Both for its history as the capital of much of ancient Europe and for its present day role as one of Europe's most vibrant cities, for most tourists traveling to Italy, Rome heads the list of places to visit. Relics of its ancient glories–the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon, the Appian Way, and the Palatine Hill–vie with the vast riches of the Vatican as the top attractions. But between the important sights like the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's Pieta, take time to enjoy the city itself. Relax in the Borghese gardens; eat gelato on the Spanish Steps; explore the narrow streets of Trastevere; sip morning cappuccino in cafés; window-shop on the Via Veneto; and toss a coin in Trevi Fountain, so you can return again and again. It will take several trips to see it all.

The WOW island of Sicily with the 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Selinunte one of the largest Greek temples; Agrigento, at the Valley of Temples, one of the three most perfect Greek temples anywhere; 3,500 square meters of mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina decorate one of the best-preserved villas in the entire Roman Empire; Mt. Etna the most active European volcano; Palermo a vibrant city full of color and best street food. Nearby Monreale Dome, an amazing masterpiece of Norman architecture covered by 6,340 square meters gold mosaics by artists from Constantinople and Sicily; Taormina and the lovely Isola Bella; Syracusa and the Noto Valley.

Who could fail to love a city whose streets are made of water, whose buses are boats, and where the songs of gondoliers linger in the air? It is a magic city, and its major attraction to tourists is the city itself. The hub of the city is the broad Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Square, surrounded by several of its top tourist attractions. The great Basilica of St. Mark stands beside the Doge's Palace, and overlooking both is the tall Campanile. Gondolas congregate at the end of the plaza in the Grand Canal, and in the other direction, a gate under the clock tower leads into a warren of narrow, winding passageways, where you're sure to get lost on the way to Rialto Bridge. But getting lost is one of the greatest pleasures of Venice, where a postcard scene awaits around each corner.

The showcase of the Italian Renaissance, Florence can at times seem like one giant art museum. The Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is a landmark of world architecture, topped by its gravity-defying massive dome. Together with its marble-inlaid bell tower by Giotto and the octagonal Baptistery with its incomparable bronze doors by Ghiberti, this is one of the world's finest ensembles of Renaissance art. Half a dozen art museums brim with paintings and sculpture, while more masterpieces decorate its churches and palaces. Before you overdose on art in the Uffizi Gallery and Pitti Palace, stroll through the Boboli Gardens and explore the artisans' studios and workshops of the Oltrarno, or shop for leather in Santa Croce.

The high, precipitous Amalfi Peninsula juts sharply into the Mediterranean just south of Naples, forming the southern rim of Naples Bay. It's hard to imagine a more beautiful–or unlikely setting for the towns that spill down its steep slopes. The Amalfi Drive, along the southern coast, is one of the world's great scenic routes. Off the end of the peninsula, and easy to reach by regular ferries, is the fabled island of Capri, with its Blue Grotto sea cave, lavish villas, and lush gardens. Sorrento, on the northern coast of the Amalfi Peninsula is a good base, an easy day trip from all the things to see and do in the region.

The five towns that cling to the steep, rocky Mediterranean coast north of La Spezia were almost impossible to reach by land until the railway connected them by tunneling through the headlands that separate them. Today, the trail along the cliffs that locals once used to travel from town to town is one of Italy's great hikes; the shortest and widest of its sections, between Manarola and Riomaggiore is known as the Via dell'Amore, and will be closed until sometime in 2022, due to a landslide. Although hiking the trail is the goal of most tourists, don't overlook the pleasures of lingering in these little villages. Riomaggiore and Vernazza, with their narrow streets dropping down to tiny rock-bound harbors are the most filled with character, and despite its recent popularity with tourists, the Cinque Terre remains one of Italy's most appealing attractions.

Italy's most beautiful lake, Como has been the favorite summer retreat of the rich and famous since ancient Romans fled Milan's summer heat to cool off in villas along its steep shores. Later villas decorate its tightly clustered towns, especially pretty Bellagio, artfully set on a point where the three narrow arms of the lake meet. A microclimate makes Como's western shore temperate even in winter, so the white peaks of the Alps just to the north can be viewed between palm trees and camellias. Don't overlook the town of Como, on the southern shore, well worth a stop before boarding a steamer to explore the lake.