Italy has long been held up as a paragon of voluptuous beauty, and with good reason. The architecture of its splendid cities alone leaves visitors reeling. Between Venice, Florence and Rome, the cultural significance is vast. The country houses the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites around the globe and boasts incomparable artistic treasures. But even the green hills of Umbria, and the simple rustic life of that region, offer such a feast for the senses. There are multiple Italys, and each one deserves to be known. To leave this earth without having seen the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel—or the silent, windswept landscape of Pantelleria, or history frozen in time in Pompeii, or the rocky beaches of Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda—is more than a shame. It is a tragedy. From la dolce vita to la bella vita, Italians know how to live in style better than the people of almost any other nation. A tiny sandwich and glass of wine before noon in Venice’s Rialto market is as sumptuous a feast as perfectly charred pizza in Naples or fried zucchini blossoms at a neighborhood trattoria in Rome. Whether you attend the Truffle Festival at San Giovanni d’Asso or the riot of horseflesh that is the Palio di Siena, you will come to appreciate the drama and tradition that infuses everyday Italian life. Trust us to introduce you to the spectacular mountains, lakes, vineyards, olive groves, turquoise grottoes, artistic masterpieces and urban delights that make up this incomparable country.