Italian icons

The most famous sights in Italy

From pop-culture spoofs of the fingers-almost-touching moment between God and Adam on the Sisine Chapel ceiling to the timeless brozen curve of the Colosseum's profile, from the Grand Canal of Venice bobbing with gondolas to the Leaning Tower of Pisa decorating countless pizza delivery boxes, and from the crowded table at Da Vinci's Last Supper to the furrow in the brow of Michelangelo's David...

These are the unmistakable icons of Italy, images that are instantly recognized around the world.

Tips & links

Useful links & resources

Where to book Italy activities and experiences

Book ahead

While for some activities you can just show up, this is one travel item you really should try to reserve in advance.

Popular activities like cooking classes can sell out.

Many are available only on certain days of the week, so it pays to know that you'll have to set aside, say, Tuesday morning for that guided market walk with a local cookbook author.

Many of the best activities are available by advance booking or appointment only—particularly wineries. Some vineyards welcome walk-ins, true, but many more will give you a cellar tour and wine tasting only if you call ahead a few days (and those tend to be the ones most liberal with the free samples).

If you have your heart set on dining in a particular restaurant, go ahead and call ahead,even if it's just earlier on the same day—though a day ahead is preferable. I have found that a corrollary of Muphy's Law applies to this aspect of travel. Any restaurant I am particularly keen on but blithely assume I can just waltz into will inevitably be filled to the brim: no tables available. However, half the time when I do book a table in advance I'll end up being the only guy in the place (nor near enough for my advance booking to feel like overkill). Still, better safe than sorry. Reserving a table is quick and painless; getting turned away at the door can be crushing.

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