Guide to Italy

Italy is a wonderful country, with a great deal to offer in a wide variety of ways: beautiful sea and beaches, fantastic mountains, stunning architecture, fascinating history, delicious food and wine… It is ideal for both summer and winter holidays - beach holidays, skiing holidays, mountain hiking holidays, city breaks, visiting historical sites - and it is very easy to reach from Britain by air and (a bit less easy) by car. If you are planning a family holiday, Italy is a good choice if only because Italians love children; hotels and restaurants generally welcome children enthusiatically.

Italian people are friendly and animated. Although most of them speak English, it will enhance your visit to Italy no end if you can speak some Italian. If you leave the beaten track, you will need it more but, even in the mainstream tourist areas, it is always nice to be able to understand what people are talking about around you and to be able to show willing by using at least a few phrases of the local language. Also, if you are interested in Italians and their culture, you will only get under the skin of Italy when you know the Italian language.

The population of Italy is just under 60 million, slightly smaller than that of the United Kingdom, and yet Italy is physically a bigger country than ours. This means that, if you want to explore by yourself, there is plenty of space to do so. If you want to walk in the countryside or the mountains and be alone with nature, this is easy to achieve. On the other hand, if you want vibrant urban entertainment, there is plenty of that too!

Italian food is famously marvellous. Every region of Italy has its own speciality pasta and there is a sauce to suit every taste. There is pizza too, of course, and excellent risotto and many other delightful dishes. Italian wine is also extremely popular - and it is cheaper in Italy than it is in the UK.

Whether your ideal holiday is active, cultural or restful, Italy can provide what you are looking for. There are many cheap flights to Italy from Britain and a feast for all the senses awaits you in la bella Italia.