Renaissance Art.  See the works of Leonardo DaVinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. With world-class art museums such as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the Borghese Museum in Rome, getting at least a peak at some of these masterpieces is not to be missed. A word of advice: during the high season, book your tickets in advance.

Cruise the Canals of Venice. Whether by gondola or vaporetto, drifting through the canals of Venice is an iconic Italian experience.

Hike the Cinque Terre. Spend one day hiking through the five towns of the Cinque Terre. It is a fabulous hike and what's better than refueling at each town with fresh fruit, gelato, pasta, and wine?

Visit the Blue Grotto in Capri.  We weren't sure if this one was worth it, but once we did it, we loved it.

Visit the Vatican. The Vatican Museum is another "must-see" when visiting Italy. Definitely book your tickets in advance (this can literally save waiting in line for hours) and expect HUGE crowds during the summer months.

Climb the towers in Florence. The Duomo is the most popular tower to climb in Florence, but the Campanile was our favorite. Florence is a gorgeous city and the towers give some of the best vantage points.

Lake Como.  Located in northern Italy, come here for alpine vistas and to visit the villas on the water. Lake Como is virtually deserted during the winter months, so plan to visit between March and October.

Verona. This underrated city is one of our favorite spots in Italy. What a gorgeous city to explore.

Pompeii. This ancient city was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.  Pompeii is one of Italy's most visited sights. The ash that covered the city preserved the streets, buildings, and even the bodies of those people unable to flee the eruption. Walking through Pompeii is like walking through history.

The Dolomites.  The Dolomites were our favorite part of Italy. The hiking was epic, the scenery was stunning, and we loved the Austria meets Italy vibe.

Tour the Hill Towns of Tuscany.  Tuscany is packed with quaint, hillside towns. Walk the cobblestoned lanes, dine on delicious Italian food, go on wine tastings, and go shopping. You could spend a week in Tuscany, visiting a new town every day.

See DaVinci's "Last Supper" in Milan. Tickets for a 15 minute viewing sell out weeks in advance, so this is an activity that needs to be planned ahead of time, but it's worth it. Visiting Milan can be done as a day trip and seeing the "Last Supper" can easily fit into your itinerary.

Visit the Greek Ruins in Sicily. Some of the best Greek temples in the world, even better than those found in Greece, can be found in Sicily. Some of these ruins date back to the 5th century  B.C.!

The Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast is labeled as one of the most scenic drives in the world.   It's beautiful, it's filled with hair pin turns, and some people call it a "white-knuckle" ride. Come see for yourself.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Do you think the Leaning Tower of Pisa is too touristy? Maybe. But it's a quick visit and it can easily be seen as a day trip from Florence or on your way to the Cinque Terre.

Visit Sardinia. This rugged island is home to long, sandy beaches, prehistoric sites, and colorful coastal towns. The mountainous interior of the island is a hiking paradise, where you can visit one of the deepest gorges in Europe and the highest sand dunes in Europe.

Visit Puglia. Puglia, also called Apulia, geographically is the “heel” of Italy. What brings most visitors to this part of Italy is the town of Alberobello and its white-washed conical huts. But you can also find colorful coastal towns, national parks, and stunning coastal cliffs.