A travel agent’s guide to Italy
Liz Young has worked in the travel industry for over 35 years and travelled solo many times over the years both for work and leisure. This year she launched Individual Traveller, a bespoke travel service designed for men and women 45+ to travel with other solo travellers who’d like the opportunity to get together at the end of the day to share their experiences.
Italy is one of the world’s most glorious countries to visit – the beautiful countryside, the fascinating history, the awe-inspiring art and architecture, and the friendly locals who know how to live life are all reasons enough to return over and over again, but it’s the food which I love the most. The Mediterranean sun does wonderful things to the food – and you haven’t had a pizza until you have had one in Italy! Whilst the Aeolian Islands are Italy’s heaven, I think Italy is the world’s heaven.
Italy is so diverse and beautiful that just about all of it is a must-see, but if I have to choose here are a few of the favourites to start off with (but I could list so many more amazing must-visit places in Italy):
- Lake Como – For about three nights this is an amazingly beautiful area to relax and unwind. Visit the lakes on ferries and experience the popular retreat, which has been a favourite destination for aristocrats and the wealthy since Roman times.
- Cinque Terre – So quaint and beautiful, this area offers amazing walks between the five towns and the best seafood in Italy. Whether you stay in one of the villages for two to three nights or visit for the day this is a must do!
- Tuscany – A very popular destination in Italy, Tuscany is great for villa stays. Hire a car to visit the local wineries and quaint walled towns and villages. It’s a real foodie’s paradise too!
- Amalfi Coast – This rugged coast offers beautiful seaside towns like Positano and Ravello, edging the Tyrrhenian Sea. Visit Capri and swim in the Green Grotto. You’ll feel so alive!
- Puglia – A popular place to self-drive through the medieval towns Alberobello and Locorotondo which feature many local white-washed Trulli houses. Puglia also has beautiful beaches.
- Sicily and Aeolian Islands – Sicily’s varied landscape is a juxtaposition of sea, volcano and mountain scenery. A must-do is a visit to Stromboli, the tip of a vast underwater volcano. The Aeolian Islands, north of Sicily, is Italy’s heaven. The beaches are great for swimming and there are mountain and coastal walks galore. The village towns offer mouth-watering Sicilian cuisine and sweet wines. Here you will enjoy a delightful sun-kissed holiday. And then there are the cities to explore!
Visit the local wineries in Tuscany.
My top tips to get the most out of your holiday in Italy:
- Sign up for a cooking and wine lesson with an Italian chef and sommelier. Learn to make the real thing to cook at home and show off to your family and friends.
- Experience the one in a lifetime experience of Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica with Pope Francis. Religious or not it is an experience you will never forget! Individual Traveller include this on our Christmas and New Year Tour.
- Explore Umbria and go truffle hunting.
- Live like a local in a small walled town for a week.
- Stay in a Trulli (a traditional Apulian dry stone hut with a conical roof) in Puglia for a few nights
- Travel everywhere by train – it’s fast, affordable and easy to do.
- Get lost in Venice, it’s an island so you won’t go too far wrong. Finish the day with a Grappa in St Mark’s Square.
- Wander Trastevere, a cobble street neighbourhood in Rome for a quiet break from the hustle and bustle. Enjoy cheap eats at great restaurants, just like the locals do.
- Try to visit Venice during Carnevale in February to see the most amazing masked festival in the world. It’s like being in the 14th century and it’s all around you! And it’s just so glamorous!
Have you visited Italy? What are your travel tips? Share with the Over60 community in the comments below.
Love to visit Italy but nobody to go with? Individual Traveller offers bespoke travel itineraries to Italy for solo travellers who enjoy their independence but also like to socialise and meet new people. Discover beautiful Italy and make new friends today! Visit the Individual Traveller website for more details.
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