Italy in May is, frankly, unfair. The light is golden. The café terraces are open. The crowds haven’t yet reached their August fever pitch, and you can still get a table at a good restaurant without begging. Whether you’re spending a week in Rome, hopping between Cinque Terre villages, wandering

Rome in May is the city at its most seductive. The heat hasn’t yet tipped into the brutal, tourist-wilting temperatures of July and August. The light is warm and golden by mid-morning. The piazzas are full but not yet gridlocked, and there’s still a chance of finding a table outside

Venice in May is one of those travel experiences that catches you off guard — in the best possible way. The light is golden and soft. The crowds haven’t yet reached their summer fever pitch. The canals smell… well, like canals, but even that feels charming when the temperature is