Italy: Itinerary Planning Guide

Italy contains more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country and has shaped Western art, architecture, food, and fashion for two millennia. Rome, Florence, and Venice stand in their own league as art cities; the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, and Sicily offer landscapes of extraordinary beauty; and the food is excellent everywhere, not just in famous restaurants. The country holds 58 UNESCO sites — more than any other nation on earth. Italians are justifiably proud of regional identity. Roman pasta is not Bolognese pasta; Neapolitan pizza and Roman pizza are nearly opposite philosophies; Florentine bistecca and Sicilian arancini exist in entirely different culinary worlds. Eating locally and seasonally is the norm, not a lifestyle choice, and the result is some of the most distinctive regional cooking anywhere. Italy rewards those who leave the tourist trail. The hill towns of Umbria, the trulli of Alberobello, the baroque churches of Lecce, and the Greek temples of Agrigento — each accessible but rarely crowded — offer experiences that rival anything in the famous cities. Whether you have three days or three weeks, Italy delivers on every scale.