Italy - Cheap flights to Italy

Venice is one of the world’s most romantic cities. Every year, a few thousand couples from around the world get engaged in the setting of atmospheric narrow streets and gondolas swaying on the Grand Canal. What is the magic of this place?

Wandering around the city, you’ll easily find its top attractions, such as Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square), and Basilica San Marco (St Mark’s Basilica) located in the oldest part of Venice. There are also Palazzo Ducale (the Doge’s Palace) and the bell tower offering a stunning panorama view. Walking alongside the canals, you’ll see Ponte dei Sospiri (the Bridge of Sighs) and remarkably picturesque view over Canale Grande.
 
If you want to feel like a real Venetian, spend a day hanging around in bars, called “baccro”. Stop in the various places throughout the day to try Bellini cocktails, spritz, or gingerino al prosecco (an alcohol-free, orange-red aperitif), and enjoy local snacks (e.g., tramezzini), seafood or pasta.

The recommended restaurants are Ristorante Osteria N. 1, Osteria del Canson, and Osteria Al Pesador. When you have a dessert craving, go for ice creams. Aren’t the Italian ones the finest in the world? Visit Alaska on Calle Larga dei Bari, Gelateria il Doge on Dorsoduro, or La Mela Verde on Fondamenta de l'Osmarin Castello.

When you’re in Venice, it’s worth using a waterbus (vaporetto). It will take you to the nearby islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Among the more scenic ones are Murano, Burano, and Lido. The first one consists of seven little islands linked by bridges – like Venice itself. The place is well-known not only for the beautiful, multicolored facades of the buildings but also for the long tradition of making decorative glass. Burano attracts its visitors with colorful architecture and the world-famous lace, while Lido is offering wide sandy beaches.

The historical part of Florence is not big, there is no point renting scooter or hailing a taxi. The quickest and most convenient way to get through all paths is on foot. Apart from that – isn’t it what it is all about in lovely cities like Florence, to cherish every moment? Leave a map at home and walk through narrow streets, admiring beautiful architecture and looking at citizens of Florence at their daily tasks. The old town is so small that quickly you will start to recognize streets and feel like at home.

The art wouldn’t have existed without Florence, but the city without the art – as well. It is where Botticelli, Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo were creating. If you have a bit of patience to wait in queue, it is worth to visit Galleria Uffizi or Galleria dell’Accademia, where for your own eyes you will see the most beautiful masterpieces of painters and sculptors of the Renaissance.

If you are looking for a place, from which there is the most beautiful view for the city, go to the Micheangelo’s hill. It is the most breath-taking on sunsets, when the red sky is gently mirroring in the town houses’ roofs.

On the southern bank of the river Arno, at side streets from main road Via Maggio, there is real life going on and tourists hardly ever wander around there. In local cobbler workshops you can order custom-made shoes, buy hand-made tie, unique tableware, or even a whole set of furniture. Be aware though that a walk through this district is highly engaging! If you don’t want to spend fortune on small souvenirs from the trip, visit Mercato Central, where among many gadgets you will also find those hand-made. All you need to do is search a bit.

Avoid buying leather products from street vendors. Florence is famous for belts, bags or other leather accessories, but real, designer or hand-made accessories made by local craftsman you can only get in prestigious shops or workshops. Don’t let yourself be ripped off on the bridge Ponte Vecchio.

Catania - one of the biggest Italian cities, the second biggest one in Sicily, is located on the eastern shore of the island, by the Ionic sea. It was many times destroyed by earthquakes and eruptions of volcanic Mount Etna, at the foot of which, it was founded. In its history the city was rebuilt seven times. The baroque architecture of Catania is standing out due to use of black volcano stone.

Catania is very well connected. It has a marine port, it lies close to the junction of the Sicilian highway, there is an airport operating near.  Aeroporto di Catania-Fontanarossa is the most popular airport in Sicily, it served around 8 million passengers in 2016. It is located four kilometres in the south-west direction from Catania. You can get there by bus, that goes to and from the city every half an hour.

Cuisine of Catania is characterized by strong Sicilian influences. One of the most known dishes is Pasta alla Norma, pasta penne with tomato sauce, eggplant and salty ricotta. Popular dessert is granita, something similar to sorbet, but a bit lighter. Among fruits typical for the region there are red oranges.

In the city you will find plenty of restaurants popular among tourists and citizens. For typical Italian, sweet breakfast you can go to do Pasticceria Savia at Via Etnea, 300/302/304. Corte dei Biscari at Via Porticello 5 is a spot worth visiting to order a fish, according to recommendations. If you fancy some Mediterranean cuisine and seafood, try Hosteria del Panda at Viale della Liberta' 129. When you have enough of pizzas and pastas, we recommend a visit at Feelin' Good at Via Carlo Felice Gambino 17, where apart from Italian cuisine, you can order also tasty burgers.

The capital of Sicily is causing extreme emotions – from admiration of the vibe of the city to disappointment at lack of typical touristic attractions. It will definitely appeal those who are looking for good weather, exquisite cuisine and authenticity.

Palermo is neglected, full of traffic jams and dirty, and still it is one of the most eagerly visited places in Italy. Why? It is real and you can feel there a true dolce far niente spirit. Where is it worth to go? Surely to streets Roma and Corso Vittori Emanuele, as well as to neighbourhood of the harbour, where you can not only admire beautiful views, but also get typical Italian snacks from street vendors. It is worth to see, among others, Cappella Palatina w Palazzo dei Normanni, the Cathedral situated by the Royal Palace from the from the 11th century (Norman one) with unique mosaics dated back to the 12th century. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Make sure also to go to the urban cathedral which is Cattedrale di Palermo, that is considered by architecture experts as designer’s nightmare. It was undergoing many renovations and expansions, due to which it is hard to describe which architectural style it is representing now. It is worth to enter the terrace on its roof to admire the city’s panorama. An interesting, but a bit controversial place, are catacombs Convento dei Cappucini. A must see is Piazza Bellini, a square by which there are situated three original churches, such as San Cataldo or La Martorana.

Palermo is a destination of many culinary trips, as it is famous for really tasty and cheap street food. The best stands can be found each evening at the street Discesa Maccheronai near Piazza San Domenico. It is worth to try there arancini, baked rice balls stuffed with, for instance, cheese, meat or spinach, panino panelle e crocchè, bun with sesame with fried on deep fat potatoes or chickpea cutlets, as well as grilled sea food, for e.g. vongole, oysters, shrimps or squids. In Sicily you can also try caponata, which is vegetable stew from cooked eggplants and speciality of Palermo – pane ca’ meusa, fried veal spleen in bun.

Located in the southern part of Italy, Bari – the capital of Apulia (Puglia) region – makes a perfect destination for those seeking the sunshine, delicious homemade food, bright blue sea, and genuinely hospitable locals. What is worth seeing there?

The outward disorder and typical southern chaos, no hordes of travelers or strictly tourist-oriented eateries as well as beautiful architecture, excellent cuisine, and relatively low prices are among the reasons why the simple and authentic life of Bari attracts a growing number of travelers.

You can’t miss Bari Vecchia (Old Town), situated on a peninsula, with its narrow streets, monuments and lively squares, such as Piazza Mercantile. You also might want to see the city walls and old defensive towers, built at the seashore, where you can now find the atmospheric restaurants. Don’t forget to visit Castello Svevo, a well-preserved defense castle, and Lungomare, the long coastal promenade; see also the basilica named in honor of Saint Nicholas, the patron of Bari, and the famous fish market at Molo San Nicola. And if you like shopping, explore the Borgo Murattiano – the new part of the city.

In Bari there are many restaurants serving Italian food. Typical for the southern regions of Italy, focaccia and calzone di cipolla are to be found in every bakery (panificio) or focacceria and cost €1. It’s also worth taking a bite of home-made orecchiette baresi (ear-shaped pasta) or the local specialties – sgagliozze and popizze (polenta fritters) as well as panzerotti (a type of fried dumplings).

If you have some spare time, go to the countryside – you won’t regret it! Small towns located on the Apulia coastline attract tourist with clean and beautiful beaches, typical southern architecture and breathtaking landscapes. You can get there from Bari by train, bus, or a rental car in a short time. Among the most interesting places to see are Alberobello famous for its unique trulli houses, Polignano a Mare with amazing cliffs and spectacular Matera beach – hidden between the rocks – which was used as a setting for Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”, and Monopoli a Mare with white marble and limestone buildings.

Pisa is one of the most commonly visited by tourists places in Italy. All because of the tower Torre Pendente, which became a symbol of the city. The city can also be a great starting point for trips to the shore and is attracting with local cuisine.

Pisa is famous for the Leaning Tower of Pisa – Torre Pendente, that is located on Piazza del Duomo, known also as Campo di Miracoli (the Square of Miracles). The building serves as the perfect background for funny pictures, on which tourists pose pretending they are holding up the walls of this leaning construction. The campanile is one of the four buildings named masterpieces of medieval architecture. Others are the cathedral (Duomo), the baptistry (Battistero) and the cemetery (Camposanto Monumentale). Ticket for entrance to the Leaning Tower costs 18 euros, visiting the cathedral is for free.

Pisa is much more than Torre Pendente, so don’t stop your sightseeing after visiting this most famous place in the city. Be sure to go to the city’s centre, to a huge square Piazza dei Cavalieri, that is surrounded by the medieval buildings. This spot is vibrant both days and night, as local youngsters like to gather there for celebrations. You can cherish a moment of silence and reflexion in Lungarno, a boardwalk by the river Arno flowing through Pisa. On boardwalks by the riverside there are plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes. The city is a perfect starting point for visiting Florence. You can reach it within an hour taking a bus from the airport or a train from Pisa Centrale station – ticket costs only 5 euros (bus) or 8.5 euros (train) one way.

Italian cuisine is outstanding, and many believes its Tuscany version is the best in the world. Find out for yourself, while trying astonishing in their simplicity dishes and excellent wine. It is worth ordering antipasto toscano, a platter of Tuscany hams with prosciutto, salami, salsicce di cinghiale (dried sausage from boar). Typical dishes are also cecina, a flat-cake from chickpea that resembles pizza, ribollita – soup from cabbage, beans and bread with olives oil and tagliatelle al ragu di Cinta Senese with meat of an old Tuscany pork breed Cinta Senese. You say Italy and think of ice-creams. We recommend visiting Tuffo 13 at Lungarno Gambacorti 13, a bit further from the touristic paths. You won’t regret that trip – it is the favourite place of Pisa’s citizens.