The archaeological ruins of Pompeii are a massive complex, and you may find it difficult to walk and see the entire area in a day. As you walk through the ancient city, you will be marveled by the remains of such grandiose plazas, amphitheaters, temples, villas, restaurants, statues and even human remains frozen in time by volcanic ash. Huge columns, cobblestone streets and buildings are all flanked by wild rosemary bushes, olive trees, and an imposing Mount Vesuvius.

Florence is one of those places that everyone in the western world will inevitably learn about, since the city produced some of the most brilliant minds of the renaissance period and as such, has left an indelible mark in the history of our species. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Botticelli, Caravaggio and Dante Alighieri are a few of the names that we still talk about and study to this day. Given its legacy as a center of art, it’s impossible to turn a corner, look at a building or walk the streets without seeing local artists, shoe makers, couture shops or works of Renaissance art. The entire city is one big, living, breathing organism of expression.

Located just an hour train ride outside of Naples, the Royal Palace of Caserta is the world’s largest palace by volume and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by the kings of Naples in the 18th century in order to rival their relatives who had built the Palace of Versailles, it is considered to be the ultimate expression of Baroque architecture and you will need a full day or more in order to see the palace, park and gardens.

There’s very little that hasn’t been said or written about Rome. It’s one of those fabled destinations that conjures memories of elegance, grandeur and deep history. Once the capital of the mighty Roman empire, this city and the culture that it propagated has influenced all of our western ideologies, religions, languages, governments, mathematics, science, architecture and militaries. As such, it can seem overwhelming when planning a trip to this magnificent city. But don’t worry. Read below for some key places of interest that you shouldn’t miss out on when planning a trip to Rome.

Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna culinary region and also home to the oldest university in the western world. As such, Bologna has an interesting character and as you explore the town you’ll notice the characteristic porticos, red brick buildings, street artists and of course excellent restaurants. The best part is that the city’s main sites are short walking distance to each other.

Lake Garda is the biggest freshwater lake in Italy, where olive and citrus trees grow wild in the surrounding mountainside. In fact, the lake is so big that the towns along the shores of the lake are divided between the three separate provinces of Trentino, Verona and Brescia. Because the lake and its towns are so beautiful and the weather is mild, Lake Garda is a popular tourist destination so you will often see resorts, beachfront bars, boats for hire, water sports, restaurants, souvenir shops and other tourist activities available. You could easily spend a month here and still not see everything that the towns have to offer.

We spent most of our trip to Lake Garda in the town of Malcesine, which had the cutest small town feel next to the impressive mountain of Monte Baldo. Read below for some highlights and suggested activities.

Tucked away on the outskirts of the Veneto region, Verona is the perfect place to wind down and take it slow while strolling along the River Adige.

Initially, what brought us to Verona was the fact that the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But its romantic charm, quaint streets, friendly people and delicious food made us stay longer than we had intended to. If you ever visit this picturesque city, you will be living the quintessential Italian experience.

The island city of Venice has captured the imaginations of tourists for generations and is in fact one of the most visited places in the world. Images of gondolas rowing down the Grand Canal, former mansions, iconic bridges and interesting statues conjure memories of a glorious and storied past. Rightfully so, the entire city and its lagoon are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Dolomites are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of the Italian Alps and their beauty is such that they have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our visit to this region left us absolutely stunned by the dramatic mountain ranges and steep valleys. At the same time, we were incredibly charmed by the little cottages dotting the landscape and semi-wild horses grazing freely. Sometimes overlooked in favor of more popular destinations such as Venice or Milan, the Dolomites is the bucket list destination that you didn’t even realize was on your bucket list until after your trip is over.