17 days in Italy & Madrid Itinerary

Italy is a land of high fashion, fine art, exquisite architecture, luxury sports cars, outstanding cuisine--and an insatiable taste for "la dolce vita." It's also home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites in the world, making it an ideal place for your next holiday. The country boasts a varied landscape of mountain ranges, alpine lakes, and coastal towns, so it's no wonder travelers often refer to it as the bel paese (beautiful country). With so many places to visit, visitors often have a difficult time planning their itinerary. The smaller villages each feature a distinct character and a blend of architecture, art, and cuisine. In the country, you'll find countless archeological sites dating back to Roman times and beyond. The country's cities and seaside resorts are cosmopolitan powerhouses with museums, galleries, restaurants, shops, open-air markets, and pedestrian-friendly historic areas.

Sardinia, with its Mediterranean atmosphere and charm, is loved by visitors looking for things to do outdoors on their holiday, like swimming, boating, windsurfing, hiking, climbing, and camping. Taking advantage of the island's near-perfect summer weather, visitors tend to overcrowd Sardinia's coastal areas. The inner life of the island, away from the most popular vacation spots, remains largely unblemished by mass tourism and commercialization. Sardinia is steeped in history and has a colorful character quite different from the rest of Italy. This is where the ancient Nuragic society, whose stone monuments still litter the land, flourished more than three millennia ago--predating the Etruscan civilization in mainland Italy by several hundred years. Sardinia's seaside resorts may be among the best in the world, but its quieter and more interesting countryside offers a greater array of attractions, including a patchwork of forests, citrus groves, and medieval villages.

The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily is a ruggedly attractive land. The island has a long history of foreign domination and has been controlled by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans. The result is a distinct culture blending elements from all of those areas and featuring an intriguing dialect. This is a huge island with plenty of small villages to tour, each with its own treasures. Beyond the popular coastal areas, Sicily's inland attractions include an unspoiled landscape of mountains, hills, and villages that sometimes seem frozen in time. While the natural environment is its biggest draw, Sicily's greatest asset may be its people. They are proud of their traditions and incredibly hospitable to visitors.