As Byron wrote “Italia, oh Italia thou hast the fatal gift of beauty”.  He was most certainly correct and this is shown by the huge influx of tourists that visit this splendid country year on year.  There are many types of Italian summer holidays to be had, depending on individual taste, but this article gives you a flavour of the wide variety of holiday experiences available.

For those looking for walking holidays in Italy, try taking to the hills of Chianti in Tuscany.  La Spinosa is a first-class hotel - the first in Europe to be awarded certification (Uni En Iso) as an “organic agricultural park” for quality and comprehensive agritouristic activity and forms an excellent base for walking in Tuscany.  This organic farm located near the tiny village of Barberino Val d’Elsa, halfway between Florence and Siena today, is today a farm and a country holiday centre providing top-quality products and services.

If walking isn’t to your taste, Venice offers more than just a base for weekend trips.  A recommended option is to book yourself an apartment on the island of La Giudecca where you will be among the many narrow alleyways and fine examples of Italian architecture.  The parochial atmosphere here is generally laid-back, but you can reach the hustle and bustle of the city centre in three minutes by vaporetto.

So what if you are looking for a driving holiday in Italy?  Why not rent a classic sports car to see the Lakes in style!  Travelling around the back roads between, Como, Iseo, Garda and Maggiore your driving can be interrupted by taking one of the many boat trip available on the Lakes.  Organised driving holidays are available which allow you to travel with a group of up to twelve cars in convoy although you can go at your own pace then meet up for evening meals.  Contact Classic Travelling on 0870 350 0122 for further details.

If you fancy more splendour how about living it up with the aristos at Costa Smeralda, the Aga Khan’s exclusive reory in Sardinia.  Sardinia is a very pleasant place to visit at any time of the year but if you are looking to mingle with the rich and famous, Claudia Schiffer and P Diddy are regular visitors here during the summer months.  The very exclusive Hotel Cala di Volpe offers perfect views of Sardinia’s coastline, mountains and translucent seas.  Although not the cheapest choice in this list, it is a fantastic experience where you can also book a half-day cruise on a private yacht to visit the Maddalena archipelago. You can book through tour operators Elegant Resorts Tel: 01244 897515

For a different sort of luxury the simple rustic charm of the Aeolian Islands, located off the north coast of Sicily have a natural appeal of their own.  These spectacular seven volcanic islands are all worth a visit but Panarea, an ancient, inactive volcano is car-free and home to the Raya Hotel.   This small hotel was awarded a Marco Polo Award in 2004 which defined it as one of the most beautiful hotels in the Mediterannean. Created in the 1960s by two travellers, the 30 rooms here are built in traditional village style and its charm lures many a visitor back for a return visit year on year.

For a riding holiday the equestrian centre at the rural retreat of La Casella in Umbria, is home to more than 40 horses and offers everything from pony-trekking to jumping and dressage. With two pools, a spa and tennis court it offers all you could want for a relaxing stay. Each of the 32 rooms has its own particular personality.

Travel to one of Italy’s islands, Pantelleria for a remote and mysterious stay.  Just 45 miles off the coast of Tunisia, it was previously home to a prison but more recently the hot springs and stark landscalpes have attracted the rich and famous like Eric Clapton and George Armani who now owns a house in this beautiful location.  Like so many Sicilian islands, it was formed by two volcanic eruptions. You get there either by plane from Palermo or by boat from Trapani.

Travelling with a baby or young child?  The Club Med family village at Metaponto in Basilicata can make life easy for you to relax and enjoy your break.  A club room is available for children under two years of age which is fully equipped with food mixers, changing mats, bottle warmers, sterilisers and all the other bits and pieces that you need to keep baby happy. Positioned right on a super sandy beach, the village also offers supervised activities for older children, tennis coaching and unicycling as just a few of the activities on offer.

Music lovers should head to the Tuscan village of Torre del Lago to catch some world-class opera being performed in the romantic, waterfront, open-air setting of Settori Teatro.  Home of Puccini, the Festival of his name features various of his performances and tickets for these events start from £20.  Tickets are available from the ticket office 00 39 0584 359322 or via the website.  For a place to stay in this locality try the Grand Hotel Royal in Viareggio or seek self-catering accommodation in the nearby locality.

Saving the most adventurous holiday until last, if you are partial to mountain-climbing there is ample opportunity for you to embark on this activity whilst on holiday in Italy.  Head for the Dolomites where the Via Ferrata (the Iron Way) is a system of ladders, bridges, chains and fixed cables that allow keen amateurs to tackle the slopes. To try this you need to have a good head for heights and the right equipemnt which can be provided by KE Adventure. Tel: 01768 773966

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 1st, 2007 at 8:42 am and is filed under Recommended Hotels, Travel Information, Recommended Place to Visit, Italy, Top Tens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.