Italy

Rightly considered one of the world’s most iconic travel destinations, Italy manages to be many things – a vision of golden countryside, a mass of seething cityscapes, a repository for ancient culture, a mecca for fashion – whilst never being anything less than resolutely Italian.

Its many faces are a big part of its appeal. From the scooter-honk of Naples to the bosomy hills of Tuscany, and from the Renaissance splendour of Florence to the football crowds of Turin, it’s somewhere that draws you in repeatedly. Trying to take the country in on one trip is akin to settling down to read an entire library – far better to concentrate on one or two of its numberless highlights and immerse yourself in the mix of hospitality, style and volatility that makes Italy so intoxicating. Oh, and did we mention the food?