Are you planning a trip to Italy this summer? You’ve come to the right place. This guide provides do’s and don’ts, top tips for cuisine and travel, suggestions for luxury experiences, and must-see locations.
If you are keen to have an authentic Italian experience, sample local cuisines, explore beyond the tourist traps on the coast, travel and live in style, and visit the highlights of southern Italy, read on. This guide is for you.
Your summer holiday just got a whole lot more real, fun, and unforgettable!
Explore Beyond the Tourist Spots
It is easy when you go on holiday to a new place, especially if there is a language barrier, to stick to the tourist centre and avoid exploring anywhere where you might run into communication difficulties.
However, the best way to get a real authentic feel for a place is to go a little off the beaten track.
With the help of online translation tools, google maps, and a bit of spontaneity, you can discover beautiful hidden gems on Italy’s coastlines. Just a few kilometres from the tourist traps of the Amalfi Coast lies Minori, a quiet and tranquil fishing village. Or you can visit the breathtaking cliffside gardens on Ravello, a town known as “the city of music” as it is a favourite retreat for artists looking for inspiration.
When you venture out into the more local and authentic streets and villages of southern Italy, you can find some of the best food in the world.
Try The Local Cuisine
One of the first things you will want to do on arrival in Italy is sample the world-renowned cuisine. From Nonna’s secret recipe pasta sauces to crispy pizzas, creamy gelato, steaming arancini balls, and mouth-watering seafood, Italy boasts a plethora of incredible foods, as well as beers, wines, and liqueurs.
A word of advice is to avoid restaurants in big squares where tourists congregate. These tend to be over-priced, and the food itself won’t be nearly as good as in a smaller, family-owned restaurant a few streets away. Any restaurant with laminated pictures of food for menus probably won’t be incredible either. Try to eat where the locals eat, even if you don’t speak Italian, a restauranteur will be delighted to welcome you in and surprise you with their local specials.
Charter A Private Yacht
What better way to see the incredible coastlines of Italy than from the decks of a private, chartered luxury yacht? If you like to travel in style, have delicious meals prepared for you, and wake up to magnificent sea views, this is the way forward for you.
You can choose your yacht based on personal preferences, such as sailor powerboat, catamaran or monohull, number of bedrooms, date and price range. And if you are thinking “will my Italian charter be the luxury dream experience I am looking for?” have no doubt. You can even choose a yacht complete with a jacuzzi, or with jet skis, for the more thrill-seeking adventurers.
Visit The Famous Sites Too
As well as exploring the beaches and quieter villages, there is no doubt you’ll want to visit the well-known and well-photographed highlights of southern Italy as well. The Amalfi Coast and its main attractions are world-famous for their beauty, history, and desirability, and you can’t take a trip to this part of the world without seeing the highlights.
With your chartered yacht, you can live like a celebrity and sail the coast of Italy, stopping off at famous and beautiful locations such as the island of Capri and the cliffside village of Positano.
Learn The Basic Phrases
If you can, it always helps to try and learn simple phrases, such as “I’d like a glass of wine, please”, “thank you very much”, and “where is the bathroom?” While many Europeans will understand English, to varying degrees, it always shows willingness and respect to make the effort in the language of the country you are visiting.
If you don’t have a natural way with languages, don’t worry - the locals will still be welcoming, kind, and eager to feed you! A simple “Grazie” will take you a long way.
Try A Fun Activity
If you want to spice up your trip with a bit more excitement and adventure, why not take a ride on the Zipline Italia high wire? You can soar through the blue skies, hooked to a pulley, between the beautiful towns of Furore and Conca dei Marini. From this incredible vantage point, you can see the Fjord of Furore, with its breathtaking sapphire waters, impressive cliff faces and white sand beaches.
If you prefer being in the water to flying through the air, you should check out the Emerald Grotto in Conca dei Marini. This is a marvellous spot to snorkel, swim, and watch the light bouncing off the water and casting emerald gleams on the cave walls.
Finally, for those who prefer to keep their feet planted on the ground, a hike up to Santa Maria del Castello is well worth the sweat. Remember to bring plenty of water, and a camera, as you won’t want to forget those views. This hike should take between two and four hours, depending on your pace and rest breaks. Take a picnic, take your time, and breathe in the sea air.
Start Packing!
Now that you have read some top tips for exploring Italy’s coastlines, you are well-prepared to start planning your luxury travel experience. You now know that the best way to see Italy and have a genuine and local experience is to venture beyond the tourist squares, avoid menus with pictures, eat at family-owned restaurants, not be afraid of language barriers, and charter a private yacht so you can freely explore all along the coast.
This is the best way to see as much of the incredible country as possible. Moreover, you will be living a life of luxury, like a celebrity, with cooked meals prepared for you, gorgeous bedrooms with sea views, sunny decks from which you can tan, watch the coastline glide by, and even jump and swim in the crystal waters.
What are you waiting for? It’s time to start packing for your Italy adventure.
