to Venice for four days in May costs from £350 per person. Flights to Milan or Bologna can cost from £120 return and to Rome from £150 if you shop around.
When should I go?
In the low season from April to June and September/October the weather is good, prices are lower and there are fewer tourists.
Midwinter can be charming - snow on the hills of the north, milder in the south, but opening hours change, so check you will be able to see what you're going there for. Prices soar with the temperatures in July/August and the country swarms with tourists.
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| | | Ski the Italian Alps | | What should I do when I'm there?
Rome, Florence and Venice offer their own unique experience of fabulous shopping, great food, beautiful architecture and fantastic art collections. Milan has great shopping in wonderful arcades.
For winter visits the Italian Alps boast excellent ski resorts, but the best are the Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Veneto region and the San Martino di Casatrozza in Trentino. Accommodation can be expensive but hiring ski equipment is cheap.
Go to the Lakes - Garda, Maggiore and Como - for luxury and relaxation.
What about festivals?
Italy has international festivals of music, art and film. Venice hosts the Biennale, where countries from all over the world exhibit their living artists' work, a film festival and the famous Venice Carnival.
In Siena there is the yearly Palio, or horserace. The sight of the horses being sung to whilst being paraded after the race by their teams is incredibly moving. Every year Verona hosts an opera festival with performances in its Roman amphitheatre.
What is there for culture vultures?
Acres of frescoes painted in the Renaissance and beloved ever since. Many of the most famous are in churches, monasteries or civic buildings in quite small northern towns.
Hire a car or take a coach/train excursion to: San Gimigiano, Assisi, Lucca, Spoleto, Pienza or Arezzo. See Bologna for the cathedral square and the original of Foucault's pendulum on the cathedral floor as well as some of the best delis in the world.
In Sicily, Palermo is jam-packed with rococo glories, churches and palazzos - built during the reign of the Bourbon kings.
What about nature in all its glory?
The lakes are a must - see Maggiore wreathed in mist each morning then sparkling through the day, surrounding the beautiful Borromean Islands. Sardinia has beaches, mountains and rivers running through dramatic gorges.
The coast around Sorrento is justly famous for its delicate beauty and for the Blue Grotto - while there take a trip to Vesuvius. In Sicily see Mount Etna, the biggest and most active European volcano, as well as a stunning coastline.
Throughout Tuscany and Umbria the countryside is unbelievably pretty; everywhere you look tall cypress trees line undulating hill-roads to olive groves and vineyards. Unmissable.
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| | | Tuscan tastes | | Where's good for nightlife?
Italians are not late-night partygoers in the manner of the Greeks or the Spanish, but most bars are open until 2am. Most Italians prefer a relaxing chat and drink to raving.
Bars often stock board games to play and people like to walk through the piazzas to see and be seen - that's why they spend so much time looking so good. Piazzas in summer can be taken over by young, beautiful people chatting and eyeing each other up.
Cities also have nightclubs - the scene is hot in Rome, Milan and Turin. Bologna is a big student town so expect some good one-off clubs - look at a local guide for listings. Rimini is famed for its huge raves.
What's the food like?
You will be familiar with some dishes but are unlikely to taste pasta, pizza, tomatoes and basil as good anywhere else. In the north there are bean soups and meat specialities such as cinghale (wild boar), in the coastal regions squid, fish and octopus.
Keep an eye out for local dishes - it's worth it. Rucola leaf (rocket) is a regular spicy addition to panini and salads. Wine is cheap and good - stick to local varieties to get the best deal.
Spirits include grappa and strong brandies. Liqueurs include Amaretto, strega and very sweet, flavoured vodkas.
What should I buy?
Italy is synonymous with fashion. Italians say Milan has the best clothes, Rome the best shoes and Florence the best choice.
If you want good-quality leather goods, seek out the bargains at the Piazza del Mercato Centrale in Florence or the Viale Gabriele d'Annunzio in Milan. Silk scarves and ties are good value, designer shops are cheaper than in the UK.
Other than luxury goods, bring back olive oil, truffle oil, truffles, dried mushrooms (especially the delicious funghi porcini), sizeable blocks of parmigiano or pecorino for foodie friends, wine, fig jam, biscotti and sundried tomatoes.
Also good value are embroidered tablecloths, napkins and tea towels.
What is there for children to do?
Italians really do love kids. From the smallest baby upward, all are welcome in restaurants and elsewhere. Taking a baby round Italy can be a surprisingly rewarding trip, as people really do take time to be nice.
Older kids will marvel at the archaeological sites of Pompeii, and the Colosseum and the Forum in Rome. Have a day out at Gardaland, the amusement park near Lago di Garda in Lombardia.
If you're visiting the south, take the family to the ancient Greek temples in Sicily.
Tourist office
Italian State Tourist Board, 1 Princes Street, London W1R 8AY. Tel. 020 7408 1254. Brochure line: 09001 600 280 (calls cost 60p per minute).
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| | Available rental properties in Italy |
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| |  | | Riverside villa with garden
Beautiful house in the historical village of Bagni di Lucca, with a very large private garden and private access to the river.
|  | | VERONA WALLS
Stylish 4-star accommodation in the very heart of the ancient town of Verona in the Venetian Region of North East of Italy.
|  | | Trullo Patrizia
Trullo Patrizia is a 300 year old trullo - romantic Southern Italian farmhouse.
|  | | Via Trabucco
2 bedroom, 2 shower room town apartment in the heart of Salo', seconds walk from the lakefront and its restaurants, designer shops and bars.
|  | | Trullo Olivia, Puglia.
Peacefully situated among the olive groves with wondereful views of the Itria Valley. Trullo Olivia is a historic stone house restored to a high standard. PRIVATE INFINITY POOL.
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