Italy

Set on the spectacular headland, Sorrento boasts wonderful views across the Bay of Naples to Capri and Ischia. 

Full of character, Sorrento’s old town contains a wealth of restaurants and bars while the main street is lined with a variety of elegant boutiques selling unique souvenirs such as ceramics and lacework. 

The beating heart of the city, Piazza Tasso, comes alive at dusk with its café lined pavements a hive of activity, theres numerous good value, high quality restaurants are available.

Approximately 20 kilometres from Sorrento along the Amalfi Drive, perches the exclusive cliff-side fishing village of Positano with its pink, cream and yellow villas dramatically clinging to the terraced mountainside.

Positano is a romantic spot ideal for honeymooners and romantics on Amalfi Coast holidays, with its spectacular views overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean.

Just 15 kilometres east of Positano tucked between the mountains and overlooking the glittering Bay of Salerno is the charming small fishing village of Amalfi where you can easily while away hours at the seafront watching the boats come and go.

In the old part of town, pavement cafes and quaint shops abound along the narrow stepped streets and there is a multitude of excellent restaurants specialising in fresh fish dishes. 

With this picturesque setting, Amalfi Coast holidays are a pleasant, leisu

Inland and high above Amalfi, perches Ravello boasting some of the most magnificent views across orange and lemon groves and out to the sea.

Slightly off the beaten track and famed for its gardens and links with Wagner, Ravello is ideal for those who love peace and quiet.

Unusually most of the best dining in Ravello is in the hotels although there are a few excellent restaurants to be sought out and the main square is the perfect setting for an aperitif or after dinner coffee.Inland and high above

Sicily's oldest established and most fashionable resort clings to the terraces of a hillside which rises steeply from the Ionian Sea and boosts spectacular views over two bays and Mount Etna in the distance. 

Located on the shoreline Taormina is a popular destination for beach-lovers and with its fantastic setting it is ideal for those seeking sunshine on Sicily holidays.

The town is a medieval compilation of ochre and pastel coloured churches, palaces and weather-beaten houses, with a cable car.

The town of Taormina sits on a hillside above the Ionian Sea. Directly below the town is Taormina Mare, the name given to the collection of bays and the promenade at the foot of Taormina most easily reached via the cable car, which runs from the town down to the coast. 

The beaches are a mixture of pebbles and sand and there are luxury hotels, shops, bars and restaurants lining the promenade. 

Verdant headlands such as Isola Bella, and rocky outcrops divide the scoops of each bay.

Sicily's capital city although chaotic, crumbling and dishevelled in parts, is also rich in culture, art, architecture, music and food.

A variety of invaders have left their architectural imprint on the city making it home to some of Sicily’s most important attractions.

The Norman cathedral is famed for its vast Byzantine style frescoes and the Norman Palace, the seat of the local Parliament, wears its Saracen, Norman and Spanish heritage on its sleeve. Elsewhere Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque.

It’s fair to say that Syracuse has had a chequered history. It was once the largest city of the ancient world. 

Then, a capital twice - once of Byzantium then of Sicily - before earthquakes, plague and famine saw it fall from grace. It rose once more in the late 17th century with an impressive programme of Baroque reconstruction and today is Sicily’s most handsome city. 

Here ancient ruins are dotted amongst citrus orchards, people go about their daily business amongst dazzling baroque piazzas.

Towering mountains descend to meet atmospheric shorelines in this Italian Lake District; aptly named because of the many literary connections to the romantic poets.

The largest and most eastern of the Italian Lakes, Lake Garda, features fjord-like cliffs in the north, and gentle hills covered with vineyards, olive groves and lemon orchards in the south. Holidays to Lake Garda undoubtedly offers its visitors truly exceptional beauty.

The 13th century Scagligeri Castle, defended with a moat patrolled by swans and ducks, cradles pretty Sirmione within its ancient walls.

Located on the tip of a 3km long peninsula which protrudes from the southern shore of Lake Garda, Sirmione has thermal springs and was a Roman spa town; impressive Roman ruins remain today. And more contemporary spas provide pampering with Lake Garda as the backdrop.

Sirmione’s historic centre is pedestrianized and packed with elegant luxury boutiques.

Located on the southern banks of the Lake Garda Desenzano is a village of considerable charm and a rich artistic, historic and archaeological heritage, dating back to the Roman era.

At the heart of Desenzano is Piazza Malvezzi and also the ancient harbour.

There are some notable Roman ruins, not least a stunning 4th century Roman Villa with beautiful mosaics and a medieval castle offering breathtaking views of the Lake.

The beautifully designed grounds feature classic Italian foliage combined with bamboo, Japanese landscaping techniques, Tibetan primroses, magnolias, irises and delicate ferns. Modern art sculptures dotted around the grounds add whimsy.

Flowers and flower boxes also frame Gardone’s lakeside promenade.

This  historic town adds a plethora of shops set amidst casual piazzas.

Gardone is also home to the eccentric villa, complete with ancient car and small airplane, of the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio.

With the lush, green hills of Monte Felice as a backdrop, Bardolino, celebrated for its wine, is one of Lake Garda’s liveliest resorts.

Pedestrianized cobbled streets are lined with an eclectic collection of independent shops, luxury boutiques, fashionable bars, pizzerias and restaurants. The lakeside promenade is popular with locals and tourists alike, who come to enjoy the street entertainment and the Thursday market.