Known the world over as the birthplace of western culture and boasting more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than anywhere else on Earth, Italy is the perfect country to visit. Whatever you want from a holiday you will find it here: beautiful art, classical history, delectable cuisine, spectacular scenery, beach life or diverse culture, it's all in Italy!
Getting there
Flights to Italy depart from most UK airports, and take between two and five hours depending on your destination. There are many airports within Italy itself, the main ones being Milan, Verona, Naples, Bologna, Florence, Pisa, Venice, and of course, Rome. All of these airports have taxis and public transport for ease of access to the nearest cities and towns.
Historic wonders
Italy has a truly astounding past, best experienced in one of its larger and most intriguing cities. Rome is of course the premier destination for Italian culture and history, with the famous Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon among the top sights visited. The birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence, is a close second to Rome and is a fascinating Italian city, with the beautiful Duomo cathedral, the Uffizi Gallery and the famous Ponte Vecchio. Naples, one of the oldest cities in the western world, boasts a superb historical city centre and is the stop-off point for trips to the famed ruins of Pompeii. It is also co-incidentally the birthplace of pizza!
Romantic Italy
Italians are known for being romantics and Venice is perhaps, next to Paris, the ultimate romantic city. Explore St. Mark’s Square, Palazzo Ducale and Rialto Bridge, or take a gondola around the vast network of canals upon which the city is built, passing beneath the famous Bridge of Sighs. Or visit fair Verona, the famed home of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet.
Cultural centre of the world
You cannot visit anywhere in Italy without seeing renowned Italian culture in one form or another; beautiful churches and cathedrals are on every corner, not least of all in Rome. Monuments and statues are everywhere you look, while Italy’s museum heritage is the largest in the world, with around 1,500 museums and galleries throughout the country. This is due mainly to the fact that Italy possesses almost half of the world’s entire artistic heritage – an impressive fact indeed.
Designing the world
Whether you think of clothing or cars, industry or furniture, Italy's designers have been leading the world fashions for decades. Italian style stands out a mile due to its fine blend of imagination and planning, which, at least in part, is thanks to the country's excellent training institutes.
Food and drink
Italy is famous for its pizza and pasta, but of course these aren’t the only Italian foods. Italy's cuisine is regionally diverse yet simple, while always retaining elegance. Fish, cheese, wine and coffee all play large parts in Italian cuisine. Try something different from the regular pizza or pasta, such as gnocchi or calzone and wash it down with a good Italian vintage and round it off with a glass of grappa.
Italy travel tips
How long is a flight from England to Italy?
It takes around 2 hours to fly from England to Italy
What is the weather like in Italy?
Italy has a mediterranean climate for the most part with hot and dry summers as well as cool and dry winters.
When is the cheapest time to fly to Italy?
Winter months seem to be the cheapest months to book Italy, however prices are expected to go up on selected destinations during the holiday season.
