Ljubljana to Rome

Ljubljana is Slovenia's charming small capital, where a pedestrianised, Plecnik-designed city centre straddles the emerald Ljubljanica River beneath a hilltop castle. Must-dos include crossing the Dragon Bridge, tasting kraski prsut and struklji at the Central Market, and taking day trips to fairy-tale Lake Bled and the Postojna Caves. May through September offers the warmest weather and liveliest riverside cafe culture.

Ljubljana is Slovenia's charming small capital, where a pedestrianised, Plecnik-designed city centre straddles the emerald Ljubljanica River beneath a hilltop castle. Must-dos include crossing the Dragon Bridge, tasting kraski prsut and struklji at the Central Market, and taking day trips to fairy-tale Lake Bled and the Postojna Caves. May through September offers the warmest weather and liveliest riverside cafe culture.

Venice, a historic port city, captivates with its unique canals and rich cultural heritage. Must-do experiences include visiting the iconic Basilica di San Marco and indulging in local delicacies like risotto al nero di seppia. The best time to visit is during the mild, vibrant spring months when the city comes alive with festivals and outdoor activities.

Mazzorbo is a serene island in Venice's northern lagoon, renowned for the Venissa wine estate and its revival of the ancient Dorona grape — a destination where medieval heritage meets extraordinary lagoon gastronomy. Visitors should not miss a tasting of Dorona wine paired with moeche soft-shell crab at the estate's osteria, and a contemplative walk through the island's vineyard gardens to the Gothic Chiesa di Santa Caterina. The ideal season is late spring through early autumn, with April and May offering the prized castraure artichoke harvest alongside gentle lagoon breezes.

Burano is a tiny, vividly painted island in the Venetian Lagoon, celebrated for its centuries-old lacemaking tradition and exceptional lagoon seafood, particularly the signature risotto de gò and butter cookies known as bussolà buranelli. Visitors should explore the Museo del Merletto for its remarkable needlepoint lace collection and linger over a canal-side lunch of freshly caught fritto misto. The island is most enchanting from April through early June and again in September, when soft light and mild temperatures bring out the full brilliance of its legendary façades without the peak summer crowds.

Chioggia, moored at the southern tip of the Venetian Lagoon, is the working-class counterpart to its glittering neighbor — an authentically Venetian fishing city of painted arcades, perpendicular canals, and an early-morning fish market that has been one of northern Italy's finest since the Middle Ages. Free of the crowds that besiege Venice, Chioggia rewards the discerning traveler with the same tilting campaniles and canal-side trattorias serving impossibly fresh grilled branzino and spaghetti alle vongole, all at a fraction of the famous city's prices. Spring and early autumn deliver the lagoon at its most luminous, before the summer tourist tide.

Venice, a historic port city, captivates with its unique canals and rich cultural heritage. Must-do experiences include visiting the iconic Basilica di San Marco and indulging in local delicacies like risotto al nero di seppia. The best time to visit is during the mild, vibrant spring months when the city comes alive with festivals and outdoor activities.

Rome's ancient maritime gateway since the Emperor Trajan commissioned its harbour in 106 AD, Civitavecchia is the natural prologue to the Eternal City — just seventy minutes southeast by express rail. The port's Renaissance fortress, designed in part by Michelangelo, anchors a working waterfront that has welcomed travellers for millennia. Beyond Rome's unmissable monuments, consider an afternoon in the Civitavecchia thermal baths, drawing on mineral waters prized since antiquity. Spring and autumn offer the ideal balance of mild weather and manageable crowds for exploring the capital's layered history.

Rome's ancient maritime gateway since the Emperor Trajan commissioned its harbour in 106 AD, Civitavecchia is the natural prologue to the Eternal City — just seventy minutes southeast by express rail. The port's Renaissance fortress, designed in part by Michelangelo, anchors a working waterfront that has welcomed travellers for millennia. Beyond Rome's unmissable monuments, consider an afternoon in the Civitavecchia thermal baths, drawing on mineral waters prized since antiquity. Spring and autumn offer the ideal balance of mild weather and manageable crowds for exploring the capital's layered history.