Yes, it has scenery to make you weak at the knees, a fierce obsession with food, and an unrivalled richness of cultural heritage – but Italy’s true seductive powers are in the detail of day-to-day life.
We can show you photos of the Tuscan countryside, dotted with crumbling hilltop towns, but it’s the smell of the evening air, perfumed with jasmine, or the chiming of church bells across sun-baked piazzas in the morning that make it unforgettable. Or take the capital, Rome, where ancient sites that in other countries may be ring-fenced from the public, act as stages for the drama of everyday life – first kisses on the Spanish Steps, first steps taken in the Vatican Gardens.
Our small-group trips, led by expert Local Insiders, are all about opening up your dream destinations so you can experience them on a more intimate level. In Italy, that could mean stopping at a Puglian olive farm, where you’ll sample peppery, freshly pressed olive oil, before lunching at a local masseria (traditional Puglian farmhouse). Or, heading north, it could be a scenic trek through Cinque Terre National Park, where pastel-painted fishing villages tumble down cliff sides to the Ligurian Sea.
If that sounds like too much work, a catamaran cruise along the coast of Sardinia might be more your speed. The second-largest Italian island is an all-you-can-enjoy buffet of beautiful beaches, glittery port towns and dramatic rock formations. Or perhaps sipping aperitifs from the comfort of a piloted boat on Lake Como tickles your fancy? Whatever your definition of la dolce vita, we’ve got an unforgettable Italian itinerary to suit your tastes.
