Holidays to Italy

The glories of Tuscany, Florence, Venice and more!

Pop a gelato in your cone, climb aboard the Vespa and get ready to sing La Dolce Vita because Italy is where it's at this summer. Rolling fields, vibrant colours, chaotic people and the red tiles of Florence. Soaring churches, endless lunches, sun-kissed wines and real pizza. Italy is an exquisitely beautiful country, full of history, sights and sounds. All of Italy is a feast for the senses. Let Holiday Supermarket make it happen for you, and you'll never be the same again!

Italy holidays are not for the faint-hearted! You'll be assailed by noise, colour and chaos, but you'll see life lived up close. Holidays in Italy are rich and diverse and there are too many choices... so let us help you with an overview of what you might do.

Destinations within Italy

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Hints and tips for your Italy holiday

All roads lead to Rome, and holidays to Italy should start here - if only because you must see the Sistine Chapel before you die. It's one of the true Seven Wonders of the World and to see Michelangelo's work up close is a joy reserved for just a few. The rest of Rome is wonderful as well. Pop in to the Coliseum for a look at real entertainment! The sight of this soaring monument as you step out of the metro station will live with you forever. As you leave, late in the late afternoon, head up the Oppio Hill, just above the Colosseo metro station and take photos of the sun setting against the Coliseum - glorious!

The Vatican City area of Rome is its own city-state. Here's where you'll find St Peter's Square, St Peter's Basilica and the world famous Vatican Museums which house many of the world's great collections of art. Some 4 million people visit the Sistine Chapel every year. But you also don't want to miss the Castel Sant' Angelo. It was a home, then a fortress and now houses papal art. The Pantheon was a 2000-year-old temple, and is now a church. There's so much to see in this tiny area that you should allocate a couple of days at least.

Florence is an absolute highlight of any Italy holidays. It's close to Pisa so you can combine the two cities in a couple of days travel. Florence is famous for leatherwork so make time to visit one of the many markets and pick something to take home. Highlights are the Uffizi where beautiful paintings abound. Take in the view from the Duomo and get close to Michelangelo's David.

On the opposite coast lies the most famous city in the world - Venice. What can you say? The architecture is utterly magnificent. The historic churches are outstanding and the museums on, seemingly, every street corner are inspiring. Venice is the most romantic city for holidays Italy to inspire love! It will cost you plenty, but a ride on a gondola is a must. Visit the glass works on the outer islands and cruise the famous waterways.

Italy holidays wouldn't be holidays without some sun and a lovely beach! The Amalfi Coast is home to one of the spectacular coastal drives in the world. Hire a Ferrari and do it in style! This is where you'll the romantic towns of Positano and Amalfi. Picture-postcard places with the classic red roofs and the ubiquitous Cathedrals dominating the skyline. The pleasures here are simple; strolling the streets, stopping for coffee, enjoying a long lunch on a balcony perched high above the sea. People-watching in busy town squares.

Holidays in Italy are all about the shopping too! And if you've time to fit Milan into your schedule you'll be well rewarded with a look at the latest work off the catwalks. You'll find every major label in Milan, but that doesn't mean the rest of us miss out. The influence of fashion is everywhere and you'll find brilliant backstreet boutiques selling the most divine pieces for a fraction of the cost of the high fashion labels. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is surely one of the finest shopping malls in the entire world.

Pompeii is not on everybody's holidays to Italy list, but it should be. 2000 years ago this picturesque town was devastated by the explosion of the nearby Mt Vesuvius. You can see an ancient city stopped in its tracks and it's a most eerie feeling. It's just south of Naples so you can fit it in on an Amalfi Coast getaway. You'll see body casts of people who died where they fell, the ruins of temples, a forum, a brothel and a shopping district.

When you mention holidays Italy, most people think of Tuscany. And truly, the rolling landscapes so beloved of many a movie exists around every turn of the road. The fields of green, sheep herding farmers on quite country roads and the little villages are completely endearing. Tuscany's cities are also some of the most beautiful in Italy. Florence is gorgeous. Pisa holds one of the most visited - and photographed - monuments in the world. (Just don't do that pushing it back with your hands trick - very tired!) And Siena is surely one of the most exquisite of all Italian towns.

Siena is a mediaeval city; its walled centre a rabbit warren of chaotic alleyways populated by coffee shops, restaurant and boutiques. The annual horse race through the streets is a tourist event like no other. The Palazzo Pubblico which dominates the city's main square is a magnificent example of gothic architecture.

Italy is a sublime country - so much to see and do, so much shopping and so much in the way of good food! It's hard to know where to start, but for sure, wherever you go, whatever you see, Italy will bless you with a wealth of memories and experiences!