The food… the history… the natural beauty… From city breaks and active trips to beachy ones, holidays to Italy meet the brief for every type of travel lover.
City breaks, lakes and mountains
Italy’s cities have a solid rep for being trend setters. Florence was the centre of the Renaissance movement, Venice invented the masquerade ball, Verona gave us Romeo and Juliet, Milan’s the fashion capital of the world, and Rome started the Roman Empire – shoutout to Julius Caesar for basically giving us Gladiator 2, IYKYK. So, city breaks here are all about sleep, sightsee, repeat, as well as inhaling the best pasta and pizza you’ve ever tasted, ofc. It’s giving la dolce vita.
It’s not all urban life in the north, though. This is dreamy lake country, too, and Lake Garda and Lake Como are the big names. Garda’s the largest and is all about pretty lakeside villages, medieval castles and fresh limoncello straight from Limone’s citrus groves. If boujie waterfront villas and celeb-spotting sound like a bit of you, Como is all yours – George Clooney is a big fan. Then there’s also Lake Maggiore and Lake Molveno, two smaller spots perfect for swerving the crowds. The mega mountain backdrop makes this part of Italy extra beaut, and you can easily daytrip into the Dolomites from here for alpine hikes or even some skiing if there’s snow.
Postcard coastlines
Campania’s the Italy you see in retro Audrey Hepburn films. We’re talking the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, the Neapolitan Riviera and super chic Capri. Expect Insta-ready cliffside villages, pastel buildings and sweet sandy bays lined with stripey parasols and fishing boats. Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius are right there for a bit of culture, and towns like Positano and Amalfi have been given UNESCO status. Further south, Calabria and Puglia move at a much slower pace. The lifestyle’s a lot more laidback down here – spend mornings visiting Baroque towns followed by a wholesome beachy afternoon and seafood as fresh as it gets for dinner.
Sardinia and Sicily
Look on a map and Sicily’s the island being kicked by the boot. It’s only a short ferry ride away from the mainland, but it’s got its own vibe. There’s a real combo of cultures – you’ve got Greek temples and Roman villas next to Norman cathedrals, and Palermo – the capital – has a mix of architecture from the Med and a North African aesthetic. The beaches are some of the best, too – Cefalu’s sandy stretch is a stunner and Pozzallo is home to half of the islands Blue Flag sweeps.
You’ll find Italy’s finest beaches further south on Sardinia, though. They’ve been compared to ones you’d expect to see in the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands – Costa Smeralda is even known as ‘little Tahiti’. The locals are super proud and it’s easy to see why they call themselves Sardinian rather than Italian – they’ve even got their own language, AKA Sardo. You’ll still hear Italian, but places like Alghero have a huge Catalan influence after being ruled by the Spanish for 400 years. It’s been given the nickname Barceloneta, so don’t be surprised if you see tapas and sangria sat alongside pizza and Aperol spritz on the menus.
Fancy seeing Italy by train?
We also offer flight-free trips to Italy, in partnership with Byway. Relax en route to Italy’s picturesque lakes, or stop on a city break to the fashion capital of the world, Milan. Browse flight-free trips to Italy >
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What's on in Italy
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Italy FAQs
If you’ve got a UK passport, you can stay up to 90 days without a visa.
This information is correct at the time of writing. Please make sure you check the FCDO website for the most up-to-date information.
It depends on your trip. If you’re on a city break, public buses and metro systems are one of the quickest and cheapest ways to get around. If you’re in Venice, you can catch vaporettos – water buses. High-speed trains connect the main cities as well as other regions, so they’re good shout if you’re planning on visiting more than one area. Otherwise, most towns have regular bus services, and ferries connect the mainland with islands like Capri, Sardinia and Sicily.
Travel in the shoulder seasons, like spring or autumn, to avoid the peak seasons and school holidays. The weather will be more comfortable then, too. If you’re visiting in summer, stay in less-touristy areas like Puglia and Lake Molveno.
You’re not expected to tip in Italy, but it is appreciated if you enjoyed your meal or had good service. Leaving 5-10% of the bill is a good guide for restaurants, and in cafes, bars and taxis, rounding up to the nearest euro is enough.
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Italy travel advice
Passports and Visas
British passport holders don’t need a visa to enter Italy but must have a valid passport. You can check your passport’s valid for Italy using our handy tool. For the most up-to-date passport and visa info, visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements.
Health and safety
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover you while you’re away. If you’re travelling to the EU and you apply for a card now, you’ll get a new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) instead of an EHIC. This entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Italian nationals. It won’t, however, cover you for medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment or non-urgent treatment. Visit www.nhs.uk/ehic for full details on what it covers. You do not need to apply for a GHIC if you already have an EHIC. Your EHIC remains valid in the EU until it expires. An EHIC or GHIC is free of charge. For the latest health and safety information, visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy