With so many famous beach resorts, you might think Italy is almost too obvious a destination for a summer holiday. Think again! From the exclusive Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, to the charms of Rimini and the beautifully preserved coasts of the UNESCO-protected Aeolian Islands, there is bound to be an Italian beach just for you. Italy Summer holidays are also about exploring the country’s many stunning national parks. The Dolomites are positively gorgeous in summer and host a vast range of sports from hiking and riding to cycling and Via Ferreta climbing routes. For a romantic, Belle Epoque-like escape, shore up on peaceful Lake Maggiore, or - if you're willing to brave the heat - you’ll find Italy’s cities blissfully deserted in August; perfect for submersing yourself in culture.

Italy Summer Holiday Ideas

A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started

Our Italy holiday collections

Discover different ways to explore Italy

Italy Summer Holidays Guide

Practical advice and inspiration to help you prepare for your holiday

Italy testimonials

30 reviews
4.7 / 5
"Emily really understood what mattered to us and created a trip that felt completely personalised and thoughtfully organised. We had time to relax in Naples after each excursion, our transport provider was friendly and always on time, and it was a pleasure to be looked after by a local, who added an authentic touch to the whole trip. Visiting Herculaneum and Pompeii was a particular highlight - our guide was truly exceptional, making the visits truly memorable with an excellent command of English and an impressive knowledge of world history as well as the sites themselves."
L - UK
Published on 23rd February 2026
"Our Concierge was brilliant and super helpful - we'd recommend travelling with Original Travel based on her help alone! The Concierge was a new thing for us as previous travel companies did not have this feature, and we thought this was invaluable. We particularly enjoyed the food tour in Ragusa, seeing Mount Etna, driving in Ortigia and the sunset in Marsala. It is the first time we have used Original Travel and we were very happy with the service."
M - UK
Published on 29th September 2025
"Emily really listened and understood what I was looking for, and developed a fantastic itinerary based on that. The personalised tour of Siena was a real highlight - I had asked if we could see some James Bond filming locations, and our guide took a lot of time to review the films and take us to the exact streets, balconies, doorways and squares seen in the films. We all loved it, especially our boys, who are James Bond enthusiasts."
G - UK
Published on 29th September 2025

With so many interesting and diverse places to visit in Italy, it can be hard to know where to begin, but our passionate team of experts can help you create a bespoke itinerary that suits you. Want to visit the historic site of Pompeii before cruising down the sunshine-soaked Amalfi Coast in a vintage car? Or hop from city to city immersing yourself in culture and admiring ancient architecture before retiring to the Tuscan countryside for wine and gourmet cuisine? Maybe you want to stay in luxury hotels with the finest dining, or perhaps you're after a casa-from-casa where you can share supper with a local family that still uses nonna's recipes. Whatever your pleasure, we can take summer holidays to Italy to the next level with expert guides, behind-the-scenes tours, and access to our range of additional services including our local Concierge service.

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