Announcements
Florence and Tuscany in Italy
Arguably the most attractive country in Europe, Italy enchants visitors with irresistible food, incredible architecture, diverse landscapes and unparalleled art.
In fact, it's so full of possibilities that it's almost overwhelming.
If you've never visited before, you may wonder what to see? Where to go? How to travel?
Here's everything you need to know to make the most of your first trip to Italy
Florence and Tuscany: art and wine
Announcements
Two days in Florence, you'll choose the incomparable art in the Uffizi Gallery, delighting in the frescoes of the Duomo and pondering the anatomy of Michelangelo's David.
It also allows for shopping in the ultra-elegant Via de ‘Tornabuoni and an aperitif (pre-dinner drink) or two in the locals' favorite Piazza della Signoria.
Enter one of Chianti's idyllic country houses and spend some time exploring the land.
Where trellises of vines wind along hillsides with Romanesque churches sheltered in their folds.
Wineries are everywhere. At the extraordinary Antinori, for example, the high quality of the wine is matched by high-tech architectural innovation.
A day trip to magnificent Gothic Siena sees you marveling at Italy's ability to transform buildings into art.
Charming Venice
To enjoy a unique and totally exquisite Venice, wait a few days.
Glide along the Grand Canal by gondola or vaporetto (water bus) and visit the grand Palazzo Ducale.
Stroll through the Basilica of San Marco, full of treasures, and run out of room for the cameras, taking in the extraordinary variety of Venetian architecture.
There will also be time to join the locals shopping at the Rialto market.
Eat cicheti (Venetian tapas) and get lost among the 400 bridges and 150 canals.
Seductive Naples; extraordinary Pompeii
Sandy and not always beautiful, Naples certainly demands to be seen.
Come here for an anarchic enthusiasm for life, a historic site recognized by UNESCO.
Greco-Roman artifacts at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and the Certosa Barroco Napolitana and Museo di San Martino.
Afterwards, take a day trip to Pompeii for urban landscapes
Which are already in ruins and to Mount Vesuvius to contemplate a living volcano and cross a wide blue bay.
Style and beauty in Milan and on the lakes. For big city style and legendary landscapes, head to northwest Italy.
A day in Milan also opens up a great Gothic Duomo (cathedral), Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper and world-class opera at La Scala.
A short train ride away, the belle époque Lake Maggiore is home to the seductive Borromean Islands
Patches of rock crowned by ornate palaces and totally extravagant gardens.
Or spend a few days on glamorous Lake Como, enjoying cocktail bars on the lake, sumptuous villas
Vintage speedboat rides and the scenery of snowy mountains and blue hills all in Italy.
Ports and hills of the Cinque Terre
In the Cinque Terre National Park, terraced vineyards cling to hills crossed by improbably steep trails
And the villages flow into small ports full of restaurants and bars.
Ferries and a rural train also run through the five villages.
Allow two to four days to walk the trails, swim in the sea, soak up the atmosphere and recharge.
