Forze Armate

With everyone in a tennis frenzy in the wake of the popularity of Luca Guadagnino’s latest hit film, Challengers, many are dreaming of cute tennis looks and days on the court this summer à la the protagonists as played by Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. A vacation rental in Milan is already a perfect option for anyone looking to enjoy a chic getaway in Italy but if you are also hoping to practice your serve while on holiday and in dreamy surroundings then you’ll find that the city’s stylish sports club, Quanta Club has all that you need. Plus, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy for those who might be on a slightly different sporting path in your travel party. 

Those interested in fashion, design, art, and cosmopolitan delights are often drawn to the city of Milan while they enjoy a vacation in Lombardy. Home to chic bars and boutiques, incredible museums, and amazing designers of all descriptions, it has plenty to offer those interested in beautiful and interesting objects and works of art.

The Palazzo Reale, the former seat of local government for centuries and a vast palatial structure, is today one of the city’s premier spaces for art, design, and culture. It is a cultural centre of the city and showcases international art and design exhibitions of modern and contemporary works in collaboration with some of the most famous and celebrated museums and institutions around the world.

Recently, it has hosted important and large-scale exhibitions of the works of Picasso, Munch, Dolce & Gabbana, Cézanne and Renoir, Goya, famous photographers, thematic group exhibitions, and more. Those who love the works of the surrealist artist and writer Leonora Carrington, meanwhile, will be able to see the first exhibition of her works in Italy at the Palazzo Reale if they book a holiday rental in Milan or a villa in Lombardy and plan a day-trip into Milan from September of this year into January of 2026. And if you’ve never even heard of her? Then, this is your chance to discover her trippy, colourful, fantastical, and beautiful works of art!

On holiday in Italy? Worked up an appetite while wandering the birthplace of the Renaissance on holiday in Florence? Or getting peckish as you dart about the Eternal City on vacation in Rome, trying to fit in as much as possible? 

Well, then you’ll be in search of somewhere great to eat! Certainly, you’ll find incredible food all over Italy without having to look very far but if you prefer to eat in more authentic places, the kind of little eatery that is mostly occupied by locals, then you might have to look a little bit further.

Here’s our guide to avoiding the more touristy restaurants in the country’s most famous destinations…

It’s always a good idea to do your research before going on holidays, especially if you have never been to a destination before. Now, while many things are similar almost universally nowadays, every place has its own cultural, structural, and administrative quirks and features. Italy is no different and, although it may be sometimes difficult to get used to it when things are done another way, it is always easier if you know what to expect. If you are booking a villa in Italy and are planning a vacation that you would like to enjoy with minimal issues, if you are looking forward to rest and relaxation, and if you want to avoid unnecessary stress, then here are ten things that we think you should know about a vacation in Italy and life in Italy, in general...