Activities

Known for its mild winters where people enjoy leisurely strolls on the sunny promenade and golfers enjoy one of the oldest courses in Italy year round, Rapallo is the winter residence of preference for most of the affluent Italians living in the North West of Italy.

Location: Liguria, Cinque Terre, Portofino

The Cinque Terre (Five Lands) towns in Liguria, are each just a few minutes apart by train or boat.

Location: Liguria, Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore, Portofino, Rapallo

Florence is the jewel of Tuscany, Italy filled to the brim with precious art and sculptures and architecture.

Location: Tuscany, Florence

The word Chianti evokes images of sloping Tuscan hills cultivated with vineyards and glasses generously filled with the famous red Italian wine Chianti Classico.

Location: Tuscany, Chianti Wine Region

Montepulciano is a village in the Val d’Orcia, south eastern Tuscany, which would have to be one of the prettiest towns in the whole of Italy and is the place for lovers of fine red wine.

Location: Tuscany, Montepulciano Wine Region

Siena would have to be one of the most popular enchanting, small towns in Italy.

Location: Tuscany, Chianti Wine Region, Maremma

Lucca is situated in the northwest corner of Tuscany and is a world within itself.

Location: Tuscany, Lucca

Maremma is the beautiful country of South Western Tuscany.

Location: Tuscany, Maremma

Roma è sempre Roma! Rome is always Rome – a city that never changes! If you have ever thrown a coin in the Trevi Fountain, you will know that when you return the city will still be the same.

Location: Lazio, Rome

The beautiful Amalfi Coast in the region of Campania, is one of the most magnificent areas of coastline in Italy. The views out over the sea are simply breath taking.

Location: Campania, Amalfi Coast

Compared to Naples, the rest of Italy looks positively sedate and orderly. Neapolitans tend to talk faster, laugh louder, and enjoy food and life more enthusiastically than anyone else on the shores of the Mediterranean.

Location: Campania, Naples

The best thing about Sorrento is the spectacular cliffs with magnificent panoramic views over the Bay of Naples – Golfo di Napoli and the grand monster of the volcano Mt. Vesuvious – Vesuvio.

Location: Campania, Sorrento

Taormina is the jewel of Sicily, sparkling atop Monte Tauro, with views overlooking the strait of Messina and the Aeolian Islands and to the mainland of Italy.

Location: Sicily, Taormina

Palermo the capital of Sicily is full of extravagant baroque palazzo and gothic churches, grand hotels and the opera house Teatro Massimo is the second largest in Europe.

Location: Sicily, Aeolian Islands, Agrigento, Sicily South East, Sicily South West, Taormina

The Aeolian Islands in Sicily, Italy in the Italian spring and summer and autumn are one of the most delightful places in the world to escape for a holiday.

Location: Sicily, Aeolian Islands

The best time to visit Agrigento in Sicily is in February when the almond blossoms are out and away from the summer heat and the crowds.

Location: Sicily, Aeolian Islands, Agrigento, Sicily North West, Sicily South East, Sicily South West, Taormina

Venice Italy is a unique city where historical palaces and churches and the homes of the Venetians reflect in the meandering canals, giving it a surreal beauty and a magical quality that seduces the visitor.

Location: Region of Veneto, Venice

Cortina is the most exclusive of Italian skiing resorts. Dramatic pink-tinged snow covered peaks rise with sheer cliff faces straight up from the top of the slopes, giving magnificent views from wherever you are.

Location: Region of Veneto, Cortina

Located in northeastern Italy, to the east of Lake Garda , the Valpolicella scenic vineyards, start in the fertile plain and climb up to the hills, north of Verona, offering a magnificent view over the town.

Location: Region of Veneto, Valpolicella Wine Region, Verona, Lake Garda

Nestled along the banks of the Adige River, Verona lies about 80 km. north of Venice in Italy. It is the Veneto’s most-visited city, after Venice.

Location: Region of Veneto, Valpolicella Wine Region, Verona, Lake Garda

Just 37 km west of Venice is Padua know as Padova in Italy – an elegant city with a discrete charm surrounded by 16th century walls.

Location: Region of Veneto, Padua

Springtime is magical season in the Prosecco Wine Region, north of Venice Italy,when the gentle sloping hills are surround by the colors, scents and flavours of the wine of the harvest.

Location: Region of Veneto, Cortina, Padua, Prosecco Wine Region, Venice, Vicenza

Lake Garda or Lago di Garda is half in Lombardy and half  in Il Veneto region in the north of Italy.

Location: Lombardy, Region of Veneto, Lake Garda

Perugia, the capital of the region of Umbria is a medieval walled city has its own distinct personality, like all of Italy’s towns.

Location: Umbria, Perugia

Abruzzo is one of Italy's hidden regions and contains some fascinating hill villages, many of which seem frozen in time, others simply deserted after World War 2 after being devastated by the Nazis.

Location: Abruzzo, Santo Stefano

The Salento Coast is in the region of Puglia on the heel of Italy and is a divine place for a beach and driving holiday with a difference.

Location: Puglia, Lecce, Salento Coast

Lecce, Puglia Italy, is the capital of the region of Puglia, has often been called the Florence of the south because of the beauty of its Baroque architecture.

Location: Puglia, Lecce, Salento Coast

The seat of world Catholicism -  the Vatican Rome, encompassing the Basilica di San Pietro and the Museo Vaticano, takes a whole morning to see.

Location: Lazio, Rome

My daughter asked me the other day why I have such a Passion for Italy and I responded "I have loved it from the moment I first set foot in Roma over twenty years ago."

Location: Lazio, Rome

I needed to spend some quality time in Italy viewing all the wonderful accommodation Passion for Italy works with and their charming owners so I had to take advantage of our two months summer school holidays.

Most of our first week in Rome was spent walking to the Vodaphone shop in Via Corso to try to get the two internet pens to work!!

Location: Lazio, Rome

After Roma we headed up to the beautiful Villa in Chianti.

Location: Tuscany, Chianti Wine Region

I cannot describe how wonderful it is to be travelling in Italy.

Location: Tuscany

Driving to Liguria from Pisa nearly killed me with heart attack, from too much adrenaline.

Location: Liguria, Cinque Terre, Portofino, Rapallo

Continuing the series of travelling through Italy with my family in the European winter....

Location: Tuscany

On the 31st of December, there is always a great party in Piazza San Marco and Piazza Ferretto in Venice, one of the most important nights of the year.

Location: Region of Veneto, Venice

At the Tuscan farm we stayed at on Christmas eve, the lovely owner Emanuella made a special nativity scene just for our unit.

The International Eurochocolate festival of Perugia is undoubtedly one of the most sought after Chocolate Festivals amongst Italians and chocolate lovers alike.

Location: Umbria, Perugia

The Sardinian Cavalcade in Sassari, is a pageant as well as a joyful gathering of people from all over the island of Sardinia, all bringing together various traditions.

Location: Sardinia, Sassari

Vogalonga is a 30km non-competitive rowing race in Venice, Italy, where hundreds of boats of every shape and form get together with hundreds of Venetian and foreign rowers.

Location: Region of Veneto, Venice

PITFALLS FOR THE INEXPERIENCED!

Settled now and working from my lovely apartment that I had last time when visiting this region, right on the beach at Pozzuoli on the gulf of Napoli.

Location: Campania, Campi Flegrei

I have just partaken in a Palm Sunday Catholic procession and Way of the Cross for miles through the streets to the Port of Pozzuoli in Campania, finishing outside the spot where St. Paul stayed.

I always encourage my clients travelling in Italy to eat at the local restaurants where there are lots of local Italians and no tourists. However this means venturing into waters unknown where there could be a few surprises.

Easter here is only a one day holiday on Easter Monday, which is unusual really being such a big Catholic country.

In Italy never expect to get to an appointment on time.

What I love about the spring in Italy is that the air is so soft – dolce.

Location: Campania, Campi Flegrei

I took the train up to Florence for the weekend to meet one of my good Australian friends, who had just arrived in Italy for the first time.

David Henderson is a Brisbane artist based in Venice and Australia.

Location: Region of Veneto, Venice

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion...

the Piazza Navona opens up to a fair of toys, sweets, and other presents among the beautiful Bernini fountains.

Location: Lazio, Rome