Italy

It’s hard to outclass Italy when it comes to sophistication and style. This is a country with untold treasures and a level of panache you simply don’t find elsewhere, be it art, fashion or cuisine. Italy has more than its fair share of the most iconic cities in the world including Rome, Florence, Naples, Milan and of course the floating city of Venice, all home to fine antiquities and palatial hotels, many just made for romance. And then there’s the Italian Lakes, the rolling countryside of Tuscany, Umbria and Le Marche, and the stunning Amalfi Coast with beautiful towns such as Sorrento keeping Italian traditions alive. Nearby are Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, not to mention the elegant island of Capri. Down in the southeast, Pulia is a rising star with many new high-class masseria hotels and swanky beach clubs. And if you want island life, head to Sardinia, still a millionaire’s playground or Sicily with its Doric temples and sublime hotels.

Top Accommodation

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  Il Salviatino

  Italy

  A ‘home from home’ in a stunning location.

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  Hotel Cipriani

  Italy

  Located on an island five minutes away from central Venice.

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  1 rating

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Top Restaurants

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  Hotel Danieli

  Italy

  A fully-restored palace,

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  Hotel Cipriani

  Italy

  Located on an island five minutes away from central Venice.

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  1 rating

  0 reviews

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  Hotel Cala Di Volpe

  Italy

  Ultra glamorous, yet discreetly elegant.

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  0 ratings

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  Il Salviatino

  Italy

  A ‘home from home’ in a stunning location.

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  1 rating

  0 reviews

Italy has a Mediterranean climate in the south and a more temperate one in the north. Whilst summers are hot and sunny throughout, temperatures are higher in the south than the north and in winter, the south experiences very mild, dry winters, whereas in the north temperatures drop lower with more rain.

Transport

Getting there and away

Competition between airlines means you should be able to pick up a reasonably priced fare to Italy, even from as far away as Australia. There are plenty of rail and bus connections, especially with northern Italy. Car and passenger ferries operate to ports in Albania, Corsica, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Spain, Tunisia & Turkey.

Getting around

You can reach almost any destination in Italy by train, bus or ferry, and services are efficient and cheap; for longer distances there are plenty of domestic air services.

Your own wheels give you the most freedom, but benzina (petrol) and autostrada (motorway) tolls are expensive and Italian drivers have a style all their own: the stress of driving and parking in a big Italian city could outweigh the delights of puttering about elsewhere in the country. One solution might be to take public transport between large cities and rent a car only for country drives.

Health & Legal Requirements

Dangers and annoyances

It sometimes requires patience to deal with the Italian concept of service, which does not always seem to follow the maxim that the customer is always right. While often courteous and friendly, some people in uniform or behind a counter (including police officers, waiters and shop assistants) may regard you with supreme indifference.

Long queues are the norm in banks, post offices and government offices.

Pickpockets and bag-snatchers, some working on motorini (motor scooters), operate in most major cities and are particularly active in Naples and Rome. The best way to avoid being robbed is to wear a money belt under your clothing. Keep all important items, such as money, passport, other documents and tickets, in your money belt at all times and wear bags or cameras slung across the body. You should also watch out for groups of dishevelled-looking women and children asking for money. Their favourite haunts are major train stations, tourist sights and in shopping areas. If you have been targeted by a group take evasive action (such as crossing the street) or shout 'Va via!' (Go away!) in a loud voice. You should also be cautious of sudden friendships, particularly if your new-found amico or amica wants to sell you or give you something. Parked cars are also prime targets for thieves, particularly those with foreign number plates or rental-company stickers. Try not to leave anything in the car if you can help it and certainly not overnight. Car theft is a problem in Rome, Campania and Puglia. It is a good idea to leave your car in supervised car parks. Service stations along the motorways are often a haunt of thieves. If possible park where you can keep an eye on your car.

A few Italians practise a more insidious form of theft: short-changing. If you are new to euros, take the time to acquaint yourself with the denominations. When paying keep an eye on the bills you hand over and then count your change. In case of theft or loss, always report the incident at the police station within 24 hours and ask for a statement, otherwise your travel insurance company won't pay out.