Italien

Gillar du att kombinera världsmetropol med vacker natur, frisk luft – och mängder av tryfflar? Följ med vår skribent Sofia Zetterqvist på jakt efter "det svarta guldet" en timme utanför den italienska huvudstaden.

Det finns ställen som man helt enkelt inte får nog av. Trots att att det är spännande att upptäcka nya delar av världen finns det vissa platser vi återvänder till om och om igen. Redaktionen listar sina favoriter!

If a Vespa-riding, siesta-loving, unapologetically chaotic Italy still exists, it's in Calabria. Rocked by recurrent earthquakes and lacking a Matera or Lecce to give it high-flying tourist status, this is a corner of Italy less globalised and homogenised. Its wild mountain interior and long history of poverty, Mafia activity and emigration have all contributed to its distinct culture. Calabria is unlikely to be the first place in Italy you'd visit. But if you’re intent on seeing a candid and uncensored version of la dolce vita that hasn’t been dressed up for tourist consumption, look no further, ragazzi (guys).

Italy's second-largest region is arguably its most elegant: a purveyor of Slow Food and fine wine, regal palazzi and an atmosphere that is superficially more français than italiano. But dig deeper and you'll discover that Piedmont has 'Made in Italy' stamped all over it. Emerging from the chaos of the Austrian wars, the unification movement first exploded here in the 1850s, when the noble House of Savoy provided the nascent nation with its first prime minister and its dynastic royal family.

There's a whiff of Paris in Turin's elegant tree-lined boulevards and echoes of Vienna in its stately art-nouveau cafes, but make no mistake – this elegant, Alp-fringed city is utterly self-possessed. The industrious Torinese gave the world its first saleable hard chocolate and Italy's most iconic car, the Fiat.

Vagabonds guide till Palermo. Tips på bra hotell och restauranger.

Glass är lika italienskt som pasta och prosecco, men var kan man få tag på den absolut bästa "gelaton" av dem alla? På Il Cannolo Siciliano i Rom. I alla fall om man ska tro en ny omröstning som utnämnde glasserian till den bästa i Italien.

Har du sett Colosseum i Rom, kanalerna i Venedig och skulpturen David av Michelangelo i Florens? Dags att lyfta blicken och upptäcka mer av Italiens härliga städer. Vagabonds skribent Åsa Johansson listar fem sköna städer att botanisera bland.

Tossed like colourful dice into the beautiful blue Bay of Naples, the islands of the Amalfi Coast are justifiably famous and sought out. They are surprisingly diverse as well. Procida, Ischia and Capri vary not just in ambience and landscape but also in their sights, activities and size. Pretty Procida is the smallest of the trio; tiny, tranquil and unspoiled, and possible to explore in just a few hours. The fashionable flipside is Capri, with its celebrity circuit of experiences, sights and shops; plan your day (and your footwear) with care, especially if you’re hoping to hike. Ischia is the largest island, with natural spas, botanical gardens, hidden coves and exceptional dining. If that all sounds too challenging, make a beeline for the beaches – they are the Bay of Naples’ best.

The best way to arrive in Sardinia’s historic capital is by sea, the city rising in a helter-skelter of golden-hued palazzi, domes and facades up to the rocky centrepiece, Il Castello. Although Tunisia is closer than Rome, Cagliari is the most Italian of Sardinia’s cities. Vespas buzz down tree-fringed boulevards and locals hang out at busy cafes tucked under arcades in the seafront Marina district.