What to do in Italy

Step into Rome’s Baroque soul: Piazza del Popolo with its grand vistas, via Margutta alive with art and ateliers, Piazza di Spagna crowned by the Barcaccia fountain and the iconic Steps, the Pantheon’s eternal harmony, the Trevi Fountain where every coin carries a secret hope, and Piazza Navona, buzzing with life and masterpieces. Pause at a celebrated café to savour the ritual of espresso—quick, intense, social. Or treat yourself to one of the city’s finest gelati, a sweet taste of Rome on the move.

On Sundays, the Pantheon is accessible from 12:00 PM after the mass.

Set within a fragrant lemon grove, a private cooking session brings you into the heart of Amalfi Coast cuisine. In the company of a local chef, you’ll be guided through authentic regional recipes in a hands-on class that draws from the simplicity and freshness of Campania’s culinary tradition. From preparation to plating, each dish reflects the flavours of the coast and the tempo of its kitchens. The experience concludes at the table, with an unhurried lunch or dinner where you’ll share the dishes you’ve brought to life, surrounded by citrus trees and open air.

A wooden boat does what a gondola can't: it leaves the canals behind entirely and heads out onto the open lagoon, where the water has room to catch fire at dusk. You'll pass San Giorgio Maggiore reduced to a black cut-out against the orange and the domes of the Salute going pink, the city thinning to silhouette behind you. A glass of wine in hand, you've far more room than a gondola allows — enough to turn round and actually look. The light does the heavy lifting; the boat just gets you the best seat for it.

Trade the cobbles for the saddle: a guided ride up into the hills that ring Florence, led by someone who knows which lanes are worth the climb. You'll roll past vineyards and open countryside, Tuscan green running off in every direction, before the road opens onto the city's skyline laid out below — domes, rooftops and all. Set your own pace. Here, the pedalling and the looking get equal billing.

On foot with a local guide, this is Como's historic centre at walking pace — through sunlit piazzas and narrow cobbled lanes, the kind of streets where Como shows itself in small details rather than grand set-pieces. The walk builds to Como Cathedral, where Gothic and Renaissance sit side by side in a single façade and the spires catch the afternoon light. Private means unhurried. Linger where you like, and let your guide point out what you'd otherwise stroll straight past.