Italy

When is The Best Time of The Year To Visit Italy?

There are a million of reasons why visit Italy... spectacular cities, ancient ruins, wonderful museums, wonderful mountains, great beaches, and of course food...

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Italy

When is The Best Time of The Year To Visit Italy?

Discover the land of flamengo, sunny beaches, fascinating culture and beautiful cities...

Italy, oh Italy. My lovely country, one of the most popular destinations on the planet. Every traveller will be able to find something unique in this stunning country, something that will make them come back again and again. Culture, history, art, food, wine, lakes, beaches, mountains, ancient ruins, and landscapes so different from one region to another. I could go on and on about my country, I fall in love every time I go back. From the north to the south, Italy has magnificent places. There are plenty of things to experience and tons of places to visit, one trip certainly will not be enough. Regardless of how many times you’ve been to Italy before, this country will never stop to amaze you. Even when you have already seen all the major sites, you’ve visited and fallen in love with all the main cities, you still have plenty of places to discover. The thing is that each Italian region has its own charm, attractions, cuisines and traditional secrets/recipes of cooking, and let’s not forget Italian wines! We have some of the best wines of the world.
One of the main things that I love about Italy, is the diversity and the opportunity to choose a different place every day depending on how you feel, feeling about going to the beach, feeling about going in the countryside, feeling about going to the mountains, feeling about shopping, feeling about an ancient village.. and many other feelings you may have. Well many regions in Italy offer that opportunity, if you live there or if you are on holiday. I’m not going to mention lunch or dinner, but what about breakfast at the bar? Cornetto e cappuccino, unmissable. And what about aperitivo? You cannot go for dinner on a weekend without going in a bar, for a glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz and some delicious nibbles. Let’s highlight something about some regions.

Monte Conero Natural Park

The Gulf of Orosei

Lombardy

Except for the sea, Lombardy has it all, beautiful mountains, lakes, and charming towns, is impossible to get bored in this region. And there is Milan, fashionable, trendy, vibrant and an excellent gateway to visit Lombardy and discover its many beauties.
What to see in Lombardy? It’s not an easy question to answer. We are talking about one of the largest regions of Italy, the region ranges from the Alps to the countryside, from art cities to small towns rich in history, in what is Italy’s big lake district (there are more than fifteen lakes). Where to start exploring Lombardy? From these seven sensational places:
–Milan: main city in the region and one of the most important cities in Italy, it is always on the go to thanks to its rich calendar of cultural events, in Milan you can see the wonderful Duomo, symbol of Milan, and the Castello Sforzesco. Without talking about the nightlife, Milan is home of some of the best clubs, bars and finest restaurants.
–Mantua: it’s one of the main centers of the Italian Renaissance, the city is embraced by lakes on three sides inside a protected nature reserve, with an unusual and wonderful landscape.
–Sirmione: a jewel on Lake Garda.
–Lake Como: Italy’s third biggest lake, the towns of Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio are a must see.
–Desenzano del Garda: a beautiful town on the shores of the Lake Garda.
–Franciacorta: in a hilly area between Brescia and Lake Iseo, is a wine region famous for the production of a sparkling wine.
–Monte Isola: the pearl of Lake Iseo.

Milan

Lake Garda

Veneto

The Veneto region is located in the north-east of Italy, along the Adriatic Sea and thanks to Venice, the jewel of the region, Veneto is one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations. Although most travellers head straight to Venice, there are also many attractive towns and landscapes which are less well-known but can combine to create a fantastic holiday.
Here the five most famous destinations worth a trip that I recommend you to visit:
–Venice: together with its lagoon, it’s an incredible city, the emotions that this city can give you will be hard to match! St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Rialto’s Bridge, The Bridge of Sighs, and the magic of a gondola ride are only few example of what you can see in Venice. Don’t forget to check out Murano, famous for craft creations in glass, and the coloured Burano, land of lacework.
–The most beautiful mountains in the world “Dolomiti”: Between Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige stand the majestic Dolomites, the most beautiful mountains in the world, to enjoy all year round for those who love skiing and for lovers of hiking, or for those who simply love nature.
–Verona: The city where William Shakespeare set the tragic story of Romeo and Juliette’s love. Verona is also well known for its wonderful Arena, a very special location for opera music festivals.
–Padua: a refined city worth a visit even only for admiring the Giotto’s masterpieces in the Scrovegni Chapel.
–Bassano del Grappa: located at the foot of Monte Grappa, on Venetian hills where the toughest battles of the First World War were fought, it’s a well know town thanks to the “grappa” production.

Venice

Verona

Lazio

Lazio is in central Italy, on the western coast. There’s a lot to see in this region, many towns are linked to its historical importance left from the Roman Empire. Rome is of course the principal tourist destination in Lazio, most of the region’s other sights can be managed as a day trip from the city, but if you’re interested in a slightly different holiday, just hire a car for few days and enjoy the countryside. What to see in the Lazio region? Here the eight best places to discover:
–Rome: A fantastic city that you can visit in few days. The best way to visit Rome is by foot, you will find gorgeous buildings in every corner of the city, Rome is an open air museum.
–Ostia Antica: it’s a beautiful archaeological park, close to the modern town of Ostia, that was the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome.
–Pontine Islands: off the Gulf of Gaeta, in southern Lazio, it is an archipelago consisting of six amazing volcanic islands one different to another – Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone, Gavi, Ventotene, Santo Stefano.
–Viterbo: is a historic town with a beautiful, well-preserved medieval centre.
–Civita di Bagnoregio: called “the Dying City”, it’s a historic village on a hill, only accessible through a pedestrian bridge, close to Lake Bolsena.
–Tivoli: a city 30 km from Rome, a place of sanctuaries and magnificent villas, like Villa di Adriano and Villa D’Este.
–Sperlonga: a coastal town in the province of Latina, about halfway between Rome and Naples. It’s a picturesque seaside town, one of the Italy’s most beautiful villages.
–Bolsena: famous for the fortress of Monaldeschi that is overlooking the Lake Bolsena.

Rome

Civita di Bagnoregio

Marche

My region! In the last few years is becoming more and more known and visited by Italians and foreign tourists, it’s being addressed as the new Tuscany or the new Umbria. In Marche we are also big producer of very good wine, is very common to see endless hills full of vineyards and different gorgeous cantinas everywhere. In my town specifically we produce Matelica DOC (which was called Verdicchio di Matelica). It is a green and hilly corner of Italy, with medieval hill towns and villages to be discovered, the coastline is more developed for tourism, but everywhere you go in the region, Le Marche offers a wide range of attractions that make it an unmissable destination of your trip to Italy. Here the ten most famous destinations worth a trip that I recommend you to visit:
–The Mount Conero Natural Park: The pearl of the Adriatic sea, the beaches of the Conero Riviera are considered the most beautiful beaches of the Adriatic coast – Portonovo, Mezzavalle, Numana, Marcelli, all of them are worth a visit. Monte Conero offers an extraordinary spectacle of white cliffs built by nature with a particular limestone rock.
–Gradara Castle: Situated in the province of Pesaro Urbino, a medieval fortress that is located in the town of Gradara, it is one of the best preserved castles in the country.
–Lake Fiastra & the Lame Rosse: a small town in the heart of the Sibillini Mountains, a combination of Arizona and Switzerland. In the province of Macerata, you can enjoy few little beaches around the Lake Fiastra where you can relax and swim in the lake. Just above the lake you can admire the fascinating landscape of the Lame Rosse, the Grand Canyon of Le Marche, an easy excursion of about 2 hours.
–Acqualagna: The world’s capital of truffle.
–Recanati: a beautiful hill town in the Province of Macerata, the town that gave birth to the famous poet Giacomo Leopardi.
–Loreto: a famous hilly town that overlooks the Adriatic sea, the Basilica and the fortress that included the Holy House of the Virgin Mary are the main attractions.
–The Frasassi Caves & Valadier Temple: an extraordinary cave discovered in 1971 in the town of Genga, the Frasassi caves are one of the most visited attraction of the region. Just few kilometres away the Valadier Temple is really worth a visit, was built in 1828, this sanctuary is hidden in the rocks of the mountain.
–Ascoli Piceno: Situated into the valley between two rivers and below hills and mountains, Ascoli Piceno is a beautiful city at the Marche and Abruzzo border. The main square Piazza del Popolo is fantastic.
–Monti Sibilini National Park: A national park located across the regions of Marche and Umbria, a paradise for who loves trekking. The highest peak, Monte Vettore, reaches 2,476 m above sea level.
–Urbino: One of the most important Renaissance towns in Italy. Duke Federico da Montefeltro, built a palace (Palazzo Ducale) and maintained a famed court here. The principal tourist sight today is his palace, which houses the National Gallery of Le Marche (Galleria Nazionale delle Marche).

Matelica

Monte Conero Riviera

Matelica winery

Lake Fiastra

Temple of Valadier – Genga

Umbria

Located in the heart of Italy, Umbria is a land rich in natural landscapes, forests, mountains, lakes and rivers. Umbria is one of the few Italian regions to have no coastline, it’s countryside is popular for walkers and cyclists, and those looking for a peaceful retreat. This region offers the kind of holiday where you can take life slowly, tasting the local specialities, go around small medieval towns and really getting to know Italy.
What to see in Umbria? Here the nine best places to discover:
–Assisi: One of Umbria’s most visited destinations, a city of peace and spirituality, attracting pilgrims to its sites associated with St. Francis. The Basilica is a really stunning building.
–The Marmore Falls: For nature lovers travelling in this region, one of the destinations that can’t be missed is definitely the Marmore Falls (Cascata delle Marmore), is a man-made waterfall created by the ancient Romans. Its total height is 165 meters, making it the tallest man-made waterfall in the world.
–Lake Trasimeno: A visit to Lake Trasimeno is a must while you are in Umbria, the lake is the fourth largest in size in Italy, around the lake there are few picturesque villages, such as Castiglione del Lago, Passignano sul Trasimeno, San Feliciano, and Castel Rigone, all of them worth a visit.
–Gubbio: A city rich in art and history, Gubbio is a beautiful old village, the Palazzo dei Consoli, the Palazzo Ducale, the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo and the Duomo are just some of the attractions of this fascinating town. Gubbio attracts visitors also with its spectacular traditional festivals like the Corsa dei Ceri (Candle Race) and the Palio Balestra (a Medieval crossbow contest on horseback).
–Perugia: Attractive medieval town, capital of Umbria.
–Norcia & Castelluccio di Norcia: Another stop is the town of Norcia, famous all over the world for giving birth to San Benedetto, in Norcia you can see the ruins of the Basilica of San Benedetto. If you are in this area between mid-May and mid-July, in Castelluccio di Norcia you can admire the fields of lentils and poppies bloom, the views from the top of the hill are fantastic.
–Spello: A postcard medieval town between Assisi and Foligno.
–Spoleto: Beautiful hill town surrounded by hills, olive groves and vineyards. The Cathedral and the spectacular Ponte delle Torri, 230 meter long and 90 meter high are the main attractions of this town.
–Orvieto: Another pearl of the Umbria region, a charming town famous for his Duomo, one of the masterpieces of Italian Gothic art.

Assisi

Castiglione del Lago

Todi

Orvieto

Tuscany

One of the most famous and visited regions in Italy, the territory of Tuscany is mainly hilly like many of its most famous landscapes. There are also plain areas, such as the Tuscan Maremma, and the famous hills of Chianti, where they produce one of the most famous wines in the world. When talking about food and flavours, the cuisine in Tuscany is really traditional with old recipes such as “ribollita” and “pappa al pomodoro”, and the famous Florentine steak.
There are many art cities and little picturesque villages, but is also extraordinary because of its fascinating landscape, not to mention its amazing islands – Elba island, Giglio, Giannutri, Capraia, Pianosa, Montecristo and Gorgona. Where to start exploring Tuscany? From these five sensational places:
–Florence: I love this city, is very easy to walk everywhere, perfect city to visit in two-three days. Every corner of this city is simply stunning, whether you are in the middle of the city looking at a view down the River Arno, or you are in the main square looking over the city, the views are stunning and it’ll take your breath away. The main attractions of Florence are the Duomo Cathedral, the Accademia and Uffizi Gallery, the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria.
–Val d’Orcia: A fantastic area in the south of Siena, characterized by hills covered with vineyards, olive groves, cypresses, picturesque towns and villages such as Pienza, Bagni San Filippo and Montalcino.
–Siena: One of the most appealing towns in Tuscany, walking around the medieval streets and the squares gives you an amazing feeling. The main square, the Piazza del Campo, is home of the historic “Palio”, a horse race, twice each year, on the 2nd of July and 16th of August.
–Pisa: A city that can’t be missed while in Tuscany, the Leaning Tower together with the Cathedral and the Baptistery are the icons of Pisa, one of the most famous monuments in Italy.
–San Gimignano: Another jewel of this region, the main characteristic of this town are the towers. Around the year 1300, 70 towers symbolized the 70 wealthy families of this territory were built. Today, only 13 of them are standing. Building a tower taller than their neighbours’ became a popular way for the families to show off their power and wealth.
If you want to get away from the main touristic cities here are 11 more of the most beautiful places to visit in Tuscany: Lucca, Arezzo, Volterra, Cortona, Monteriggioni, Saturnia, the Abbey of San Galgano, Pistoia, Montepulciano, Montecatini Terme, and the Monte Argentario promontory.

Florence

Val d'Orcia

Florence

Pisa

Puglia

Puglia is one of the most beautiful regions in Italy and offers a huge choice of activities to do, places to visit and food to eat. A land of sea, Puglia attracts visitor from all over Europe every summer for its amazing coastline (more than 800 kilometres across Adriatic and Ionian Sea). It’s such a splendid region that offers charming towns and villages, marvellous architecture, tasty food, plenty of traditions and folklore. One of the best experience to do in the countryside is to stay an overnight in a “masseria”, immersed in olive groves.
For some travellers, Puglia is a departure point for Greece and Albania, with ferries crossing the Adriatic from Bari and Brindisi. For others is the starting point of a fantastic trip, where to start your discovery of this region? From this eight fantastic places:
–Lecce: The Baroque masterpiece of southern Italy, sometimes described as the ‘Florence of the Baroque’.
Lecce has a beautiful historic centre and travellers can easily spend a day or two exploring picturesque little streets and churches. The town has two main focal points: Piazza Sant’Oronzo and Piazza del Duomo.
–Alberobello: The principal activity in Alberobello is wandering around looking at the trulli, a traditional construction in dry stone with a conical or pyramid-shaped roof.
–Tremiti Islands: Are an archipelago in the Adriatic Sea, north of the Gargano Peninsula, is a nature reserve with a sea that is a paradise for diving. The archipelago is a jewel, literally a pearl in the Adriatic Sea, and it’s the perfect place for a splendid trip of two or three days. San Domino is the most developed island for tourism and has the only sand beach in the archipelago. The crossing takes around an hour, with departures from the port of Termoli and arrivals in the port of San Domino.
–Gargano: The Gargano Peninsula is a coastal area of extreme beauty on the Adriatic Sea. It looks very different from the other areas and beaches of Puglia, this area is greener and more mountainous with forests, olive groves, and a gorgeous coastline of white limestone cliffs and sea caves. Most of the area is a national park, and aside from some seaside resorts, is unspoilt. It’s a popular summer spot for Italians. Famous and numerous are also the trabucchi, ancient wood-made structures built by fishermen from where they cast their nets.
-Castellana Caves: a 3 km group of underground caves, one of the largest cave systems in Italy, are a must-see attraction near the town of Alberobello.
–Salento: Home to some of Italy’s most beautiful beaches and most dramatic rocky coastlines, the Salento is a haven for sea lovers. From gems such as Gallipoli and Otranto to luxurious seaside resort in Santa Maria di Leuca. It’s a land full of traditions, among masserie and sandy beaches with crystal waters (it’s called “the Maldives of Italy”).
–Polignano a Mare: a beautiful little town on the coast, need to be part of any trip through Puglia. Very famous for its rocky coastline and caves.
–Ostuni: A beautiful town, it’s called the “White City” due to its historical centre of white houses, walking around the streets of this town is really cool, is a mix of alleyways, staircases and arches.

Gargano Peninsula

Alberobello

Vieste

Calabria

A land with warm climate most of the year, with beautiful colours of the sea and rich culture, beautiful landscapes that deserve to be known and explored, unfortunately it is still not very well known to foreign tourists.
Calabria was part of Magna Graecia, the site of rich and powerful Greek colonies, in the Museo Nazionale of Reggio Calabria you can find the famous Riace bronze statue that was recovered from the sea. This region offers a wide choice of gorgeous sandy beaches in the east side and beautiful rocky coastline in alternative in the west side; is the seaside that attracts most of Calabria’s summer visitors, the region has 780km of coast, facing into two seas, the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian. What to see in Calabria? Here the six best places to discover:
–Tropea: one of the most beautiful and fascinating places of this region, fantastic waters, blue and clear. The main attraction is the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola that is built on a rock over the beach, really fantastic scenery. I highly suggest to walk up in the old town and check out the view from the main terrace.
–Capo Vaticano: 10 Km south of Tropea, you will find one of the 100 most beautiful beaches in the world, Capo Vaticano.
–Scilla: a picturesque fishing village, very famous for the Ruffo Castle, a fortress built by the Dukes of Calabria that overlooks the sea.
–The Aragonese fortress of Le Castella: near the town of Isola di Capo Rizzuto you can find one of the most prestigious monuments in Calabria. The structure dates back to the Greek colonization, Magna Graecia.
–Stilo: A small town worth a visit. Its historic centre is still well preserved and the major attraction of the town is the Cattolica di Stilo, a Byzantine church.
–San Nicola Arcella: Located in the north-west of the region, San Nicola Arcella offers a spectacular view of the Gulf of Policastro, from the Dino Island to Palinuro. Absolutely to visit is the Crawford Tower and the magnificent rocky arch called Arco Magno.

Tropea

Capo Rizzuto

Capo Vaticano

Scilla

Sardinia

One of the best sea and beaches I have seen in my life, the number one in Europe and probably on the top 5 in the world, everywhere you go around the island, you will be amazed by the spectacular landscape and colours of the water that you will see. Situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia is a mainly mountainous region, more than 80% of its territory is mountainous and hilly, the rest of the is occupied by fabulous beaches.
It is not easy to make a list of all the amazing beauties of Sardinia, here I have list the top 5 places to visit listed by different parts of the island:
South East:
-Cagliari
-Villasimius area: Porto sa Ruxi, Campus beach and Campulongu, Spiaggia del Riso, Cala Caterina, Porto Giunco, and Punta Molentis
-Scoglio di Peppino
-National Park of the Gulf of Orosei: Cala Goloritzé, Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu
-Costa Rei

South West:
-Road from Porto Pino, Porto Teulada to Chia (Su Giudeu beach)
-Sant’Antioco island
-Is Arutas beach
-Cala Domestica
-Su Nuraxi Nuraghe

North East:
-Maddalena archipelago: Island of Spargi, Budelli, and Caprera
-Costa Smeralda, San Teodoro, Porto Cervo, and Golfo Aranci
-Santa Teresa di Gallura & Capo Testa
-Cala Brandinchi
-Costa Paradiso

North West:
-Asinara National Park
-La Pelosa Beach Stintino
-Alghero
-Neptune caves
-Bosa town

Maddalena archipelago

Cala Goloritzé

Cala Luna

Is Arutas

Sicily

Sicily is the biggest island in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea, an amazing land rich in history and traditions. Sicily is home of some of the most spectacular coastal towns and beaches of the country, it’s the perfect destination for an all-in trip, as there is something for everyone, from the sea to the mountains and the countryside, from the volcanoes to the fishing villages, there are really many reasons why you should plan a trip to Sicily.
Sicilian dishes are popular and loved all over the world, try to taste every single local speciality while you are on the road. Are you planning to visit Sicily for you next trip and you are looking for the best places to visit? Great choice, here the best 13 places to visit in this beautiful island:
–Taormina: the Pearl of Sicily, a fantastic town with incredible views thanks to his panoramic position between the sea and the mountains. It’s one of the most touristic cities in Sicily, a must see destination if you are in this part of the island. The main things that you can’t miss are Isola Bella, the Greek Theatre, and the view of the Etna and the sea from Piazza IX Aprile.
–Ragusa Ibla: It’s the ancient city of Ragusa, that rises from the top of a hill, the best activity to do is wondering around the small street and get lost. The Duomo di San Giorgio is the most imposing building of this little old town.
–Cefalu’: A picturesque town worth a visit just one hour from Palermo. This small fishing town it’s really pretty and the panorama from the old port is fantastic, the Cathedral is a beautiful building to visit.
–Mount Etna: If you are around Catania or Taormina a visit to the volcano is a must. Mount Etna is the highest volcano in Europe, and one of most active of the world.
–Catania: The second largest city of the island after Palermo, located at the foot of the Etna. If you are not based in Catania, a full day will be enough to visit it, Piazza del Duomo is Catania’s principal square.
–Aeolian Islands: located in Northern Sicily, this archipelago that was formed by volcanic activity, is made of 7 islands – Lipari, Vulcano (volcanic landscapes and mud baths), Panarea (the most chic of the islands), Salina, Alicudi, Filicudi, and Stromboli (active volcano).
The most practical base is the island of Lipari, it’s the largest island with the most to offer. To get to the Aeolian Islands, you will have to take a hydrofoil or a boat from Milazzo, Palermo or Messina. If you only have a day to visit the archipelago I suggest to choose only one island, or if you want to see all of them, you can choose a multi-day cruise.
–Syracuse and Ortigia: The island of Ortigia is really beautiful, it’s the historical centre of the city of Syracuse, the Piazza Duomo is just magnificent. While in Syracuse, the only attraction is the Neapolis archaeological park with its Roman amphitheatre, Greek theatre and the Ear of Dionysius.
–Palermo: getting around Palermo is easy and can be done by foot, the best place to start is with a walk through one of the street markets (Ballarò the best one), followed by a visit to the historic cathedral. Other main stops of this city are Piazza Villena (Quattro Canti) and Piazza Pretoria. Not far from Palermo, there is one of the most visited places in Sicily: Monreale Cathedral, really really beautiful.
–Agrigento (The Valley of the Temples & Scala dei Turchi): This city is a popular destination thanks to its archaeological park, the biggest in the world, I highly suggest to visit it at sunset time, the colours are just amazing. About 20 minutes drive from the Valley of the Temples, the Scala dei Turchi is another beautiful sight to visit, very famous for his particular shape and white cliffs.
–Noto & Marzamemi: Two fantastic towns to visit in the south east of Sicily. Noto is the capital of the Sicilian Baroque, the Cathedral is just stunning. A walk or dinner in Marzamemi is a must, you have to be there to see how beautiful it is.
–Lampedusa: One of the best islands in Europe, the Spiaggia dei Conigli (Rabbit beach) has been named one of the world’s best beaches. The best way to reach this island is by plane.
–San Vito Lo Capo and the Zingaro Reserve: One of the most admired natural gems in Sicily, the Zingaro Nature Reserve is easily accessible with a trail of approximately 3 hours, the panoramas of the sea from the path are just stunning.
–Favignana island: A fantastic island located about 7 km off the west coast of Sicily, between Trapani and Marsala, it can be reach by boat which runs regularly from the port of Trapani. The island can be visited in just few days renting a bike or scooter. The best beaches are Cala Rossa, Cala Azzurra and Bue Marino.