For a country smaller than our state of New Mexico, Italy's got such a surprising number of great travel options that many people don't know where to start to plan an Italy trip. We'll try to make it a bit easier for you. For starters, have a look at the simple map below, You'll want to click on it for a closer look.

While small in square miles, Italy is long, about 600 miles from top to bottom, long enough to nearly bridge the distance from North Africa to Switzerland, in the middle of Europe. The southern end of Italy, at Sicily, is just across a narrow part of the Mediterranean Sea from Tunisia, in Africa. The northern end of Italy terminates in high Alpine mountains, at the borders with Switzerland, France, and Austria.

Rome is very close to the middle of Italy, so that you think of southern Italy and northern Italy split by Rome.

There are 22 major political subdivisions of Italy, which you can liken to states in the USA. The most famous of those "states" is Tuscany.

The only widely popular travel destinations south of Rome are the (1) Bay of Naples/Amalfi Coast area, which includes Positano, the Island of Capri, and Pompeii; and (2) the very large island of Sicily.

The overwhelming bulk of Italy's tourism is focused on the northern half of the country. In particular, just to the north of Rome is Tuscany, which includes the cities of Florence and Siena.

Venice and Milan are in the far north of Italy, both very close to the high mountains of the Alps.

Due to the long and skinny shape of Italy, most of the travel itineraries we prepare are "one-way" trips that enter Italy at one place and depart somewhere else. It usually is not very efficient to make loops in Italy, to come back to the same airport where you came in. So you will see that many of our travel plans assume that you will fly into Rome and out of Venice or Milan, or vice-versa

Most Popular Destinations

THE GREAT CITIES: the first option to consider is the one most people take on a first trip to Italy. They go to Rome, Florence & Venice. That's pretty much a "can't miss" proposition. Each city is a world-class destination, each has a different kind of charm, and it's fast and easy to get between them. Spend 3 nights in lively Rome, then take the fast train on a comfortable 1 hour & 36 minute ride to elegant Florence & its Renaissance art treasures. Spend 2 nights in Florence, then take the fast train to Venice --just 2 hours & 49 minutes. Allow at least 2 nights for Venice, quite possibly the most remarkable city you will ever visit. That's a total of 7 nights in Italy. Add a day to fly over and another day to fly back, and you have a 9-day/7-night vacation that can almost be guaranteed to live up to big expectations.

Why haven't we mentioned Milan? Milan has definite appeal, with a cathedral that alone justifies a visit to Milan. It's just that in comparison with Rome, Florence & Venice, Milan is not in quite the same league as a travel destination. Still, Milan is an important gateway to Italy, it's on the way to or from magnificent Lakes Come & Maggiore, and it's the critical link for train trips across the Swiss Alps to Zurich & Geneva. So it's easy to find an excuse to tack Milan onto a broader trip. Just put Milan in perspective, and don't plan too much time there -- Italy has so many other great destinations to offer

After Rome, Florence, and Venice, most people choose to visit more rural destinations, including Tuscany, the Bay of Naples/Amalfi Coast area, the Riviera, or the lakes north of Milan. You can skip ahead to our comments about them by clicking here. But you may wish to know about some of the smaller cities.

THE SECOND CITIES. From a touristic standpoint, & ignoring size, these cities are second cities when compared to Rome, Florence & Venice. Still, some of them -- Siena & Verona -- are for everybody, while Bologna & Naples will have great appeal for travelers with certain special interests.

Verona is undervisited because there are so many other places higher on the list for Italy. But it's a shame how many miss it when traveling between Milan & Venice. Verona has some great points going for it -- (1) it's highly walkable; (2) it has some terrific Roman ruins, one of which -- the impressive arena -- is so "unruined" that it is used now for opera performances; (3) for people staying overnight it's a terrific place to enjoy the evening passagiata (in Piazza Bra, by the arena); (4) it has a terrific medieval core, including a castle with fortified bridge, boasting dramatic views along the river that winds around the central city.

Siena has preserved its medieval character to a surprising degree, as if it were put in mothballs hundreds of years ago. Within the old city, it's highly walkable, but you do need to park outside the walls and walk, or taxi, a fair distance to reach the center. Everyone flocks to the Piazza del Campo, where the annual horse race (Palio) is held. It is an especially grand central square in a country that has far more than its fair share of such places. Some people expect Siena to be somehow like a small Florence, and skip it for that reason. That's a bad call, because Siena today is more like what Florence would have looked like 400 years ago. Visiting Siena is a very different experience from visiting Florence. Siena is a great base for touring countryside Tuscany. The Chianti wine country is just to the north, San Gimignano is near to the northwest, and the classic Tuscany landscapes that link Montalcino, Pienza & Montepulciano are just to the south, in area called the Val d'Orcia.

Bologna is notable for its reputation as the gastronomic capital of Italy as well as for its splendid medieval core. Its a treat to wander old Bologna, where you get deeply immersed in medieval architecture that's taken for granted as the everyday center of a vibrant culture. There are seemingly endless blocks of medieval covered walkways that make it possible to walk much of the central city in comfort during inclement weather. Don't hesitate to crawl the markets to taste cheeses and meats in this city where food preparation is raised to a fine art. You won't want to drive in old Bologna. The easiest way to visit is to stop when traveling by train between Florence & Venice, or on a daytrip by train from Florence. Take a taxi from the train station to the Piazza Maggiore -- save your feet for walking the old town.

Genoa used to be considered a rough port city, but that has changed quite a lot in recent years. We think it's quite an interesting place that will appeal to many of our clients. It fits well on most itineraries that includes the Riviera. You will pass through Genoa when traveling between Milan or the lakes and the Cinque Terre. If you are starting a trip to Italy on the Riviera, you may find it advantageous to fly into Genoa and spend a night there.

Naples is not for everyone, and in fact it's not for most travelers to Italy, but it has some compelling virtues as a destination. First and foremost, Naples has a grand position on the Bay of Naples that has few places to rival it in Italy. The views over Naples are stunning. Naples has its grand architecture. There is a world-class archaeological museum with the best finds from Pompeii & Herculaneum. It is the home of pizza and the kind of spaghetti Americans know best. So why is it not one of the great destinations in Italy? First of all, Naples is urban-earthy in a way that might remind you of the big inner-cities in the northeastern USA, places you are probably not anxious to visit. And while you need to be on guard against petty theft in all the cities of Italy, crime is something you must take more seriously in Naples. This is a very poor city, terribly overcrowded and in desperate need of a facelift. You must be on guard constantly in Naples against pickpockets, beggars and people who may glibly con you out of a surprising amount of cash for performing simple tasks. You can also meet some of the friendliest, most generous and genuinely honest people in Italy on a trip to Naples, as we have. There are lots of pluses and minuses to consider. Before planning a stop at Naples, talk to someone who's been there or do some reading so you can make an informed decision. DO NOT attempt to drive in Naples.

Countryside & Small-Town Italy

There are other terrific cities to visit in Italy, but let's assume for now that you want to spend some time outside the big cities. For countryide and small-town Italy, there are several deservedly popular areas to consider.....

Tuscany -- especially the central part north and south of Siena. If you can budget a minimum of 3 or 4 nights in this area, staying in the wine country north or south of Siena, you can explore the best towns and scenery that Tuscany has to offer.

Central Tuscany is the easiest part of rural Italy to fit into an itinerary with Rome, Florence and Venice. At the minimum, you can tour this area on a daytrip from Florence. But by extending your Italy trip by as little as two days, you can stay somewhere in Tuscany, outside of Florence, and add quite an exciting new dimension to your Italy experience.

Rural T uscany is best explored by vehicle, as the train routes are slow and the service not nearly as convenient as elsewhere in Italy. So you'll want to have a driver or rent a car and drive yourself. We do lots of trips which include tours of central Tuscany with a private driver-guide and vehicle..

The Northern Lakes. Another great area you can add to your Italy itinerary with as little as two more days is the lake region north of Milan, close to the Swiss border. In fact, we've just added a number of new packages which include destinations in Switzerland and the lake region of Italy.

Lakes Como and Maggiore make great first destintions on an Italy trip. You can get quickly to either lake from the major airport at Milan, and you'll start destressing immediately when you settle into this magnificent mixture of Italian culture and alpine scenery. Then you can head on by train to Venice, Florence or Genoa.

At Lake Maggiore, we favor staying up the lake from the city of Como, and our favorite base for lodging is the small town of Tremezzo, just across the lake from popular Bellagio and quaint Varenna. We do a lot of Lake Como stays for people coming into Italy from Switzerland, via Lugano.

At Lake Maggiore, we use the town of Stresa, overlooking the deservedly popular Borromean Islands.

The Eastern Italian Riviera -- This is arguably the best of the key vacation areas in Italy for visiting by train. If you're taking a rail trip in Italy, and want to visit some of the most magnificent coastal scenery and quaint coastal towns in Europe, take a hard look at this area, which includes the very popular 5 towns of the Cinque Terre. Frequent trains make it possible to visit 3 or even more towns in one day. Explore the more rustic communities of the Cinque Terre and hike the very popular coastal trails connecting those town. Or go to the other extreme and explore the elegant show of chic Portofino. Check out Camogli, curiously unknown to most Americans but one of the most appealing Riviera towns and a great base for visiting Portofino. And then there's Sestri Levante, which many people think has the best harbor views of the entire Italian Riviera.

When traveling by train between Rome and Milan or between Florence and Milan, you can pass through this area.

But for most people, the big destination along the Riviera is the Cinque Terre, where the coastal scenery almost rivals that further south, on the Amalfi Coast. If you are putting together a trip in northern Italy, and want to include a visit to a spectacular coastal region, the Cinque Terre's the place. In fact, the Cinque Terre coastline is not as developed as the land along much of the Amalfi Coast, so you can view long stretches of this coastline that are not filled with vacation homes. You'll stay at the town of Monterosso, where most of the few hotels are located. Our favorite town on the Cinque Terre Coast is Vernazza. Go there first, then try Manarola and Rio Maggiore. But be forewarned, the rooms on the Cinque Terre book up far in advance, so you should not expect to book a trip with less than three months lead time. Also, the summer season brings many daytrippers to the Cinque Terre, so the little towns tend to be mobbed in July and August..

The Bay of Naples/Amalfi Coast area -- Positano, the Isle of Capri, Pompeii, & Sorrento. Unlike areas described above, this one is NOT on the way to somewhere else. In fact, it's out of the way for most Italy trips. For that reason it needs to be treated as a primary destination. Many travelers come to us with the idea of dedicating 2 nights of a trip, or even just 1 day, to the Amalfi Coast. That doesn't work well, because it takes long enough to get down here and back, and there is so much to see while in this area, that it makes no sense to go for just 2 nights. Allocate 3 nights at a minimum

For a trip to this area, we always recommend starting with a flight into Naples, rather than Rome, if that's possible. For some people, it is just not practical to fly into Naples, but you should check that out, because it can sometimes save considerable travel time and even money, compared to flying into Rome and taking the train to Naples. Also, it's generally better to fly into Naples, at the beginning of your Italy trip, as opposed to flying out of Naples at the finish.

Where to stay in this area? Sorrento makes a perfect base because it's right in the middle. You can take a daytrip by boat to Capri from Sorrento. You can take a half-day trip to Pompeii by train from Sorrento. And you can take a daytrip by car or bus to the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento. You can also stay on Capri. But for some people, there is no substitute for staying on the Amalfi Coast. Positano is arguably the most popular town along this magnificent coastline. If you recall seeing pictures of a town that cascades down a mountain to the sea, it was probably Positano. The other most notable town on the water is Amalfi. And some purists seem to favor Ravello, which sits above the town of Amalfi and has what few people would argue are the best views.

We no longer can recommend visiting the Amalfi Coast with a car rental. Instead we suggest using the combination of public boats and drivers we can arrange.

There are lots of possibilities for spending time in this area, including the Amalfi Coast, the Isle of Capri, the historical parks at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the Isle of Ischia. For people with more time, there are the excavations at Paestum and the palace at Caserta.

What about the city of Naples? It's not for everyone. In fact, it's probably not for most travelers to Italy, but it is interesting. Be sure to talk to someone who's been there or do some reading before commiting time to Naples. We generally do not recommend staying at Naples, but you can get there easily for a daytrip by boat from Sorrento.