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Vacations in Italy: The Best Tips & Cheap Offers
Italy is not only worth a trip in May to see the Lemon trees blossom. Italy also has a lot to offer at any other time of the year. Whether for carnival in Venice, spring break in the Cinque Terre, in summer on the beaches of Calabria, or in autumn for the grape harvest in Tuscany: Italy is incredibly rich in worthwhile destinations.
Vacations in Italy are always a good idea! Therefore, we have put together suitable offers for your next trip to the country on the Mediterranean Sea. So off to the boot, off to Bella Italia!
On Your Own: Our Little Travel Guide for Your Italy Vacation
Those who travel to Italy are spoiled for choice, because hardly any other country has so much to offer. Italy has many exciting city trips in store for you, because everyone should have made a trip to Rome, experienced a Venice city trip or tasted pasta in Naples at least once in their life.
With Lake Garda and Lake Como, you will also find two of the most beautiful lakes in Europe with local recreation areas in Italy.
Discover the vineyards framed by cypresses and the medieval towns of Tuscany on a road trip, marvel at the colorful houses on the Amalfi Coast, climb Mount Etna in Sicily and above all: fill your stomach - the best food in the world is in Italy!
Italy has over 60 million inhabitants. However, the south and the mountain range of the Apennines are much less densely populated than the Po Valley or the metropolitan areas of large cities such as Milan, Rome, and Naples.
The Italian national territory extends over almost 125,000 sq miles and includes many different areas and vegetation zones. Italy is bounded by the mountain ranges of the Alps to the north, the Adriatic Sea to the west, the Ionian Sea to the south and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. Italy includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, Ischia and Capri in the Gulf of Naples, and the Aeolian Islands and the island of Elba off the Tuscan coast.
Arrival to Italy
Which travel options you use depends entirely on where you are drawn to. Getting to Venice or Trieste in the north of Italy is easy to do by flying into Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) or opting to fly into another nearby European International Airport and grabbing a connecting flight, train, or bus.
The larger centers such as Milan, Venice, Naples, Rome and Palermo are served by both scheduled and low-cost airlines. Especially during the season, leisure airlines like Tui Fly serve regional airports like Lamezia Terme in Calabria.
Sardinia has two airports of its own, Olbia and Cagliari, but can also be reached by ferry from mainland Italy or from Sicily.
Entry into Italy
As a US citizen, you have the right to visit Italy and the rest of the Schengen area (within which passport controls are seldomly carried out within and the customs regulations of the European single market apply). for a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period visa free.
The Best Time to Travel to Italy
The summer months of June to September are suitable for beach vacations in Italy.
The best time to go on city trips is in spring and fall.
You can go to Italy for a skiing trip from December to March.
If you want to experience the summer in Italy, you drive, of course. The same applies to spring and fall.
Although the weather is still nice in the south in the winter, the simpler accommodations are often not heated as well as in the north. Many vacation regions have shut down for tourism over the cold season. At the same time, a city trip to Verona, Naples or Palermo is attractive and worthwhile, especially during the winter months.
Italy's Most Beautiful Travel Destinations: What You Shouldn't Miss
In short: The boot is packed with sights from north to south - here is a small selection of travel destinations that you should not miss:
The Cinque Terre ("five villages") in Liguria is a stretch of coast south of Genoa known for its cliffs and tranquil car-free villages. The villages between Riomaggiore and Monterosso are worth a trip, especially in the early and late season. In the high season, however, it can get very crowded on the romantic paths between the villages.
Discovering Tuscany on a road trip is still one of the highlights of every vacation in Italy. The Renaissance cities of Pisa and Florence attract thousands of tourists every year.
Umbria is quieter, but no less worth seeing. Center is the university town of Perugia.
"La Rossa, La Grassa, La Dotta": Bologna is still a lesser known travel spot. It's bound not to stay that way for long because the city is filled with Renaissance palaces, art collections, and excellent cuisine to offer.
Venice! If you haven't been there yet, you should go soon. Our pirate tip: Venice is also beautiful in the winter, almost more beautiful than in summer. The main island has 17th-century city palaces that have been converted into hotels that don't cost a fortune, like the Hotel Marconi on the Grand Canal. You should get up early - and walk to Venice before the others wake up.
Veneto's flat beaches mostly attract families. From Bibione and Grado you can combine a beach vacation with a trip to Venice.
Rome, the eternal city! There is so much to see here with the Vatican, the Roman Forum, and the Colosseum that any listing is pointless.
The south of Italy begins with Naples, the islands of Ischia, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast. The lemons bloom here!
The picturesque bays and coasts of Calabria are among the most worth seeing that Italy has to offer. Here the beaches are not yet overcrowded and the cuisine in the trattorias is authentic.
And then there are Bari and Puglia, Palermo and Sicily, Cagliari and Sardinia... the list goes on and on!
Accommodation in Italy
In Italy you really get every kind of accommodation from inexpensive to more expensive and of course there are no upper limits. The only important thing is that you check beforehand or know which accommodation you want to sleep in and make your choice accordingly. Because you have a wide variety of offers from beach hotels to party hotels to golf hotels and much more.
Accommodation for Beach Vacations in Italy
An Italian specialty are the so-called villaggios. These are vacation villages that offer the luxury and service of hotels but accommodate their guests in bungalows. Especially for a beach vacation on the coast, it makes sense to look out for this type of stay.
Cheap Accommodation in Cities of Italy
In the cities you will often find historic hotels that cannot hold a candle to modern accommodation in terms of facilities, but have all the more flair and are also cheaper. You can rent various vacation homes or private rooms even cheaper. In addition, such accommodations are much more authentic - you are usually surrounded by locals and do not live in the hotel with many other tourists. If you also have cooking facilities in the accommodation, you can relax and buy treats at the Mercado around the corner, which you can prepare yourself - very cheap!
Vacations in Italy with Caravans and Campers
If you are traveling with a caravan or camper, you should take a closer look at the campsites in question - some have the charm of suburban parking lots, others are idyllically situated by the sea under pine trees.
Culture in Italy
The distinguishing feature of the different regions, cities and even villages of Italy is the cuisine. Every city, every restaurant has its speciality.
Tracking down these local differences is fun and whets the appetite. Try it out and speak to the Italians: they will be only too happy to give you information. Wine is part of an Italian meal, but should only be enjoyed in moderation.
Culinary Italy - Food and Drink When in Italy
Who doesn't love Italian cuisine?! You all know pizza, pasta, panna cotta & co, but we still have a small checklist of our favorite delicacies that you absolutely must taste during your holiday in Italy!
Appetizers or rather antipasti (such as caprese, bruschetta, prosciutto crudo or pizzette)
Soups and sauces (you know them all: soups like minestrone or sauces like pesto alla genovese)
Pizza (preferably from Naples)
Pasta (e.g. Penne all'Arrabbiata or Pansotti alla Genovese)
Risotto (we love Risotto alla Milanese or Saffron Risotto)
Fish dishes (such as cacciucco, calamaretti fritti or nasello al forno)
Meat dishes (e.g. Agnello al forno, Arrosticini or Arrosto di vitello, but also something that takes some getting used to, such as Pezzetti di cavallo (stewed horsemeat) or Piccione in forno (pigeon roasted in the oven))
Sausage, also called salummi (e.g. mortadella, pancetta and of course Parma ham)
Cheeses (such as burrata, mozzarella di bufala, ricotta, taleggio and clear, Parmigiano Reggiano)
Bread (e.g. ciabatta, panini or focaccia)
Desserts (absolute musts are panna cotta, tiramisù and gelato)
Pastries (our favorites are cannoli, profiterole, amaretti and, just around Christmas time, panettone)
Non- alcoholic drinks (sweet lemon or orange sodas, water (belongs to every meal!) and of course the wonderful coffee)
Alcoholic beverages (of course some of the best wines in the world as well as delicious liquors such as Amaretto, Aperol, Campari, Vermouth, Ramazotti and Limoncello)
Road Trip through Italy: Discover Italian Lakes
7 Days Road Trip Lago di Como, Lago di Lugano and Lago Maggiore
Certainly one or the other of you has already been to Lake Garda, but do you also know the many other beautiful lakes in Italy and Switzerland? Not only the high society around George Clooney likes to spend their vacations here, but also other celebrities who jet across the sea here in chic Riva boats.
Italian lakes - a wonderful region to enjoy, relax, and unwind!
Arrival for Your Road Trip along the Italian Lakes
Let's start in Milan first. With TAP Air Portugal or other low-cost carriers you can get to the fashion metropolis really cheaply. In the warmer months from the end of April to mid-May you can get flights from around the mid-$300s.
When arriving, you'll get a rental car directly in Milan. A great option is to spend a few days in Milan before or after your tour.
1st Stop: Lake Maggiore in Italy
After about 1.5 hours drive you will reach the region around Lago di Maggiore. Here you can hike through untouched nature and enjoy culinary delights. Water, botany, and valuable cultural treasures - the region has all of this to offer. The famous eastern shore of the lake is in the Piemonte region, while the original eastern shore is on the Lombard side in the province of Varese. The northern tip of the lake is on Swiss soil, while to the northwest extends the alpine area of the Ossola valleys . The province of Novara stretches south of the two lakes between the rivers Sesia and Ticinowith their vineyards and paddy fields.
If you are looking for peace and quiet after a trip to the Borromean Islands, hike in the Val Grande National Park, one of the last wilderness areas in Italy, with a great view of the lake and the Monte Rosa massif.
Stop 2: Lago di Lugano in Italy
We continue with the rental car to the next beautiful natural setting - the Lago di Lugano. It is just under 60 kilometers (37 miles) to the region around Lake Lugano. Lake Lugano is located in the southernmost tip of Ticino, the vacation region south of the Alpine ridge, and extends its arms into Italian territory. Thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate, even citrus fruits grow here and guests can sunbathe under palm trees.
Monte Generoso, at around 5,600 feet above sea level, is M. the highest mountain on Lake Lugano. A cog railway connects the shore town of Capolago with the vantage point. From up here you have a wonderful view of the lake and the region. From March to November, the train runs every 30 minutes.
In Lugano you should definitely visit the art museums. The Museo Cantonale d'Arte with regional art and works by Arp, Klee and Degas (€14 per person (~$15)) and the avant-garde Museo d'Arte Moderna (€10 per person (~$10)).
Stop 3: Lago di Como in Italy
And it goes on again. After 4 days at Lago di Lugano we continue to Lake Como. The area around Lake Como delights every visitor with the unforgettable panorama and the romantic mountain landscapes. Many castles, magnificent villas, as well as the paradisiacal gardens and parks offer particularly aesthetic sights . Due to the Mediterranean climate and its diverse vegetation, Lake Como is a popular, not overcrowded vacation destination. Olive trees, oleanders, magnolias, pines and cypresses grow on the lake shores.
The best view of the villas is from the water. When taking a boat tour , be sure to stop in the lovely town of Bellagio and have a coffee at the " Bar Rossi " bar (Piazza Mazzini).
Stop 4: Back Home
The beautiful journey along the Italian lakes is now over. The plane takes us back to the US. You can get to Milan (Bergamo) Airport for around €5 (~$5) per trip. Public transport in Milan is well developed and very cheap .
Want more tours of Italy? Then we have the right offers for you here!