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Italy Holidays

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A guide to holidays in Italy

Known as the 'beautiful country', Italy is a destination that captures the imagination. A guide to holidays in Italy has to start with its sheer variety. You'll find everything from world-changing history and art in its cities to sweeping coastlines and chic lakeside towns. You can explore the ancient streets of Rome, float through the canals of Venice, or discover the Renaissance treasures of Florence. For sun-seekers, the islands of Sicily and Sardinia offer impressive beaches, while the dramatic Amalfi Coast and rolling hills of Tuscany provide some of Europe's most memorable landscapes. Add in world-famous food and drink, and you've got all the ingredients for a remarkable trip.

Where to go in Italy

From north to south, Italy offers a collection of regions and cities, each with its own distinct character. Whether you're looking for a fast-paced city break, a relaxing beach holiday, or a scenic escape, there's a corner of Italy that's perfect for you.

Iconic Italian cities

Italy's cities are living museums. In Rome, you can walk through thousands of years of history, from the mighty Colosseum and Roman Forum to the grandeur of Vatican City. Florence is the heart of the Renaissance, home to masterpieces by artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. For a truly unique setting, Venice's maze of canals and opulent palaces is unforgettable. Further north, Milan is Italy's capital of fashion and design, while the romantic city of Verona, with its famous Roman amphitheatre, provides a wonderful alternative for a quieter city break.

Italian beaches, islands, and coastlines

With over 7,500 kilometres of coastline, Italy is a premier destination for beach holidays. The Mediterranean's largest island, Sicily, combines rich history and volcanic landscapes with beautiful beaches. Sardinia is famous for its brilliant white-sand beaches and clear turquoise waters, which feel almost tropical. On the mainland's Adriatic coast, the region of Puglia offers long sandy stretches often backed by shady pine forests, perfect for cooling off during the midday sun.

The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento

The Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for its dramatic cliffs and colourful villages that cling to the mountainside. Towns like Positano and Amalfi are famously picturesque. The popular town of Sorrento, perched on cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples, serves as the perfect gateway to the region. It's also a great base for visiting the historic site of Pompeii and the looming Mount Vesuvius.

The Italian Lakes

For a different kind of waterside holiday, the Italian Lakes offer fresh Alpine scenery and elegant towns. Lake Garda is the largest and most popular, known for its wide range of activities and charming towns like Sirmione and Limone. Lake Como is synonymous with sophistication and celebrity, with grand villas lining its shores. For a slightly quieter but equally chic retreat, Lake Maggiore sits on the border with Switzerland and offers impressive gardens and islands to explore.

The Tuscan countryside

The landscape of Tuscany is classic Italy. It's a region of rolling green hills, cypress trees, fields of sunflowers, and sprawling vineyards. A trip here is all about slowing down and enjoying the scenery, perhaps with a tour of a local winery. You can explore medieval hilltop towns, discover smaller cities like Pisa and its famous leaning tower, and immerse yourself in the heart of rural Italian life.

Italian food and drink

Food is central to Italian culture, and a holiday here is a feast for the senses. Each region has its own specialities, made with fresh, local ingredients.

Pizza and pasta

Two of the world's most beloved dishes, pizza and pasta, are at the heart of Italian cooking. You'll find that pasta dishes change completely from one region to another, from rich ragù in Bologna to simple seafood linguine on the coast. For the most authentic pizza, head to its birthplace, Naples, for a classic Margherita cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven.

Gelato and coffee

No day in Italy is complete without gelato. More intense in flavour and denser than ice cream, it makes a great treat for any time of day. Coffee culture is, unsurprisingly, king around here. Italians typically enjoy a quick espresso standing at the bar or a frothy cappuccino in the morning – just be aware that ordering one after 11am might get you a few funny looks.

Limoncello and local wines

The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento are famous for their large, fragrant lemons, which are used to make the sweet liqueur Limoncello – best served ice-cold as a digestive after a meal. Italy is also one of the world's most important wine-producing countries, and you'll find fantastic local wines to try wherever you go, from Chianti in Tuscany to Vermentino in Sardinia.

When to visit Italy

Italy is a year-round destination, but the best time to visit depends on what you're looking for. The spring and autumn months – from April to June and September to October – offer pleasant, warm temperatures perfect for sightseeing without the intense summer heat. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, ideal for beach holidays but expect large crowds in popular spots. The winter is quieter and can be a great time for a budget-friendly city break, with fewer queues at major attractions.

From ancient history to modern style, Italy offers a picture-perfect backdrop for all kinds of holiday. Expect the finest art, food, and cultural attractions if you choose to travel here.

Need to know

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Capital
Rome
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Language
Italian
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Currency
Euro
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Time zone
GMT +1
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Flight time
1hr 55mins

* Average time from London Gatwick to Rome

Explore regions in Italy

Rome

Venice

Milan

Sicily

Holidays to Sicily

Sorrento Area

Amalfi Coast

Capri

Naples

Pisa

Tuscany

Sardinia

Lake Garda

Lake Como

Lake Maggiore

Puglia

Verona

Turin

Cilento

Genoa

Ischia

Rimini

Explore our map of Italy

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    Your questions answered

    Flights to Italy from the UK take around two hours on average. 
    Italy is well connected by public transport options and offers lots of ways to get around. You can travel by train, bus, Metro, or boat in many of the countries' regions.
    Italy has some stunning beaches. Positano has one of Italy’s most popular beaches, Marina Grand, which is a lively beach with many bars and restaurants. La Gaiola beach in Naples, meanwhile, offers crystal clear waters and a rocky backdrop. If you’re in Italy on a family holiday, meanwhile, then La Pelosa beach in Sardinia has calm and shallow waters that are perfect for kids. 
    April to September is considered to be the main tourist season in Italy. This time of year is usually very warm and it's when the country is at its liveliest with some attractions open longer hours. If you want to travel at a quieter time of year, March and October are good choices as there’s still a comfortable heat in many parts of Italy. It can be quite a bit cooler in the winter months between December and February. However, this can also be a really affordable time to go if you’re looking to enjoy a budget-friendly break.
    In Italy, the currency used is the Euro.
    As Italy is in the Mediterranean, you can expect warm temperatures almost all year round. During the summer, temperatures soar up to around 30°C. For slightly cooler temperatures, plan your trip for the autumn or spring, where temperatures hover around 20°C on average.
    Italian is the local language spoken in Italy. Many of the locals in tourist destinations are familiar with English, though, so it’s possible to get by without knowing much Italian. Locals will always appreciate you giving it a go, though! 
    With seven days to play with, you could enjoy a multi-city break in Italy, taking in two of the country's best destinations. Rome and Florence are a good pairing as there’s a super-fast train between the two that takes just one and a half hours. It also takes around the same length of time to travel between Venice and Bologna by train. An alternative is to spend a week travelling the Amalfi Coast, visiting places like Positano and Praiano along the way. You could even take a detour to see Pompei and Mt Vesuvius.
    On the Italian mainland, it’s a toss-up between Campania and Puglia. Campania’s tiny villages offer little stretches of sand overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea that each have their own unique atmosphere. And Puglia’s sands are backed by dark green pine forests that are great for a touch of shade during the midday heat. If you’re including the Italian islands, then Sardinia is a top contender for the Best Beaches title. The Caribbean-style beaches here offer the classic white-sand, clear-water experience.
    Italy has lots of great coastline. But the Amalfi Coast in Campania is probably the most famous. In fact, this entire section of Italy’s coast is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was given the honour for being ‘an area of great physical beauty and natural diversity’. You can spend quite a bit of time on the Amalfi Coast without ever growing bored. There are 13 towns dotted along the coast. And they’re all connected by a single road that hugs the coastline as it winds through the region’s lemon groves.
    Easter, Christmas, and New Year are all celebrated in Italy. And, alongside the big three, there’s also Epiphany on 6th January, and Liberation Day on 25th April. But one of the biggest holidays here is Republic Day on 2nd June. This is a great time to be in Italy because the event is often marked with parades, fireworks, and outdoor summer concerts. It’s really fun. Throughout the year, different regions of Italy celebrate their own Saint’s Day, so this is something you might want to check before you travel.
    Italy has quite a few famous attractions that most people will instantly recognise. In Pisa, there’s the iconic leaning tower. It was built on ground that was too soft to support it and has sunk over time. Today, there’s a couple of feet difference between the highest and lowest points. In Rome, the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain are major symbols of the city. And in Venice, the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Campanile are really well known. It’s not surprising Italy is a country that keeps you coming back.