Italy holiday ideas: Where to go & what to do

Inspiration for Italy holidays and adventures, from art itineraries to beach resorts

Travel inspiration

Perhaps you already known you would like a trip to Italy but you’re not sure where to start? Or even 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? That makes decisions even harder. You could go ski-ing in the Alps or climb an active volcano in Sicily. Admire the view from an elegant hotel terrace on the Amalfi Coast or discover a charming and unusual cave hotel in the deep south of Italy.

This page is designed to give you some ideas for your next holiday in Italy: a haphazard selection of possible starting-points, themes or activities for your travels.

Itineraries

Suggested itineraries for independent travellers, from a tour of Puglia to a classic three-centre taste of Italy. I’ve designed the itineraries for users of public transport as well as those with cars.

> Italy itineraries

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.

> Off the beaten track

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.

> UNESCO sites in Italy

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 or the active volcanoes of the Aeolian Islands.

Aeolian IslandsEgadi IslandsCapriProcidaIschiaCapraiaPonza

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.

> Regions of Italy

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

Stromboli, a 'smoking' volcano

Weird and wonderful

Unusual and striking landscapes, surreal sights – some ideas for a unique holiday.

> Weird and wonderful destinations

On this site

Useful Italy travel information

Italian airports

Useful links

Find hotels in Italy

Italy car hire