Off the coast of Sicily lay the islands of Malta and Gozo. They are arid windswept islands of limestone. Raided, settled, conquered for millennia, these islands have a rich and complex history. Now tourism has taken over her harbors and cafes, as hotels and shops open to accommodate the crowds. In 2016, there were over 7,000,000 tourists who visited here.

The Amalfi Coast. An incredible oasis of crystal blue sea and colorful houses built into the cliffside. What seems like a dream can actually become a reality! The key is to plan with plenty of lead time.

After you’ve visited the art cities in Italy, return travelers have a few great options for other areas to explore. One of our favorite areas is the Lakes region, in the northern region of Lombardia, the next region we are highlighting in our “Italy in 5 trips” blog series. Arriving to this area is easy with Milan Malpensa airport being a major gateway with many nonstop flights from the US.

To kick off the new year, we are going to highlight our favorite itineraries to Italy. “Italy in 5 Trips” will be a series of blog posts about the most popular and recommended trips to this magical country. We hope you enjoy the Italian Concierge picks for the top destinations along the boot!

Between strolling around the piazza, shopping on the ultra chic Via Camerelle, hiking up the natural cliffs, or dipping into the crystal blue sea, there is plenty to do on the island of Capri. For those looking for a more relaxing pace, and want to spend the day lounging in style, head to one of Capri’s ‘lido’ or beach clubs.