Things to do in Italy

Few countries hold so much history in so little space. Rome layers the Colosseum and the Forum beneath Baroque piazzas and the Vatican, Florence gathers the treasures of the Renaissance around its great dome, and Venice floats on its lagoon in a web of canals and palaces. Milan, in the north, pairs a Gothic cathedral and Leonardo's Last Supper with fashion and design.

The south has a different rhythm. Naples, loud and theatrical beneath Vesuvius, sits within easy reach of Pompeii and Herculaneum, while Sorrento looks out over the Bay of Naples and the pastel village of Positano tumbles down the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. Beyond these, the hill towns of Tuscany, the northern lakes, the Dolomites, Sicily and Sardinia reward longer journeys.

Every region cooks its own way: carbonara in Rome, bistecca in Florence, risotto in Milan, pizza in Naples and seafood along every coast, with espresso and gelato in between. Autumn is a feast of grape and olive harvests, with white truffles in Piedmont, and winter brings skiing to the Dolomites. Fast trains link the major cities, making it easy to combine several.