Where to visit in Italy

More and more people are asking me for Italy at the moment. It’s no surprise when this enticing country has so much history, culture and incredible food to offer. If you’ve only got a few days then stick to 1 city, if you’ve got longer then you can do a couple of cities and some countryside. Most peoples first stop in Italy is Rome - a visit to the colosseum, the Spanish Steps, Trevi fountain and a pizza is a gorgeous city weekend break and perfect for a romantic weekend or a group of mates celebrating something special.

If you can tag on longer you can get a train and whizz up to Florence in an hour and a half or Venice in 4 hours and combine a couple of cities and is also a great way to travel and to see some gorgeous Tuscan hills.

Venice needs no introduction, the floating city is a must see for art enthusiasts. With over 400 bridges and 150 canals you’re sure to get lost but that’s part of the charm. It is a great time to visit as tourism is generally a little lower at the moment and the crowds are staying away.

Florence is the home of the renaissance and another must visit for museum, art and history buffs but it also offers so many cool restaurants and quirky shops as well as a gorgeous skyline wherever you look. It is a fantasist place to base yourself for a longer period to then do day trips out to Pisa, Chianti, Siena and Luca to name a few. Even better and hole up in a Tuscan farmhouse for two weeks so you can see it all! I once stayed in a very authentic Italian gite which came with an even more authentic nonna to cook the most gorgeous food for us.

Heading down south to the alluring Amalfi coast which has been popular since the 1960s with the wealthy flocking to this unique coastline with towns towering on the edge all in beautiful colours. The coastal towns of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are the real hotspots but most itineraries do involve Naples at least for a day trip. Of course the ruins of Pompeii are another fascinating day trip and can be done in a group or private tour.

Heading to Milan is a fantastic idea for a quick break with friends as there are too many places to grab a cocktail and this city houses so much great shopping, probably the best in the country! It does still have the older parts with museums and art galleries so is a great place to see how the modern meets the old. From Milan you can get to Lake Como in about an hour - this is where the rich and famous hang out in their boats and huge villas, so it’s great for people watching and of course the lake views!!

The lesser known Lake Maggiore has just as fantastic views but isn’t quite as busy or expensive and stretches out towards Switzerland. This is a great spot for a summer break but if you can head out here into the warm autumn months it will be a less busy, less expensive experience.

Puglia is to me, the most authentic, Unfussy part of Italy, it is on the boot of the heel and along this rugged part of coastline there have cropped up many Masserias over the years, mostly family run and all fantastic. If you like eating olives the size of your head swilled down with a chilled glass of red wine then this place is for you. Just over the Adriatic Sea from Croatia, you can actually combine it with Split or Dubrovnik by hopping on a ferry.

For the best beaches in Italy I would recommend Sardinia, the white Sandy coastline is hugely appealing to families and couples throughout the season, many returning year on year. The charm of this island is the ancient culture with Roman ruins and churches but of course being an Italian island the food is second to none.