Cycle with a friend in Sardinia (photo) or just about anywhere in Italy. For those who love road cycling, there are few places in the world capable of providing more diverse and memorable cycling adventures than Italy. A summer ride through the Dolomites offers some of the world's most spectacular mountain vistas imaginable.

Italy is one of the best places for scuba diving in Europe. Famous diving spots include the Portofino marine reserve and the Baia underwater archaeological park. Italy is the perfect destination for archaeological. Italy's islands are less crowded because they are off the beaten track, but the reefs in the waters around Sardinia, Sicily and Elba are marvelous.

Italy isn’t well known for its golf courses, but they are as varied as its cuisine and immersed in landscapes as diverse as California. The #2 golf course in Italy (photo) surrounds Villa d'Este, a 16th century palace located on the shores of Lake Como that is now one of Italy's most famous and prestigious hotels.

Italy claims the south side of the Alps, so it is a great place for rock climbers of every level. The Dolomites offer numerous routes up some of the most famous crags in the world. The sea cliffs of Sardinia offer unique challenges, and the Aosta Valley, bordering the south flanks of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, boasts every conceivable kind of climbing experience.

Italy has a long hiking and mountaineering tradition. After all, Caesar's Roman soldiers regularly marched to and from Gaul (France). Italy is the only country that encompasses the whole arc of the Alps. That’s a lot of mountains and trails, and just in northern Italy. The Apennine mountains stretch 1200 km down the spine of Italy, from Liguria to Calabria, and the peaks in the Gran Sasso mountains - called the Grand Tetons of Italy -- top out at 3,000 meters. You can even hike up Mt. Vesuvius and Mt. Etna! In all, Italy has more than 160,000 KM of hiking trails.

Sailing in Italy offers stunning coastal routes, diverse experiences, and opportunities to explore picturesque towns and islands, particularly along the Amalfi Coast, Sardinia,and the Aeolian Islands. Sailing conditions are best in the spring and fall.

Italy is 75% mountains and owns the entire southern side of the Alps, so it's not surprising that your ski options are virtually unlimited. Italy boasts 5,672 kilometers of slopes served by 1,859 ski lifts, and its largest ski resorts offer up to 400 kilometers of slopes. There are even three ski resorts in Sicily, high on the slopes of Mt. Etna!

Where there are mountains, there is white water kayaking and rafting, and Italy is 75% mountains. Where there is coastline, there is sea kayaking, and Italy has 7,600 kilometers of coastline. You can even kayak the fabled canals of Venice while drinking local Prosecco!

With its many rivers, lakes, and coastal areas, Italy is a top fishing destination. From Lombardy’s lakes, through Venice’s canals, along the Po and Tiber into the Tyrrhenian, Ligurian, Ionian, and Adriatic Seas, there’s no shortage of angling opportunities in Italy.