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Luxury travel blog » Places » Europe » Italy

Things to do in Italy

Italy, the wonderful boot-shaped country that steps into the Mediterranean like a cat-walking fashion model. This popular European destination makes great travel destination, and is one of my go-to holiday spots.

It's also hard to get my husband to go anywhere else. Bella Italia offers terrific food, sultry hot springs, fashion, history, art, architecture and more. The cities in Italy are fascinating, the countryside is enticing, and the hill towns are made for strolling around in.

There are so many different sides to Italy it could be a disco ball (when it's not busy being a fashion model) - a sultry disco ball with palm trees and ancient columns, of course. For some top Italy travel ideas read on.

Things to do in Italy, gondola in Venice

 

If you're searching around for things to do in Italy you'll be spoiled for choice. Here are a few travel ideas:

  • Visit romantic Venice to imagine the decadent days of yore when Casanova wined, dined and bedded the cream of aristocratic womanhood. Of course he also got thrown into jail in Venice, so you can visit Piombi Prison while you're at it. Here's more about What to do in Venice.
  • Head to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance to let the dark history of the Medici family come alive. While you're there don't miss seeing The Birth of Venus, the famous masterpiece by Sandro Botticelli at the Uffizi Gallery.
  • Don't just stick to the main cities. One of the best things to do in Italy is to get out into the country and visit smaller centres. If you love art, take a train to Padua to see the Giotto frescoes. Or spa in the town of Abano, only 45 minutes from Venice.
  • Hike in the Dolomites.
  • Spend a day in Milan, this northern Italian city may surprise you.
  • For one of the best 'Italy travel' moments, sip a rich Brunello red wine in the hill town of Montalcino in Tuscany.
  • Soak in the sultry hot springs pools of Terme di Saturnia.
  • Most importantly, go to Rome to toss a coin in Trevi Fountain, so that you're guaranteed to return.

 

What you need to watch out for regarding Italy travel

  • Crowds
  • Pickpockets
  • If you rent a car, watch out for speeding tickets. My husband still won't confess how many he got.
  • If you want to visit the top museums and galleries or other tourist attractions book ahead. Or miss seeing the Last Supper in Milan like we did.

 

My final and most important piece of advice when it comes to travel in Italy:

  • Don't do them all. There are a million things to do in Italy, but don't get so caught up in seeing the sights you forget to relax, breathe and experience la dolce vita, otherwise known as the sweet life.

The Best Tuscany Hot Springs and Spas

July 4, 2019 by Carol Perehudoff 4 Comments

Bagno Vignoni spa in Tuscany

In Tuscany, hot springs, natural pools and thermal spa resorts are a wonderful way to experience the countryside, but how do you know where to go? Search no more. Here are the top hot springs in Tuscany, with a rundown on some of the best spa resorts and natural pools.     Hot Springs in […]

Filed Under: Italy, Spas Tagged With: europe spas, Hot springs, Tuscany

One day in Florence

May 31, 2019 by Carol Perehudoff Leave a Comment

Ponte Vecchio on a sunny day in Florence Italy

If you’re spending one day in Florence, Italy, here’s the perfect itinerary to make your (all too short) day trip fabulous.    Visiting Florence Let the tourist onslaught begin! It’s time to spend one day in Florence, the Renaissance gem of Italy, where you’ll cross paths with every other tourist in the world – except […]

Filed Under: Italy, One day in Tagged With: Tuscany

Rome Via Veneto, hotels, history and la dolce vita

March 13, 2019 by Carol Perehudoff 1 Comment

Harry's Bar Via Veneto Rome

The Via Veneto has the biggest concentration of luxury hotels in Rome, a prime location and a scandalous history.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Hotels, Italy Tagged With: Rome

Breakfast at the Vatican

March 1, 2019 by Carol Perehudoff 17 Comments

Raphael Rooms at the Vatican

Looking for the the best way to see the Vatican? Here’s an experience that’s off the rails. Have you heard of the Vatican Breakfast? Offered through the Vatican Museums itself, you’ll get skip-the-line tickets, early access and discover a unique thing to do in Rome. An early morning Vatican tour My husband, Mark, turned over in […]

Filed Under: Attractions, Italy Tagged With: Rome

Where to Find the Best Bernini Sculpture and Fountains in Rome

February 22, 2019 by Carol Perehudoff 1 Comment

Bernini Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini in Rome

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was the most famous Italian sculptor of the 17th century. Here’s how to find the best Bernini sculpture in Rome, as well as the artist’s most notable fountains and architecture.   Searching for Bernini at the Borghese Gallery The audio guide at the Borghese Museum in Rome is messing with my head. […]

Filed Under: Art, Italy Tagged With: Rome

Unusual things to do in Rome – the city’s best secrets

November 29, 2018 by Carol Perehudoff 2 Comments

Unusual things to do in Rome - city scene

Once you’ve seen the top sights in Rome such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Vatican, your eyes start to glaze over, tourist fatigue seeps through your body and you feel completely churched out. Before you resort to drinking vino all night and eating gelato all day (though that’s fun too), check out these […]

Filed Under: Italy Tagged With: Rome

Luxury apartment in Venice: Palazzo Grimani

November 14, 2018 by Carol Perehudoff 10 Comments

Palazzo Grimani 5 star accommodation in Venice

The Imperiale San Marco in the Palazzo Grimani is a sumptuous private home rental near St. Mark’s Square.

Filed Under: Hotels, Italy

What to do in Venice when it rains

November 5, 2018 by Carol Perehudoff 4 Comments

What to do in Venice when it rains It’s a fact. Venice can be wet. Aqua Alta, or High Water, as it’s called, can be a true Venetian adventure, but at some point you’ll want to stay dry. Yes, yes, you can go to the Duomo in St Mark’s Square or the Doge’s Palace like […]

Filed Under: Italy Tagged With: Venice

High Water in Venice -what to do when the city floods

November 1, 2018 by Carol Perehudoff 7 Comments

High water in St Mark's Square, Venice

Don’t despair, if Venice flooding is predicted and you’re worried the high water will ruin your trip, here is how to make it an adventure. High water in Venice – what to do during Aqua Alta When planning our honeymoon in Venice, Italy, I read in the guidebooks that November is not the time to […]

Filed Under: Europe, Italy Tagged With: Venice

Top wine regions in Italy

February 28, 2018 by Carol Perehudoff 12 Comments

Vineyards

If you’re interested in wine tastings, vineyards and wine tours in Italy, you need to know where to go. With more than 300 grape varieties and 20 different wine regions, this boot-shaped country can make your head spin before you’ve even had a drink. Don’t worry. Help with trip planning is at hand. Here are […]

Filed Under: Culinary Tourism, Europe, Italy

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About Wandering Carol

circle profileIn my 10+ years as a travel writer and columnist I've seen the best of what the world has to offer and written for some top publications around the globe - and now my goal is to bring this expertise to you. For more blah blah blah, visit my
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