Whether it's high-fashion, sports cars, gastronomy, art history or outdoor adventure that drives your travel interests you will find it here in Italy.

Art exhibitions are inspired by over a thousand years of heritage, and events such as the Venice Biennale with its design and contemporary art focus, are flanked and alternate with theatre and ballet performances. For music lovers, the festivals and operatic seasons offered by Milan’s La Scala and the Verona Arena are unique. Italy is a synonym for music and art in every form. But that’s not all. It offers a wide range of traditional and modern cultural events, such as literary festivals or the many Carnivals held, most notably in Venice, but also in many other regions, and the various historical and religious representations that fill Italy with fantasy and vitality throughout the year.

A dream in blue: that is the Italian sea. Imagine a king journey that takes you to see the wonders of the Italian peninsula and islands, to explore and recount your experiences in thousands and thousands of kilometers of coastline, beaches, cliffs, lagoons, gulls, marine reserves and parks, and to plan excursions and adventures in the most delightful places on the Mediterranean. The Adriatic, Ionian. Tyrrhenian and Ligurian: the Italian seas are an infinite voyage of discovery, an infinite gamut of possibilities in which each of us can find the perfect choice for an unforgettable holiday.

Italy is a nation that hosts unique and fascinating events of international resonance throughout the year, providing innumerable opportunities for experiencing intense emotions.

From north to south, Italy boasts festivals all over the Peninsula, beginning with the Sudtirol Jazz Festival in the northernmost region of Alto Adige. This musical event in the South Tyrol is marking its 30th season this year, and will feature artists of international fame.

Traveling just a bit futher south, to the territory of Padua, Piazzola sul Brenta to be precise, the Hydrogen Festival is held at the excellent Camerini amphitheatre. In the Langhe zone of Piedmont, Collisions is the festival of choice and, in Liguria, the Goa-Boa Festival has run a great Italian and international mix of niche and more popular music (e.g. Morrissey) since 1998. The Ariston Theatre of Sanremo hosts a concert series called Canzone d'Autore - Premio Tenco, a by-now historical event for the "City of Flowers," dedicated to Luigi Tenco.

Emilia Romagna is also a region of several big festivals. From Emilia Romagna Festival, which takes place in almost every province, with concerts to please a range of tastes; to the 13-year-old I-Day Festival organized in Bologna’s Arena Parco Nord, which is attended by alternative, punk, rock and and indie lovers; and not to be forgotten is Ferrara Sotto le Stelle (Ferrara under the Stars), the most important pop music event in the city, and one of the most important festivals in Italy.

Then, moving toward the center of the country, one can happen upon the Rossini Opera Festival, held every August in Pesaro, Gioachino Rossini’s birth city.

In Tuscany, Lucca and its surrounding territories boast two important and distinct dates: the Lucca Summer Festival, set in the lovely Piazza Napoleone, has turned Lucca into a capital of both Italian and International music; and the Puccini Festival, dedicated to composer Giacomo Puccini and Torre del Lago - where he lived for more than 30 years – is the oldest festival for opera in all of the Peninsula.

Talk to your travel advisor for the Festivals of most interest to you and they will find one that fits your interest best.
 

Italy, Territory of Nature and Wildlife

Wildlife parks boasting untainted beauty offer an ideal setting for those who decide to spend their vacations in contact with nature, discovering Italy’s flora and fauna, visiting its sunny islands and surrounded by the typical Mediterranean landscape.

Visitors can enjoy an unforgettable experience exploring Italy's rough and wild environment. There are many national parks well worth exploring: the Gran Paradiso, Circeo, Stelvio, Dolomiti Bellunesi, Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, Cilento and Vallo di Diano, and Gargano National Parks, the parks of Calabria and Aspromonte, not to mention the Maddalena and Tuscan Archipelagos, the Vesuvius, the Cinque Terre National Parks, and many other protected areas, nature reserves, and marine parks. Fawns in Sila National Park - Photo by Silvia Adalia Italy's lush and diversified environment provides many ideal settings for vacations in close contact with nature, for a natural rush of energy. There are many welcoming country tourist locations offering a relaxing and intimate atmosphere, the chance to taste genuine food, and discover local history and traditions. A perfect vacation in any moment of the year, revealing a different, and in many ways, secret Italy.

Feeling good in Italy is easy. This country boasts the largest number of thermal spa centres in the world, with a tradition of body and soul treatments that dates back thousands of years - to ancient Rome. Throughout the country, from north to south, it is possible for visitors to experience a unique vacation centred on general well-being l at our numerous natural thermal springs. These places are renowned for their therapeutic properties and for their excellent aesthetic treatments. There are ancient baths that have remained intact for centuries and take visitors back in time, offering a primitive sort of appeal, with their natural saunas, hidden caves surrounded by vegetation, and hot steam with a pleasantly ferrous scent - excellent spots for reinvigorating the body and treating the skin.

The unique experiences throughout Italy are endless.
 

Italy has always been a synonym for "good food," offering an unmistakable explosion of flavors, scents, and aromas. Aside from having one of the most famous cuisines in the world, it also proposes an immense variety of different regional dishes and recipes.

Visitors cannot miss the culinary and wine itineraries - journeys through Italy's enogastronomic culture, in search of ancient recipes, genuine products, and simple food inspired by classic Italian cooking and innovative creations. World-renowned products such as Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese, Parma and San Daniele ham, Modena balsamic vinegar, Genoa's pesto, buffalo mozzarella from Campania, Alba truffles, and cured meats are just some of the symbols that make Italy the land of good food. And how could anyone forget pasta and pizza, universal synonyms for Italy?

Italy’s wines, those noble ambassadors of Italian excellence throughout the world, must not be neglected. The pleasure of tasting a fine wine in its native environment is unparalled - a glass of Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, of Barbera or Barolo from Piedmont, of Prosecco di Valdobbiadene in Veneto, of Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna, or the Sicilian wines or the white wines in Friuli and Trentino-Alto Adige, or the great reds of the Valtellina, just to provide a fine few exemplars. Italy is a world of tastes that tempt the palate , eyes, and heart!

Italian Wines
The Ancient Greeks used to call Italy “Enotria,” in reference to its production of extraordinary wines. It would be impossible to list all the features of Italian wines, sought after the world over for their variety and their quality.

Enogastronomic Itineraries
The staples of the Mediterranean Diet – the health benefits of which are well-known – are bread and olive oil.

The Italian landscape is characterized, from north to south, by golden wheat fields and green olive groves – where different types of breads and high-quality olive oils are produced.

Ask your travel advisor about gastronomy focused vacations!
 

From the Colosseum to the Uffizi Gallery, from Pompeii to Leonardo’s Last Supper, from the Savoy Residences to the Galleria dell' Accademia in Venice, enjoying the Italian cultural heritage has never been easier.

Talk to your Travel Advisor to be sure you get the museums on your next Italy trip!

UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Italy counts 54 UNESCO World Heritage Sites within its borders, the most of any country on the World Heritage List.

Italy’s World Heritage Sites are well-known. The Dolomites; The City of Verona; Ferrara and the Po River Delta; the Historic Centers of San Gimignano, Florence and Rome; Hadrian's Villa and the Villa D’Este at Tivoli; the archaeological area of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata; the Sassi (rupestrian architecture and churches) of Matera; the Amalfi Coast and the Aeolian Islands are just some among many others.

All 54 sites have been, at one time or another, travel destinations for those seeking out history, art and culture in the Bel Paese.

Made in Italy is an expression that recalls the image of high-quality Italian products throughout the world. The reason behind this expression’s fame? Made in Italy is, by now, an authentic brand symbolizing the excellence of Italian artisanship and manufacturing.

From footwear to pret-a-porter, from bicycles to automobiles and, undoubtedly, excellent enogastronomic traditions, Italian products bearing the prestigious Made in Italy title are highly-coveted the world over - for their integrity and durability, design originality and creativity, and for their distinct tastes and flavors.

Numerous encounters, fairs, and showrooms promote Made in Italy year-round, familiarizing entities and the public with the elevated taste, quality, and sophisticated research and traditions of its products. Such initiatives frequently unite the character of the trade show with the cultural event, creating occasions to jump into the immense history and art of the Bel Paese.

Many artisanal and industrial manufacturers guarantee Made in Italy status and origins with internationally-recognized labels, such as DOC wines (Denomination of Controlled Origin), DOP or PDO cheeses (Denomination of Protected Origin), and many others that regard textiles, decor and furnishings and fashion accessories, protected by licenses and copyrights assuring their singularity.

Shopping in Rome
Rome is certainly one of the focal cities of Italian shopping tourism. Travelers love taking advantage of its innumerable shops and boutiques in between discoveries of magnificent monuments and cultural experiences.

One of the Eternal City's most lusted-after areas is the so-called “Trident,” formed by Via dei Condotti, Via Borgognona, Via Frattina and by the adjacent Spanish Steps: the Trident is perhaps the most high-end destination for Roman shopping, with a concentration of renowned jewelers and important Italian and international flagships and ateliers.

Italy offers endless and amazing opportunities for those seeking a vacation dedicated to sports and physical activity - for those who want to be in close contact with nature both summer winter, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and unique landscapes.

Not only, but qualified and well-equipped facilities are available to assist guests and meet their every need. Italy's countless marinas and ports, and various tourist organizations offer opportunities to indulge in water sports, such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, swimming, sailing and motor-boating, and waterskiing.

For mountain lovers, there are infinite options. During the summer: biking, walking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting and kayaking along streams and rapids, fishing in the pristine waters of rivers and lakes, paragliding and hang gliding over spectacular landscapes. During the winter, the mountains become a paradise for those who wish to practise winter sports.

Whatever the season, whatever the passion, Italy is the place for a sports-related vacation beyond compare! Italy is the perfect background for golf, cycling and cycle excursion, rafting, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding along amazing bridle paths…and many other outdoor sports.