With sumptuous palaces and romantic waterways, Venice is straight out of an 18th-century Canaletto masterpiece. No matter how many times you have seen it in movies or TV commercials, the real thing is more surreal and dreamlike than you ever imagined. Its landmarks, the Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale are exotic mélanges of Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. It is full of secrets, ineffably romantic, and - at times - given over entirely to pleasure. You must walk everywhere in Venice and where you cannot walk, you go by water.

Pisa does not need an introduction, as testified by the millions of tourists offloading each year for their mandatory photo of the Leaning Tower. In the rush of the moment, few bother to find out that Pisa was founded circa 1000 b.c. and became an important maritime republic alongside Venice, Amalfi, and Genoa. Birthplace of the famed Galileo Galilei, Pisa is also home to one of Italy?s top universities. For those choosing to stay longer, there are plenty of architectural splendors around the Tower.

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is one of Italy's most atmospheric and pleasant, retaining a strong resemblance to the small late-medieval center that contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe. Art treasures Michelangelo's David Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and Raphael's La Velata draw millions of visitors every year. Throw into the mix fabulous architecture (the Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome, Giotto's campanile, Santa Croce), fine restaurants and earthy trattorie, plus leading designer boutiques and bustling outdoor markets, and the city of the Renaissance becomes quite simply one of the world's must-see sights.

Assisi is one of Italy's top sights, competing with the Colosseum, Pompeii, and Venice's canals. It boasts some of Italy's finest early Renaissance art. One of the top attractions is the remarkably preserved portico of a Roman temple on its main square. The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi (St Francis) is a World Heritage Site that well worths a visit. The town is dominated by two medieval castles. The larger, called Rocca Maggiore, was built by Cardinal Albornoz (1367).

The best-know town on the Neapolitan Riviera is Sorrento, which is situated in a stunning location, on a long cliff amid lemon and olive groves overlooking the sea. Sorrento offers charming cobblestone streets, alluring lungomare (seafront promenade), colorful and fragrant flowers, matchless vistas, and lively cultural scene. The old town still retains its Roman grid of narrow streets and its centro storico are alive with cafes, clubs, and restaurants, which become positively crowded during the sweet nights of summer. A ravine divides the town with the pretty old town on one side and the suburban area with hotels on the other. Emperor Augustus and his successor, Tiberius, were two of Sorrento`s early devotees. In later years, the town became a favorite destination for artists and writers, as well as tourists.

Sorrento offers seaside splendor coupled with easy access to other points of interest: to the west, the best of the peninsula`s unspoiled countryside and, beyond that, the Amalfi Coast; to the north, Pompeii and the archaeological sites; off-shore, the fabled island of Capri. There are hamlets in the hills that should be explored, too. These time-worn villages maintain their traditions and their charm. Visit Vico Equense, which is dwarfed by the Lattari Mountains that rise up behind it, the village of Seiano, the white-washed town of Priora and Sant`Agata sui Due Golfi, high in the hills. Up here you`ll find natural beauty, hiking trails, tranquility and clean, dry air. The park of the Villa Communale offers a fantastic view across the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Also found nearby are the most famous villas of the Roman Age are Agrippa Postumo`s villa with a water lily fishpond, and artificial wharfs; the villa at Capo di Sorrento (known as Queen Giovanna`s baths); the villa at Punta of Massa; and the villa at Punta della Campanella. Sorrento marks the start of the 43-mile infamously winding coastal road that runs to Salerno.

Distances: Naples - 31 miles, Amalfi - 20 miles

Rome is Italy's treasure, packed with masterpieces from more than two millennia of artistic achievement. Modern Rome has one foot in the past, one in the present. Find a cafe at summer twilight and watch the shades of pink turn to gold and copper before night finally falls. That's when another Rome comes alive; restaurants and cafes grow more animated and after dinner you can have a gelato (or an espresso in winter) or stroll by the fountains or through Piazza Navona, and the night is yours.