Everyone Deserves Their First Roman Sunset
The Classics Are Classic for a Reason
Rome. Florence. Venice. Tuscany. The Amalfi Coast.
These places are not popular because travelers lack imagination. They are popular because they contain some of the most beautiful art, architecture, landscapes and human experiences in the world. The right season, hotel, pacing and time of day can mean the difference between merely seeing Italy and genuinely feeling it.
Everyone should watch the light fall across Rome.
Everyone should arrive in Venice by water.
Islands With Their Own Rhythm
Ischia, Sardinia and Sicily
ISCHIA
A volcanic island of thermal waters, botanical gardens and a lived-in Italian character that Capri once had.
SARDINIA
One of my favorite places on Earth — and one of the few destinations where the water, the food, the silence and the landscape all feel inseparable.
SICILY
Greek temples, Arab-Norman architecture, baroque towns, volcanic landscapes and cities of immense energy — Sicily contains multitudes.
Italy's Southern Renaissance
Ancient Landscapes, New Energy
Southern Italy is experiencing an extraordinary moment.
In Basilicata, Matera rises from an ancient landscape of stone. Its Sassi cave dwellings create one of Europe's most unforgettable cityscapes.
In neighboring Puglia, whitewashed towns, olive groves and historic masserie lead toward both the Adriatic and Ionian coasts.
The trulli of Alberobello, the baroque architecture of Lecce, the pale lanes of Ostuni and the villages of the Valle d'Itria can be combined into a journey rich in contrast.
A new generation of hotels is bringing refined hospitality to restored farmhouses, palazzi and rural estates, but the greatest luxury of the region remains its sense of place.
This is Italy at once ancient and newly discovered.
Puglia — a restored masseria near Ostuni
FEATURED PLACES
Matera
Ostuni
Lecce
Alberobello
Valle d'Itria
The Adriatic Coast
The Ionian Coast
When is the best time to visit Italy?
Which Italy do you want to experience?
WINTER
Art cities, opera, historic cafés, Christmas traditions and long lunches.
SPRING
Gardens, wildflowers, Easter rituals and the reopening of seasonal hotels.
SUMMER
Mountains, islands, lakes, open-air festivals and evenings lived outdoors.
AUTUMN
Vineyards, truffles, olive oil, mushrooms, fires and food connected directly to the land.
The best time to visit Italy depends upon the atmosphere, experiences and version of Italian life you want to encounter.
March, April and May
Italy Awakens
There is a particular energy when Italy's seasonal hotels reopen.
The teams have returned. Gardens are waking. Terraces are being prepared. Everyone seems genuinely happy to welcome the first guests of the year.
From late March through April, many hotels around the lakes, islands and coast begin opening for the season, although each property follows its own calendar.
Easter brings powerful regional traditions, processions and feasts throughout Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Sardinia and the rest of the country.
May deserves a moment of its own.
This is often an ideal month for the Italian lakes, Tuscany, Umbria, Sicily, Puglia and the great cities before the full heat of summer arrives.
Gardens are abundant with roses and wisteria. Infiorata festivals transform streets with elaborate flower carpets. Coastal paths, countryside roads and restaurant terraces invite travelers outdoors.
SPRING EXPERIENCES
Italian lake gardens · Wildflowers and wisteria · Easter processions · Infiorata flower festivals · Coastal walking · Spring food and wine · Long lunches outdoors · Puglia and Sicily before the summer heat arrives
September and October
The Second Summer and Italy at the Table
September is one of Italy's great months.
The sea remains warm, the sharpest heat begins to soften and the grape harvest—la vendemmia—starts in many wine regions.
This is a beautiful time for Tuscany, Umbria, Piedmont, Sicily, Sardinia, the Italian lakes and Puglia.
By October, Italy turns toward the table.
Grapes, olives, mushrooms, chestnuts and truffles begin shaping markets and menus.
In Tuscany, vines change color, fires are lit in the evening and olive presses begin working.
In Piedmont, the white truffle season transforms entire towns and dining rooms.
This is Italy for travelers who want the landscape, food and culture to feel inseparable.
AUTUMN EXPERIENCES
Private vineyard visits · Grape harvest experiences · Olive oil tastings · Truffle hunting · Seasonal cooking · Countryside hotels · Warm-water island stays · Food festivals and village markets
The Art of the Multi-Country Journey
Italy in Conversation With Its Neighbors
Italy does not have to exist in isolation.
Its geography allows it to combine beautifully with Switzerland, France, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece and the Mediterranean islands.
But successful multi-country travel depends on more than placing destinations beside one another.
The sequence must make sense.
Rail, ferry, flights, private transfers and hotel locations must work together.
Border crossings should feel elegant rather than exhausting.
The journey should reveal cultural contrast without sacrificing comfort.
This is where thoughtful routing becomes a form of luxury.
FOUR SIGNATURE ROUTES
Northern Italy · Switzerland
Milan, the lakes, Lugano, Lucerne, Zurich
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Venice · Slovenia · Croatia
Venice, Trieste, Ljubljana, Dubrovnik
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Puglia · Greece
Lecce, Otranto, ferry to Corfu, the Ionian Islands
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Sicily · Malta
Palermo, Agrigento, Syracuse, ferry to Valletta
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Also: The Dolomites and Austria · Sardinia and Corsica · The Italian Riviera and the South of France · Rome followed by a Mediterranean cruise
ITALY