Italy’s main tourist hubs such as Rome, Florence, Venice, etc, are an absolute treat, of course. Of the three aforementioned cities, my favorite was Florence. But they are all exactly that: tourist traps, full of history, charm, and scammers, unfortunately. They really can’t be missed, though that caveat would have been nice to know for expectations sake. Italy has an astoundingly long and rich history, and it is quite a different deal to interact with it in person. The architecture, the art, the fountains; it really is one of the coolest places on earth. Another obvious draw is the food and the drink. Italians stand out to me for a somewhat idiosyncratic reason. They are more concerned with quality and order than any culture I’ve ever experienced. I’m fortunate enough to have a few close Italians in my life, and they are too funny. Take them to an American grocery store and show them our parmesan, fresh mozzarella, Italian bread, basil, really anything, and duck for cover, because they’ll likely have an absolute fit. That is what makes the country so unique and so great. Everything is this way, from the statues to the cars, to the freshness of the spices, and the cocktails in the bars. It is easy to get around the country via train, and there are enough big tourist destinations to make a very long trip out of. But I do recommend you seek out a friend in a small town and see something a little different. You’ll realize how different Italy can be than the little restaurant outside the Colosseum with the over priced food for tourists.