Sort yourself some swoon-worthy scenery and many, many slices of pizza with holidays to Italy.
The famous boot
Italy fits the bill for all kinds of trips, from beach getaways and city breaks to Italian lake escapes. This place is the king of mixing sunbathing with sightseeing. Whether you’re dozing on Sorrento’s cliff-backed lidos, Sicily’s cosy coves or the shores of Lake Como, you’re never far from a picture-postcard snap.
Sight-packed south
Campania’s the Italy you’ve seen plastered over postcards. Here, storybook towns come with harbours full of tavernas – the blue and white tablecloth kind. Sorrento’s a real stunner, with its Bay of Naples outlook and cute, little shopping lanes. It’s also handy for daytripping – you can hop on a ferry, train or bus to the ancient ruins of Pompeii, massive Mount Vesuvius or glam Capri.
The north's lakes and mountains
In the north, it's all about the Italian lakes. There are more than 1,500 of them in total, dotted across beautiful, rolling countryside like pepperoni on a pizza. Lake Como and Lake Garda are the most popular, lining up the best boat trips, Medieval castles, fancy boutiques and romantic restaurants. This part of the country’s also home to the dramatic Dolomites – prepare for jaw-dropping scenes and snaps that are worthy of a National Geographic spread.
Sophisticated Sicily
Sicily’s the island being kicked by the boot. It’s almost touching the mainland, but has a whole different vibe. The island's taken over with all sorts of Greek temples, Roman villas and Norman cathedrals. The capital of Palermo even lays claim to Italy's biggest opera house. Its dinky villages are perfect for family trips, with manmade beaches, lidos and café-stuffed proms that make life with little ones easy peasy.
