I’ll never forget the moment I turned the corner and stepped into a history book.

From romance to history, architecture to art, food, and wine, there are so many reasons why Italy is an ideal vacation destination. As many places as I have traveled, my two weeks spent in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan remain to be the most nostalgic trip I’ve ever taken. It’s truly unique to visit a place where ancient architecture still stands, history is still present, and art prevalent in daily life. 

Like many other tourists visiting Italy, I had a long list of iconic landmarks that I wanted to experience in each city. In Rome, more than other places, there is a pretty extensive list of specific places to see. We made it a priority to take walking tours of the Colosseum, visiting the ground floor and second level, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. In addition, we also booked a walking tour of the Vatican that included St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and Castel Sant’ Angelo. Booking a walking tour, instead of visiting by yourself, has several benefits – it saves time but going to the front of the lines, guides are a wealth of knowledge about the destination, and it ensures you see famous landmarks at a given location.

Other iconic landmarks I recommend visiting on your first trip to Italy include Florence’s famous Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Uffizi and Accademia galleries, the location of Michelangelo’s David. And no Italian vacation is complete without a visit to Venice. Although a very popular tourist attraction, taking a gondola right through the canals of this canal filled city is a must do. 

All of this without mentioning the cuisine! The Italian culinary delights is an experience amongst itself. From fine wine to pasta, pizza and fresh seafood, there is something for everyone. Even if sightseeing is not your forte, you can visit Italy on a culinary excursion all by itself. The culture of Italy is inviting too, with many restaurant and store owners looking for a conversation and to personalize your experience with them. 

It is easy to push off trips such as this and to wait for the ‘perfect time’. But the perfect is now because we never know what’s around the corner or when traveling abroad may not be feasible. My advice, book the trip now – it’s time to get excited.