This lively university town is packed full of porticoed streets, medieval palaces and world renowned architectural pieces including the Neptune Fountain and Torri degli Asinelli e Garisenda towers. It’s also the epicurean centre of Italy, with an ice-cream museum! So you’ll be spoilt for choice for great places to eat.

This impressive walled town was home to one of Italy’s most wealthy and powerful dynasties and has plenty of moats, towers and grizzly dungeons to explore.

Once a thriving and wealth trading post, this ancient Roman port has beautiful old palaces, courtyards and Byzantine mosaics to discover.

These thirteen islands joined by a network of bridges, make up a charming medieval town with colour fisherman’s houses. If you like fish, make sure you sample the local delicacy of eels, caught in the traditional Roman way.

Situated on the River Sile, this fortified medieval town has Venetian canals and frescoed house fronts, once home to poets, musicians, writers and architects. There’s a 12th century cathedral and a 13th century town hall, but no tour is complete without a visit to the daily fish market - full of exotic noise, colour… and smells. If you fancy a pick-me-up, you might be interested to know this is where the popular dessert Tiramisu was created.

Birthplace and home to the finest stonemasons of the 16th century, this city is a testament to their craftsmanship with beautiful buildings carved with extraordinary scenes. Take a stroll, or park yourself in a pavement café to admire the incredible architecture.

Explore the main streets and back waters of Venice on foot, by gondola, by river bus or, if you’re feeling a little bit James Bond, by speed boat. The views of the city and the lagoon are well worth the climb to the top of the bell tower in Piazza San Marco.

After a hard day on the beach, put on your glad rags and join the locals in an evening promenade. The street is closed to traffic so you can wander at your leisure before getting down to the important business of dinner.