The best day trips from Florence are among the finest excursions available anywhere in Italy — because Florence sits at the heart of Tuscany, one of the most beautiful and culturally rich regions on earth. Within two hours of Florence by train, bus or car you can reach the medieval perfection of Siena, the leaning…

The best day trips from Milan are some of the finest excursions available from any major Italian city — and they’re surprisingly easy to organise. Milan’s position in the heart of northern Italy puts it within easy reach of Lake Como, the Italian Alps, the Dolomites, the Piedmont wine country, Verona’s Roman arena, the racing…

The best beaches in Italy are some of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the entire Mediterranean — and the sheer variety on offer is extraordinary. From the dramatic cliffside coves of the Amalfi Coast to the turquoise waters of Sardinia, from the long sandy Adriatic shores of Rimini to the wild volcanic black…

Renting a car in Italy opens up a completely different country from the one most tourists see. The Italy of high-speed trains between Rome, Florence and Venice is spectacular — but it’s only a fraction of what this extraordinary country has to offer. The Italy of winding Tuscan country roads between ancient hilltop villages, the…

The best things to do in Naples will surprise you — and that’s exactly the point. Naples is the most misunderstood city in Italy. Visitors who arrive with low expectations almost universally leave with Naples near the top of their Italian experiences. This is a city of extraordinary contrasts — chaotic and beautiful, overwhelming and…

The best things to do in Milan consistently surprise visitors who arrive expecting little more than fashion boutiques and designer shops. Milan is Italy’s most misunderstood city — written off by many travellers as too expensive, too corporate, too modern. But spend a day or two here and you quickly discover a city of extraordinary…

The best things to do in Venice are unlike anything else in Italy — or indeed anywhere in the world. Built on a network of 118 islands connected by canals and bridges, Venice defies every expectation and rewards every visitor who makes the effort to get here. You won’t truly understand why this city is…

The best things to do in Florence will genuinely take your breath away. This compact Tuscan city — the birthplace of the Renaissance — packs more extraordinary art, architecture and culture into a small area than almost anywhere else on earth. Walking through Florence feels like moving through a living museum where every street corner,…

Italy on €50 a day — is it actually doable? The honest answer is yes, but it requires some smart planning and a willingness to travel the way Italians actually live rather than the way most tourist guides suggest. Italy has a reputation for being expensive, and in the wrong places it absolutely can be.…

Italy travel scams to avoid — this is one of the most important things to read before your trip. Italy is an extraordinary country and the vast majority of Italians are warm, generous and genuinely welcoming to visitors. But like any country that attracts millions of tourists every year, Italy has its share of scammers…