Assisi

Walled Assisi is miraculous: it has somehow managed to retain some tranquil refuges amid the tourist hubbub. Perched halfway up Mt Subasio, looking over Perugia, the visual impact of its shimmering white marble buildings is magnificent. The town's many churches include Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro and St Clare. The city is dominated by the massive 14th-century Rocca Maggiore - a hill fortress that offers fabulous views over the valley and back to Perugia. St Francis was born here in 1182, and work began on his basilica two years after his death in 1228. It's a magnificent tribute to the patron saint of animals, with frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue and Martini. Relics from Imperial days include the excavated forum and the pillared facade of the Temple of Minerva; Roman foundations are a common feature of many buildings.

Florence

Florence ("Firenze" in Italian) is a beautiful city. Because it's smaller than Rome, you'll have an easier time wandering around the city and getting a sense of what Italian life is like today and what it must have been like during the renaissance. The cultural and historical impact of Florence (or Firenze if you're looking to impress) is overwhelming. Close up, however, the city is one of Italy's most atmospheric and pleasant, retaining a strong resemblance to the small late-medieval centre that contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe. For eye-watering attractions you won't need to venture far from Florence's medieval core, a Renaissance wonderland containing the graceful span of Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo's skyscraping dome and the gilded splendour of Basilica di San Lorenzo.

Naples

Naples (or Napoli if you want to blend in like a local) is raucous, polluted, anarchic, deafening, crumbling and grubby. It's also a lot of fun. Superbly positioned on a bay, Naples has a little - and often a lot - of everything. It pulsates with noisy street markets and swarms of people buzzing around on Vespas with no regard for traffic rules. Naples' historic centre features a church-encrusted piazza and some seriously elaborate architecture. In addition to the usual Italian quota of castles, museums and palazzi, Naples has the priceless treasures of Pompeii and Herculaneum at its doorstep.

Pisa

The attractive town of Pisa is home to the world-famous Torre Pendente (Leaning Tower). The tower dates from 1173 and it is thought to lean because of the shifting soil beneath it.

Milan

The hard-working Milanese run their busy metropolis with efficiency and aplomb. Milano is the country's economic engine room, home to Italy's stock market and business centres. This stylish city is also the world's design capital and rivals Paris as a leading fashion centre. Milan is a sprawling metropolis, but most of its attractions are concentrated in its centre. Its hub is the Duomo, a fantastic Gothic confection topped by the Maddonina (our little Madonna), Milan's protectress. Not far away is La Scala, one of the world's great opera houses.

Rome

Rome ("Roma" in Italian) is beautiful city known for its deep cultural history and well preserved Roman monuments. It's filled with tiny little places that have been around for generations and hot new places that have captured the local's attention for the moment. It's hard to say what you'll find most breathtaking about the eternal city - the arrogant opulence of the Vatican, the timelessness of the Forum, the top speed of a Fiat Bambino, the millions of cats in the Colosseum, trying to cross a major intersection, or the bill for your latte. Sightseeing in Rome is exhilarating and exhausting. That it wasn't built in a day is quickly evident when you start exploring the temples, residences, basilicas, churches, palazzi, piazzi, parks, museums and fountains. All this and the Vatican too!

Sicily

The island of Sicily is a place of contrasts, from the crumbling grandeur of its capital, Palermo, to the Greek ruins at Syracuse, volatile Mt Etna and the Aeolian Islands. It's home to touristy Lipari, jet-set Panarea, rugged Vulcano and spectacularly spouting Stromboli. Squatting strategically in the Mediterranean, and its largest island, Sicily has attracted waves of invaders and colonisers, whose detritus includes Greek temples, Roman ruins, Norman churches and castles, and Arab and Byzantine domes. Sicilians remain strongly tied to the land, despite the summer heat, which can be utterly scorching. Luckily, the beaches are superb. Other sights include the magnificent 12th-century cathedral at Monreale and the touristy but unmissable Taormina, with its Greek theatre, panoramic public gardens, palazzo, cathedral and beaches.

Venice

Venice has a mystique hardly equalled around the world for romance, mystery and mischievousness! Yoy may feel that you have stepped into a (beautiful) stage full of tourists. Make sure you visit the major sites early in the day and then quickly get off the beaten path. Wandering Venice's canals and neighbourhoods helps you understand why so many people have a lasting emotional connection with Venice after only a few days.