Italy
The Country Guide
What Italy is known for
Italy is art, food, and la dolce vita. More UNESCO sites than any country, the birthplace of the Renaissance, and a regional cuisine that changes every fifty miles. Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, the lakes, each a destination in itself.
The regions
Rome, the Eternal City, holds antiquity and the Vatican. Florence is the Renaissance capital, art and Tuscan countryside. Venice is a city on water like no other. Beyond them lie the Amalfi Coast and Capri, the northern lakes, and the vineyards of Tuscany and Piedmont.
Sport, adventure & the outdoors
Cycling Tuscany and the Dolomites, skiing the Italian Alps, sailing the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia, hiking the Cinque Terre, and diving the Mediterranean.
Wellness & recovery
Thermal spas in Tuscany, lakeside wellness on Como and Garda, and countryside retreats among the vineyards make Italy a superb place to combine culture with recovery.
When to go
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal, warm and less crowded. Summer is hot and busy; winter is quiet, and Alpine ski season. We time it to the region.
Good to know
Currency. The euro. Visa. In the Schengen Area; most Western passports enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Health. No vaccinations required. Getting around. Fast trains link the cities beautifully; we arrange rail, private drivers, and boat transfers on the coast and lakes.