Italy has many historic monuments, battlegrounds, and museums related to World War II. If you're interested in visiting a few of them, the book A Travel Guide to World War II Sites in Italy makes a good companion. Available both on Kindle or in paperback, the book has details about visiting many sites with visitor information for each including how to get there, hours, and what to see. The book also has maps and photos taken in Italy during the war.

One of the most popular sites to visit is the reconstructed Abbey of Montecassino, the site of a famous World War II battle. Perched on a mountaintop between Rome and Naples, the Abbey has great views and is very interesting to explore.

The tomb of the ancient Roman Scipio family has been restored and opened to the public on guided visits, according to this article. Although sarcophagi and inscriptions have been moved to the Vatican Museums, visitors can see reproductions as well as tomb niches and frescoes in the tunnels. Guided tours (currently in Italian only) are given on Saturday mornings, see the above article link for details.

The Scipio Tomb is on Via di Porta Sebastiano near Via Appia Antica, the Old Appian Way (see photos), where there are many catacombs, some of which are open to the public. The location of the Scipio Tomb and catacombs are shown on this Appian Way Map. One of the most famous members of the Scipio family was Scipio Africanus, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal in the Second Punic War.

Hotel Milano Scala, near Milan's La Scala Opera House, is a unique opera-themed boutique hotel. The hotel's rooms and suites are named for operas and no two rooms are alike. It's also the first hotel in Milan to produce energy for heating and cooling without using any fuel. Another plus is the eighth floor sky terrace with great views of the city and mountains beyond. You can see information and photos or book a room at Hotel Milano Scalo or buy opera tickets for La Scala Theater on Select Italy.

Sardinia is a great place for beach-lovers, swimming, and water sports, with a number of beautiful and interesting beaches all around the island. These best five Sardinia beaches represent a good cross-section of the island's coastal beauty, from sandy beaches to dunes and good places to try kite-surfing or snorkeling.

Beach Archeological Sites on Sardinia: Tharros | Nora

Cala Gonone photo © Charming Sardinia, used by permission