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The ultimate city break

Booking a holiday in Italy in 2016 can simply mean a weekend city break. And why not? Some of the world’s most romantic cities are here and all boast major airports and fast flight times from the UK.

Ask anyone about luxury holidays in Italy and they’ll conjure images of gondola rides in Venice, gelato by the Coliseum in Rome, more art than you can shake a paintbrush at in Florence, and then Milan, that high temple of the fashion world.

The Italy of your dreams

The Italy that many picture is that of Tuscany, with its idyllic hilltop villages, vineyard tours, ancient monasteries and film-location scenery.

It’s here you’ll find Florence, as well as Pisa, with its famous leaning tower, and Siena, which features a stunning cathedral and a buzzing piazza, where the annual Palio horse race is held.

From soaring mountains to secluded beaches

Italy has the full spectrum of landscapes and cultures – from the soaring, snow-capped Dolomites with their alpine skiing villages that border Austria in the north east, to the whitewashed villages and pristine sands of Puglia in the far south east (the ‘heel’ of Italy’s ‘boot’).

There are plenty of destinations available when it comes to booking cheap package holidays to Italy in 2016.

The nation’s sunny islands deserve a mention too. Each has its own fierce identity: Sicily, with steaming Mount Etna at its heart, Sardinia, with its stretches of unspoiled beaches, and tiny, rocky Capri, ripe with lemon trees that make the country’s favourite and somewhat potent digestif – the boozy, zesty, love-it-or-hate-it limoncello.

When to go 

Italy enjoys the four seasons much like we do in Britain, but it sees plenty more sunshine and higher temperatures throughout the year, especially the further south you go.

The height of summer in July and August can be very hot, which means cities can feel uncomfortable, although they tend to be quieter as the locals depart for their own holidays.

Summer is a popular time to snap up an all-inclusive Italy package deal and it’s when the popular regions of Tuscany, Umbria, and the vertiginous cliff-side towns of the Amalfi Coast and the Italian Riviera fill up.

Time your trip in the shoulder seasons of March-May and September-October and you’ll still get good weather but see thinner crowds and, with prices lower, you’ll have no problems bagging a cheap holiday to Italy, whether you’re after an all-inclusive family break or a city getaway for two.

Some of the best package holiday deals in Italy can be booked among the lakes and mountains of Garda, Como and Maggiore. There, in northern Italy, you can experience Mediterranean climes and yet, as with any mountain locations, expect changeability. In the summer, the high pressure often means thunderstorms roll in overnight, but have a pleasing effect of clearing the air for the next day, meaning perfect hiking weather and clear visibility of those lofty peaks.

The mountain regions receive healthy snowfall over the winter months, especially in the Dolomites region, and are a Mecca for Italy skiing holidays.

If you’re looking for city chic on a budget, consider winter trips, especially in January and February. Yes, the weather is mild, but the crowds of spring-autumn are nowhere to be seen and there are some excellent deals available for cheap holidays to Italy’s urban hotspots.

Events for your diary

Time your break with a rousing event such as Siena’s Palio horse race, the Easter parades or the run-up to Christmas, and you’ll really feel like you’re into the Italian way of life.