Italy touring holidays - Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best tours to Italy?

Every region of Italy offers a unique experience, from the shimmering lakes in the north and the rolling Tuscan countryside, to the traditional towns in Puglia and its sun-kissed islands such as Sicily and Sardinia. If you love history then you should consider a tour to Pompeii, if the arts are more up your street then make sure you visit Florence. Of course you can enjoy a taste of it all on a holiday that takes you on a grand tour of Italy, from the top to the toe.

What are the highlights of Italy?

Everything in Italy is a highlight - it's one wow moment after another, but here are some of the incredible experiences you could enjoy on a tour to Italy:

• Exploring Venice - whether by foot, or treating yourself to a gondola ride
• Italy's Lakes - from the iconic Lake Como to the secret lakes of Iseo, Ledro, Caldero and more
• The historic cities and rolling countryside of Tuscany
• The lesser-visited Puglia, the "Heel of Italy" is spectacular to discover
• Sampling a glass or two of Limoncello in Sorrento

When is the best time to travel to Italy and what clothing should I pack?

Spring, early summer and autumn are the best times for touring Italy as it is generally warm everywhere. However, the temperatures in the evenings can be cooler and it is therefore advisable to take something warm to wear; remember it is always easier to remove warm clothes if you need to than to add those you don't have! Comfortable shoes are a must as there can be a lot of walking involved on some excursions.

Weather from October to March is wintry and you should expect conditions similar to the UK, especially in the north. 

As Italy is such a large country with such varying temperatures it is always best to check weather forecasts prior to travel. 

What is the food like in Italy?

Eating out in Italy is a joy. It is a country rich in culinary and gastronomic products and some of its dishes are amongst the best-known in the world. There is a huge choice available, from the smartest, sophisticated restaurants to the simplest of cafes and bars whether you want a sandwich, snack or a full meal. Just about all bars, cafes and restaurants in Italy are licensed so you can always have a beer or wine even with a simple sandwich.

Dinner is usually served in the late evening in Italy, especially in the hot months.

In many Italian households a 3-course meal at both lunchtime and dinner is still par for the course. Both meals begin with a primo piatto or first course which is a risotto (rice), soup (zuppa or minestrina) or a pasta dish. (Pasta is only a first course dish in Italy).

There is an infinite variety of such primi - pasta comes in many shapes and forms, depending often on the region in which you find yourself. The accompanying sauce, whether it be based on fish, meat, cheese or vegetables, should be just enough to coat the pasta. The origins of the pasta course date from poorer times when the pasta was used to help a small amount of meat or whatever ingredients were available go a long way and this tradition remains an important part of the character of pasta dishes.

Next is the main course or secondo piatto which is a meat or fish dish often simply grilled and accompanied by a side dish of 1 or 2 'contorni', vegetables cooked in a variety of ways or served plain for you to add olive oil, the usual accompaniment or dressing for plain vegetables which brings out their flavour.

The meal finishes with either a dessert, perhaps ice-cream for which Italy is so famous, or often fresh fruit of the season.

For special meals a further 4th course is added at the beginning, before the pasta, which is called an 'antipasto' which might be a selection of the local salami and meats, or perhaps in Tuscany the famous Crostini; toasted Tuscan bread with various toppings like tomatoes, pate etc, or Bruschetta; toasted bread rubbed with raw garlic and sprinkled with salt and drizzled with the local extra vergine olive oil.

Specialities:

• Pesto: sauce of basil, pine nuts and pecorino cheese
• Parmigiano (parmesan cheese)
• Wine is the national drink and is produced in all regions, particularly well-known are;
  • Abruzzo: Trebbiano D'Abruzzo, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
  • Apulia: Primitivo di Manduria, Salice Salentino
  • Calabria : Greco di Bianco, Cirò
  • Campania : Greco di Tufo & Lacryma Christi
  • Lazio and around Rome: Frascati, Est Est Est
  • Liguria: Rossese di Dolceaqua
  • Sardinia: Vermentino & Cannonau
  • Sicily: Marsala and Moscato
  • Tuscany: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile dI Montepulciano
  • Umbria: Orvieto
  • Veneto: excellent prosecco's or sparkling dry white wine like champagne from Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, as well as the familiar Soave, Valpolicella, Bardolino.
• After a meal why not try the Italian espresso coffee - small, strong and aromatic!

Breakfast is a meal of little consequence to the Italians who usually take their only cappuccino of the day at breakfast along with perhaps a pastry. Hotels, however, have mostly adapted to the northern European habit and provide bread, butter, jams, honey, fruit juices etc.

The famous Italian pizza is an invention of the Neapolitans and one of the culinary prides of the Campania region where it is served in a great variety of recipes. It was originally made of bread dough, spread with herbs and tomatoes, a simply cheap and tasty form of bread sold in slices. The most common version (The Pizza Margherita) with tomatoes, herbs and mozzarella cheese was invented at Brandi's ristorante in Naples to celebrate the royal visit of the Princess Margherita to the city in the time of the Bourbons.

What the time zone in Italy?

Throughout the year, the local time in Italy is 1 hour ahead of the UK.

What is the currency in Italy?

The currency in Italy is the Euro (€), which is widely available in the UK.