Italian cities are incomparable. Venice is truly magical and is best described by some of the highlights of the city; arriving at St Mark’s by water-bus from the lagoon to be struck by its kaleidoscope of colours and images, sitting in St Mark’s Square at one of the cafés with a piano playing in the background and marvelling at the confusion of the architecture all around with the lagoon in the distance and the shimmering of light on the façade of the Doge’s Palace, the relaxing atmosphere created by the lapping of water wherever you go, the breathtaking glory of the palaces lining the Grand Canal and the wealth of architectural treasures yet to be restored hiding along backwater canals and in off the beaten track squares. Florence is a treasure trove of art and architecture and worthy of its cherished place in the hearts and minds of the northern European traveller.The Italian capital, Rome offers almost endless sightseeing treats from the extensive Roman sites such as the Coliseum and the Forum, to St Peter’s and the Vatican, and the Baroque monuments of the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Naples is an astoundingly attractive city, full of interest and with beautiful, historic buildings. Milan is an energetic, dynamic city with superb shops, architecture and the opera. We also offer you the smaller but fascinating cities of Bologna, Verona, Parma and Ferrara all featured in the pages of this Cities section. We also offer hotels in Pisa and Siena which you can find in the Tuscany section of the website. All the Italian cities make excellent combinations with rail travel in between for which we can provide you with tickets.
Local highlights
Festivals
Venice carnival: A boisterous time of merrymaking and elaborate masks and costumes. Takes place in February, finishing on Shrove Tuesday.
Venice regatta: Historical regatta of boats held on the Grand Canal on the first Sunday in September. Rome jazz festival: An annual festival of jazz music which takes place in October.
Gastronomy
The city of Parma is famous for its hams and cheeses. Bologna is a renowned gastronomic city, home to stuffed pasta dishes and the famous Bolognese sauce. Naples is the birthplace of the Margarita pizza.
Getting out and about
Venice: The carnival in Venice in February, shopping for glassware and jewellery, a ride along the Grand Canal with its elegant palaces, the food markets of the San Polo district.
Florence: Concerts, opera and ballet in Florence in May, jewellery and paper in Florence, the splendours of the Uffizi, the serenity of the Boboli gardens, a view of the city and the Arno valley from Fiesole.
Rome: The Villa d'Este at Tivoli, clothes and shoes in Rome, the Coliseum and Forum, the marvellous Baroque architecture, sites of religious significance.
Naples: Waterfront and baroque palaces, archaeological museum.
Milan: The Galleria, La Scala opera house, the cathedral and designer shops.
Verona: Opera, Roman arena and tombs of the Scaligeri.
Ferrara: The austere and dramatic architecture of the Castello Estense.
Parma: Gastronomy, home to hams and cheeses.
Bologna: the church of San Petronio, mediaeval palaces and the elegant city centre with its porticoed buildings.
Opera in Italy - click here for more details
Travel arrangements
How to get there
By scheduled air from London to Venice, Pisa (for Florence), Florence (with Meridiana from Gatwick), Rome, Milan, Naples, Verona and Bologna for Ferrara and Parma. There are direct flights from regional airports to Rome and Milan. Transfers from the airports to the hotels are not included in our prices (although hire-cars are included for Parma and Ferrara) but either private transfers can be prebooked by us or details of public transport (cheaper option) are provided with your tickets and holiday documentation. From Venice airport to St Mark's there is a public water-bus, costing about £7.50 per person each way. From Rome to the city centre we recommend the train service and then a taxi to the hotel. From Florence airport there is a bus service or taxis are available. From Pisa to Florence there is a regular train service from the airport to Florence city centre.From Naples airport to the city centre it is only a 15 minute taxi ride (costing about £15). From Milan airport a bus takes you to the railway station or it is just a 15 minute ride in a taxi (about £15).