Italian cuisine is famous throughout the world, and a customized Italy trip allows you to experience Italian gastronomy your way. From a private couple’s cooking class to a family-friendly gelato course, a senior’s wine tasting tour to a pizza-making class with friends, this list helps you explore where and how to sample traditional dishes during your Italy vacation.

Sicily is a treasure of Italy that captivates visitors with timeless ruins, classic culture, and mouthwatering gastronomy.  The scenery has shaped the culture from Mt. Etna to the shoreline, gorges to arid hills with cities hiding touches of ancient wonder. From captivating wines to delicious local recipes, volcano trekking to remainders of the Classical world and inspiring coastline, these are the essential things to do when you visit.

Europe abounds with culture from thousands of years of collective heritage and independent progress, and there are plenty of must-see destinations for art. Cities display artwork in elaborate galleries and along the streets as architectural treasures, while museums represent contemporary artists, showcase ancient artisans, and challenge perception with modern designers. Whether focusing on prehistoric artwork or Roman mosaics, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or preserved Moorish arches, these must-see cities have it all.

Italy is a destination with festive Christmas markets that capture the joys of the holiday season where reveling in simple seasonal pleasures can change your entire perspective of the holidays. With holiday festivities overtaking medieval towns, seaside villages, and bustling cities, Italy becomes an immersion into masterful winter celebrations that begin in early December and stretch into January. Our suggestions of Italy Christmas Markets can take you across the country to enjoy the festive ambiance.

Venice is a cultural marvel, an elegant representation of history no matter the time of year you visit. With regal palaces shaped from marble and the lagoon waters winding between historic buildings, Venice creates an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the world. From St. Mark’s Square to traditional cicchetti bars, gondolas to charming islands, Venice bustles with contemporary life while shining with the beauty of the past and the following information provides our suggestions on the best time to visit.

The Italian peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Ionian, and Adriatic seas, azure waters that shape the best beaches in Italy, perfect for an array of different travel activities. These stunning beaches boast tranquil swimming coves, gorgeous seascapes, and popular stretches of sandy shores that attract visitors from around the world who are eager to embrace the Mediterranean charm and indulge in the sweet life for which Italy is known. Scroll down and learn more about the best Italian beaches to visit on your travels, depending on your daily activities.

Nature enthusiasts, hikers, skiers, birders, and other travelers who enjoy taking in the fresh air and open spaces should take notice of Italy’s 25 separate national parks. They are all protected by state and regional laws, ensuring that nature’s beauty is available to everyone. The parks provide a perfect space to step away from the crowds of Rome or the throngs of Florence to enjoy stress-free days of spotting rare animals or uncovering exotic plants. The following list shares seven of Italy’s celebrated national parks for visitors hoping to connect with Italy’s natural sceneries.

Italy is home to thousands of different pasta types to try while you travel, each with their own distinct shapes and flavors that stem from the unique regions found across the peninsula. Italian noodles represent over 300 different pasta shapes, each playing an integral role in the local cuisine and revealing the culinary personality of different regions and their gastronomic heritage.

These pastas have a history that dates back to Marco Polo in the 13th century and myths that trace back their origins to nomadic Arabs who brought noodles to Europe from Central Asia. No matter the origins of Italy’s different varieties of pasta, the noodles have inspired shapes and sizes from the different ingredients that have been available in the various regions.

We have compiled a list of the ten most popular pasta types that you will find in Italian cuisine as you tour the country and savor the delicious local dishes.

Italy produces some of the most famous cheeses in the world and is the third-largest cheese producer in the European Union. The countless flavors, textures, and recipes of Italy’s cheeses derive from all over the country and are made from various animals’ milk, including cows, goats, sheep, and buffalo. While some cheeses are best used in cooking with dishes like lasagna, tortellini, and cacio e Pepe, other cheeses, like Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, are eaten on their own or as a garnish to elevate dishes. The possibilities are endless with Italian cheeses and the over 450 varieties.

The following list of 12 of the best cheeses to try in Italy unveils the diversity of Italian cheeses, providing an explanation of their particular attributes from flavor to texture, aroma, to common food pairings. It also shares the locations that they are typically produced in, recognized by authenticated labels so that you can plan a trip to specific regions depending on the cheese you wish to try.

From impressions of ancient civilizations that predate the Roman Empire to mesmerizing artwork that reflects the distinctive eras of Western Europe, Italian heritage comes to life at any of the 53 different UNESCO World Heritage sites. The following curated list notes the top 10 sites in Italy that connect to remarkable history, fabulous art, and astonishing architecture often hidden in the fame of the Colosseum or Florence’s historic center.

As a jewel of Mediterranean beauty, the Amalfi Coast is an enchanting and unforgettable destination no matter the time of the year. With verdant woodlands and marvelous vistas, sparkling waters and mesmerizing heritage, the Amalfi Coast can easily captivate you with the scent of traditional cuisine and the charming cobblestone towns. From Arabic-Norman architecture to chic beaches, the following are our recommendations on the best time to visit to enjoy your perfect Amalfi Coast trip.

The Amalfi Coast is one of the world’s most famous shorelines and captivates visitors with dazzling cliffs, charming towns, and breathtaking panoramas. The culture has adapted to landscapes with homes rising along the seaside and heritage connected to the water. From gorgeous beaches to historic cobblestone lanes, rich artwork to aromatic terraces, the Amalfi Coast meets your wildest expectations and there are many essential things to do.

Eating in Emilia-Romagna is sampling the true soul of Italian cuisine with the four quintessential dishes of the region, creating an essential experience for any visit. The region continues to influence commercial kitchens, private kitchens, and celebrity chefs across Italy and around the world.

Whether visiting for the culinary history or eager to sample the traditional flavors of the markets, Emilia-Romagna is the perfect destination for finding the essential flavors of Italian cuisine.

A list of Emilia-Romagna dishes is practically a guide to the most iconic ingredients and plates of Italian cuisine. The simple geography instills in the region a perfect balance of fertile land and abundant water while the ingredients that shape the cuisine embody the eight centuries during which the region fell under the reign of warring noble families, Papal States, and distinct kingdoms.

The result is the unique make-up of hyper-local cooking traditions that still share common regional characteristics. The following are the most typical, and therefore popular, dishes you can find in Emilia-Romagna.

The four main culinary cities of Emilia-Romagna take inspiration from the iconic and famous flavors that capture the true essence of Italian cuisine. Yet these four cities have their own unique spin on traditional, local dishes that set them apart from one another and the rest of the country.

Emilia’s culinary customs focus heavily on animal fats and pork products. Romagna has stronger ties to Byzantine heritage influenced by the sea and classic land dishes.

Whether looking for fine cuisine or typical street food, Emilia-Romagna has the most quintessential tastes you can find during your Italy trip.

From the Etruscans to the Medici, the Roman Empire to the Venetian Republic, Italy is filled with a fascinating history and remarkable towns to visit during your senior trip. With so many places to choose from, Italy is a wonder of the Renaissance, a charm of medieval preservation, and an elegant tapestry of undulating landscapes.

From towns with majestic reputations to cities exuding a sophisticated ambiance, fairytale homes to seaside splendor, you can experience the perfect blend of living history and beauty during your senior trip.

The four best food cities of Tuscany capture the region’s distinctive flavors and celebrate the remarkable terrain that forms a gastronomical paradise. Many of the culinary customs surrounding the simplicity of Tuscany’s cuisine take root with the local Etruscan settlements and tradition of peasant cooking.

No matter the roots of the cooking methods and styles, Tuscany’s cuisine has helped shape the larger image of Italian food in an area known for sunflower fields and Renaissance lords, cypress trees, and hilltop towns whose recipes you can enjoy during your Italy trip.

The best time to visit Tuscany can immerse you in the local culture or take you into the enchanting ambiance of a winter wonderland. The Central Italian region has become the embodiment of a luxurious escape to Italy with an ambiance that borders on enchanting.

With Renaissance treasures, medieval walls, relaxing beaches, and exceptional wines, Tuscany practically embodies the splendor of greater Italy in a single region. The following are our suggestions on the best time to visit Tuscany, no matter the type of experience you wish to have.

Knowing your budget is an essential component of any trip planning process. Whether the sky's the limit or you have specific parameters, Zicasso is here to help you set our priorities in planning to maximize your investment. Your interests and preferences on a couples trip will differ from a family-friendly vacation, while a highlights tour will result in wildly different experiences than one designed to take you off the beaten path. There are three steps in considering the costs of your trip, as a customized vacation that has been designed for you allows maximum flexibility with your spending.

You can book a trip with Zicasso to nearly any destination in the world. Our goal is to make the planning, booking, and travel process easy and enjoyable as you create the experience that you want most. The world overflows with wonders, and the sheer number of choices is exciting. Your decision to work with a destination expert on where to go, how to get there, and how long your trip should be simplifies your planning process significantly.

There are three main considerations to planning your trip: