Arriving to Cinque Terre by sea is also an option. In summer, Golfo Paradiso SNC runs boats to Cinque Terre from Genoa. Seasonal boat services to and from Santa Margherita are handled by Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio. If you want to make a glamorous entrance, you can even rent a yacht from one of those ports. Although all the Cinque Terre villages can be reached by car, you’ll need nerves of steel for the narrow, twisting cliff-edge roads. If you’re traveling with a car, leaving it in the nearby town of La Spezia is a smart move. There are secure parking facilities at the train station. Arriving in Cinque Terre by boat Tipping is not strictly necessary in restaurants as most places add servizio (service) to the bill. If they don’t or if you want to leave something, a few euros is fine in pizzerias and trattorias; 5% to 10% in smarter restaurants. What’s this about not drinking a cappuccino after 11am? Local insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - whether it's history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, politics Most towns and cities have efficient local bus services, and some larger cities, such as Milan, Rome, and Naples, also have extensive metro networks. In Venice, water taxis, gondolas and vaporetti (small passenger ferries) perform the same role.

It’s wrong to assume that all of Rome’s cultural big hitters are all in the center. Strike out along this path, and you’ll be amazed by the monuments and milestones that confront you at every turn, fully immersing you in the city’s enthralling past: the romantic ruins of villas where Rome's elite lived, catacombs, above-ground tombs and mausoleums. Comprehensive selection of maps throughout and beautiful full-colour photography to inspire you as you plan your unforgettable journeyThe short answer is anytime. Spring and fall are best for sightseeing, touring, and seasonal food. It’s warm without being stifling and nature is in full color. But with the glorious blue-sky weather come crowds and high-season prices in the main cities. Everyone who visits Venice wants to see the Rialto Bridge, the flouncy white crossing over the Grand Canal made of gleaming Istrian stone. Yet what the bridge leads to is arguably just as interesting. There’s been a market on the western side of the bridge for over 1000 years – while it’s not the trading hub of centuries past, there’s still a lively fish market and a fruit and veg area too. From the main parking lot at Campo Imperatore, hook onto the via normale (normal route). It's a surprisingly straightforward climb along moraine-streaked slopes to the summit, with 782m (2565ft) of ascent and some easy scrambling on the final leg. At the top, you’ll be gripped by views of rippling mountains and the Adriatic, a distant glimmer on the horizon, as well as tantalizing glimpses of Europe's southernmost glacier, the Calderone. A superstrada is a free, multi-lane state road marked by blue signs, with a speed limit of 90km/h. Scooters and bicycles are not allowed to enter such roads and doing so by mistake can be dangerous. The same goes for the autostrada, a toll motorway connecting major centers, where the speed limit reaches 130km/h.

All major cities light up with Christmas decorations starting as early as November and Christmas markets, with live music, ice skating and stalls selling roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and other seasonal treats, take place throughout December in many public squares. One of the best is the Weihnachtsmarkt in Merano. Venice is impossible to ignore, hence the hordes of tourists who pile into this dreamlike city of romantic canals and ethereal fogs. In an average year, 25 million arrive to snap selfies beneath the Bridge of Sighs and glimpse heaven (in fresco form) in Basilica di San Marco. To curb future crowds, a tourist tax, turnstiles at city entrances, and advance reservations via an app to enter the city are all on the drawing board. A long-touted entry fee was due to be introduced for day-trippers in January 2023, but it's been postponed with no update yet on a definite date.

Yes, Cinque Terre really is as jaw-dropping as the photos you’ve seen. The five precariously perched fishing villages painted in ice-cream colors look as though they’ll topple off the cliffside with the merest puff of wind.

There’s no better way to get a handle on the smoldering beauty of Sicily’s Aeolian Islands than by hoofing it up to Stromboli 's perfect pyramid of a volcano. Thrusting above the cobalt sea, it certainly has the wow factor. It's not every day, after all, that you get to trek up to a permanently active cone.Shop for swordfish heads and sweet ricotta pastries at Naples’ oldest market, ogle street art in the Centro Storico, admire Mt Vesuvius views from the Lungomare seafront, explore subterranean catacombs, then follow the lead of locals and join the after-dark passegiatta (promenade) on Via Chiaia. Whatever you do, count on drama 24/7. 4. Soak up the timeless beauty of Sicily Great accommodation options include ultra-stylish but authentic La Mala in Vernazza, charming beachfront Hotel La Spiaggia in Monterosso, cool and contemporary Hotel Marina Piccola in Manarola or the budget Ostello di Corniglia, one of only two hostels in the Cinque Terre. If you’re looking for somewhere special, La Torretta Lodge has extraordinary views, five-star service and lavishly decorated rooms. Most Tuscan tours begin in the Unesco-listed city of Florence, a cinematic feast of Renaissance palazzi (palaces), medieval-frescoed chapels and art museums brimming with Botticelli and Michelangelo masterpieces. Planning tip: Some of the churches have limited opening hours. When you get your pass, ask for the map of the churches – it also lists opening hours. 14. See Venice’s birthplace on Torcello