Italy is a country that offers a break for every type of traveller, from a week-long skiing trip at its popular pistes to a fly-and-flop 10-day holiday along the sandy shores of the Almalfi Coast. Yet for those on a time crunch with just a long weekend to spare, the Italian urban landscape is preened for the time-short and culture-hungry traveller’s favourite – the city break . Famed for its rich regional gastronomy – think bowls of bolognese, wood-fired pizzas and scoops of gelato – Italy’s cities have all the ingredients to tick off sightseeing, culture and history from a city break bucket list.
Tourists may first be drawn to the rustic glamour of the capital, but it’s not just “when in Rome ” – the Mediterranean country is a tapestry of ancient ruins, rolling hills and timeless art from boot to heel. Harbourside island hubs in Sicily in Sardinia blend beach days with Baroque architecture, while Naples and Milan compete to polish the edges of their authentic offerings into holidaymaker-friendly hotspots. From Renaissance Florence to coastal Cagliari, here are the best cities to visit for the ultimate Italian experience.
Once a key player in Italy’s industrial Golden Triangle, Milan has remained a frontrunner in finance and high-end fashion. You’ll notice there’s no shortage of brand names in the dome-topped Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. However, the northern city is not without old-world charm, from the operas and ballets of Teatro alla Scala to the.
