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the beauty of Italy, according to me (I'm Italian), resides on the fact that, albeit small, has a HUGE variety of more or less visited attractions, be they built by humans or by nature. And also, every place you go has its history, its traditions, its tipical food (yes, food is one thing we really are proud of!).

if in a trip you are looking for something special, whatever it is you can find it in Italy. And remind that Italy is NOT only Rome, Venice, Florence and Pompeii. That's a big mistake tourists make when planning their trip to Italy. If you wanna spend 3 weeks or a month in Italy, there's no point in staying 7 nights in Rome.

Cheers

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Thanks!

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no problem. :-) remember to type here when you'll be leaving, so maybe we can help you with your itinerary, if you want!

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Like pointed out above: the food,the food and the food.It is great.

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The food? I thought it was the wine. The cheap, tasty, delightful wine...

If you wanna spend 3 weeks or a month in Italy, there's no point in staying 7 nights in Rome

Well, you wouldn't get bored with a week in Rome. But Lucaclc's point is well taken. There's certainly a lot more to Italy than the "Big 3" (Rome, Florence, Venice)--though they make a great introduction. Conversely, it would be quite possible to entirely avoid the "Big 3" and still spend a month seeing lots of amazing stuff. The small city of Ravenna would be my first case in point.

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Lucacic,
I'm going to jump in here as a first time visitor to Italy going the last 3 wks of August. I'd love to hear some of your ideas for places to include! My daughter and I will be starting out in Rome and yes, had thought to visit "the big 3" but really want to get to be a part of true Italy and spend time enjoying the people and the land. All of my grandparents came from Italy so this is such a special trip for us. I also want to include the beauty of the sea and are thinking some time on the Amalfi Coast. Probably would not have a car the entire trip but perhaps for a small section of it. We are on a very moderate budget as this trip was a rather sudden decision. Any ideas from all would be so appreciated! Thank you!

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#6 java - I hope you've read back through past posts there's plenty of suggestions for places to visit.

wannagogogogogogo - its much like travelling anywhere - try not to have too much of an itinerary and "must sees" planned before you get to the country you're visiting and as far as Italy is concerned, research the smaller towns. Some are really boring and worth passing by but the majority are worth exploring. You can hardly go wrong in Tuscany and Umbria and while the countryside in some areas is less exciting, the same applies just about everywhere else. And do spend a bit of time in Naples - its a fantastic city despite what some people might try and tell you.

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well Java, if it's your very first time in Italy, you have to make a choice:

-decide to do the "big 3" with some possible detours (see this tread ) and promise to come back to get a taste of smaller cities and countryside.

-skip the 3, or, if you start in Rome, after that focus mainly on two or three regions: Umbria and Toscana would be an option, you'd have plenty of time to experience the beauty of the countryside and also of the seaside (Monte Argentario has some of the best sea in peninsular Italy, don't think it's on the main route of foreign tourists but will be full of italians- maybe too full- in August)
Otherwise, if you wanna include Amalfi Coast, you could easily spend a week in campania, including Naples (yes, you have to take some more precautions but it's beautiful and not THAT dangerous), Vesuvio, Pompeii, Amalfi coast and you could also consider spending a couple of days in the Cilento coast, which is a local favourite (more than Amalfi coast, actually).
Another option, fly from Rome to beautiful Sicily, with great art, landscapes, food&wine and magnificient sea, and there you can sample "mediterraneity" (sorry for the neologism!) at its best.
And that's just if you want to include sea, otherwise Italy has also beautiful mountain landscape (and beautiful cities and towns as well) in the north.

In the end, as you can understand, with 3 weeks in Italy you have plenty of options, much more than the ones that I mentioned. It's just up to you, think of what your main interests are and go. Prices in middle august will be the highest of the year, and could be also problematic to find accommodation. Some users may tell you not to go on a schedule, they may be right but consider that doing so you might take some time, at least in certain places, to find beds, and possibly it won't be cheap.

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wannagogogo, the beauty of Italy is indescribable. The country is so rich and so abundance with art. If you're an art lover, there's no other place you would rather be. You can find masterpieces out in the piazza or hidden in some obscure churches or in small villages you've never heard before, whether it's a painting, sculpture, frescoe, or mosaic.

It's definitely my favorite country to visit

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Thank you, you've given me some new places to research in my planning! I will certainly be reading more about Cilantro Coast and Monte Argentario. Your time is truly appreciated!!