Very pro-European country. Vast differences between the North and South in terms of general prosperity, but there are well off people even in Sicily as can be vouched for by the profusion of designer shops in Catania. Italians live in 2 storey houses, which have an Alpine feel in many hilly areas, except in Rome where blocks of flats are the norm. Old city centres are invariably full of identical terraces of 3-4 storey grey stone buildings. Public conveniences are quite often just a hole in a metal dish, a system which is almost impossible to flush and so guaranteed to be blocked up when you get there. Even normal toilets are made so that the water is not below the appropriate body orifices it all slides slowly down into the water. The smell can be horrendous when it’s hot Fortunately the difficulties of getting rid of it are more than outweighed by the pleasure of eating it in the first place. Italian food is very cheap and excellent. Italian Chinese restaurants are universally bland and best avoided. Nastro Azzuro is the best beer in Italy in summer, extremely refreshing in hot weather.

Aviano:- US base north of Venice in shadow of Dolomites. You can drive straight up the hill behind Aviano village and the accomodation side of the base (it is split in two, like Sigonella) to a ski resort at the top of the hill. Carry on over the hill for fabulous autumn colours and a blue lake with a suspension bridge for the brave only, it takes a car with about 2" to spare. Turn right for a gentle drive back round the valley and through a 4.5km tunnel. Turn left for a fantastic drive up the pass and over the top to the main valley up into the Alps and Cortina. Usual facilities on base, including a new BX which is now on the airfield site and a ski-hire shop that has carvers. Local town is Pordenone, where shopping is expensive and eating is also by Italian standards. Mike reccomends the wooden faced place in the main high street crossroads bang in the centre of town (Le Catina), and the one between the tower and the bridge to the park. For serious off base shopping there is a pretty good shopping centre on the right coming from Pordenone almost at the base. Also there is a big place in Portogruaro. Take the A28 S from Pordenone and take the last exit before the toll booth. It has a huge C on a pole, as the main supermarket is Carrfour. Fantastic skiing in this area, with some of the best scenery anywhere in the world. Cortina (good for experienced skiers) is about 2.2hrs, Civetta (learners or experienced) 1.5hrs, or the local one (Piancavallo), which is quite small and more prone to lack of snow, but only 20mins up the hill behind Aviano.

Frassassi:- Recently discovered and opened up cave network. One of the best in the world. Definitely worth a trip.

Garda:- The lake and its surrounds are incredibly scenic at the N end. The S end is a lot more accessible but quite bland and boring except for Simione, which is worth a half day, and be sure to go in the Roman villa and museum right on the end of the isthmus. Other places worth a look are Limoné, Salo, Riva and Malchesine. A boat trip to and from is a good way to see one of them. Parking is pretty expensive and we suspect very difficult to find in high season. We went in late October and the weather was pretty good, and traffic minimal. From Limoné go south and take the sign for Tresimone for stunning views and one of the best restaurants in Italy for Pizza. Half way up the hill after the gorge are 2 restaurants and the 2nd is BRASA di Mario Cozzaglio, which is one of the best pizza houses in the world. The vino rosso is diabolical though, and it's closed on Mondays. At the top is the village of Pieve. Hotel Miralago has a restaurant that hangs over the edge of the cliff, at least a couple of hundred metres above anything. They do good grilled fish from the lake, and have a superb appartment block with pool and tennis courts to rent out. Garda is an area almost totally overrun by Germans and a very low percentage of the locals speak English compared to other areas of Italy. Locals will assume you are German until told otherwise. For a day out further afield go to the station at Mori, where trains are about 1 hour apart but very cheap.

Imola:- Superb, picturesque race circuit and small town in N central Italy. Good views from Toza, pay the extra for the main grandstand area there. Camp for free in the circuit the night before, but there’s not much room. The small road going due S is very picturesque.

Pesaro:- Olde Worlde market town on coast between Rimini and Sennigallia. Nice for a day out.

Pomezia:- Small new town with superb restaurants, large modern-ish hotels, lots of awful blocks of flats and 2 Irish bars. Get a taxi to Hunting Fox 2 for a very relaxing evening sitting outside and a meal from the Bar-B-Q. Reasonable shopping.
Mikes tips:- Go shopping at the Co-op (roast chickens are superb). Have starter, pizza and chianti at Pizza Caroli (Nadia’s). If you want a mega meal with pasta and sweet try Jiminy Crickets (behind the Hunting Fox (Irish bar, last open at night)). For meat dishes try a place just off the town square with animal heads on the walls. Say hello if you’re in the Hotel Selene bar at 1930 and I’m there!

Rimini:- The place for young people in this area. Maryan’s tip:- Don’t go there on the Orient Express in summer-it’s not air conditioned!

Rome:- Get a tourist map and start walking. Use the underground to get to the Vatican, A few place you have to pay but generally Rome has more free world class tourist attractions per acre than anywhere else. Good but often overlooked are the Pantheon and the church on the Piazza Republica.
Mikes tips:- On no account try to drive around Rome centro. For superb pasta go to Piazza Barbarini (returning from Vatican on tube perhaps). Look uphill and a road leaves the Piazza to your left at the top going uphill. Just up there on the right is Pastorito. You have to go down steps and the restaurant is in the basement. Pics in Maryan’s Italy tour.

San Gimignano:- Extremely picturesque town in the middle of Tuscany. Lots of bit and fairly pointless towers, good views, tourist shops and a fantastic torture museum. Danielle loved it. Worth a day out.

San Marino:- Extremely historical lump of rock in the middle of Italy, almost as if the rock of Gibraltar had been dumped there. Fruit Liqueurs are a local favourite. Worth a day out.

Sennigallia:- Slightly faded beach holiday town S of Rimini. Excellent base for a beach holiday with excursions
Mikes tip:- take a slow train up and down the coast.

Sienna:- Extremely historical town on top of a hill where traffic is banned. So built up it's difficult to see out of the town to the view! Very olde worlde. Lots of interesting touristy shops, an opera museum and a square like an amphitheatre. Worth a day out.

Urbino:- Extremely olde worlde hill top village. Ducal palace has little in it except one room panelled with marquetry. Worth a half day out.

Venice:- Stinks in summer but still romantic somehow. Murano glassworks very good. Best visited as a day trip. Gondolas on the expensive side but worth doing once. Lots of ornamental masks and coloured glass for sale. Most of the glass is quite garish these days. St Marks square is best avoided when looking for something to eat. You need to look around a bit and get off the main tourist walking route between St Mark's and the station, but you can find reasonably priced food. However I would say walk the route rather than getting a water taxi if you like shop browsing.

Verona:- From the railway station it's just about walkable into the centre of town. Go to the amphitheatre, through the shops to it's left to Piazza de l'erbe at the end. You can get a really good value snack lunch here from the market stalls. Just to the other side is a rather well hidden archway off the side of the road where you can find Juliets house, with the famous balcony, which you can actually stand on if you pay a few thousand to go in. There's not much else in there though. All the sights in Verona are totally unsigned. We bought a guide and Juliets house wasn't even in that! Half a day will take most people over the interest as there's not really much else there apart from quaint old streets and churches.

SICILY:- Likes to regard itself as a separate country. Noticeably poorer than areas above. News-stands have extreme porn in prime position so keep the virtuous away from them. Lots of security around banks and government buildings due to Mafia problems. Corruption is obviously rife. However I have never felt unsafe even in very dodgy looking areas alone. Americans are not very popular here so try not to look like one. Much of the island is under threat from Mt. Etna, but eruptions are slow.

Catania:- strange town with no definable centre. Very little to recommend it.
Mikes tips:- Driving here is done to a totally different set of rules to anywhere else in the world. If your nose is in front you have right of way. You will annoy everyone if you fail to barge your way out of side-streets.

Enna:- Between Palermo and Catania this ancient hill fort town is a superb example of the type and well worth a long stopover on the way.

Etna (Mount):- Skiing in winter or climb the slag in summer. For best view set off early to arrive at dawn. Top gets covered in cloud every day after clear start.
Mikes tips:- take a coat.

Misterbianco:- Good supermarket beside bypass, otherwise avoid.

Motta:- Couple of nice restaurants at top end of town. Mikes tip:- go along the little road that goes down round the bottom of the cliff at the E side of town. Look at the cross-section of an extinct volcano. It’s world famous to vulcanologists.

Palermo:- Another confusing town, difficult to shop in if you don’t know where what you want is hidden. Heavy security. Not tourist orientated at all. Only thing to see is the catacombs but that’s a bit gruesome for me. Worth a days bimble once but I wouldn’t go again.

Sigonella:- USN base near Catania with P3s. Split into an airfield with a Wendy's, a sports cafe (better choice and value) and a seven day store, and a domestic base several miles away with the full range of facilities. Sig. Inn outside gate is nice with good pool and bar in water. ‘Mamas’ restaurant directly opposite the main gate does the best roast chickens in the world in their pizza oven.

Taormina:- Tourist area, much smarter, more expensive, good beaches and a tourist area on a pointy hill. Worth a day out but I’d be a bit sceptical about taking a holiday here.