Top 6: Dreamy Italian Destinations.
Amalfi Coast
There are so many beautiful areas in Italy but there’s something magical about the Amalfi Coast with it’s spectacular views and gorgeous towns spotted along the coast.
The 13 towns of the Amalfi Coast are - Amalfi, Positano, Atrani, Maiori, Minori, Conca dei Marini, Cetara, Furore, Vietri Sul Mare, Scala, Ravello, Tramonti, and Praiano and each offer something different depending on whether you like being in the hub or you enjoy a quieter holiday experience.
Driving along the winding (and sometime hair raising) roads with breathtaking views right beside you you feel like you’ve arrived in some sort of heaven.
Positano is absolutley postcard-perfect spot with terraceed pastel buildings overlooking the idyllic sea. We absolutely loved this gorgeous town, just sauntering along the wide winding roads undulating down to the beach with irresistible shops lining the road. that you just have to pop into. There’s always a cafe or a bar to stop at to sample some of the local lemoncello.
Below is the list of where to stay, where to eat and what to do based on our trip to the Amalfi - which we absolutely loved and can’t wait to return.
STAY:
Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi - absolutely amazing luxury stay.
Hotel Poseiden, Positano - A really beautiful hotel in a perfect location.
EAT:
Il Pirata, Praiano - Restaurant, Lounge Bar and Beach Club
an amazing restaurant with incredible service.Risorgimento , Conca Dei Marini - the most magical setting and food.
Donna Rosa - High up in the hills with an incredible view - we caught the
bus and it was scary but so worth it.
DO:
Go by boat from Positano to Il Pirata - the most divine way to travel and see
amazing sea caves on the way.Do the 6.5km Path of the Gods hike that takes you high above Positano
with spectacular views all along the coast. The walk goes between
Bomerano and Nocelle.Admire the beautiful Amalfi Cathedral and do some shopping in Amalfi Town
Head up to Ravello, a stunning hill top town for the most spectacular views, beautiful
gardens and incredible food.
2. Sicily
Sicily is the largest Mediterranean island and is just off the toe of Italy. and has large amounts of sunshine and Greek and Roman heritage making it a sensational italian destination. With an easy ferry trip from the Italian mainland you will arrive in Messina ready for your adventure to begin.
Visit Palermo, the magestic capital of Sicily, Taormina for a ride up the cable car for glorious hilltop views or Cefalu for a seaside holiday with the family.
STAY:
Villa Sant’Andrea, Taormina - Luxurious and charming.
Grand Wagner Hotel, Palermo
Ortea Luxury Palace, Siracusa.
EAT:
Apollonion Osteria Da Carlo, Siracusa
Tishi Toschi, Taormina
Tonnara, Castellamare del Golfo - amazing Seafood
restaurant on the water.
DO:
A cooking and wine tasting class in Etna Winery.
Hike Mt Etna from Catania.
Visit Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, dating back to 5 and 6 BC
Do the food and wine tour at Donna Fugata - Great food and tour.
Go on a boat trip up the coast from Castellamare Del Golfo to the northern tip
to see amazing grottos, beautiful forests and gorgeous seaside villages.Sample Sicilian wine from the volcanic region in Marsala.
3. Capri
Capri is just picture perfect - it simply couldn’t be more beautiful. Arriving by boat from the mainland it’s really ideal to stay for a day or two to really get the feel of this gorgeious island with it’s narrow winding streets full of stunning shops, bright flowers surrounded by the spectacular sea
We absolutely loved Capri when we visited. After we hopped off the boat from Sorrento we caught the Funicular up to Piazza Umberto 1 then headed off on the Via Del Pizzolungo starting by walking through narrow streets and farmland, down a million stairs to the Grotto Di Matermania which was incredible, and with an amazing close up view of the Natural Arch. We ended up in the gorgeous Via Camerelle having lunch nearby at Il Geranio with stunning views of Faraglioni and enjoying the Gardens of Augustus.
STAY:
Relais Maresca - Luxury small hotel. We stayed here and absotlutely loved it.
JK Place - chic hotel with pool access.
Grand Hotel Quisisana - High end 5 star hotel.
EAT:
Il Geranio - we had an amazing lunch here overlooking the
beautiful Faraglioni with the most incredible food and service highly recommended.L’Olivo in Anacapri
JK place overlooking Marina Grande.
DO:
The Blue Grotto is Capri’s most famous attraction with it’s crystal clear water
and the blue colour. Hope on a tour boat in Marina Grande to view this stunning sight.The Gardens of Augustus are a beauitful spot to take in the magnificent views.
Via Krupp - with it’s twisitng hairpin bends it is one of the iconic sights of Capri
Shopping in the very stylish Via Camerelle
Piazza Umberto 1 - the main square of Capri and full of cafes and restaurants - also the spot where you
Anacapri - gorgeous spot despite the hair raising bus trip.
Faraglioni and Natural Arch - both are famous symbols of Capri and not to be misse.d
Villa San Michele - Stunning l house in Anacapri
4. Lake Como
When we arrived in heavenly Bellagio in the Lake Como area I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven. It was just so beautiful with the gorgeous lake shimmering and the narrow cobblestone streets, amazing assortment of bar, restaurants and shops, stunning gardens and incredible hotels. It is just so oppulant but so divine.
It is the third biggest lake and one of the deepest lakes in Europe. Located at the base of the Alps, Lake Como provides one of the most picturesque scenes in the world and Bellagio is one of the most beautiful places in the region of Lombardy .
There are 9 charming Lake Como towns scattered around the perimeter of the lake - Bellagio, Verenna, Como, Tremezzina, Nesso, Menaggio, Gravedona, Argegno and Cernobbio. Each have wonderful thngs to offer such as gorgeous alleyways, magnificent views, beaches and incredible villas and dependson what you are looking for and how much time you have in this heavenly area.
STAY:
Hotel Du Lac - Luxury hotel with amazing views
Hotel Centrale Bellagio - we stayed here and loved the beautiful garden.
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni - a luxury hotel at the end of the promontory with views of Lake Como and the Alps
EAT:
Enoteca CavaTuracciolo - We went to this wine bar and
it was wonderful.Trattoria San Giacomo - an absolute must in a divine area - we loved it.
La Terrazza Lake Como - We had a lunch here with the best view.
DO:
Hop on a boat and explore Varenna.
Explore Villa del Balbianello- a renaissance residence and museum
Stroll through I Giardini Di Villa Melzi- the elegant lakeside botanic gardens.
Spend time just strolling the gorgeous streets .
5. Cinque Terre
Set amid dramatic coastal scenery the 5 towns of Cinque Terre are colourful and beautiful.
Riomaggiore is the largest of the five towns and the most eastern. With a steep ravine leading down to a tiny harbour this gorgeous town with it’s numerous restaurants, bars and shops make this a favourite destination.
Manarola with it’s grapevines and waterfront promenade, Corniglia, the quiet middle village with no sea access, Vernazza with it’s small harbour and quaint cobbled streets and Monterosso with it’s stretch of beach, lemon trees and split town make up the five towns of Cinque Terre.
STAY:
Santa Marta Rooms, Vernazza
Cinqueterre Residence, Riomaggiore- Apartment luxury hotel.
Hotel Porto Roca, Monterossa - old fashioned charm and stunning location.
EAT:
Dau Cila, Riomaggiore - freshest seafood netted just offshore.
Cecio, Corniglia - Set on a hilltop with amazing traditional dishes,
Ciak, Monterosso - an old favourite on the main piazza.
DO:
Hike the Blue trail hike - A narrow coastal path past terraced vineyards
on the steep hills overlooking the beautiful Ligurian Sea,Spend the day at Monterosso Beach.
Sample the local wine.
Explore the 5 villages.
Go on a sunset boat Tour and Sail from Monterosso to Riomaggiore.
6. Puglia
Puglia (pronounced Poo-li-ya) forms the heel of Italy’s boot and is best known for it’s whitewashed towns, centuries-old farmland and over 800 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline making it the longest coastline of any Italian mainland region. With such a long coastline a stunning beach with crystal clear water is never far away in the perfect climate.
Puglia is famous for it’s olive oil production and provides over 40% of the country’s olive oil. It is also one of the largest wine growing regions
Bari , a vibrant port is the capital while Lecce is known as “Florence of the South” for its baroque architecture. Alberobello and the Itria Valley are home to “trulli,” stone huts with distinctive conical roofs dotted all around that date back to the Middle Ages.
This beautiful area has so much to offer on your next visit to Italy.
STAY:
La Sommita Relais & Chateaux, Osuni - gorgeous luxury hotel.
La Cantina - gorgeous Trulli with modern conveniences
La Naca Sul Porto - rustic charm and comfort at this B and B.
EAT:
Trattoria Le Zie, Leece for old school home cooking.
Pescaria, Polignano a Mare -serving up Premium fish and shellfish
with fast food efficiency.Osteria dei Tempo Perso, Ostuni - an institution.
DO:
Visit Lama Monachile a famous pebbled beach with cliffs on 2 sides and
a Roman bridge marking it’s entrance. Take a boat tour of the caves
beneath the town.Visit Leece Cathedral and be amazed at the opulent interior.
Visit the Old Town in Monopoli and climb to the top of the Cathedral for amazing views.
