Italy: 127 places to stay
Italy : Rome (9)
La Residenza Napoleone, Spanish Steps
Stunningly lavish suites exuding old-world opulence, in the heart of Rome's fashion quarter
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Portrait Suites, Spanish Steps
Owned by the Ferragamo fashion family, a divine Italian townhouse overlooking designer-shopping heaven
- ££££
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Crossing Condotti, City centre
A cosy gem set in swish shopping district Tridente: intimate, antique-furnished and luxurious
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Hotel Sant' Anselmo, Aventine
Gorgeous, flamboyantly decorated hotel in the lovely, leafy residential district of Aventine
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Margutta 54, Via Margutta
An impeccable gem offering space, tranquillity (a rarity in Rome) and chic minimalist style - set on divinely pretty Via Margutta
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Buonanotte Garibaldi, Trastevere
An artist’s villa, filled with silk paintings, sculptures and antiques, set in atmospheric Trastevere, Rome's ‘Left Bank’
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Casa Montani, City Centre
An immaculate, lovingly appointed townhouse conversion with 5 rooms, overlooking Porta del Popolo
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Daphne Inn, Piazza Barberini
Chic American-Italian owned B&B, with friendly multilingual staff and a central location
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Hotel Santa Maria, Trastevere
A secluded oasis in Rome’s most charming and buzzing district, with rooms surrounding a cloister full of orange trees
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Italy : Venice (10)
Ca Maria Adele, Dorsoduro
Grand design in an intimate hotel - an decadent and sexy little number in the heart of one of the world's most romantic cities
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Ca' Pisani, Dorsoduro
Admirable Art Deco design in a medieval palazzo right next to the Accademia
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Palazzo Abadessa, Cannaregio
A beautifully restored Baroque palace with a peaceful walled garden and private jetty
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Bloom & Settimo Cielo, San Marco
Gorgeously opulent B&Bs in the heart of the city, blending Venetian tradition with modern design
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Ca della Corte, Dorsoduro
Friendly palazzo B&B with dazzling chandeliers, plus apartments for 2-7 so you can live like a local
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Hotel Villa Pannonia, Lido Island
Modern family-friendly hotel on the Lido with an eye for contemporary art; a 15 minute boat ride from St Mark’s Square
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Novecento Boutique Hotel, San Marco
An exotic, family-run gem hidden in plain sight, just a short walk from St Mark's Square
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Oltre Il Giardino, San Polo
A small, stylish, tranquil hotel in off-beat San Polo, with art-filled bedrooms and a secret garden
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Venissa, Mazzorbo Island
Chic gastro-retreat in a manor house on Mazzorbo - an verdant and untouristy island near Venice, with a bridge to Burano
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Gio & Gio, San Marco New!
18th-century style with a contemporary twist in this elegant B&B, just 5 minutes’ walk from St Mark’s Square
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Italy : Florence (12)
J K Place Firenze, Piazza S M Novella
Florence’s stand-out boutique hotel has trend-setting style, service and a very sought-after address on the Piazza Santa Maria Novella
- ££££
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Palazzo Magnani Feroni, Oltr'arno
A 16th century palazzo in the heart of Florence with vast suites, elegant salons, a panoramic roof terrace and discreet old-world service
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Villa Mangiacane, San Casciano
Romantic villa with Renaissance frescoes, beautiful gardens, acres of vineyard and a luxurious spa - 12km outside Florence
- ££££
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Granduomo, Florence
A 17th-century townhouse with apartments for 2-5, bang on the Piazza del Duomo
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In Piazza della Signoria, Centre
Smartly intimate B&B right in the heart of Florence, run by a friendly young Italian couple
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Residence Hilda, Pa. SS Annunziata
Classy apartments (sleeping 2-3) with kitchenettes and all the comforts of a hotel, slap bang in the heart of Florence
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Floroom, Oltrarno
Funky apartment-style B&Bs in central neighbourhoods, whose owners will put you on the inside track in Florence
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Le Stanze di Santa Croce, Santa Croce
A friendly, cosy, mid-budget B&B, which feels more like home than hotel, in Florence’s colourful Santa Croce quarter
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Palazzo Alfani, City centre
Comfortable self-catering apartments in a plum location - perfect for families and longer stays in Florence.
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Relais Marignolle, Southern hills
A charming, comfortable, family-run inn among the verdant hills 3km from Florence, with superb service
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Riva Lofts, Arno river
Historic mill on Florence's Arno river, transformed by a top Italian architect into 10 cool studios with fantastic garden and pool
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Johlea & Johanna Residences, North-centre
Five restored residenze offering a charming, affordable and welcoming sanctuary within walking distance of Florence's centre
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Italy : Tuscany (21)
Borgo Santo Pietro, Valle Serena
An opulent but wonderfully informal country retreat - medieval buildings, divine gardens, exquisite food
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Castello di Vicarello, Poggi del Sasso
Remote, magical and characterful castle with 7 romantic suites, 2 pools and outstanding views across Maremma valleys
- ££££
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Castello di Tornano, Gaiole in Chianti
Everyone’s idea of a fairytale castle, with an enchanting location in the wooded hills of Chianti
- £££
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Fontelunga, Foiano della Chiana
Contemporary design, personal service and top-notch facilities, all served in a traditional Tuscan manor
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Fontelunga Villas, Foiano della Chiana
Two ultra stylish serviced villas (sleeping 2-4) in Tuscany’s wildly beautiful Scannagallo Valley
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Hotelito Lupaia, Torrita di Siena
A delightful hotel on a Tuscan hilltop, with a poetic pool and enticing views
- £££
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La Bandita, Pienza
A 21st-century reinvention of a Tuscan farmhouse, with light white spaces and modernist infinity pool overlooking a Val d’Orcia nature reserve
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Palazzo Brandano, Petroio
Modern-Renaissance hotel with fab views and an excellent terrace restaurant in a small 12th-century hilltown between Siena and Lago Trasimeno
- £££
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Podere Dionora, Montepulciano
A handsome Tuscan farmhouse in the heart of hilltown country, offering very exclusive B&B
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Tenuta San Pietro, near Lucca
Contemporary gastro-hideaway surrounded by olive trees and vineyards in a lesser visited part of Tuscany
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Villa Sassolini, Montevarchi
A 15th century palazzo with contemporary design and gastronomic flair, set in the hills of Chianti
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Albergo Villa Marta, Lucca
Former hunting lodge, now an elegant country hotel surrounded by a serene Renaissance garden, 5km outside Lucca
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Follonico, Torrita di Siena
A very special B&B with quirky rooms and delightful owners: a perfect base to explore southern Tuscany
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Locanda di San Francesco, Montepulciano
In the heart of wine-fabled Montepulciano, a converted medieval oratorio with 4 elegant rooms and views to die for
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Palazzo Alexander, Lucca
An elegant looker for not much lucre in central Lucca
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Poggio Ai Santi, San Vincenzo
Hidden hill-top hotel with views across to the islands of Elba and Corsica, a magical garden and a wonderful little restaurant
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Relais Fattoria Vignale, Radda in Chianti
A comfortable, very well-appointed hotel at the edge of one of Chianti’s loveliest villages, with glorious Tuscan views
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Relais San Pietro, Castiglion Fiorentino
Ultra traditional family-run hotel with rustic deluxe rooms, in beautiful countryside between Arezzo and Cortona
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Villa i Bossi, Arezzo
A charmingly informal aristocratic villa offering B&B in the wooded hills near historic Arezzo.
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Fattoria Barbialla Nuova, Montaione
Pure city escapism in 3 converted farmhouses on a 500-hectare organic farm - a remarkably tranquil and hospitable retreat
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Quercia Rossa, near Grosseto
Rustic meets Rococo in this stylish but affordable agriturismo in Tuscany’s (relatively) unexplored Maremma region, between Manciano and the coast
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Italy : Umbria (6)
Castello di Montignano, Massa Martana
A beautifully restored relais, with 21st-century comforts, a lovely spa and a relaxed atmosphere
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Locanda Palazzone, near Orvieto
A medieval hostel with minimalist, modern interiors and divine views, set admist green vineyards and rolling hills
4+ night discount in High Season (Suite & Junior Suite)... & more offers
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Torre di Moravola, Montone
A remote and magical medieval watchtower with 360º views over ancient hills, restored with super-sleek 21st-century design
- £££
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La Palazzetta del Vescovo, Fratta Todina
An 18th-century retreat built for the bishops of Todi, now an outstandingly welcoming dimora di charme with panoramic views of the Tevere Valley
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Palazzo Majo, Lugnano
A carefully restored old house with fabulously modern interiors and a relaxed vibe: 5 rooms for B&B or an amazing house rental for 10
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Villa Metato, Citta di Castello
A ravishing bolthole for 2 in an 18th-century villa furnished in 20th-century style, with huge views, ancient forests and peace and quiet
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Italy : Naples & Amalfi (12)
Le Sirenuse, Positano
The prima donna of Positano is as classy and comfortable as ever, and still the only outstanding hotel in town
- ££££
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Villa Cimbrone, Ravello
A medieval palazzo with sumptuous suites, panoramic pool, formal gardens and "the most beautiful panorama in the world".
- ££££
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Casa Angelina, Praiano
The Amalfi coast's first real design hotel adds slick white décor, bold artwork and delicate cuisine to those famous sea views.
- £££
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Casa Privata, Praiano
A blissfully quiet old house near Positano, with an incredible sweep of gardens, sea-framed sunset views and 6 elegant rooms
- £££
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Maison La Minervetta, Sorrento
A delightful cliffside boutique hotel perched above Sorrento's harbour, with 13 immaculate and artful rooms
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Relais Blu Belvedere, Massa Lubrense
A seriously stylish, ravishingly romantic hotel perched on the tip of the Amalfi Coast
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Caprisuite, Capri New!
A tiny 2-room B&B hidden in the backstreets of old Anacapri, where cool Italian design meets history’s faded frescoes
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Costantinopoli 104, Central Naples
A veritable oasis in the old heart of Naples, with tall palms, exotic flowers, a small pool and elegant rooms
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Il Cannito, Capaccio Paestum
Old and new fuse with heart and soul at this charming 4-room hotel in the hills above Paestum
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Micalo, Naples
Designer bolthole in edgy Naples, close to the sea, furnished with creamy Trani limestone and decorated with vibrant local artwork
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Villa dei D'Armiento, Sorrento
Peaceful oasis of bright, stylish rooms in an elegant 19th-century Sorrentino villa, complete with pool and lush garden
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Villa Scarpariello, Castiglione di Ravello
Simple B&B rooms and weekly apartments, with tiered gardens around a Norman watchtower, and a pool overhanging the rocky coast
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Italy : Maratea & Cilento Coast (2)
La Locanda delle Donne Monache, Maratea
Soothe your soul at this 17th-century convent in Maratea's old town, with monastic-chic rooms and exquisite dining, a few miles from the beach
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Villa Cheta, near Maratea
A charmingly old-fashioned and romantic hotel set in a quiet coastal village near Maratea
- ££
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Italy : Milan (3)
Brera Apartments, Brera
Sleek, contemporary and well-priced apartments in the vibrant Brera district (sleeping 2-6, self-catering)
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Navigli Apartment, Navigli
Unique artist's apartment in the bohemian Navigli quarter, with ship's ladder, loft bedroom and beautiful decoration (sleeps 2-3, self catering)
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Tara Verde, De Angeli
Peace, comfort and vivid colour therapy at this bohemian 3-bedroom B&B in a quiet, residential area of Milan
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Italy : Sicily (20)
La Moresca, Marina di Ragusa
A true maison de charme: pared-down style, a warm welcome and bags of character in a historic villa near Marina di Ragusa’s golden beach
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Palazzo Conte Federico, Palermo
A sumptuous bedroom in a palatial residence of a Hohenstaufen-descended count and his engaging Austrian wife, plus a few simpler apartments
- £££
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Pantelleria Dream, Pantelleria
A traditional dammusi-style hotel in Pantelleria, Sicily’s 'Black Pearl of the Mediterranean'
- £££
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The Ashbee Hotel, Taormina
The best of Britain and Sicily combine at this spoiling hotel, set in a grand villa with stunning sea views
- £££
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BB22, Palermo
Boutique B&B reaches Palermo: 7 contemporary-meets-antique bedrooms in the heart of the old city
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Cambiocavallo, near Pozzallo
Minimalist hotel with pool occupying an 18th-century post house in the deep south, between the sea and the Baroque town of Modica
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Caol Ishka, Siracusa
Unashamedly designer rooms spread among contemporary riverside barns, with a pool, lawns and heaps of charm, 1.5km from Ortigia
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Casa Favonio, Favignana
A tranquil and elegant 5-room B&B, set in a glorious nature reserve on the island of Favignana
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Casa Talia, Modica
Nine lovingly restored stone cottages, with vibrant rustic-chic interiors and sweeping views over the Baroque town of Modica
- ££
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Locanda Don Serafino, Ragusa
Cosy-chic little hotel attached to one of Sicily’s best restaurants, in the breathtaking Baroque town of Ragusa Ibla
- ££
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Mandranova, near Agrigento
Working olive farm with beautiful bedrooms, home-cooked food, African gardens and a spring-fed pool on Sicily's south coast near Agrigento
- ££
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Masseria degli Ulivi, near Noto
A peaceful and remote hotel in the hills above gorgeous Noto, with a stunning pool and simple, rustic rooms
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Monoresort, Modica
A stylish trio of serviced houses for 2-3 in historic Modica, with a free shuttle to golden beaches just 20 minutes away
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Relais Parco Cavalonga, near Ragusa
Chic self-catering apartments sleeping 2-7 and a delightful small hotel tucked away in a pretty valley, perfectly situated for southern Sicily’s best sights
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Villa Carlotta, Taormina
Intimate oasis in a turn-of-the-century villa on the edge of Taormina, built into lush cypress-spiked cliffs above the Ionian sea
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Hotel Gutkowski, Siracusa
Mediterranean blues meet modern minimalism at this great-value hotel in Ortigia, with its glorious views of the Ionian sea
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Hotel Novecento, Scicli
Intimate and perfectly formed bijou hotel in a gorgeous but little-known Sicilian Baroque town
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L'Approdo delle Sirene, Siracusa
Shipshape B&B on the waterfront of Ortigia, the seagirt historic centre of Siracusa, with charming owners and roof terrace
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Masseria Ciancio, near Pozzallo
Charming agriturismo with rooms and apartments in bucolic countryside, close to beaches and Sicily's Baroque towns
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Maxim B&B, Palermo
A well-priced, well-placed B&B, with 5 stylish rooms and elegant décor; the perfect antidote to vibrant, gritty Palermo
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Italy : Sardinia (7)
Petra Segreta, near Olbia
Small, elegant hotel hidden away in the hills, with big views, a shimmering pool and lovely beaches waiting below
- £££
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Albergo Mannois, Orosei
Attractive bolthole in Orosei’s Old Town - a great base from which to discover the wild wonders of Sardinia’s magnificent Golfo di Orosei
- ££
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Cento Ulivi, Golfo Aranci
Stylish B&B close to the coast with a shimmering pool, big country views and lovely rooms with shaded terraces
- ££
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Hotel Lucrezia, near Oristano
Gorgeous country-house hotel with stunning courtyard garden, close to beautiful beaches and the ruins of fabulous Tharros
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Nascar Hotel, Santa Maria di Navarrese
Cute hotel 50 paces from the village beach with fantastic food and local boats to whiz you up to the wonders of the Golfo di Orosei
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Antica Locanda Lunetta, Mandas
Gorgeous B&B in a small country town, with beautiful hills to explore and Cagliari and its beaches less than an hour by car
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Su Dandaru, Bosa
Chic rooms in the Old Town of attractive Bosa, with a rooftop terrace for views up river to the beach
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Italy : Aeolian Islands (2)
Capofaro, Salina
An original concept: a boutique resort in a working vineyard with an old lighthouse, whose beam mingles with sparks from distant Stromboli
- £££
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Hotel Signum, Salina
Pretty country house hotel in the languid village of Malfa, with a big pool, fragrant gardens and inspiring sea views
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Italy : Puglia & Basilicata (13)
Borgo Egnazia, Fasano
A fantastic new family-friendly resort in the heel of Italy, with sumptuous Conran-esque design, great local food, a luxe spa and no end of activities on offer
- ££££
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Masseria Torre Maizza, near Fasano
Contemporary chic meets rustic idyll: a hip, glamorous masseria conversion among orchards and olive groves.
- ££££
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La Sommita, Ostuni
Historic palazzo dominating the white hilltown of Ostuni, with Moorish patios and creamy interiors from Milanese boutique Culti
- £££
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Le Grotte della Civita, Matera
A romantic cave hotel in rural Italy where past meets present in a spectacular and unforgettable setting
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Masseria Montelauro, Otranto
Sublime, sophisticated converted farm, with chic white décor and excellent food, set in olive groves near coastal Otranto
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Villa Santoro, near Ostuni
Traditional and contemporary, glamorous and rustic: a gorgeous trulli villa that’s perfect for friends and families (sleeps 8-10)
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Borgo San Marco, Fasano
Hugely hospitable 15th-century masseria near the sea, with flower-fringed lawns, beach-style pool, ancient olive groves and atmospheric boho-chic rooms.
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Lama di Luna, near Andria
A paragon of eco-minimalism: an 18th-century fortified estate with monastically calm bedrooms, pure and perfect food, and 190 hectares of organic heaven
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Masseria Alchimia, Fasano
Minimalist chic meets rural Puglia in this modernist masseria conversion, housing 10 self-catering studios for 2-4
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Masseria Fumarola, Near Martina Franca
A rambling farm turned tranquil trulli hotel, surrounded by olive and fruit trees; family run, but with a 5-star feel
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Palazzo Guglielmo, Vignacastrisi
A magical and memorable hotel in a historic mansion, hidden among fragranced gardens in a small town near the Salentine coast
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Villa Cervarolo, Ostuni
Secluded trulli farmhouse set among olive groves, with a contemporary makeover and cool pool (sleeps 4-7, min stay 1 week, Sat - Sat)
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L'Hotel in Pietra, Matera
Beautiful boutique 12th-century church conversion, overlooking Matera’s warren-like, ravine-edged Sassi Barisano quarter
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Italy : Italian Lakes & Verona (3)
Villa Arcadio, Salo, Lake Garda
Elegant villa hotel set among olive and citrus groves in the hills above Salò, with heavenly views of Lake Garda
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Hotel Elda, Ledro Valley
Style on a budget: rustic guesthouse goes eco-modern among the forests and frosted mountains north of ravishing Lake Ledro.
- ££
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Relais Villa Vittoria, Laglio, Lake Como
A romantic lakeside retreat that honeymooners, proposers and loved-up couples will adore
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Italy : Piedmont (3)
Pilates and Cooking in Piedmont, Costigliole D'Asti
Hilltop agriturismo in the heart of the Barbera d’Asti wine region, offering Pilates and gastronomy holidays with a homely touch
- £££
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La Granica, Fontanile
Rustic meets smart contemporary in a Piedmontese farmstead with 4 fabulous rooms, a family cottage and its own vineyard
- ££
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La Villa Hotel, Mombaruzzo
A beautifully restored 17th century palazzo offering glamorpuss rooms and gastronomy in the wine hills of Monferrato
- ££
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Italy : Liguria (2)
Relais del Maro, Borgomaro New!
A friendly guesthouse in inland Liguria; 20 mins' drive from the Italian Riviera, yet worlds away in terms of peace and price
- ££
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Villa Rosmarino, Camogli
Super-stylised Ligurian palazzo with pool set above the achingly beautiful fishing village of Camogli
- ££
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Italy : South Tyrol (1)
vigilius mountain resort, nr Merano
Super-cool eco-retreat in Italy’s South Tyrol, mixing über architecture, frosted Alpine peaks and a spa with altitude
- £££
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Italy : Abruzzo (1)
Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, Santo Stefano di Sassanio
A medieval mountain hamlet where history and designer fittings meet to create a unique cultural experience
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