Sipping Chianti in rustic Tuscany. Eating pizza on a Rome backstreet. Or exploring ancient history at Pompeii. Italy has a way of capturing the heart of travelers unlike anywhere else on Earth. Perhaps it's the landscapes, from the towering Alps and Dolomites to the glamor and grandeur of the Amalfi Coast. Maybe it's the cuisine, whether it's seafood in Sicily or pasta e patate in Naples. Or is it the atmosphere, of crazed city streets and sleepy villages, where life seems to be lived with true passion? The simple fact is, it's impossible not to romanticize Italy. With cities as beautiful as Venice and Florence and a proudly worn classical history, it's hardly surprising it retains such an allure.