For many of us, the Italian peninsula has long been a curiosity of wonder and exploration. The numerous iconic landmarks and Italy highlights that have adorned postcards and travel books for decades are etched into our minds. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Coliseum of Rome and the ruined city of Pompei are continually in the mind’s eye and on the edge of thought when we think of the European boot.
And yet, Italy has so much more to offer than this. In the idle villages of Tuscany, the backstreets of its major cities, local Italians are yearning to show the world what they are missing when it comes to Italy highlights.
Unique experiences in Italy are in abundance. Whether it’s searching for the coveted Alba truffle in the woodlands of Piemonte or blending fast Italian sports cars with an Italian cooking lesson – the choices are endless. Whatever the weather in Italy, there is always something to see and do here.
Our Local Designers can draw the curtain back on these unusual things to do in Italy, combining them with customisable itineraries. This will allow you to tick off that iconic landmark while experiencing a plethora of Italy highlights that have mostly been left unheard of.
We have incorporated ready-made itineraries within these unforgettable experiences in Italy, allowing you to simply dive in and enjoy a trip of a lifetime!
Post Contents
Unique Italy Highlights From the World of Food
When it comes to visiting Italy, no trip would be complete without delving into the nation’s culinary landscape. As much as a sun-soaked lunch at a local osteria shouldn’t be sniffed at, truly immersing yourself in the foraging, preparing and cooking of great Italian food is a whole other thing.
These four highlights are some of the best food experiences in Italy, not only for what they offer but for their uniqueness too. Many will combine food-based activities with exciting twists, designed to give you Italy highlights you will remember for a lifetime.
For the ultimate travel inspiration, local insight straight from our expert Local Designers and exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else from Designer Journeys, sign up today! Don’t miss out.
Don’t Miss Our Exclusive Offers! Subscribe Today!
Alba Truffle Hunting
One of the most revered ingredients in western European cuisines is the Alba Truffle. Known by the adoring title of the ‘Truffle of the Madonna from Alba’, the truffle is predominantly found around the idyllic town of Alba. A true Italy highlight is the chance to set out into the woodlands surrounding the rolling hills of Alba countryside and seek out these hidden culinary gems.
Shepherded by a local guide and expert, you will learn all there is to know about the Alba Truffle; where and why it grows, its many uses and its beloved reputation in Italian cooking over the centuries. Then, it’s time to follow your guide into the picturesque woodlands for the hunt! Using well-trained dogs to sniff out the truffles in the undergrowth, you will feel like you’re part of an age-old tradition that has stood the test of time, unchanged in centuries.
Stepping away from the typical cooking class and mass excursions, this foodie tour in Italy takes you on the ground and amongst the land itself – something that only locals do in Italy.
Italy highlights of this kind can be seamlessly combined into day or week-long itineraries. For example, you can take all you’ve learnt during your hunt for the Alba truffle to a local cooking class. These can then be blending with wine tasting, cheese- sampling and the sightseeing delights of northwest Italy, like on our customisable 5-day Alba truffles and wine tasting trip.
Combining Fast Italian Cars With Delicious Italian Cuisine
You may be wondering what fast Italian cars have to do with culinary experiences in Italy? You will find the answer inside the unique and customisable itineraries of Designer Journeys. We’ve all been there when we wanted to do something our fellow holidaymakers didn’t. With an Italian fine food and fast car adventure, you can truly experience both sides of the peninsula, both modern and traditional.
A top-tier northern Italy highlight, having the chance to learn about some of Italy’s most globally known car brands and even jump behind the wheel is an opportunity not to be missed by any sports car enthusiast.
Taking tours through Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati museums will enlighten you to the beauty of these automobiles. After a sobering tour, you’ll get the chance to test-drive these super sports cars – a heart racing, adrenaline-inducing time for a driving fantastic.
What makes this Italy highlight so outstanding is the chance to mix this sports car experience with more traditional Italian past times. Between the days you’re behind the wheel of a Lamborghini, you can settle your driving nerves by partaking in numerous Italian delicacies. From sampling the famous Parma Ham, in the city itself, to taking a cooking class from the Accademia Barilla (the Italian Food Academy), trade fast food for fast cars and a few extra skills to take back to your home kitchen!
Just when you thought you couldn’t weave the enchanting ingredients of Italian cooking into anything else, the chance to combine yoga and pasta on the island of Sicily presents itself. Our Local Designers have created this Italy highlight to ensure you can not only indulge in the breadbasket of Italy that is Sicily but also relax your mind and body once the last digestivo has been drunk.
As part of a customisable 7-day yoga and cooking trip in Sicily, you can participate in a Hatha yoga class surrounded by the romantic rolling hills of Sicily. Starting your day instructed by a qualified yoga instructor will set your mind and body at ease, opening all the day’s opportunities before you.
Once you are revitalised, you’ll be ready to experience a myriad of Italian foodie experiences guilt-free! These include walking through the Nero d’Avola vineyards sampling the deep flavours of Sicilian wine.
Once a healthy appetite comes calling after a glass or two, you can join a traditional cooking class amongst the Hyblaean Mountains of southern Sicily. Here, you can learn to craft unbeatable pasta recipes from the Hyblaean Grandma’s – recipes that have been past down generation after generation.
One of the truly unique things to do in the country, Italy highlights the fact that there shouldn’t be a gap between spiritual self-care and delicious food. Nowhere else would you find this combination of South Asian yoga practices and age-old Italian cooking.
Planning your trip can be a little overwhelming, especially when you want to make sure it’s perfect. Our trusted Local Designers use their travel planning expertise, local insight and destination knowledge to design extraordinary travel experiences, every time. Browse our Italy tours and connect with one of our Local Designers to get started!
Take the Hassle Out of Planning Your Italy Trip!
Cycle Around Lake Garda With Wine Tasting at a Family Farmhouse
From south Italian islands to Northern Italy highlights, the region surrounding Lake Garda also knows how to bring a balance of exercise and decadent indulgence. What makes Italy unique is the nation’s ability to combine such things without the feeling you are doing anything other than pure leisure.
Lake Garda is one of the most picturesque spots in all of northern Italy and is dotted with some truly unique places to visit in Italy. One of the best ways to see all these sights is on two wheels. You can jump on a bicycle or opt for a more leg-saving e-bike and whip around the stunning shores as part of this unique tour.
Attractions around the mesmerising Lake Garda include ancient castles and humble waterfront towns. Where the tour really brings a unique feel is the final ride to a local family farmhouse – a real picture postcard of rural northern Italy. Within the shaded walls of the farmhouse, you can relax your weary legs and taste a range of local wines, cheeses and bread.
Our Local Designers will happily assist you with adding this cycling and food tasting day into a complete week-long trip through northern Italy. Throughout the week, you’ll learn what true relaxation amongst the great food of Italy can really do.
Italy Highlights Along the Path Less Travelled
The uniqueness of Italy’s highlights doesn’t just come from the unusual but from the road less travelled. As previously mentioned, we all know of the world-famous landmarks that dot this country, a country that has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than anywhere else in the world. And yet, there are still those hidden treasures and lesser-known locations that local Italians are yearning to be discovered and enjoyed.
In a city awash with such notable sites and highlights, this travel guide to Italy can still surprise and bring a breath of fresh air into even the most ardent of visitors to Italy. Below, we will take a look at Italy highlights that have remained secret over the past few decades.
Walk Through the Many Hidden Gems Cloaked by Italian Cities
You may think that finding unique things to do in Rome, one of Europe’s most popular destinations, is not an easy task. Our Local Designers are homegrown Italians who know the capital’s streets like the back of their hand and have created itineraries that can take you to the hidden gems of this historic city.
One such Italy highlight that The Eternal City possess is the Appian Way, one of the first paved roads in ancient Rome, dating as far back as the 4th century BCE. Taking a guided tour of this hidden ancient road will help you understand the old saying ‘all roads lead to Rome’.
It is not only the capital harbouring hidden gems waiting to be seen. Local Designers have organised visits to the city of Venice. Here, you can see the Ca’ d’Oro, a Gothic palace along the banks of the Grand Canal. At first, the Ca’ d’Oro seems like an unassuming building, but with the help of a local guide, you will see the abundance of treasure collected by Baron Franchetti.
Joining one of these special customised tours will continue to surprise you with Italy highlights that may have past you by – from the inner neighbourhoods of Rome to the outskirts of the city of water, Venice.
Swap Poolside Days for Your Hiking Boots Along Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Italy’s Amalfi Coast has long been seen as a luxury hotel-based destination, honeycombed with a series of beachside resorts and package holiday deals. However, there is another side to this idyllic rugged coastline that Local Designers on the ground are only too happy to show visitors thirsty for a closer connection to the landscape.
One of the best local experiences is the 7-day Hiking Tour of the Almalfi Coast. Through this tour, you can take to the coast and surrounding land on foot, traversing such sights as the infamous Mount Vesuvius, Path of Gods and the Scenic Valley. Italy highlights of this kind are often cut down into long tour bus journeys, missing out on the joys of fully covering the hills, meadows and green landscapes of the Almalfi coast.
Hiking to the volcano that covered the city of Pompeii in a layer of doomsday ash and lava brings a mystic and new appreciation to the events that led to the eruption in the year 79 CE. The hike to the crater’s lip also provides unbeatable views of the Bay of Naples and the islands of Capri and Ischia, something that would be missed if you were to join a conventional tour.
Planning your trip can be a little overwhelming, especially when you want to make sure it’s perfect. Our trusted Local Designers use their travel planning expertise, local insight and destination knowledge to design extraordinary travel experiences, every time. Browse our Italy tours and connect with one of our Local Designers to get started!
Take the Hassle Out of Planning Your Italy Trip!
Expand Your Roman Horizons With a Visit Across the Italian Border
Although it may seem self-contradictory, Italy highlights don’t have to be confined to national lines and the so-called boot. Roman influences spread fluidly across the Alps and Veneto plains, spilling into modern Slovenia and Croatia. One of the best ways to truly understand the free-flowing influences of northeastern Italian, western Slovenia and Croatian cultures is to join a thrilling tour that combines them all.
One of the best of its kind, a tour like this can see you explore the famous water city of Venice then head eastwards to the borderland city of Trieste. Trieste is a melting pot of cultures, only a few miles from both the Croatian and Slovenian borders. With ease, you can travel to these often unheard of Slovene towns and cities such as Piran and Izola.
Only a few days later, you can tick another country off your global bucket list and pass into Croatia. Only a stone’s throw away from the popular city of Venice, destinations such as Motovun and Plitvice Lakes National Park, an often overlooked UNESCO World Heritage Site with so much to offer.
Are You Ready to Plan Your Italy Highlights Trip?
Make your trip different from anything else you’ll find by connecting with ‘in-the-know’ Local Designers on the ground. Or simply browse through our gallery of fully-customisable Italy tours, safe in the knowledge that it has been organised by the very people who know the country best.
Do you know exactly what you’re searching for? You may create your own Italy itinerary! Simply select ‘Design Your Own Trip’ and provide as much information as possible about your preferences. Our experienced Local Designers will then begin arranging your dream Italy tour with you, taking into consideration all of your interests and travel needs, leveraging their unique local knowledge!
