Italy
Visiting Italy? Lucky you!
For the Artsy Traveler, Italy consistently ranks near the top of must-visit destinations. Its churches, museums, and galleries are filled with extraordinary art treasures spanning thousands of years—from the Etruscans and Romans, through the Byzantine and medieval periods, to the Renaissance, Baroque, and even the Futurists.
If you want to see an incredible variety of art, you’ve come to the right country. Explore the posts below to help you plan your own unforgettable artsy journey through Italy.
Planning a trip to Italy? Start with my comprehensive guide to artsy & independent travel in Italy, covering literature, theater, historic cities, countryside destinations, and practical tips for exploring without a car.
Visiting Italy: My Best Tips for Artsy & Independent Travelers
Posts About Italy
Here are all my posts about Italy.
Art Museums in Venice: My Guide to the Essential Visits
First off, I adore Venice. There truly is nowhere else like it on earth. The first time I visited, I ...
Italy’s Hidden Gastronomic Treasures: Lesser-Known Foods Worth Traveling For
Planning a trip to Italy centered around arts and cultural experiences must also include food. The traveler who seeks out ...
How to Spend a Perfect Artsy Traveler Day in Venice
Every time I visit Venice, I spend the first hour or two smiling so broadly my face aches. Even with ...
Visiting Italy: My Best Tips for Artsy & Independent Travelers
Visiting Italy is a dream for artsy and independent travelers. From ancient Roman ruins and medieval hill towns to Renaissance ...
How to Spend a Perfect Artsy Traveler Day in Florence
Florence reeks of the Renaissance probably more than any other city in Europe. In fact, I sometimes think it's becoming ...
Opera in Rome at Palazzo Poli: Magic Meets Music
Seeing a concert that features opera and classical music ranks right up there as one of my top unique things ...
Take a Photography Tour in Rome and Learn with an Expert
Rome, with its sumptuous churches, lively street scenes, and evocative Roman ruins, is a photographer’s dream destination. If you're looking ...
Piacenza: A Hidden Gem for Art Lovers and Slow Travelers
The small city of Piacenza in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy is the perfect place for travelers looking for ...
Get Inspired at a Writing and Art Retreat in Tuscany
Looking for a creative retreat in Tuscany where you can focus on your art or writing in peace? Then consider ...
Fire Up Your Creativity with Italiana Tours
Thirteen people gather for an Italian art retreat in Le Marche, spending a week under the Italian sun drawing, painting, ...
Choose Murano For A Unique Venetian Experience
The laid-back island of Murano, just minutes from Venice by vaporetto, offers a quieter and more authentic Venetian experience without ...
Beyond Romeo and Juliet: What to See in Verona, Italy
Guest Post by Zoe Disigny Heading to northern Italy? Consider spending time in lovely Verona, which has much to see ...
How To Spend 7 Days in Italy’s Campania: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi, Paestum
Campania is the Italy that hits you in all the senses at once. The smell of woodfired pizza in Naples ...
Art Masterpieces in Tuscany You Won’t Want to Miss
Art masterpieces in Tuscany are as thick on the ground as grapes at harvest time. When you visit Tuscany, you'll ...
Visit Rome’s Best-Kept Literary Oasis: The Keats-Shelley House
If you're a fan of English Romantic poets, then you must make a pilgrimage to the Keats-Shelley House in Rome ...
The Colosseum Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)
You’ve arrived in Rome! Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Colosseum as your taxi whisks ...
How to See the Art of Pompeii at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples
Naples-bound? Then put the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli aka the National Archaeological Museum of Naples high on your list ...
Pizza, Gelato, Suppli–Oh My! A Fantastic Cooking Class in Rome
Fancy taking a cooking class while you're visiting Rome? I highly recommend the experience. I'm a huge fan of taking ...
Sensational Siena: Best Things to Do, Top Sights and How to Visit
What is it about Siena that makes an artsy traveler swoon? Mention Siena to anyone who has traveled there and ...
Sirmione on Lake Garda: Experience the Magic of Staying Overnight
The tiny resort town of Sirmione on Lake Garda in northern Italy is truly magical. Stay overnight and you'll have ...
Fascinating Little Padua Reveals Hidden Treasures
Called Padova in Italian, this historic city in Northern Italy is just half an hour from Venice by train, close ...
Uffizi Gallery: Top 11 Masterpieces You Can’t Miss (And How to Visit)
On one of my most memorable visits to the Uffizi, I was traveling in Florence on my own to research ...
Stay at Sant’Antonio Country Resort: A Tuscan Hidden Gem
Every so often when traveling, serendipity rears its delightful head. The plans you've made go awry, but instead of facing ...
A Visit with Tuscan Artist Silvia Salvadori in Arezzo, Tuscany
Artsy traveling means being on the lookout for interesting encounters with artists, artisans, musicians, writers—the whole pantheon of creative people ...
Cooking in Roma with InRome Cooking
Culinary tourism is definitely a thing, and nowhere more so than in Italy. Food tours and cooking classes abound and ...
3 Days in Venice: Best Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
The first time I visited Venice, I couldn't believe it was real. I was in the middle of a lagoon, ...
Amazing Artsy Sightseeing Choices in Italy for the Independent Traveler
Where to begin when it comes to artsy sightseeing in Italy? Italy feels at times like one giant art gallery! ...
Favorite Regions in Italy for the Artsy Traveler
My favorite regions in Italy range from Milan and the Dolomites in the north to Naples in the south. Unless ...
Why do I Love Italy?
Let me count the ways! First, the landscape is varied and stunning. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the ...
The Best Novels Set in Italy for Arts-loving Travelers
It's no surprise that so many authors (including myself!) have chosen Italy as the setting for their novels. With its ...
San Gimignano: Top Things to See in Tuscany’s Tower Town
Known as the City of Towers, the medieval town of San Gimignano is an entrancing place that I never tire ...
Where to Stay in Italy: My Best Picks
I've had great luck finding marvelous places to stay in Italy. Hotel proprietors are friendly, and these days almost all ...
Rome in 3 Days: Best Itinerary for First Time Visitors
Three days in Rome is not enough. I say this as someone who has been many times and still finds ...
Explore Northern Italy in One Week
Northern Italy (not including Venice) doesn't always get its due. Everyone rushes south to Rome and Florence (and yes, they ...
Tuscany & Umbria: The Ultimate Art Lover’s Itineraries
Tuscany gets all the attention, and fair enough. Rolling hills, cypress trees like darkly mysterious question marks, Brunello wine that ...
About Carol Cram
Carol M. Cram is the author of five award-winning novels inspired by art and the women who shaped it, the creator of Artsy Traveler, an arts-focused travel blog, the founder of Art In Fiction, a curated database of 2,500+ novels inspired by the arts, and the host of The Art In Fiction Podcast. She also authored 60+ textbooks on computer applications and taught at Capilano University for over two decades. She lives with her husband, artist Gregg Simpson, on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, BC.