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Italy

Italy holds three travel countries inside one — Renaissance cities in Tuscany and the Veneto, Amalfi-and-islands beach country in the south, and a quietly excellent alpine north most travellers skip. The food and the train network are both reasons in themselves. 16 traveller posts below.

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View of Bologna with the Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda) and red-tiled rooftops at sunset

Best Hostels for Backpackers in Bologna, Italy

Bologna is the underrated stopover between Florence and Venice — cheaper, livelier, and home to Europe's oldest university. Here are five hostels we keep recommending.

@craig·3 May 2026·Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Roman arena of Verona at sunset with red brick facades and piazza

Verona and Bologna by Train — A Northern Italy Itinerary

A six-day Verona-and-Bologna itinerary by train — Roman ruins and Shakespeare in Verona, the medieval porticoes and food markets of Bologna, the wine hills of the Valpolicella and the cured-meat region of Emilia-Romagna.

@craig·27 Apr 2026·Verona and Bologna, Italy

Three peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo in the Italian Dolomites

The Dolomites in Five Days: Tre Cime, Lago di Braies and the Alta Badia

Five days in the Dolomites — the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the postcard alpine lake of Lago di Braies, the Alta Badia’s mountain villages, and the cable cars and trails that connect them.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Dolomites, Italy

Conical trulli houses of Alberobello in Puglia

Puglia in Five Days: Alberobello’s Trulli, Polignano’s Cliffs and the Baroque Lecce

Five days in Puglia — the trulli of Alberobello, the cliff village of Polignano a Mare, the white town of Ostuni, the Baroque city of Lecce, and the slow southern Italian rhythm.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Puglia, Italy

Roman Arena amphitheatre in Piazza Bra Verona

Verona in Three Days: The Arena, Juliet’s Balcony and the Piazza delle Erbe

Three days in Verona — the great Roman Arena (still hosting opera in summer), Juliet’s balcony, the Piazza delle Erbe, the medieval bridges over the Adige, and the long Veneto lunches.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Verona, Italy

Gothic facade of Duomo di Milano cathedral in Milan

Milan in Three Days: The Duomo, the Galleria and the Navigli at Sunset

Three days in Milan — the great Gothic Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Leonardo’s Last Supper, the Navigli canals at sunset, and the food and design scene.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Milan, Italy

Bay of Naples with the volcano Vesuvius rising behind the city

Naples and Pompeii in Three Days: The Bay, the Volcano and the Buried City

Three days in Naples and Pompeii — the chaotic city of Spaccanapoli, the National Archaeological Museum, the ruins of Pompeii at the foot of Vesuvius, and the pizza that was invented in the city.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Naples, Italy

Bellagio on the shore of Lake Como with the Central Alps behind

Lake Como in Three Days: Bellagio, Varenna and the Lakeside Villas

Three days on Lake Como — Bellagio at the centre of the Y, Varenna across the water, the famous Villa del Balbianello, and the slow ferry rides between the lakeside villages.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Lake Como, Italy

Scoglio Pan di Zucchero rock formation off the Sardinian coast

Sardinia in Five Days: Costa Smeralda, Cala Luna and the Wild Coast

Five days on Sardinia — Costa Smeralda’s turquoise water, Cala Luna and the Golfo di Orosei, the inland mountain villages, and the beaches that don’t look like the Mediterranean at all.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Sardinia, Italy

Greek theatre ruins above Taormina in Sicily

Sicily in Five Days: Taormina, Palermo and the Valley of the Temples

Five days in Sicily — Taormina with Mt Etna in the background, Palermo and the Norman cathedrals, the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, and the seafood that the island is built on.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Sicily, Italy

Rolling hills of Val dOrcia near Pienza in Tuscany

Tuscany in Five Days: The Val d’Orcia, the Wine Country and a Slow Lunch

Five days in Tuscany — the cypress-lined Val d’Orcia, the hilltop villages of Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino, and the long slow lunches at the vineyards in between.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Tuscany, Italy

Multicolored cliff houses of Positano on the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast in Three Days: Positano, Amalfi and the Coastal Drive

Three days on the Amalfi Coast — Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, the famous coastal road, and a boat trip out to Capri. Lemons, cliffs, and the most photogenic coast in Europe.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Amalfi Coast, Italy

Aerial view of Vernazza village in Cinque Terre at sunset

Cinque Terre in Three Days: Vernazza, Manarola and a Walk Along the Cliffs

Three days in the Cinque Terre — Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore — the cliff-path walks between the five fishing villages, with focaccia, swims and gelato in between.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Cinque Terre, Italy

Grand Canal in Venice with gondolas and palazzos

Venice in Three Days: The Grand Canal, St Mark’s and a Quiet Cannaregio Morning

Three days in Venice — St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, a Grand Canal vaporetto ride, the quiet Cannaregio neighbourhood, and the Murano glassblowers.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Venice, Italy

Florence Duomo cathedral with red tiled dome

Florence in Three Days: The Duomo, the Uffizi and a Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo

Three days in Florence — Brunelleschi’s Duomo, the Uffizi’s Botticellis, the Ponte Vecchio, and the iconic Piazzale Michelangelo sunset over the Tuscan capital.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Florence, Italy

Colosseum in Rome at dawn with empty arches

Rome in Five Days: The Colosseum, the Trevi, the Vatican and a Long Lunch

Five days in Rome — the Colosseum and the Forum, the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, the Trevi at dawn, and the long Trastevere dinners that the city is built around.

@craig·23 Apr 2026·Rome, Italy

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