3 Alternative Ways To Explore Italy This Year

With its iconic “boot” shape, Italy nestles in the Mediterranean Sea, hemmed by idyllic beaches and islands, and chockfull of fascinating and historic cities. Whether visiting Rome with its remarkable Roman ruins and the Vatican City, or heading to Venice with its canals, there are a number of ways to explore Italy. Forget about driving your car hire through the crazy Italian traffic and try something different. Here we look at three alternative ways to explore Italy this year.

1. Explore Italy by boat

With its many beautiful destinations, river cruises and canal boat rentals are a truly relaxing alternative to driving through Italy. A perfect example of a picturesque boating holiday in Italy is to start at Chioggia on the southern edge of the Venice Lagoon. Here, a number of canals and rivers give options for many adventures on the water.

Leaving in a westerly direction, take the Tartaro-Canalbianco di Levante River through the beautiful Veneto countryside stopping off at Adria along the way. After exploring this location, climb aboard your barge cruise boat to relax and watch the beautiful scenery slowly pass you by.

Alternatively, take a self-drive boat cruise through the Po delta, with its forests and salt marshes, where birders can spot the migratory birds among the trees. Another option is to head out to sea, taking a boat cruise along the coast, with its many ports and islands to explore.

2. See Italy by luxury coach

An equally relaxing alternative is to book luxury coach tours throughout Italy. For example, you can start off in the capital, Rome, heading out to visit Venice, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and more. Explore the major destinations with a knowledgeable guide, while stopping off along the way to explore and dine on the best Italian cuisine, before spending the night in a comfortable hotel.

Climb aboard your luxury coach and head to the Amalfi Coast. Here you can visit the ancient city of Herculaneum, Sorrento, Naples and Mt. Vesuvius, spending the night on the Isle of Capri along the way.

3. All aboard for a train tour of Italy

One of the best ways to explore the main sights of Italy is by train. Italy offers an extensive network of trains, including regional services between smaller cities and towns, and the fast inter-city trains.

Heading out on a train is a unique way to view Italy’s beautiful scenery. Head out from Rome to visit Pompeii, Naples, Florence and Cinque Terre in comfort. Alternatively, catch a train to Venice with its canals to explore, before heading to Milan, the fashion capital of Italy.

Try out a different means of exploring beautiful Italy and other popular European destinations this year, by trying out boat cruises, comfortable coach tours and the efficient rail service around the country.