These Italy travel guides split into two kinds of trips. Sicily and Verona get their own deep coverage, full itineraries, archaeological sites, and city guides built for spending real time in one place. The rest, Matera, Ravello, Ravenna, Puglia, and Genoa, all come from a 16-day road trip we took with our French bulldog, Helga, so you’ll see that trip referenced throughout. Wherever you’re starting from, there’s a full guide here for it.
Featured: Italy Road Trip
Epic 16-Day Italy Road Trip With Your Dog
A full two-week route across Italy, planned and tested with a dog in the car the whole way.
Sicily: Planning Your Trip
2 Weeks in Sicily: Best Itinerary for History Lovers
A loop of the island, the best of East and West, at a pace that allows you to enjoy, and take it all in.
The Best Archaeological Sites in Sicily: East to West
A full overview of Sicily’s best ancient sites, organized so you can actually plan a route around them.
Eastern Sicily Itinerary: The Perfect 7-Day Route for History Lovers
A full week through Syracuse, Taormina, and the sites that make the eastern half of the island unforgettable.
Our Western Sicily Itinerary: 1 Perfect Week for History Lovers
A week covering Palermo, Segesta, and Selinunte, built around the island’s western archaeological sites.
Where to Stay in Eastern Sicily: Best Picks for Every Base
Hotel picks across the eastern half of the island, sorted by which base makes sense for your itinerary.
Where to Stay in Western Sicily: Best Picks for Every Base
Hotel picks across the western half of the island, sorted by which base suits your route.
Driving in Sicily: Best Rental Car & Travel Tips
What to know before renting a car on the island, from road conditions to parking in old town centers.
Syracuse: A Complete Historical City Guide
One Day in Syracuse, Sicily: A Stunning Historical Gem
A single day covering the essentials of one of Sicily’s richest historical cities.
Syracuse Archaeological Park: Best Guide to Must-Sees & Hidden Details
The full archaeological park broken down, including details you might otherwise miss.
The Temple of Apollo in Syracuse: Quick Stop, Big History
One of Sicily’s oldest Greek temples, a must-see stop on the island of Ortigia.
Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum in Syracuse: The Good, and the Ugly
An honest review of one of Sicily’s major archaeological museums, praise and criticism both included.
Eastern Sicily: Archaeological Sites & Cities
Things to Do in Noto: A Baroque Hidden Gem
The golden Baroque city of southeast Sicily is a great day trip full of incredible history and art
Villa Romana del Tellaro
An undervisited repository of incredible Roman mosaics on a windswept hillside in Eastern Sicily.
The Greek Theater of Taormina
With Mt. Etna in the background and views of the Ionian Sea, this ancient theater is one of the most impressive sites on the island.
Western Sicily: Archaeological Sites & Cities
Villa Romana del Casale Mosaics: Room by Room Guide + Photos
Some of the best-preserved Roman mosaics anywhere, covered room by room.
Valley of the Temples in Sicily: Top Guide
One of the most complete and spectacular collections of Greek temples outside of Greece itself.
Selinunte Archaeological Park: Walk Inside the Temples of Ancient Sicily
A coastal archaeological site where you can walk directly through the ruins, not just around them.
Segesta Archaeological Park: Guide to the Hidden Gem of Western Sicily
A remarkably intact temple set in open countryside, with far fewer crowds than Sicily’s bigger sites.
Selinunte or Segesta: Which Ancient Site in Sicily Should You Visit?
A direct comparison for travelers trying to choose between the two when time is limited.
One Day in Palermo, Sicily: Best Guide for First Time Visitors
A single day covering the highlights of Sicily’s largest and most historic city.
Verona – Much More Than Romeo & Juliet
Things to Do in Verona: A 4-Day Guide Beyond Romeo & Juliet
Four full days in Verona, well beyond the balcony everyone photographs and moves on from.
Where to Stay in Verona: Our Honest Picks
Straightforward hotel recommendations for Verona, sorted by what matters to you, not just star ratings.
Juliet’s Balcony in Verona: Is It Worth It?
An honest take on whether Verona’s most famous tourist stop lives up to the hype.
Lake Garda from Verona: Why Sirmione Is the Best Day Trip
A lakeside day trip easily reached from Verona, with a case for why Sirmione beats the other lake towns.
Ravello – The Amalfi Coast’s Hidden Gem
The 7 Most Amazing Things to Do in Ravello, Italy
A cliffside town above the Amalfi Coast with views that outclass its more famous neighbors.
Villa Cimbrone Gardens in Ravello: Heaven on Earth
Terraced gardens with a cliffside viewpoint that’s become one of the most photographed spots on the Amalfi Coast.
Hotel Villa Amore Ravello: A Review
A full review of one of Ravello’s most charming, reasonably priced places to stay.
Matera – A 9000 Year Old Cave City
Best Matera Walking Tour: 9,000 Years of History
A walking route through one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world.
Sleeping in a Matera Cave Hotel – the Good & the Bad
Terraced gardens with a cliffside viewpoint that’s become one of the most photographed spots on the Amalfi Coast.
Ravenna – The UNESCO City of Mosaics and More
The Best Things to Do in Ravenna, Italy
A full rundown of Ravenna’s Byzantine mosaics and everything else worth seeing.
Ravenna, Italy: Ultimate One-Day Itinerary
A tightly planned single day covering Ravenna’s UNESCO mosaics without wasted time.
Puglia – The South Awaiting Exploration
Ostuni, the White City, Is Your Gateway to Puglia
A whitewashed hilltop town that makes an ideal base for exploring the rest of Puglia.
Petranima Wellness in Trulli Hotel Review
A wellness-focused stay inside one of Puglia’s iconic trulli, reviewed in full.
More Italy Travel Guides from the Road Trip
Is Pisa Worth Visiting?
A stop from the 16-day road trip, with a straight answer on whether the leaning tower earns a detour and what else is in Pisa.
Grand Continental Hotel Tirrenia: A Review
A stay near Pisa with easy access to the leaning tower, and a beautiful beach.
Pompeii vs. Herculaneum: Best Tips & Biggest Differences
Another stop from the road trip, comparing the two ruin sites near Naples so you can choose or plan for both.
Hotel Miramare Stabia: A Review
A peaceful oceanfront stay near Pompeii and Herculaneum, close enough to base yourself for both.
Beautiful Hotel Astoria Genoa: A Review
Another stop from the road trip, this one a historic, dog-friendly hotel that was the first ever built in Genoa.