Welcome to your Italy guide!

Hotels

We’ll suggest preferred partner properties with a wide range of options, from family-run boutique hotels to luxury hotels.

Villas

Choose from authentic historic villas to enhance your visit to Italy.

Italian Food

Pasta – Penne, Orzo, Fusilli, Tagliatelle, Spaghetti, Capellini, Farfalle…..the list goes on and on. Of course, when we think of Italy we think of Pasta! Legend has it that Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy from his expeditions to the Far East but there is historical evidence of pasta going back to Etruscan times.

Pizza -The earliest known evidence of Pizza is from Naples in 1889 when King Umberto I and his Queen Margherita visited the city. A local baker Rafaelle Esposito was asked to create something for them and he created what we know today as the Margherita pizza which replicated the colors of the Italian flag with the red tomato sauce, the white mozzarella cheese and the green basil. Pizza in Naples is soft and spongy but other regions in Italy differ.

Italian Food

Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar – Almost everywhere you go in Italy you will see rows and rows of Olive Trees. Italy is the second-largest producer of olive oil in the world. The use of this oil in cooking dates back to ancient Roman times. Olive oil has also been used for medicinal purposes and beauty products. Modena and Reggio are the regions where Aceto Balsamico di Modena. A great Italian pleasure is some great crusty bread and some local olive oil with a few drops of Balsamic vinegar added. Delicioso!

Cheese – Mozzarella, Parmesan, Pecorino, Mascarpone and Gorgonzola…just some of the greatest Italian cheeses.

Gelato! – Practically on every street, even in the smallest village you find a gelato shop! No trip to Italy is complete without tasting (maybe several times!) it.

Italian Drinks

Caffe – We cannot talk about Italian drinks and not mention their love of Coffee! Whether it be Cappuccino, Caffe Latte, Macchiato, Espresso or Americano coffee is a ritual in Italy and to be enjoyed. You will see very few coffee takeout brand names in Italy. Coffee is either enjoyed sitting down or standing up al banco (at the bar) in a small cafe. Beware, Italians are fussy about what types of coffee you order at what times in the day for example Cappuccino, Caffe Latte (hint never ask for a latte either as all you will get is milk!), or Macchiato are only for breakfast so if you ask after 11 AM they could straight out say no or give you a funny look!

Italian Drinks

Wine – Italy is one of the best wine-producing nations in the world with a history of the production of 4000 years. Each region has its own specialty but some of the most famous red wines are Montepulciano, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Nero d’Avola, Barbaresco, Amarone and Aglianico. For White wines try Fiano, Falanghina, Greco di Tufo, Pinot Grigio, Vernaccia, Soave and Trebbiano. Of course, don’t forget to try some Prosecco and maybe even some sweet wines like Vin Santo.

Aperitivo Time – Italians have this lovely tradition that takes place between around 6-8 PM. Usually, it involves going to a local bar which will also serve some accompaniment such as crostini, olives, cheese, bruschetta and cured meats. Normally Aperitivi is lower in alcohol and popular options would include Aperol Spritz, Vermouth, Campari, Negroni and Prosecco.

You’ll have a few transportation choices to choose from when traveling around Italy:

Car Rentals

Driving yourself around Italy brings the convenience of personal transport and allows you to control what you see and how long you spend at each location.

Unlike most European counterparts, an International Driving Permit is required in Italy to rent a car. The International Driving Permit is an official document that certifies the validity of your home driver’s license in 10 languages. Your name and other license information are shown in a standard, internationally recognized format, and a passport-size photo completes the identification. The IDP is only allowed to be used in conjunction with your US license, so you must present both. You can obtain an IDP from AAA or the National Auto Club.

Private Driver

Hiring a private driver offers another way of getting around Italy without the hassle of maneuvering the roads. It also adds an extra element of personal service to your vacation. With Tenon, you can choose to have a private driver for your entire trip or just a portion of it.

Train

Italy has some great fast train options which are very modern. What better way to see the countryside than sitting back on the train.

Historical

• The Colosseum and Roman Forum in Rome
• The Vatican
• Pompeii and Ercolano
• Hilltop walled towns
• 58 UNESCO listed sites

Architectural

• The Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore in Florence
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Arts & Culture

• Food and Wine
• Renaissance Art

Landscapes & Scenery

• The Grand Canal in Venice
• The Amalfi Coast
• The Italian Lakes

Florence

• Liz Aungier loves the traditional Tuscan cuisine and wines of Quattro Leoni, a casual trattoria located in a small courtyard between the Ponte Vecchio and the Pitti Palace. Specifically, you must try one of their most famous dishes, a pasta dish with pear and Taleggio cheese.

Naples

• Make your way to Da Michele and see where Julia Roberts ate in the movie Eat, Pray, Love. It’s a very popular place, at times busy, and nothing fancy (with only two types of pizza on offer inside) but Liz Aungier says it’s the best Neapolitan Pizza.
• Head to the very beautiful Sorrentino vini Vesuvio for one of Liz Aungier’s favorite wine tours.

Ischia

• Liz Aungier says you can’t go to Ischia without a stop at Giardini La Mortella, a spectacular Mediterranean and subtropical garden created by Susana Walton, wife of the English composer Sir William Walton.
• According to Liz Aungier, the Castello Aragonese, an incredible rock island castle that dates back to the fifth century BC, is not to be missed.