I am spending 3 weeks in Italy in June. What are the 10 must see's. Any hidden treasures?

What cities do you plan to visit? That would help narrow it down.

What part of Italy will you be in? Or is this a sort of cart-before-horse question I'm asking?

Here's a quick list:
- The big 3 (of course)
- The Lakes (especially Lake Como/Bellagio area)
- Tuscan hilltowns (too numerous to mention, do a search)

And some lesser-known places:
- the Dolomites (spectacular)
- Verona (great city to walk around in)
- Bergamo (medieval)
- Ligurian coast (Santa Marguerita, Portofino, Cinque Terra)
- Amalfi coast (haven't been there, but it must be great from all the raves I hear)

Sicily! The whole island if full of unbelievable archaeological sites, food, churches....

If you are talking cities, then I would agree with the big three, especially Venice! Purely magical!

One of my favorite places to visit in Italy was Pompeii. I know a lot of people think its touristy, but when we were there (okay, given it was March and rainy) there were hardly anyone there. Pompeii is such an interesting place full of history. Walking through the streets, you can actually imaging what the town must have been like all those years ago. Touristy or not, its well worth a visit to see one of the best-preserved archaeological finds in the world.

Venice (2 days), rome (5), florence (2), Tuscany (3), amalfi (3)

Here are my top 10 suggestions (duplicating a lot of what's been said above) based on where I've been in the last five years:
Cities: Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan;
Tuscany: Siena, Cortona, Pisa/Lucca;
Other: Positano, Cinque Terre/Liguria, Lake Como

Places I haven't been to but would like to see:
Sicily, Naples (in more depth), Verona, Bologna, town with Truli houses (can't remember the name), Dolomites.

All are amazing in their own way. You can't lose no matter where you go. Just go, knowing you'll go back!

10 - The Doges Palace in Venice - one of my favorite tours (audio)

09 - Roma

08 - Volterra (including the neat drive)

07 - Montalcino Fortezza - great views and then great Brunello

06 - Walking after dark in Veneziq

05 - The Amalfi Coast and drinking mass quantities of limoncello (my head hurts just thinking about it)

04 - Pienza - Pecorino Picnicking Paradise

03 - Hiking in Cinque Terre and soaking one incredible vista after another

02 - Firenze - great sunset views of the Arno from the bridges. It's the only place I don't mind going shopping (hence my expensive leather coat bought after wine drinking). I know its crowded, but something about Firenze keeps calling me back whenever I'm in Italy.

01 - The way I feel when I am in Italy. The people are friendly, the food is delicious, the wine is fantastic and the mood is relaxed. Nothing bothers me when I'm in Italy. For some reason, it seems like the days last forever. I am a different person when I'm in Italy. When I spent a few weeks in 2001, it was the first vacation where I just did not want to come home.

I'm planning on another three week trip to Italy in the fall of 2005 to re-explore some areas and go to places I've yet to visit. Enjoy your trip and let Italy work its magic on you.

These were some of the memorable highlights of our last two trips...in no particular order:

Rome
1. St. Peter's
2. Pantheon and its piazza
3. Colosseum/Forum

Venice
4. Venice
5. Palazzo Ducale
6. San Marco Basilica's Golden Altar

Florence
7. Michelangelo's David
8. Botticelli's at Uffizi
9. Santa Croce Church
10. Views from Piazzele Michelangelo

Tuscany
11. Montalcino
12. Pienza
13. Orvieto
14. Siena
15. Driving the Crete from Siena to Montalcino

Amalfi
16. Driving the Coast
17. Views from Ravello

18. Italy
Slow down enough to enjoy the people, the food, the wines, the gelato and the landscapes.

Since I could not keep it to 10, I would eliminate one desintation to give justice to the other four...IMHO.

Cheers team. Am getting very excited!

Excuse my ignorance but not too sure where Montalcino Fortezza, Veneziq, pienza and Firenze are?

Veneziq (I think Tom's maitai kicked in) is Venezia - the proper Italian name for Venice, and Firenze is Florence.

While the "big 3" are called that for a reason, I would really encourage choosing one and then going somewhere that's a little off the beaten track. Sicily is fantastic, Sardinia sounds fabulous, the Puglia and Basilicata regions sound very interesting.

It takes at least 6 weeks to see Italy well--more with Sicily. With 3 weeks you will have time for a good start.

Lorac has a good list above to get you thinking. My advice is to think geographically and spend equal time in the smaller villages as you do in the major art cities.
I do have some sample itineraires under the planning section at slowtrav.com that may help.

"Veneziq (I think Tom's maitai kicked in)"

Rookie: You just never know when that will happen.

pmcconnell: You can climb the Fortezza (fortress) in Montalcino and get great views of the countryside. On the ground floor is the Enoteca La Fortezza, a place to taste Brunello and other area wines.

What a treat to see Mr. Go & Bob the Navigator on the same thread!

BTW, pmcconnell, try the web site twenj (I think it's twenj.net now). It has some of the top picks for Rome, and is a site that was assembled by the late Ed, a wonderful former Fodorite. (TWENJ stands for Travels With Ed 'N Julie. Julie is Ed's widow.)

Buon Viaggio!

BC

Hey BC !
Tell us about you. Are you able to travel now?

Mine are kind of a varied bunch, although I would agree that must sees include Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Other favorite cities/areas would be:
Bologna: maybe the most underrated city in all of Italy? But what a joy to explore with its narrow streets and gorgeously colored palazzi! And the food...oh wow. Also consider visiting the town of Modena which has a gorgeous cobblestone piazza.

Lecce in Puglia is one of my favorites with its baroque churches and houses and everything. It's got a wonderfully laid back feel to it, and it was my first southern city to visit. The nearby town of Ostuni, Italy's "Greek Island" is also quite unique. This whole area of Puglia is worth exploring.

Of course Le Marche, especially the towns of Macerata, Ascoli Piceno, and, if you have your own transport, towns like San Ginesio, Sarnano, and the beach areas of Monte Conero.

I also loved the little town of Sulmona in Abruzzo as well. How cheerful and wonderful with its candy almonds and mountain valley historic center. Also, it's off the beaten path, and the trip inland from Pescara by train is unmissable.

There are more, too. Of course it's hard to go wrong in Italy. That's why deciding is so difficult. The areas you are choosing sound good, although make time for those smaller places (the time in Tuscany is good, have you thought about exploring areas in Umbria as well?), because they are so characteristic of life in Italy.

Hey Bob! Planning a few weeks away in September, and I'm back in my office, at my desk, working like a madwoman. And I feel just great, better than I have in quite some time, thanks!