Italy Holidays

Italy fits the bill for all kinds of holidays, from beach breaks to city trips and getaways to the lovely Italian lakes. 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 top-billed landmark.

Campania’s the Italy you’ve seen plastered over postcards. Here, chocolate-box towns come with harbours full of tavernas – the blue and white tablecloth kind. Sorrento’s the head honcho, 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.

In the north, the Italian lakes take the limelight. 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, thanks to their bumper crop of boat trip opportunities, Medieval castles, fancy boutiques and romantic restaurants. This part of the country’s also home to the Dolomites, where the dramatic mountain peaks will have you reaching for the camera every few seconds.

Sicily’s the island being kicked by the boot. It’s almost touching the mainland, but there’s a whole different vibe. This place does great-value package holidays for history buffs. The isle’s scattered with all sorts of Greek temples, Roman villas and Norman cathedrals. All that said, Sicily’s got a family-friendly face, too. Its dinky villages are perfect for broods, with manmade beaches, lidos and café-stuffed proms.