Italy

There are so many things to do in Venice that a trip here is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There’s really no other place like it on earth. Linked by canals and hundreds of fairytale bridges, this cluster of 117 islands has been inspiring lovers and artists for hundreds of years. Explore the waterways by gondola, lose yourself in the city’s warren of narrow streets, blow glass with the best craftsmen in the world or just watch the world go by in St. Mark’s Square as you sup on a local prosecco al fresco.

If sun, sea and sightseeing are your holiday must-dos, an adventure around the craggy coast of Capri will tick all the boxes. Commandeer a traditional wooden boat and explore outstanding natural features such as the world famous Green, White and Blue Grottos and the three rock spires of the Faraglioni, before cooling off in the famously aquamarine sea. Or ride the cable car to the peak of Monte Solaro, before finding a watering hole in Sorrento’s narrow streets from which to take in the last rays of sun and the distant dome of Mount Vesuvius.

Mount Vesuvius, the only active volcano on mainland Europe, is a dramatic example of nature’s awesome power. In 79AD, Vesuvius erupted and enveloped the neighbouring town of Pompeii, burying its stricken inhabitants in a cloak of ash and turning the town into permanent time capsule. Almost two thousand years later, you can wander Pompeii’s eerily preserved streets before testing your stamina with a hike up the smoking cone of this once killer volcano.

No trip to Italy is complete without a visit to Vatican City. The smallest independent state in the world is home to the Bishop of Rome (that’s the Pope to me and you), as well as St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, where you’ll find some of the world’s most important works of Renaissance art. Top of this list has to be Michelangelo's Vatican Sistine Chapel ceiling, a masterpiece that changed the course of Western art.