Italy
Talk to anyone who has been to Italy and you're likely to hear something like "I LOVE Italy" or "Oh, I would move there in a second!" There's a reason this relatively small country is so beloved. From the awe-inspiring ruins of Rome in the south, to the glamorous lake country in the shadow of the Alps, Italy is as beautiful as everyone says it is. With some of the worlds most iconic Cities - Florence, Venice, Mila and Rome - and a countryside filled with agrotourismo, the world's best wines, and dreamy villas, Italy will have you going back time and again.
In the North
The North of Italy is a paradise - the staggering Dolomites and Southern region of the Alps ease into the glittering Lake District where movie stars keep summer villas. Milan is not just Fashion Capital of the world, but also home to precious works like The Last Supper and site of the incredible Duomo. Shakespeare fans can make pilgrimage to Padua and Verona, and carnivores can have Genoa salami , Parma ham and Bologna right from their namesakes, and wash it down with San Pellegrino. Then of course there's Venice - a port town that has attracted visitors for centuries with its maze of canals, bridges and romantic masquerades. With a well connected train and road system seeing any or all of these Northern sites together or as part of a greater country exploration is easy - even as a pre or post cruise add on or as a gateway to the Istrian Peninsula and neighbors Slovenia and Croatia.
In the South
The ancient City of Rome wows at every turn. Where there aren't stone buildings and ruins thousands of years old, there are Neoclassical wonders rich in art, sites of religious importance - Including The Vatican - and a rich food culture and buzzing capital metropolis. Keep venturing south from there to see ancient Pompei, have pizza where it was invented or get off the mainland to the sun-soaked islands of Capri, Sardina or Sicily. Bari also serves as the best place to pop out into the Adriatic waters either as a day trip on the sapphire sea or a longer crossing over to Croatia, Montenegro, Albania or even Greece. Rome also connects to the rest of Italy via High Speed Bullet trains meaning you can brunch in Rome and have dinner in Venice!
Central Country and Coasts
In the center of Italy's "boot" miles of the worlds most elite vineyards and farmlands are the perfect break from the bustle of the cities. Stay in a villa and try your hand at truffle hunting, making fresh pasta and wine tasting. Rent a vintage fiat to tour the countryside in 1960s glamour! At the water's edge, Cinque Terra and Portofino glitter with colorful sea-side glamour. All of it is anchored by Florence, the iconic Renaissance city which itself is a work of art, which houses the worlds most elite art collections and artisan leather workshops.
