Shanair’s pickGreece
Santorini · Mykonos
Caldera-view rooms, long dinners in Oia, and ferry timings that decide whether a day works or falls apart.
Explore Greece
Europe
Italy
The coast without the coach tours — small hotels, boat transfers between towns, tables held before you land.
- Best months
- April, May, June, September, October
- Typical length
- 8–12 nights
- Flight time
- ~9h from the US East Coast
- Climate
- Mediterranean
The overview
Italy rewards restraint. The most common mistake is trying to see Rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast in ten days and spending half of it on trains. A better trip picks two regions and goes deep — which is exactly the decision an advisor is useful for.
Why go
- The Amalfi Coast delivers scenery and dining at a level very few coastlines match.
- Rome and Florence put two thousand years of art within walking distance of dinner.
- The rail network makes multi-city travel genuinely easy when the route is planned properly.
- Regional food changes dramatically every few hours of travel.
Worth your time
The Amalfi Coast by boat
Road transfers along the coast are slow and winding; boat transfers between towns are faster and far more pleasant.
Rome's major sites
The Vatican and Colosseum both require timed entry, and the difference between a good and bad visit is what time you booked.
Regional food
Naples, Bologna and Sicily are effectively different cuisines. Routing around food is a legitimate way to plan Italy.
The Tuscan countryside
A slower counterweight to the cities, and easier with a car than most of Italy.
Where to base yourself
- Amalfi Coast
- Positano is the postcard; Ravello is quieter and higher; Sorrento is the practical base.
- Rome
- Dense and walkable. Three nights covers the essentials without rushing.
- Florence & Tuscany
- Art in the city, vineyards and hill towns within an hour.
- Venice
- Best as a two-night stop, ideally not in peak summer.
Where to stay
Property recommendations for Italy come from Shanair directly rather than from a list — which resort or hotel is right depends on your party, your dates and your budget. That is the first thing the consultation call covers.
Get Italy recommendationsThings worth knowing
- Amalfi Coast towns involve significant stairs, and hotels are built into cliffs. Room location genuinely matters.
- Major sites require advance timed tickets, often weeks ahead in high season.
- Driving the Amalfi Coast is stressful and parking is scarce — most travelers are better served by drivers and boats.
- Confirm current passport validity and entry requirements before booking.
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Thinking about Italy?
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