Want to plan a surprise trip for DH to Italy - no clue where to start

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I have a year to plan and save. I have no clue about Italy. How expensive it is to holiday there, which regions are nice etc.

Any tips on sites to look at for good travel info or any advice much appreciated.

Right, cracks fingers.
Whaddya wanna know?

How long for? Hotel, touring? Cities and culture or beaches and seaside? Time of year? Any particular places absolute yay or nays? Budges? Family or couple? Can I come too?

And also when do you want to go?
Summer (July/Aug peak)? Or another time?
It's blardy hot in summer

City, coast, rural?

Sorry! Internet busted.

City preferably but would like coast too if possible. 2dcs 8 & 14.

Spring most likely. 5/6 nights. Fancy a villa.

Venice? The coast to the east is very beachy and has lots if accommodation.

Venice is stunning of course.

Sorrento? I havent been there but supposed to be good.

Rome does have a coast but its not great.

Rome smells.

Tuscany, unbeatable. IMO

Venice, fab.

Sorrento and the Amalfi coast.

A-Mazing.

PM me of you want more info

Oh - if you want a villa - Tuscany or Umbria.

Rome does not smell

tuscany is beautiful and villas aplenty but i dont know coastline.

Apols for crap punctuation am on phone.

Tuscany is a favoutite of mine but very expensive. A villa 3-bed with a pool will be £1.5k+++ a week. Florence is lovely though, Siena ok. The lakes are pretty but kids might get bored if they don't get a 'city hit'.

Venice is nice for a few days. Genoa is pretty.

Maybe try the south-west - better value, hotter off season and you could visit Pompei.

The Cinque Terra south of Genoa is stunning with wonderful food

Its mostly good tbh. Even the last place we ended up - behind the back of beyond, all holiday houses surrounded by farms. It had its charm though... And a huge property with large pool and nice owner who bought us cakes, bottled water and wine and let us pick fruit from his orchard (I want to be able to pop on some coffee then stroll out to pick plums, apples and nectarines for brekkie and eat next to a lovely pool every day!!).

We have just returned from Sorrento. The hotel was lovely, but the traffic and mosquitos were horrendous. We went to Lake Garda last year and enjoyed it far more.

I stayed once in Sant Agata in the hills above Sorrento so not as busy but town a few minutes on the bus or a walk downhill.

Most of the Tuscan cities are lovely as is the coast there but v expensive. Lakes also good. Garda has loys to doand kids enjoy going on the boats. Venice and Verona are within a days visit from there too.

if you want coast and villa, then Puglia, which does not have as great cultural attractions as tuscany / umbria however has very nice coast and lots of villas to hire that won't bankrupt you. Lecce is a lovely baroque city to visit but it really depends on why it's Italy that you want.

you can get coast / beach if you stay at the Venice Lido, and there's also massa-marittima on the Tuscan Coast (££), also Amalfi / Positano (£££) but other than the islands, mainland beach isn't great. Sicilian, Sardinian, Aeolian beaches = LOVELY.

Because you're taking your DCs, I would also vote for Lake Garda - ferry trips, food to suit everyone, the Water Park and GardaLand...
I'm so

We went to the Tuscan Riviera this year and it was lovely but too quiet for DS 14.

p.s. - should have mentioned, if you don't mind Ryanair I can recommend the online travel agent Travel Republic, but if you prefer a traditional package we have also used Crystal Lakes and Mountains.

Doesn't George Clooney live on lake garda?

And Verona within easy train access from Lake Garda

I don't know - oooh I do like a bit of Clooney!

We stayed in Garda - nice little town, and it has a railway station in the centry, so good if you don't have a car. When we stayed at Como we took a bus trip into the Dolomited (snow!) and that was really nice.

No, Clooney allegedly has a property on Lake Como. Lake Garda offers great variety of sports/walks etc plus access to lovely cities like Verona, Venice and Trento.

Ahhhhh wrong lake!

The town of Garda doesn't have a station as it isn't near the railway line. Only Desenzano and Peschiera have stations.

I am getting my lakes muddled up! Yes, Como has the station and great places to eat.