Getting to Italy – Top tips that will come in handy

At some point in our life we dreamed of visiting Italy. This lovely country that boasts of old architecture,

great cuisine, lovely gondolas, scenic views and staying in a gorgeous owners direct in Italy is an ideal

vacation anyone could wish for. But the question is, do you know where Italy is and how to get there?

Below are some helpful tips and resources that will help you on how to get to the country and familiarize

its culture.

There are cheap direct and indirect flights to Italy available from the UK and the US. The most popular

entry-points into Italy are Rome (Leonardo da Vinci Airport), Milan (Malpensa Airport) and Venice (Marco

Polo Airport). Get more information on Italy Airports.

Read Italian Neighbours by Tim Parks, The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa, Under the Tuscan Sun by

Frances Mayes, and Italian Hours by Henry James. Listen to Andrea Bocelli, Lucio Battisti, Zucchero, and

Laura Pausini. Watch Cinema Paradiso (1988), La Dolce Vita (1960), Il Postino (1994), and Roman Holiday

(1953).

Drink some of the Chianti Region's world-famous wines. Try regional variations of your favorite pasta

dishes (such as cuttlefish-ink-based pasta sauces in Venice) - and of course, it is mandatory to eat pizza in

Naples.

What to buy? For a special trinket or a gift for a loved one back home, buy some authentic Murano

glassware - you'll be purchasing something that comes from an artistic tradition dating back to the 7th

Century. Olive oil, leather products and limoncello (traditional lemon-flavored liqueur) are also popular

things to buy in Italy.

What to pack? Remember that clothing is very expensive in Italy, and so you should arrive well prepared.

Pack comfortable walking shoes for daytime excursions as well as stylish shoes for evenings out.

What's on in Italy? The Venice Film Festival is one of the oldest and most respected film festivals in the

world, and draws hundreds of A-list celebrities. Milan Fashion Week is one of the top fashion events on

the yearly calendar. For a festive Christmas season, head to Milan for the Oh Bej! celebration, where you

can eat roasted chestnuts and shop around the antique markets.

Did you know? When McDonald's opened in Rome (in 1986), food purists outside the restaurant gave

away free spaghetti to remind people of their proud culinary heritage. Italy has more volcanoes than any

other European nation. Both ice cream cones and spectacles were invented in Italy.

A final word. A country uniquely blessed with sights, attractions, great food and wine, and a lovely

climate; Italy is not only the historical 'center of the western world', but one of its most enthralling

modern-day tourist destinations.