Category:Italy

From MyVacationsTo

Europe's kinky over-the-knee boot has it all: popes, painters, polenta, paramours, poets, political puerility and potentates. Its dreamy light and sumptuous landscapes seem made for romance, and its three millennia of history, culture and cuisine seduces just about everyone.

You can visit Roman ruins, gawk at Renaissance art, stay in tiny medieval hill towns, go skiing in the Alps, explore the canals of Venice and gaze at beautiful churches. Naturally you can also indulge in the pleasures of la dolce vita: good food, good wine and improving your wardrobe.

1 When To Go
2 Transportation
- 2.1 Getting there
- 2.2 Getting Around

[edit] When To Go

Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful, the temperatures are pleasant and there are relatively few crowds. Try to avoid August, as this is the time that most Italians take their vacations, and many shops and businesses are closed as a result.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Getting there

For travel between Italy and other parts of Europe, including the UK, buses are the cheapest but most tiring type of transport, although discount rail tickets are competitive and budget flights can be good value - sometimes better value than buses.

Water: Ferries service Sicily from Naples, Civitavecchia, Reggio di Calabria, Livorno and Genoa, while Sardinia can be reached from Genoa, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Naples, Tràpani and Palermo.

Rail: State and private railways service the country and are generally simple, cheap and efficient.

Air: Air travel within Italy is expensive, making it a less-attractive option than travel by train or bus.

Road: Buses to Italy are numerous but can't really compete with the convenience of the train.

Water: Ferries connect the country with Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Malta, Albania, France, Slovenia, Croatia and Spain.

Air: Visitors travelling to Italy will find that flights are numerous and fares are competitive.

Rail: Unless you're pushed for time, train travel is a great way to enter Italy from within Europe.

[edit] Getting Around

Given the excellent network of relatively cheap bus and train services in Italy, both are a great, stress-free way of seeing the country - and of being part of the great Italian travelling public. Bus travel is the less expensive of the two, but as there are many different operators it is less straightforward than train travel. Your own wheels give you the most potential freedom and flexibility, although both fuel and autostrada (motorway) tolls are rather expensive. Domestic air travel can be costly and is probably worth it only if you are really short of time.

Road by car: If you want to see more of the real Italy, renting a car is a great way of getting off the beaten track. Roads are generally good throughout the country, and there is an excellent network of freeways, although you do have to pay tolls.

Road by bus: Buses are fast and reliable, whether they are traversing local routes linking small villages or zooming along autostrade between cities. They come into their own to reach destinations not serviced by the trains.