Things to do in Italy

The last weekend of August is the perfect time for many to get away: the beaches are a bit emptier and prices are more reasonable. It's the perfect window to indulge in a two- or three-day getaway without the chaos of Ferragosto, but with all the light and warmth that only this period can offer.

One of Salento’s most recognisable scenes has changed pace. Entry to Grotta della Poesia and the archaeological area of Roca Vecchia now requires a ticket.

Stone lanes, a lakeside castle and the steep slopes of Monte Baldo give Malcesine a distinctly cinematic setting on Lake Garda’s eastern shore.

Almost three thousand years of history have not settled one of literature’s most absorbing questions: where are the places of Odysseus and the Odyssey really located? Over the centuries, Homer’s poem has served as a compass for geographers, philologists and sailors trying to overlay its map onto the Mediterranean, gathering evidence, clues and theories that can sometimes fit together surprisingly well. The result is an itinerary touching Sicily, Lazio, Campania, Tunisia, Greece and the waters around Malta.

The Ferragosto fireworks display is the modern legacy of a celebration that originated in ancient Rome and has reinvented itself over the centuries, combining religious devotion with seaside relaxation. From Lake Garda to Lake Como, from Marina di Ravenna to Marina di Ragusa, from Castellammare di Stabia to Ostia and Versilia, every corner of Italy offers its own version of the spectacle.

Abruzzo is one of those Italian regions that rewards a bit of patience.

Italy will see a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August 2026.

August in Italy revolves around Ferragosto, the public holiday on 15 August, when plenty of shops and smaller businesses close and cities can feel unusually quiet.

Elba Island sits off the Tuscan coast in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, a short ferry ride from Piombino.

Italy’s events calendar stays busy through the summer holidays, with historic horse races, religious processions and open-air music festivals taking over town squares and arenas.

Walking among stone walls, towers rising above the hills, and cobbled lanes that seem frozen in time is an experience Italy does particularly well. The most beautiful medieval villages in Italy tell the story of an era shaped by castles, Romanesque churches and communities perched high up for protection, places that have since become popular travel destinations.

Discover the pleasure of a slow holiday, a different way of travelling that puts calm, time and wellbeing at the centre of the experience. We’ve selected five routes to help you explore some of Italy’s most remarkable natural wonders.

Italy in summer has its own rhythm. Cities empty out, beaches fill up, dinners stretch late into the evening and daily life shifts around the heat. Many of the common mistakes tourists make in Italy during peak season aren’t about rudeness.

Planning a trip to Tropea in 2026? This clifftop town on Calabria’s Costa degli Dei blends a characterful old town with some of the clearest water in southern Italy.

Northern Italy in summer is all glistening lakes, pastel fishing villages, Alpine backdrops and long aperitivo evenings by the water.

July sits at the heart of the Italian summer and is traditionally the month packed with open-air events: fireworks over the lagoon, opera under the stars, jazz concerts in medieval alleyways, and a horse race that lasts less than ninety seconds but carries a year’s worth of passion. The journey stretches across the country, taking in Venice, Rome, Naples, Siena, Perugia and Genoa. Here’s what to do in Italy in July 2026.

Just outside Venice, hidden behind a grand villa and formal gardens, lies one of the most intricate historic mazes in Europe. At first glance, it looks orderly and symmetrical.

The world-famous Palio di Siena 2026 will take place on Thursday, 2 July 2026 (Palio della Madonna di Provenzano) and Sunday, 16 August 2026 (Palio dell’Assunta). As always, both races are held in the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo in the heart of Siena, Tuscany.

Imagine a whole week without notifications, without out-of-hours work messages and without that automatic reflex of reaching for your phone whenever there’s a spare second.

From the Piedmont hills to the shores of Lake Garda, to the Emilian Apennines, the heritage of medieval villages is rich and surprising. Northern Italy's medieval villages are among the most fascinating destinations for those seeking a weekend getaway immersed in history, art, and evocative landscapes.

Just a few minutes beyond the Aurelian Walls in Rome, you’ll find an enormous green corridor where you can literally walk on paving stones laid more than two thousand years ago. Mausoleums rise out of the grass, catacombs run underground, and aqueducts cut across the skyline.

There’s a stretch of central Italy where rust-red rock towers rise sharply above green woodland, with a deep blue lake sitting just below.

Italy has a knack for hiding its best cards. Beyond Rome, Florence and Venice, there are incredible places in Italy that feel lifted straight out of a historical novel: alpine lakes that once turned red, Moorish revival castles, lava-carved gorges and abandoned hilltop towns.

June 2026 in Italy is looking wonderfully full on, in the best possible way.

Italy is one of those countries that genuinely rewards slow travel.