Travel inspiration and holiday ideas
Are you dreaming of a trip to Italy, but not sure where to start? Or still wondering what kind of holiday to plan? In Italy visitors are really spoilt for choice. The good news is that an Italy-lover will rarely be disappointed, whatever they choose. The bad news? You could say that makes initial choices even harder. You could combine art with beaches in the Veneto region, or climb one of Sicily‘s active volcanoes. Admire the view from an elegant hotel terrace on the Amalfi Coast or discover charming and unusual cave hotels in the deep south of Italy.
Throughout the Italy Heaven website you’ll find hundreds of ideas to give you inspiration for your Italy travels along with practical advice and tips. In this article I’ve included some starting-points for exploring both Italy and this website, with suggestions for holiday destination types, thematic itineraries and more.
Itineraries
Suggested itineraries for independent travellers, from a tour of Puglia to a classic three-centre taste of Italy. I’ve designed these itineraries for users of public transport as well as those with cars.
Seaside resorts
Where to go when you want to be beside the sea in Italy, from picturesque Italian seaside destinations to sand and sea resorts.
> Seaside resorts – where to go
> Beaches – beach rituals and public sea access
Off the beaten track
How and where to get off the beaten track in Italy, with some practical advice on travelling outside the main tourist areas.
A romantic holiday
Italy is one of the most romantic destinations in the world, with some great locations for enjoying a wedding, a honeymoon or romantic break.
> Honeymoon hotels
> Romantic Italy
UNESCO sites in Italy
Italy has a large number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and though it would take a very long holiday to tour them all, you could easily combine a few into your own cultural itinerary.
Italian islands
There are many attractive small Italian islands which make great holiday destinations, from cosmopolitan Capri to the quiet charms of the Egadi Islands and the active volcanoes of the Aeolian Islands. I go island-hopping in Italy most summers and have a lot of favourites.
Regions of Italy
Italy has twenty regions, almost all of which are featured on this website. Some are well-known as tourist destinations in their own right, such as Tuscany and Puglia. Others are less familiar to foreign tourists but are rewarding to explore. You could base an interesting tour around getting to know one particular region of Italy.
Where to go? Choose an airport
Since there are good holiday destinations all over Italy, and budget flights to a range of sometimes-obscure spots, why not pick the cheapest or most convenient flight to Italy and explore the area around that airport?
> Airports in Italy – an alphabetical listing of Italian international airports, with suggested holiday spots in each location
Weird and wonderful
Unusual and striking landscapes, surreal sights – some ideas for a unique holiday.
> Weird and wonderful destinations
Useful links