A hand-picked portfolio of exciting and unusual places to stay in some of the world's most beautiful and fascinating locations - put together by a small team of passionate travellers, and backed up by an award-winning online booking service…
read more >Choose from over 1,000 boutique hotels, stylish villas, city apartments, eco-retreats, safari lodges and tailormade tours. We visit them all and pick only our favourites.
Everyone's familiar with Italy - home of pizza and pasta, of
Chianti and spumante, of passion and fashion, of Totti and
Pavarotti. It's got art, architecture, style, good food and fine
wines. It's full of surprises, like an immaculately-coiffed signora
unfolding herself from a tiny Fiat. It's not short of history -
just remember what those Romans have done for us! And it's got some
fabulous places to stay.
The capital, Rome, is arguably the historic heart of Europe:
birthplace of its greatest empire, home of Catholicism, the city
all roads lead to. But it also has a youthful vibe, lively bars and
streetlife, and great retail therapy - all in all, a perfect city
break (several times over!). Two more cities you have to see before
you die are: Venice, a dreamy waterscape of elegant canals
and exuberant palaces, beloved by artists, historians, romancers
and carnival-goers; and Florence, the regional capital of
Tuscany and - some would say - the artistic capital of Europe, with
several of its finest galleries.
Nestling in the heart of the mainland, Tuscany and Umbria
are just how you picture rural Italy: rolling landscapes with
vine-rich valleys and cypress-crested ridges; historic hilltowns
with medieval palazzi and glorious churches; a healthy diet,
a moderate climate... it's no wonder the Renaissance took root
here.
But where is the elusive "new Tuscany"? Some point to
Piedmont, a glorious region of rolling vineyards, pretty
hilltowns and medieval castles tucked between Genoa and Turin in
northwest Italy, with outstanding cuisine, truffle festivals and
views to distant Alps. Or perhaps it's Puglia, the heel of
Italy's boot; there's plenty of history and architecture - Moorish
hilltowns, Roman theatres, rustic trulli (cone-huts), the
Baroque gem of Lecce - with the added bonus of sandy beaches and
superb cuisine. Northern Italians flock here in summer, and there
are pockets of Cote d'Azur trendiness.
If you want to escape all that, head to Sicily, the largest
island in the Med. There's enough coastline for everyone, some
outstanding Baroque towns in the southeast (our favourite corner),
plus a hulking great volcano (Mt. Etna) and unspoilt mountains (the
Madonie). To escape still further, take a boat to the Aeolian
Islands, 7 volcanic lumps sticking like fangs out of the
Tyrrhenian Sea, with unfeasibly clear waters, pretty whitewashed
villages and youthful summer crowds.
And let's not forget the 'most beautiful coastline in the world':
the Amalfi Coast, where uber-pretty villages cling to
terraced hillsides above a roller-coaster of azure coves. Combined
with neighbouring Naples (a great and gritty city) and
Pompeii (the best preserved Roman town in the world), it makes a
fabulous week's holiday.
It can be busy: coastal regions are packed in August, Tuscany is
popular throughout the summer; Venice gets even more crowded than
usual in spring and autumn. In Rome, Florence and Venice, expect
queues at museums. Some parts of 'Chiantishire' are being taken
over by expat Brits, and can feel a bit manicured; try Piedmont
instead.
It’s expensive by Mediterranean standards - especially
Venice. Our reviews say what we thought overpriced, and what was
worth every euro.
It's hot in midsummer, especially the cities and Sicily.
Driving in the larger cities is a nightmare - use public
transport.
Be prepared for long meals rich in pasta and meats - or just say
basta!
In Rome:
In Florence:
Click images for forecast
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