Photos To Inspire Your Trip To Italy

Live your best life in Tuscany. Sip wine and have a snack at the Piazza del Duomo in Florence. Rent a bike and ride the wall of Lucca while you admire the surrounding hills (Colline Lucchesi) and the terra cotta rooftops. Get a break from the cities and try some world-famous Chianti wine. Climb the leaning tower of Pisa. Enjoy dinner on the Piazza Del Campo, where Siena holds their famous Palio horse race. Go live ‘la dolce vita’ with sunbed rentals in the coastal town of Viareggio. Tuscany has some of the best food and wine in Italy, an impressive collection of artworks, Medieval and Renaissance architecture, and a rhythm that makes you never want to leave.

Puglia is an absolute dream. Pick a city within the region, and then you can day trip by train to multiple cute villages throughout the region. Bari is the capital, a vibrant city with a beautiful lungomare (walking path) along the sea. Puglia has some of the best (and lesser-known) Italian dishes. Try spaghetti all’assassina, it will change your life.

Visit the heel of the boot to relax, take in the sea air, and experience the slower life. Polignano a Mare was home to Domenico Modugno (original artist of Volare), it’s also known to have some of the nicest people in the world. Don’t skip the octopus and mussels when you are in this part of Italy.

Have you heard of pesto or focaccia? If you are a fan, then you must visit the Liguria region. Both originated in this region, and it’s no surprise that both are celebrated throughout the region. Although every region has its own delicious version of focaccia, you will find some especially good focaccia in Recco (a small coastal town). Cinque Terre is home to 5 small villages with a beautiful hike between each village. You may have heard of the Via dell’Amore? In the northern part of the coast of the beautiful Italian Riviera, you will find Genoa. This is the largest city in Liguria, it is one of the oldest port towns in the world.

Rome is a great city to visit in the on and off-season. There is so much to see and do, indoors and outdoors. Walk where the gladiators did, during a tour of the Colosseum. Wander old Roman streets while you shop or enjoy a spritz in a piazza. Be astounded by masterpieces like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Rome is the region to visit for a few well-known pasta dishes, enjoy carbonara, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana. Every neighborhood has something special to offer and is well-connected with public transportation. Give yourself extra time in this city, there is so much more than the ‘top 5 attractions’ that most see on their first trip.

Venice, probably one of the most unique cities in the world (due to having no roads, only canals), is in the Veneto region. If you aren’t into the busy streets of Venice, then head to Chioggia, where you can get the charming canals without the crowds. Padua is a short train ride from Venice, and you might consider staying there instead. With porticos on most streets, you can enjoy Padua any time of the year. Vicenza is close to Padua and Venice. Go to Vicenza to see the Palladian architecture and Teatro Olimpico- Europe’s first covered theater. Try cicchetti (little afternoon snacks) and Aperol Spritz while in the Veneto (Aperol is from Padua, and cicchetti originated in Venice).

Experience the true ‘slow life’ that Italy is famous for. Calabria is the ‘toe of the boot’ and one of two regions in Italy that have coastlines on two seas: the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ionian Sea. The interior of this peninsula-like region is mountainous, with lovely villages tucked into the mountainsides. You can lie on the sun-drenched beaches and go for a hike all in the same day. Visiting Calabria is like visiting another country compared to the Northern and Central parts of Italy. You can see Sicily across the Strait of Messina from Reggio Calabria, and on a clear day, you can see Mt. Etna too. We recommend renting a car and touring around to see towns like Scilla, Pentedattilo, Lamezia, La Colonna, Le Castile, Gerace, and Stilo.  Home of the Calabrian Pepper and ‘nduja, you will find many spicy dishes in Calabria. You’ll find ‘nduja on pizza, in pasta, and on antipasto dishes (it goes great on bread or cheese). In between those spicy bites, don’t forget to try the tasty and sweet onions from Tropea. After a meal, treat yourself to the tartufo gelato in Pizzo.

Soak up some sun on the Amalfi Coast and rent a bed in Sorrento, Positano, or Amalfi. While dining out, you are sure to be offered a limoncello or two. This after-dinner digestive is made with the most abundant fruit in the area: lemons. Eat a perfect Napoletana-style pizza seaside, while in old Napoli. Or walk through history in the streets of Pompeii. Mix history and beach days with some of the best food in Italy.

Not just a university town of about 400,000 people, but Bologna is also known as a great place to find amazing food. Legend has it that tortellini en brodo comes from Bologna. Be sure to warm up with a bowl of this yummy soup in the winter. Have the most authentic lasagna bolognese in its birthplace before a stroll through the porticos of historic Bologna. Climb a tower for amazing views you won’t soon forget. Relax as you meander through the Sanctuary of Our Lady of San Luca. Have a cozy vin brulé at the Christmas market in the winter.

Milan is the fashion capital, and while many travel here to shop, there is more to Milan. The all-white marble Duomo is gorgeous. Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper is in Milan? The common Italian after-work (or before dinner) drink and snack known as aperitivo got its start in Milan, so head to the Navigli district for an authentic aperitivo! Como is a short train ride from Milan, you could be on Lake Como in less than an hour from Milano Centrale. Stay in Como and spend your time going to restaurants or using the ferry to town-hop your way to Bellagio for lunch or dinner.  

Trieste is a great stop for a few nights. It is a large port city, and many cruises depart from there. It’s also close to neighboring countries such as Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia, which are easy to access by train. If you are on a cruise or passing through, consider an extra night, enjoy the sights, and have dinner at a seafood restaurant.