12 Italian Islands You Need to Visit

You read about Italy, and probably images of the Roman Colosseum, the Vatican, the Venice canals, and the Florence Cathedral light up in your head. (Don't forget the fact that George Clooney has a mansion in Lake Como.) But if you stick to the cities, you'd be missing half of what Italy has to offer. Because its islands are beautiful gems abundant in crystal clear waters, rich marine life, and the quaint, laidback island life that the cities are sorely missing. Yes, Italy's real hidden diamonds are found in its coastlines and islands.

Here are 12 of these gorgeous islands, just waiting for you to add them to your itinerary. How many of these islands have you visited?

By Cecile Baltasar for Yahoo Southeast Asia