Italien

Formed at the end of the last ice age, and a popular holiday spot since Roman times, the Italian Lakes have an enduring, beguiling beauty.

Encompassing two of Rome's seven hills, this sweeping, multifaceted area offers everything from dramatic basilicas and medieval churches to ancient ruins, colourful markets and popular clubs. Its best-known drawcards are the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano and Terme di Caracalla, but there are heavenly views to be had on the Aventino and Villa Celimontana is a lovely, tranquil park. Down by the river, Testaccio is a trendy district known for its nose-to-tail Roman cuisine and weekend clubbing.

Italy's famed crescent of Mediterranean coast, where the Alps and the Apennines cascade into the sea, is defined by its sinuous, giddy landscapes. The Italian Riviera, synonymous with the Ligurian region, is shaped by its extreme topography – its daily life is one of ascents and descents, always in the presence of a watery horizon.

Most visitors to the Veneto devote all their time to Venice, which is understandable – until you discover the rich variety of experiences that await just an hour or two away.

Home to César Pelli’s spiralling skyscraper, Herzog & de Meuron’s contemporary 'greenhouse' and Stefano Boeri’s high-rise apartment blocks festooned with hanging gardens, the shiny new area between Porta Garibaldi and Porta Nuova is Milan’s mini-Manhattan. It even has its own sprawling public park: the Biblioteca degli Alberi (Library of Trees). Meanwhile, swanky Corso Como seamlessly links Corso Garibaldi with the hip, multicultural neighbourhood of Isola, making this a hotspot for bars, restaurants and independent shops.

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Anchored by its magnificent basilica, this ancient and intriguing part of Florence defies easy description – from the rough-cut streets around the central train station it’s only a short walk to the busy social scene around increasingly gentrified Piazza di Santa Maria Novella and the hip boutiques on the atmosphere-laden, old-world ‘back streets’ west of Via de’ Tornabuoni. Shopping here, intermingled with a multitude of attractive dining and drinking options, is among the best in Florence.

Italien har drabbats hårt av coronaviruset varpå hela landet satts i karantän. Ett annars myllrande Italien blev tyst rapporterade många, men till och med då hittar italienare satt att lätta upp stämningen och stämma upp i sång och musik.

Sommaren 2018 breddar SAS sitt utbud med direktlinjer från Skandinavien. Sex nya destinationer lanseras: Verona, Sarajevo, Genoa, Toulon, nygamla Beirut och Örnsköldsvik.