Italy brings together ancient ruins, Renaissance art, grand piazzas, and dramatic coastlines, offering a blend of history, culture, and everyday charm wherever you go.
Discover Italy
Discover Italy
Why visit Italy?
What to expect
From Rome's monuments and Vatican museums to Milan's fashion streets and northern lakes, you will find lively cities, hilltop villages, and varied landscapes in every direction.
Plan your trip
Use Rome and Milan as gateways to explore the rest of Italy, with easy rail and road links to Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, the Alps, and beyond into the wider European region.
Top experiences in Italy
Walk through ancient Rome
Explore the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and surrounding neighbourhoods to step into the heart of Italy's imperial past.
Admire art and architecture in Vatican City
Visit St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums to see masterpieces, grand squares, and sweeping views over Rome.
Shop and stroll in Milan's fashion district
Wander around the Quadrilatero della Moda and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II for elegant boutiques and historic arcades.
Savour la dolce vita in Italian piazzas
Take a seat at a city square in Rome or Milan, enjoy a drink, and watch the daily rhythm unfold around fountains and historic facades.
Day trips to Italy's lakes and wine country
Use Milan or Rome as a base for excursions to Lake Como, the Lombardy lakes, or the rolling vineyards of central Italy.
Experience Italy's way of life
Getting around
High-speed trains connect Rome, Milan, and other major cities efficiently, while regional rail, buses, and car hire open up smaller towns, lakes, and countryside areas across Italy.
Local life & culture
Italian days revolve around lively streets, relaxed coffees, and evening strolls, with each region proud of its dialect, traditions, and distinctive style of architecture and design.
Where to unwind
Relax in Rome's leafy parks, Milan's canalside promenades, or escape to nearby lakes, thermal spa towns, and coastal areas for slower days in the open air.
A taste of Italy
National dishes & specialties
Across Italy you will find classics such as pasta, risotto, pizza, and gelato, with Rome and Milan each offering distinct regional styles and specialities tied to their local traditions.
Casual & modern dining hubs
In Rome and Milan you can enjoy casual trattorias, contemporary bistros, and stylish cafés, serving everything from traditional comfort food to modern interpretations of Italian favourites.
Signature & scenic dining
Seek out rooftop terraces in Rome or Milan's skyline-view restaurants for memorable meals paired with city panoramas, or venture to nearby countryside estates for refined, seasonal menus.
Retail therapy in Italy
Malls & lifestyle hubs
Milan offers flagship boutiques and chic department stores around the city centre, while Rome blends modern malls with shopping streets lined with international brands and Italian designers.
Markets & local crafts
Browse neighbourhood markets in Rome for leather goods and artisan items, and explore Milan's design-focused districts for contemporary crafts, accessories, and homeware with a distinctive Italian touch.
Evening retail scene
In Rome and Milan, shops and galleries often stay open into the evening, with illuminated streets, late-opening boutiques, and lively cafés creating a relaxed, social shopping atmosphere after dark.
Best time to visit Italy
Spring (April to June) is a shoulder season, with mild temperatures around 15–24°C (59–75°F), blooming landscapes, and comfortable sightseeing in cities. Summer (July to August) is the peak season, bringing warm to hot weather of about 24–32°C (75–90°F), busy coastal resorts, and longer opening hours. Autumn and winter (September to March) are generally shoulder season in early autumn and low season from late autumn through winter, with temperatures from 5–20°C (41–68°F), quieter attractions, and cooler, sometimes rainy days.