Italy Travel Experiences | Beyond the Guidebook

Italy is full of amazing experiences but if you can't decide on the best things to see and do in the country - why not take five minutes and get the inside scoop from three members of the Travelsphere team.

Hidden Surprises

Any grand tour of Italy will yield unforgettable highlights – St Mark’s Square in Venice, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the myriad treasures of Rome, for example. But you can bolster these impressive sights with the beauty of the Amalfi coast and a visit to glamorous Capri, or view the spectacular sight of shimmering marble being quarried in Carrara, while in Lucca, you’ll find the famous Volto Santo sculpture of Christ.

Classic Italy is encapsulated in the Cinque Terre area – five villages which perch on cliffs high above the Mediterranean. Explore the ‘Gulf of Poets’ – once popular with Byron and Shelley – with a visit to the village of Portovenere, or stroll through designer boutiques in chic Portofino. Then there’s Genoa, with its twisting, narrow streets and a fascinating maritime history.

Uncover Sicily’s Secrets

Unforgettable Sicily is packed with ancient marvels and gastronomic delights. Be sure to visit the Greek

theatre at Syracuse archaeological park, and call in at Modica to try its famous chocolate. Fans of Inspector Montalbano will want to visit Puntasecca, the fictional ‘Marinella’ in the TV series. A visit to the Museum of Mozia is a must, where you can marvel at the marble statue known as the Young Man of Mozia. A tour of the little-visited towns of Segesta and Erice will yield an ancient amphitheatre and a magnificent castle respectively, while back in Modica, Gagliardi’s masterpiece Church of San Giorgio awaits.

Extraordinary Floating City

Cruise the Venetian lagoon and you’ll uncover cultural highlights such as the island of Murano, famous for its glassmaking, and Burano island, where intricate lace is produced. Visit the charming coastal city of Chioggia, then journey inland to Padua, famous for the pilgrimage site, the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua.

Tuscany’s Gems

Tuscany is a must for any Italophile – and what better place to begin than in Vinci, birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci? Learn about his fascinating life at the town’s museum. Try Brunello di Montalcino wine in Montalcino and marvel at the perfectly-preserved medieval town centre in Siena. Greve is the gateway to the famous Chianti wine region, while the beautiful hilltop town of San Gimignano is renowned for its many towers. See Volterra’s craftsmen at work making gold jewellery at the Etruscan Museum, before turning your attention to Florence, with its magnificent Duomo cathedral.

Feeling inspired? Why not take a learn more about our guided holidays to Italy