Travel Planning
It may seem daunting, but we have tools to make your travel planning as smooth as an old Barolo. A timeline tells you what to do when, Cost gives you tools to determine the current prices of lodging, fuel, airline tickets, and food. And don't plan too much or you'll miss the unplanned pleasures of Italy.
Timeline Cost Climate Unplanned Pleasures
Maps of Italian Places
Use the drop down list in the toolbar to see maps and travel guides to each region of Italy we cover. Our hand drawn maps clear the clutter to let you focus on the best destinations in Italy. Interactive maps like our distance map let you calculate how far apart the things you just have to see are.
Italy Maps Cities Map Regions Map
Where to Stay
Italy offers a variety of lodging. Some travelers prefer hotels for the level of service. Others like a vacation rental to test what it's like to live like an Italian or to accommodate family and friends. You might also like a farm stay in an agriturismo, as you see above.
Hotels Self Catering Recommended
Itineraries
Here we present little-known bits of Italy to explore, not "how to spend a week in Rome". You can discover the valley that forms Italy's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, for example, the Valcamonica, with Italy's largest collection of rock engravings--or you can discover the treasures along a Roman road in Puglia
Picture: Assisi
Italian Itineraries
Blog: Italian Culture
If you're the curious type you'd want to know about Italian culture and history and how it differs from yours before you take that Italian vacation. Along the way you might wonder how art and cucina povera go together, or what glorious festivals Sardinia offers, or how Padua brought medicine into the modern age.
The Wandering Italy Blog
Experiential Travel
There are things you can do in Italy that you might never imagine you can do. Ever think about getting your donkey driving license? Did you know you can ride old rail tunnels along the Italian Riviera coast? Are you aware of the Cultural Anthropology of gleaming white Italian tablecloths?
Picture: A Truffle Hunt in Umbria
Experiential Travel Index
Top Italy Train Route Maps
Tuscany By Train
Imagine gliding through that classic landscape with no chances of getting lost or running out of gas.
Calabria By Train
Want exotic? The toe of the boot has lots of seashore, and the train can get you there easily.
Puglia by Train
More seaside and a flat region that's easily served by train. You won't miss a car at all.
La Cucina Italiana
Everyone's heard of "Italian food" but in reality it's all a regional and local cuisine. Did you know the food you're offered can get better if you order the local grub and interact with the waiter? Have you ever tasted REAL artisan olive oil?
Picture: Pasta at the Black Truffle Lodge.
Ancient Cultures
Sure, you think of Rome and all the great, well-preserved Roman Sites, but the country is filled with all manner of civilizations and their unique artifacts. And it all changes in Sardinia, with it's unique Nuragic culture. Then there's the architecture. Know your Romanesque?
