Travel guides » Italy
Holidays to Italy
See more photos from Italy:
Holidays to Italy
Situated in Southern Europe, the beautiful country of Italy includes the Italian peninsula and the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. It is bordered by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas to the east, by the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean Seas to the west, and by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia to the north.
Italy's coastal position and geographical diversity make it an excellent destination for a holiday, whether you,re looking for a quiet family holiday in Tuscany, a glamorous island escape on Capri, a peaceful Italy lake getaway, or an exciting city break in Rome, Florence, or Venice, Italian holidays offer it all.
A holiday in Italy offers balmy warm weather, friendly, laid-back people, excellent cuisine, and a fascinating culture. Cheap flights to Italy are easy to find, and several budget airlines now fly to Italy so there are airline tickets to a wide range of destinations at excellent prices. If you're looking for a holiday Italy package, you'll find plenty of choice. Independent travel is easy too as Italy has good public transport and there are plenty of places to hire a car.
Italy Holiday Destinations
The capital of Italy is Rome, which offers the visitor both world famous cultural heritage sites and a vibrant and cosmopolitan nightlife. Popular attractions in Rome include the Villa Borghese, with its beautiful gardens and extensive collection of art and sculpture, Capitoline Hill, the highest of the legendary seven hills upon which Rome was built, and St. Peter's basilica, the largest church in the world, located on Vatican Hill. Other sites of historical interest include the Roman Forum, the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel and Piazza del Campidoglio, both of which were designed by Michelangelo.
Florence Italy, is the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy. Florence is famed as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and home to such important architectural and historical sights as the Duomo and the Campanile. Venice Italy, with its romantic canals and gondolas, makes an equally good Italian destination for a city break. Naples Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ideal base for exploring the Amalfi Coast, the ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the islands of Procida, Capri and Ischia. Tuscany Italy, with its peaceful olive groves, is a good choice for an Italian family holiday. Perhaps the most famous of Italy's lakes are Lake Garda and Lake Como. Those who prefer sailing or lake cruises might like to visit the islands of Capri, Sicily, or Sardinia.
Italian Food
A visit to Italy is a great opportunity to sample the delights of Italian cuisine. Whilst you'll find pizza, pasta, and gelato (ice cream) in abundance throughout Italy, each region has its own specialities. Naples is reputed to have been the birthplace of pizza. Other famous Neapolitan specialities include mozzarella cheese, spaghetti, and babà (rum baba). The food in Florence is often based on meat dishes, including bistecca alla fiorentina (a Chianina beef steak served rare), prosciutto and salami. Venetian cuisine includes many seafood dishes, such as bollito misto (steamed or boiled fish) and fritto misto (deep fried fish in batter).
Weather in Italy
The weather in Italy varies dramatically across the different geographical regions. The inland areas in the north of Italy, such as Turin, Milan, and Bologna, have a continental climate, with colder, wetter winters and warmer summers. Rome and the southern coastal areas enjoy a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm, dry summers.
The best times of year for holidays in Rome are from April to June, and from mid-September to October. If you visit in July and August, Rome can be very hot at around 32 °C but you'll find plenty of cheap airline tickets. Florence has hot and humid summers but cold, damp winters. Spring is a popular time for holidays in Florence, but again, if you travel in July or August or in November and December, you'll find plenty of cheap tickets. Buy a bargain package holiday to Italy, or just your flights or a hotel, from Fleetway Travel online or over the phone on 0871 472 8880.