Pretty cliffside towns, famous Roman ruins and big plates of pasta – you’ll get a taste of it all on a holiday to Italy.
That's Amore
Italy. It conjures up images of freshly baked pizzas, morning espressos and stylish locals zipping around on Vespas. But that’s not all. The ‘boot’ of Europe is in the premier league of holiday destinations, thanks to age-old sights and some of the most scenic towns and villages going.
Campania
Edging the southwest coast is the Campania region. It’s home to foodie favourite, Naples, and the smart clifftop town of Sorrento. It's also the gateway to the Amalfi Coast, where you'll find pastel-painted villages and Instagram-worthy scenery. And just offshore you’ve got the ever-popular islands of Capri and Ischia.
Sicily
Just off the toe of Italy’s boot lies Sicily. The island packs a lot in, from Baroque buildings and Roman ruins to golden sands and rolling countryside. The holiday hotspot here is Giardini Naxos, with its sandy beach and waterfront bars and trattorias. And fifteen minutes' drive up the road there’s the quaint seaside town of Letojanni.
Sardinia
Out in the Mediterranean Sea – just below Corsica – is the island of Sardinia. Here, you’ll find Caribbean-style white-sand beaches, a culture-crammed capital, and the Spanish-influenced town of Alghero, AKA Little Barcelona.
Places To Stay In Italy View all places to stay »
Campania
Whoever coined the phrase ‘la dolce vita’ was spot on when it comes to Campania. This stretch of Italian countryside curves around the bays of Sorrento and Naples on Italy's south-west coast, and lines up world-famous ancient ruins alongside cosmopolitan cities and the mighty Mount Vesuvius. It's safe to say this corner of Italy really has got 'the good life' sussed.
Veneto
Venice is the first place most people think of when you mention Veneto. This canal-scored city has a tendency to turn tourists into kids in sweetshops. Except, it’s not bonbons they want to binge on, it’s gondolas, masque shops, pontes and the mosaics in St Mark’s Basilica.
Dolomites
Vertical walls, sheer cliffs and sharp plateaux combine to make an unmistakable silhouette, widely considered one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, the Dolomites were named for the rock they’re made of. At dusk and dawn, the sunlight paints the mountains pink and purple, a phenomenon called enrosadira by the locals. Spend your days wandering through sweeping valleys and past clear lakes. Or head for the heights, either on foot or on one of the summer lifts, to find mountain paths and incredible views. This area is relatively unheard of in Britain, so you can experience natural Italian beauty without the hoards of tourists.
AT A GLANCE
- Trace your way around Pompeii’s ruins
- Size up the Nuraghi towers in Sardinia
- Catch the cable car to Mount Etna’s summit in Sicily
Weather
Average monthly temperature and rainfall for
TEMPERATURE (°C)RAINFALL (mm)
WHEN TO GO
If you’re staying in the Campania region, the summer months are scorching – temperatures hit 28°C in July and August. In spring and autumn, the mercury hovers around the 18°C mark, and winter is still pretty mild, too – you won’t see the thermometer get lower than around 14°C. Over on Sardinia, summer starts early and ends late. Between April and October, temperatures rise from 15°C to 30°C and back again. The north of the island sometimes experiences strong winds – great for windsurfers. Sicily’s closeness to Africa means that summer temperatures swing between hot and scorching. April temperatures hover around the low 20s, and from May to September the mercury climbs to around 30°C. October to December are the wettest months, seeing a couple of inches falling each month. There are occasional winter storms, too, but these are quite rare.
Things To Do View all »
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Eat pizza in Naples
As cities go, Naples isn't for the faint-hearted. The bustling streets are buzzing with beeping scooters and lively locals.…
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Drive along the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast runs from Sorrento to Salerno, and is so good-looking – with its little Medieval fishing villages clinging…
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Get your Greek on at the Paestum Temples
They might be a two-hour drive from Sorrento, but these ruins are worth the trip – they put the Acropolis to shame. You'll…
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See Rome in a day
For the sake of around 3 hours on a coach, you get the feast of historic sights that only Rome can offer. The Eternal City…
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Visit the cathedral at Salerno
Head east from Sorrento and you’ll come to the busy coastal city of Salerno. The Villa Communale – an oasis of greenery in…
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