Italy Travel Information

Italy Travel Info

Whatever your muse-good wine, delectable cuisine, enchanting landscapes or inspirational art and architecture-you can find it in Italy. Visit Roman ruins, explore the canals of Venice, experience a renaissance of your own in Florence or travel to Sorrento and the Gulf of Naples, with its rugged cliffs and ancient ruins. Wherever you wander, you can be sure that a journey to this culturally rich Mediterranean country won't soon be forgotten.

History of Italy

Italian history dates back thousands of years, culminating in the formation of the Roman republic in 509 B.C. This budding democracy soon enveloped the known world and laid the foundation for our modern systems of law, city planning, engineering and centralized government. Following the fall of Rome and the dismal Dark Ages, the loose affiliation of city-states that would eventually become Italy became an important trade conduit for the rest of Europe.

The stars aligned in the fifteenth century, marking the return of the papacy to Rome and the flourishing of the Italian Renaissance. Centered in Florence, this period of renewed appreciation for art, literature, music, ingenuity and philosophy sparked a cultural revolution that inspired the world.

Italy Weather

Italy has hot summers and cold winters. The south experiences mild, wet winters and very hot summers. Rain generally falls in October, January and early spring. Pack lightweight clothing with a few warm layers in spring and early fall, plus rain gear. In winter, bring a jacket in the south and a warm overcoat in the north. Summers can be hot, so bring light summer clothes with a light jacket or sweater for evening.

Italy City Highlights

Florence, Italy
This Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis offers art treasures at every turn. Traffic is banned in part of the historic center so visitors can wander at leisure and admire the city's timeless beauty in relative peace and quiet. Your sightseeing includes famous architectural highlights, then you can choose how to spend your full day at leisure. Many travelers leave already planning their return trip to wonderful Florence.

Rome, Italy
Step back in time and explore Rome, a city rich with historical treasures, from magnificent churches and marble monuments to medieval piazzas with awe-inspiring fountains. Whether you hear about gladiators as you enter the Colosseum, admire Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, or share a quiet moment over a frothy cappuccino, you’ll feel an ambiance reminiscent of times past. Whatever you've dreamed of doing on your vacation to Rome, you can.

Sorrento, Italy
With its rugged cliffs, ancient ruins, and inspired views over the Gulf of Naples, Sorrento is for those seeking sensory perfection. It’s a place that has attracted visitors for centuries—the muse for Byron, Keats, Ibsen, and Nietzsche. A place to stroll among vines and bougainvillea in a 13th-century cloister, indulge in delectable Sorrentine cuisine, or soak in the sun on a fashionable lido. Sorrento is a vacation destination that’s simply…perfect.

Venice, Italy
More like a marvelous movie set than a real city, romantic Venice is situated on 115 islands in the Venetian Lagoon, criss-crossed by more than 150 canals and 400 bridges, and a maze of gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces and quiet piazzas. This city also boasts some of Italy's finest museums. Your Local Host shows you all the major sights, then you have a full day on your own.

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