Italy is a country that blends beauty and history, from the classical cities of Rome and Venice to the undulating hills of Tuscany and the rugged coastline of Amalfi.. Italy boasts soul-stirring cities, world famous art and waist-expanding food and wine. The only difficulty you've got with holidays to Italy  is deciding which slice of this gorgeous country to plump for.
 

You could take the scenic drive along the breathtaking Amalfi Coast, and discover Italian gems like Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento or h ike through the breathtaking Tuscany countryside en route to Pisa or Florence. Or maybe give the cities a miss and make for the golden sands gilding the Tuscany Coast?

Renaissance heritage is rife, magnificent works of art, sculpture and architecture line the streets of almost every city while medieval hill towns are scattered liberally among the lush fruit groves of orange, lemon, olive and chestnut. Verdant vineyards produce some of the world’s finest wines, and the legendary gastronomic delights of fresh fruit, seafood, pasta and pizza are sure to make your mouth water.

You might head to Venice for a romantic gondola ride through its shimmering canals or head to the beaches of the Venetian Riviera or visit one of the greatest cities on earth – Rome, where the Vatican, the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain are waiting to wow you.

If you've been there and done all that, perhaps you're ready to discover a more unspoilt side of Italy. If that's the case, take a look at remote and rugged Calabria or Puglia, a hidden region almost unknown to tourists.

Its food is faultless, its art sublime, and pretty much everywhere you look there's a new sigh-inducing sight to fall in love with. Then you've got island dreams like Sicily and Sardinia to think about, too.

Birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is one of the world's most exciting and exuberant cities, with architectural treasures around virtually every corner. It is also blessed with the breathtaking scenery of the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

Lake Garda has long inspired poets. Clear waters, picture postcard scenery, stylish villas and medieval castles all vie for attention. There is literally something for everyone here; from leisurely strolls around the shores and cobbled streets and people-watching from the many lakeside cafes, through to a host of activities and watersports and a variety of theme parks. Whether you choose to stay in the lively south, the lush and hilly heart punctuated by olive and lemon groves, or the spectacular north nestling in the rocky foothills of the Dolomites, you’ll find each resort has its own particular charm.

Vibrant Milan – a city at the forefront of fashion and home to some of the world’s greatest art treasures. Cosmopolitan and lively, Italy’s second largest city is a great destination for a break.

Naples combines classical history with a charming character and vibrant culture. Overshadowed by Mount Vesuvius, it is not only a fitting base for visiting the ruins of Pompeii, but is also the self-proclaimed birthplace of the original pizza.

Nestling along the cliff-tops of the southern-most arc of the Bay of Naples, the Sorrento Peninsula or Neopolitan Riiviera is the largest and most popular of the Campanian resorts. The scenery becomes yet more dramatic on the other side of the peninsular, where the Amalfi drive takes you around tortuous bends and through tunnels in the rocky cliff side to beautiful Positano

The ‘Eternal City’ of Rome lives and breathes history. Wherever you look there are reminders of a glorious past, yet it is also very much a city of today,

Sicily’s location has led to a wonderful blend of cultures, with an African influence and the evidence of numerous occupations being reflected in the island’s rich mixture of historic sites, architecture, cuisine and local wines. Sicily is still inexpensive in comparison to mainland Italy

The setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Verona is a romantic city with medieval squares and arched bridges. It’s also vibrant, prosperous and home to a world-famous opera festival.

Magical Venice, with its lattice-work of islands, canals and bridges, enchants all those who visit. Its labyrinthine streets, opulent palaces and tiny squares are fascinating to explore

Beaches

When it comes to a beach holiday in the Med, you don't automatically think of Italy. But there is more to Italy than just Roman temples and Renaissance art. Italy is, in fact, home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the Mediterranean like the Venetian Riviera which boasts miles and miles of golden beaches and lapped by the Adriatic Sea.. Beautiful Sardinia, meanwhile, boasts startling blue waters and eye-popping sands and down in the toe of Italy, in Calabria, you'll find beaches and hideaway grottoes backed by mountains. And let's not forget the Tuscany Coast. It rivals the South of France in terms of exclusivity.

Dining out

The birthplace of pizza and pasta, Italy is renowned the world over for its fine cuisine. It's also one of the world's biggest wine producers is known in particular for its light and crisp varieties. The range of eateries available in Italy reflects the national passion for food - from cheap and cheerful 'hosterias' and 'trattorias' to smart and sophisticated 'ristorante', it's hard to find a bad restaurant in Italy.

Dinner, in particular, should never be rushed. You'll often see restaurants full until well after midnight with Italians gathered together sipping 'digestivi' or 'espresso' coffee. Most Italian meals consists of at least three or four courses - 'antipasti' (starters), 'primo' (first main course, usually a pasta dish), 'secondo' (second main course, usually a meat or fish dish) and dessert rounded off with a coffee or a digestive drink such as 'grappa'.

One the culinary joys of travelling through Italy is the regional variation when it comes to food. Whether it's a plate of steaming 'risotto' from the north or a thin and crispy 'pizza margherita' from the south, Italy is a paradise of fresh produce, tempting regional specialities and delicious wines.

With the Adriatic and Italian Lakes offering a wide selection of seafood, fish dishes, rather unsurprisingly, dominate menus in the northeast of Italy. From 'brodo di pesce, a type of fish soup infused with saffron, to 'spaghetti alle vongole', pasta with clams flavoured with a spicy chilli-pepper sauce, there's plenty to tempt you along the Venetian coast.

While pasta is eaten throughout Italy, the northeast tends to consume 'polenta', made from maize flour, or 'risotto', the famous Italian rice dish. Risotto comes in a variety of forms such as the staple 'risi e bisi', rice with peas and bacon, or the startling 'risotto alle seppe', rice coloured black with cuttlefish ink. Desserts are just as tempting. 'Tiramisu', literally meaning 'pick me up', is perhaps Italy's most famous sweet and is a rich blend of light marscarpone cheese and sponge fingers soaked in coffee and dusted with chocolate powder. The Veneto also produces large quantities of good quality wines, including the well-known white variety of 'suave' and sparkling 'prosecco'.

While olive oil is used in most Italian cooking, the cuisine of the northwest tends to use butter instead. This has resulted in a range of rich, hearty dishes such as 'fagiano tartufato', pheasant stuffed with truffles and wrapped in bacon, 'pansoti', spinach-filled egg pasta drizzled in a sumptuous sauce made from walnuts, garlic, herbs and ricotta cheese, and 'manzo brasato al barolo', beef loin stewed in red wine and garlic until tender.

Two of the region's most well known dishes include 'ossobuco', veal marrowbone dressed with lemon, garlic and anchovies and 'costolette alla milanese', fried veal covered in breadcrumbs. 'Grissini', the long Italian breadsticks, originated in Turin and are now found on nearly every restaurant table in Italy. The lush pasturelands around the Italian Alps produce a host of cheeses including blue veined 'gorgonzola' and creamy 'marscarpone'.

Central Italian food tends to be quite simple, based on peasant cooking that relies heavily on tomatoes, olive oil and beans. Antipasti from this region often include wild boar salami and Parma ham, made from pork reared on the whey left over from Parmesan, the region's most well-known cheese. Pasta dishes are a particular favourite. 'Spaghetti alla bolognese', pasta topped with a tempting sauce of plum tomatoes and ground beef, hails from this area, as does 'cannelloni', pasta tubes stuffed with mince, covered with a cheese sauce and then baked 'al forno'.

'Bistecca alla Fiorentina' is popular in and around Florence and is a steak grilled over an open fire that's served with rosemary and bay leaves. The region's vineyards are among the best in the world and yield a wide array of tempting varieties including the fresh Umbrian white, 'orvieto', and the fruity red, 'chianti classico'.
 

Roman cuisine centres around the fresh seasonal produce of the day - rocket leaves in summer, mushrooms in autumn and artichokes in spring. 'Spaghetti all'amatriciana', pasta with tomato, bacon and onions topped with 'pecorino' cheese, and 'tagliatelle alla carbonara', pasta ribbons smothered in a creamy sauce of eggs.

Parmesan cheese and bacon, both hail from Rome as does the famous meat dish 'saltimbocca', veal wrapped in ham and sage served with a light gravy. Local white wines include 'frascati' and 'marino' and are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Coffee is a key part of Roman life - breakfast almost always includes a 'cappuccino', a 'caffelatte' in the afternoon while 'espresso' is usually taken after lunch and dinner.
Southern Cuisine

From wafer-thin, mozzarella-laden pizzas, to pasta tossed in rich tomato sauces, from fresh 'caprese' salads to velvety Neapolitan ice-creams, quintessential Italian food tends to come from the south. Rustic yet sumptuous, sourthern cuisine incorporates fresh ingredients expertly blended to make mouth-watering dishes. Try 'maccheroncini con le sarde', sardines, pine nuts, saffron and fennel presented on a bed of piping hot macaroni, or 'pesce spada', a pan-fried swordfish steak served with capers and a squeeze of lemon. 'Spaghetti Nepolitana', pasta with a basic garlic, onion and tomato sauce, is a perfect example of how simplicity often results in the best food.

Shopping

Milan and Rome are internationally renowned as fashion capitals; their shopping streets are lined with smart boutiques and big name fashion houses including Versace, Gucci, Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, Valentino and Prada. Florence has a reputation as a top producer of leatherwork and is well known for its fashion accessories including handbags, shoes, belts and briefcases. The city is also well regarded for its jewellery - many of the workshops overhanging the Pontevecchio house expert goldsmiths.

Italy is also a hotbed for interior design and technology. Whether it's cutting-edge chairs by Vico Magistretti, sophisticated tables by Achille Castiglione, classic Venetian glass from Murano and Burano or elegant coffeepots by Bialetti, Italy's creative flair turns mundane, everyday objects into works art. 

Some great buys include tall bottles of extra virgin olive oil, large bags of handmade pasta, frosted bottles of Neapolitan 'limoncello' and even blocks of fresh Parmesan cheese. Italian wines are also great value - from full-bodied 'chianti' to sparkling 'prosecco', there's so much to choose from.

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