Italy holidays

Stylish, cultured, good-humoured and volatile - Italy, with its golden light, stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage, has inspired poets and painters for centuries. Perhaps more than any other country, it has influenced the course of European development, particularly in culture and political thought.

Today, besides the renowned cities of Venice, Florence, Siena and Naples, each with its own unique identity and architecture, Italy features romantic medieval hill towns, such as San Gimignano in Tuscany, and unspoilt fishing villages, like Positano on the Amalfi coast. Operatic productions are staged in Verona’s ancient amphitheatre, while the influence of Federico Fellini is celebrated in Turin’s museum of cinema.

Throughout the country visitors can find vineyards and cellars to taste fine regional wines, workshops where crafts are produced by hand, and friendly trattorie where simple but superb dishes are served.

The most important early settlers were the enigmatic Etruscans, but by the third century BC their culture had been displaced by the mighty city state of Rome.

At its greatest extent, the Roman Empire stretched from Egypt to England and for several centuries conferred on its inhabitants the benefits of the Pax Romana: culture, law, relative peace and comparative prosperity. This sophisticated society left a rich architectural legacy - Rome is still dominated by buildings like the mighty Colosseum.

In the 15th century, Italy was at the heart of the Renaissance, an extraordinary flowering of art and culture. It produced artists such as Fra Angelico, Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, whose works take pride of place in Italy’s galleries.

Italy combines art, history and contemporary fashion with stunning natural landscapes: the turquoise waters of Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda offer one of Europe’s most beautiful stretches of sand, sea and sunshine, while the snow-covered slopes of the Dolomite mountains are a haven for winter sports enthusiasts.

Featured holidays

Mediterranean Empires

Mediterranean Empires

Apr 2011 - Oct 2011 departures

  • Holidays by air
  • Ocean cruise holidays

13 days from £1445

Mediterranean Empires
Mediterranean Explorer: 20 nights

Mediterranean Explorer: 20 nights

May 2011 departure

  • Ocean cruise holidays

20 days from £1895

Mediterranean Explorer: 20 nights
Riviera Highlights

Riviera Highlights

Apr 2011 - Oct 2011 departures

  • Resort holidays
  • Coach holidays

11 days from £549

Riviera Highlights

Grand Tour of Italy

Grand Tour of Italy

Sep 2010 - Sep 2011 departures

  • Touring holidays

18 days from £1499

Grand Tour of Italy
Glorious Garda

Glorious Garda

Sep 2010 departure

  • Resort holidays
  • Coach holidays

7 days from £349

Glorious Garda
Western Mediterranean Highlights

Western Mediterranean Highlights

May 2011 - Sep 2011 departures

  • Holidays by air
  • Ocean cruise holidays

10 days from £995

Western Mediterranean Highlights

See all holidays in Italy

See all holidays in Italy

See all holiday offers in Italy

See all holiday offers in Italy

See all late deals in Italy

See all late deals in Italy

Our choice

Italy's Classic Cities

Sep 2010 - Nov 2011 departures

8 days from £599

Italy's Classic Cities
Italy's Classic Cities

Mediterranean Contrasts

Sep 2011 - Oct 2011 departures

12 days from £1075

Mediterranean Contrasts
Mediterranean Contrasts

A Taste of Tuscany

Sep 2010 - Oct 2010 departures

5 days from £349

A Taste of Tuscany
A Taste of Tuscany

Sardinia & Corsica

Apr 2011 - Sep 2011 departures

8 days from £699

Sardinia & Corsica
Sardinia & Corsica

Top to Toe of Italy

Sep 2010 - Oct 2011 departures

15 days from £999

Top to Toe of Italy
Top to Toe of Italy

Discover Apulia

Sep 2010 - Oct 2011 departures

8 days from £649

Discover Apulia
Discover Apulia

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Highlights of China

Sep 2010 - Mar 2012 departures

16 days from £1599

Highlights of China
Highlights of China

Cuba

Sep 2010 - Nov 2011 departures

16 days from £1499

Cuba
Cuba