1) Tuscany: Crammed with sleepy hill towns, abandoned medieval castles, natural hot springs, where many of the original Roman baths are still intact, as well as beautiful Mediterranean beaches, Tuscany is a feast of natural wonders. And speaking of feasts, the Tuscan food, from the white truffles to the peci and riboletta-not to mention the famous Brunello and Barolo wines are considered among the best in the world.
Then there are the bustling medieval yet modern towns of Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Lucca and Pisa where the shopping is sublime and the art and architectural treasures simply take your breath away. If ever there were a place with something for everyone it has to be bella Tuscany.
2) Amalfi Coast: Who doesn't long for the drama of the Amalfi Coast with mountains sheering down to the bluest waters of the Tyrrhenian sea and the most picturesque pink, perched villages improbably located along these sheer cliffs; it's no wonder all fall under the intoxicating spell of the Amalfi Coast.
From Positano to Amalfi and Ravello there is endless enchantment, views, and wonderful experiences from dining on the catch of the sea to a glass of local Campania Falaghina wine sipped at sunset.
The island of Capri has been a magnet for the international jet set for many years. With its bright azure blue water, craggy cliffs, ancient ruins and grottoes, this beautiful and romantic island offers visitors a wide range of activities. Numerous good restaurants and very chic stores surround Capri’s charming and bustling piazzetta and below are the beaches in Marina Piccola, where everyone goes to swim – and be seen.
3) Lake Como: Lake Como has long been lauded by artists and writers as one of the most romantic and beautiful places on earth.
The drama of the mountain backdrop, sheering down and reflected in the clear blue water of the lake is breathtaking.
The stately splendor of the villas along the shore adds to the rich beauty of the landscape, as if the majesty of the surrounding mountains reflected off the clear blue lake, was not enough to mesmerize even the most jaded traveler.
4) Umbria: A poet once called Umbria the green heart of Italy. One of the smallest of all the Italian provinces (only 8,500 square kilometers) what Umbria lacks in size it more than makes up for in spectacularly dramatic landscapes, art and architecture.
It is the only province in Italy not bordered by the sea and it has a distinctly different feeling from its close neighbor Tuscany. How? It is wilder, more rugged, less manicured, covered with lush green forests, rolling hills, sleepy little hill towns and peaceful valleys.
Among Umbria's most interesting towns are Perugia with its cobblestone streets and aqueduct turned walkway; Deruta just south of Perugia, considered by many to be the ceramics capital of Italy; Spoleto where for two weeks every June artists musicians and dancers come from all over the world for an internationally famous arts festival.
Also there is Todi, a beautiful medieval town now very popular with the Americans and British; Orvieto with its Etruscan Necropolises and magnificent cathedral; Assisi still as peaceful as when St. Francis lived there and Gubbio, the beautifully preserved hill town that pre-dates the Etruscans.
5) Sicily: Sicily is a land of extremes and contrasts, a magnification of all things Italian. It is also an island of enormous intensity, a concentrated distillation of history\, architecture and gastronomic delights, where incandescent volcanoes light up the night skies, mountain ranges jostle for supremacy, and where the sea has sculpted a coastline of stunning variety and beauty.
With its wonderful climate, Sicily is eminently visitable all the year round and each season has its own distinctive charm. There is always something to do, whether it be lounging on golden beaches, hiking in the mountains, visiting ancient archaeological sites, skiing on Mount Etna or shopping in Palermo's fashionable boutiques.
