Italy, Designed Around You

Colorful buildings along a coastal cliff with blue sea and boats.

One country. Countless ways to experience it.

There’s a reason travelers return to Italy again and again.

Maybe it’s standing among thousands of years of history in Rome. Wandering the streets of Florence before settling into a table for an unforgettable Tuscan dinner. Gliding through Venice by boat. Sipping wine among the rolling hills of Tuscany. Looking across the brilliant blue water of the Amalfi Coast. Or slowing everything down for a few days beside one of Italy’s beautiful lakes.

Italy can be romantic, sophisticated, historic, relaxed, indulgent, adventurous — and sometimes all of those things in the same journey.

At Sea & Sun Travel Agency, we design personalized Italian journeys around how you want to experience the country.

Private touring. Beautiful hotels. Rail journeys. Wine experiences. Coastal escapes. Mediterranean cruises. Incredible food. And enough time to actually enjoy being there.

START PLANNING YOUR ITALY JOURNEY

What Will Your Italy Story Look Like?

Italy isn't a destination we believe should be rushed.

There is simply too much to experience.

For a first journey, that might mean combining several of Italy's iconic cities by rail. For another traveler, it could mean spending a week exploring Tuscany and its vineyards, villages, and countryside.

Maybe you've already experienced Rome and Florence and this time you're ready for Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia, or the Italian Lakes.

Or perhaps Italy becomes part of a larger Mediterranean journey by land and sea.

There isn't one "perfect Italy itinerary."

There is the Italy itinerary that's right for you.

Rome

Where thousands of years of history become part of everyday life.

Rome isn't a city you simply visit.

You experience it.

Ancient ruins rise beside busy streets. Neighborhood trattorias sit around the corner from extraordinary works of art. Piazzas become gathering places in the evening, and another piece of history seems to appear every time you turn a corner.

Experience the Colosseum and Roman Forum with a private guide. Explore the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica. Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain. Wander through Piazza Navona. Spend an afternoon discovering Trastevere before settling in for dinner.

And leave yourself some unscheduled time.

Because some of the best moments in Rome happen when you aren't trying to check something off a list.

ROME PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Florence | Tuscany | Amalfi Coast | Sicily | Mediterranean Cruises

Florence & Tuscany

Art, wine, countryside and the pleasure of slowing down.

Florence is the heart of Renaissance Italy — but experiencing Tuscany shouldn't stop at the city limits.

Spend time discovering Florence's extraordinary art and architecture before venturing into a landscape of vineyards, olive groves, medieval hill towns and countryside estates.

Explore the Uffizi. See Michelangelo's David. Walk across the Ponte Vecchio.

Then leave the city behind.

Taste Chianti among the vineyards. Visit Siena and San Gimignano. Discover the wines of Montalcino and Montepulciano. Learn the secrets of Tuscan cooking. Spend a few nights at a countryside resort or historic estate where the view becomes part of the experience.

Italy's official tourism organization highlights Tuscany for its combination of artistic cities, landscapes, history, food and renowned wines including Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

For many travelers, Florence introduces them to Tuscany.

The countryside makes them fall in love with it.

TUSCANY PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Rome | Florence | Bologna | Venice | Cinque Terre

Venice

There is nowhere else quite like it.

Arriving in Venice feels different from arriving almost anywhere else in Europe.

There are no cars waiting outside the station.

The streets are canals.

Boats become transportation.

And suddenly you're surrounded by palaces, bridges, hidden passageways and centuries of history.

Experience St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace. Take a private boat through the canals. Visit the colorful island of Burano and the glassmakers of Murano.

Then wander.

Step away from the busiest streets. Find a quiet canal. Stop for cicchetti and a glass of wine. Experience Venice after many of the day's visitors have left.

Venice rewards travelers who give it more than a few hurried hours.

VENICE PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Florence | Bologna | Verona | The Dolomites | Mediterranean & Adriatic Cruises

The Amalfi Coast & Southern Italy

Dramatic coastlines. Legendary towns. Southern Italian soul.

There are places that look beautiful in photographs.

And then there is the Amalfi Coast.

Clifftop towns tumble toward the Mediterranean. Roads curve high above the sea. Lemon groves climb the hillsides. Boats move between coastal villages.

Spend time in Positano. Explore Amalfi and Ravello. Cruise the coastline from the water. Cross over to glamorous Capri. Visit Pompeii with a private guide.

And don't overlook Naples.

Southern Italy has a completely different energy from Florence, Venice, or the Italian Lakes — and that's part of what makes combining regions of Italy so rewarding.

A thoughtfully designed journey might bring together the history of Rome with several slower days along the coast.

THE AMALFI COAST PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Rome | Naples | Pompeii | Capri | Sicily

The Italian Lakes

A quieter, elegant side of Italy.

Northern Italy's lakes offer a completely different Italian experience.

Think beautiful waterfront hotels, mountain scenery, historic villas, gardens, charming towns, boat rides and long lunches overlooking the water.

Lake Como is the name most travelers recognize, but Italy's lake region offers several possibilities depending on the journey you're imagining.

Spend your days exploring by boat. Visit villas and gardens. Wander through waterfront villages. Or simply enjoy your hotel and allow yourself the rare luxury of having nowhere you need to be.

The Italian Lakes work beautifully as the beginning or end of a longer Italian journey.

THE ITALIAN LAKES PAIR BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Milan | Venice | Verona | The Dolomites | Switzerland

Puglia

Whitewashed villages, olive groves and an Italy many travelers haven't discovered yet.

For travelers ready to go beyond Italy's most famous destinations, Puglia offers something special.

Located along the heel of Italy's boot, the region combines beautiful coastline, historic towns, masserie, ancient olive groves and a strong culinary tradition.

Discover the trulli houses of Alberobello. Wander the whitewashed streets of Ostuni.

Explore Lecce's Baroque architecture. Stay in a beautifully restored countryside masseria.

Puglia is particularly appealing for travelers who have already experienced Italy's classic route — or those who simply prefer places that feel a little less expected.

PUGLIA PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Matera | Southern Italy | Rome | Sicily

Sicily

Italy — with an identity entirely its own.

Sicily could easily be an entire journey.

The island's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean has created an extraordinary mixture of cultures, architecture, cuisine and history.

Explore Palermo's markets and historic streets. Discover the Greek temples of Agrigento. Wander through Taormina with Mount Etna in the distance. Visit wineries on the slopes of the volcano. Discover beautiful Baroque towns and coastal villages.

And eat.

Sicilian cuisine alone is reason enough to linger.

Sicily works beautifully for travelers returning to Italy, but it can also become the centerpiece of an extraordinary first Italian journey for someone looking beyond the traditional Rome–Florence–Venice itinerary.

SICILY PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Rome | Naples | Malta | Southern Italy | Mediterranean Cruises

Sardinia

Turquoise water meets unmistakably Italian style.

Sardinia introduces another side of Italy entirely.

The island is known for extraordinary coastline and clear Mediterranean water, but there's much more beyond its beaches — including distinctive cuisine, archaeological sites, villages and traditions that have developed over thousands of years.

For travelers looking to combine exploration with genuine downtime, Sardinia can provide the perfect ending to a larger Italian or Mediterranean journey.

Spend the morning exploring.

Spend the afternoon beside the sea.

And don't apologize for doing absolutely nothing for a while.

SARDINIA PAIRS BEAUTIFULLY WITH:
Rome | Corsica | French Riviera | Mediterranean Cruises

Italy Through Food & Wine

Sometimes the best way to understand Italy is around the table.

Food in Italy isn't simply something you fit between sightseeing.

It's part of the destination.

And every region tells a different story.

Taste wine among the vineyards of Tuscany. Learn to make pasta alongside a local chef. Discover balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano-Reggiano in Emilia-Romagna. Hunt for truffles in Piedmont. Eat pizza where it was born in Naples. Explore Sicily through its markets and street food.

Then there are the wine regions.

Chianti. Brunello. Barolo. Barbaresco. Prosecco. Amarone. Etna.

A culinary experience can be one afternoon of your trip.

Or we can build much of your journey around it.

Italy By Land

Rail, private drivers and thoughtfully connected destinations.

One of the reasons Italy works so beautifully for a customized journey is the ability to experience several very different destinations within one trip.

High-speed rail can connect major cities while private transfers and drivers open the door to countryside, wineries, hill towns and coastal destinations that aren't as simple to reach independently.

The key isn't trying to see everything.

It's designing the journey so the transportation makes sense and you're spending your vacation experiencing Italy rather than constantly packing and moving.

A first journey might look something like:

Rome → Florence → Tuscany → Venice

Or:

Rome → Florence → Amalfi Coast

A return journey might become:

Milan → Italian Lakes → Piedmont

Or:

Puglia → Matera → Sicily

There are countless possibilities.

We'll help determine which one makes sense for you.

Italy By Sea

Sometimes the Mediterranean gives you the best view.

Italy is also one of Europe's extraordinary cruise destinations.

Rome's port of Civitavecchia can begin or end a Mediterranean voyage, while itineraries may visit destinations throughout the Italian coastline and islands.

Depending on the ship and itinerary, a voyage can connect Italy with Greece, Croatia, Malta, France, Spain, and other destinations throughout the Mediterranean.

And the type of ship changes the experience.

A premium ocean ship offers one style of journey.

A smaller destination-focused ship offers another.

A luxury or yacht-style vessel may reach smaller ports and create an entirely different atmosphere.

We help you look beyond the cruise line name and determine which ship, itinerary, stateroom and overall experience actually fits how you want to travel.

EXPLORE OCEAN CRUISES

The Best of Both Worlds

Italy by land + the Mediterranean by sea.

You don't necessarily have to choose between an Italian land journey and a cruise.

Some of our favorite itineraries combine them.

Imagine several nights exploring Rome and Tuscany before boarding a Mediterranean cruise.

Spend time on Lake Como before traveling to Venice to begin a voyage through the Adriatic.

Explore Sicily before continuing across the Mediterranean.

Or finish your cruise and stay in Italy while everyone else heads directly to the airport.

A pre- or post-cruise stay can turn a seven- or ten-night sailing into a much richer European journey.

And because we plan both custom European travel and cruises, we can bring the entire experience together.

First Time in Italy?

Start with the icons. Just don't try to see all of them at once.

Rome. Florence. Venice.

There's a reason these cities remain at the top of so many travelers' lists.

For a first visit, combining two or three major destinations with one slower experience — perhaps Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast — can provide a wonderful introduction to Italy.

The mistake isn't visiting the famous places.

The mistake is trying to squeeze so many of them into one trip that Italy becomes a series of train stations and hotel check-ins.

We'll help you determine what belongs in this trip.

Italy will still be there when you're ready to return.

Already Been to Italy?

Good. Now it gets interesting.

If you've already tossed your coin in the Trevi Fountain, seen David, and wandered through St. Mark's Square, your next Italian journey can look completely different.

Maybe it's:

Puglia and Matera.
Sicily and the Aeolian Islands.
Piedmont during truffle season.
The Dolomites and Italian Lakes.
Emilia-Romagna for food and wine.
Sardinia and Corsica.

Or a small-ship voyage connecting lesser-visited ports around the Mediterranean.

Italy rewards repeat travelers because there is always another region, another village, another wine, another coastline and another experience waiting beyond the places you've already seen.

When Should You Visit Italy?

Italy can be experienced throughout the year, but the right time depends heavily on where you're going and what you want to do.

Spring and fall can be wonderful for touring cities, countryside and wine regions.

Summer brings long days and Mediterranean energy, particularly along the coast and islands, but also greater demand and crowds in many of Italy's most popular destinations.

Winter offers a completely different experience, from quieter cultural cities to Christmas traditions and mountain escapes.

Instead of beginning with "What's the best month to visit Italy?" we prefer to ask:

What do you want your Italy trip to feel like?

Then we can determine when you should go.

How We Design Your Italy Journey

You don't need to figure out which cities connect by train.

You don't need to sort through hundreds of hotels.

You don't need to determine whether you should spend two nights somewhere or four.

And you definitely don't need to spend six months with 37 browser tabs open trying to assemble everything yourself.

That's our job.

We can bring together:

Hand-selected hotels and resorts
Private and small-group touring
Rail transportation
Private transfers and drivers
Food and wine experiences
Cruises and small-ship voyages
Pre- and post-cruise stays
Flights
Special celebrations and experiences
One organized itinerary

We design the journey around your priorities, pace, travel style and investment — then coordinate the pieces so they work together.

Your Italy. Your Way.

Maybe this is the trip you've been talking about for ten years.

Maybe you're celebrating an anniversary.

Maybe Italy is where you've always wanted to honeymoon.

Maybe you've already been three times and you're ready to discover somewhere completely different.

Or maybe you simply saw a photograph of the Amalfi Coast one day and thought:

I need to go there.

That's enough to start.

Tell us what you're imagining.

We'll help you turn it into Italy, designed around you.