With the Etruscans in Lazio
The Tuscia region of northern Lazio, easily reached from Rome, is a tranquil oasis of history and geography: from the papal palace in Viterbo, winding roads lead through rolling green hills of oak forests and hazelnut groves to the stone monsters of Bomarzo Park, prehistoric cave dwellings in nearby gorges, and the high art of Caprarola. But my favorite spot is Civita di Bagnoregio, a fortified town on a volcanic plug, overlooking distant crater lakes.
Lucy
The Power of Art, Rome
One of Rome’s most interesting, yet understated, art galleries is the Centrale Montemartini. This former power station now houses Roman and Greek statues and mosaics nestled among industrial machinery. It’s easy to get to, just a few minutes’ walk from the Garbatella metro. When we visited, in high season, there were only half a dozen other visitors in the entire museum, so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. It was so relaxing after the hustle and bustle of the city center.
Michelle Elsden
Tips from Guardian Travel readers
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Fresh food and air in Sicily
Novara di Sicilia in northeastern Sicily is a picturesque mountain village with a rich history. The location offers fantastic views, the people are exceptionally friendly, the mountain air is fresh and the cobbled streets tell of centuries of conquerors past. Local restaurants serve traditional dishes such as arancini, pasta alla Norma (with tomato and eggplant) and cannoli. We especially enjoyed the restaurant in the ruins of the Norman castle, which had a breathtaking view of the sea. There is a bakery, a biscotti maker, a delicatessen, cafes, bars, a post office, a theater, a festival almost every weekend in the summer and – we found – no crowds.
Neil Masey
Peninsula of plenty, Puglia
We combined a three-day visit to the Gargano Peninsula with a tour of Puglia, and it turned out to be the highlight of the holiday. The peninsula is largely untouched by tourism. It has impressive geology, beautiful beaches and lovely towns, including the fascinating Monte Sant’Angelo and San Giovanni Rotondo, which were packed with pilgrims on the Sunday we visited. Between Vieste and Peschici, on the Adriatic coast, we saw the trabucchi – intriguing fishing platforms on stilts with ancient origins, some of which have restaurants. We had a delicious evening meal with the waves lapping gently around us at Al Trabucco da Mimi outside Peschici (book in advance).
The stretch
Battlefield trails of the ‘little’ Dolomites
Many will be familiar with the Dolomites, but fewer will have heard of their little sisters, the Piccole Dolomiti, further south. Steeped in history, the area represents the front line between Austria and Italy during World War I, with a large number of trails built by the armies. This makes for an incredible range of walking opportunities, including the historic Strada delle 52 Gallerie (Path of the 52 Tunnels), with its breathtaking views. The Ossario del Pasubio is a poignant mountaintop monument containing the bones of many fallen soldiers.
Rachel
Spa and super cheese, near Bergamo
The Val Brembana, north of Bergamo, in the Orobie Alps is a wonderful place to visit. In San Pellegrino Terme you can admire the Art Nouveau architecture or enjoy the famous thermal baths. Carona offers a picturesque setting and a great base for hiking in the mountains. In Branzi you can enjoy the cheese of the same name and a great selection of game from the mountains. In the winter you can enjoy a more affordable Italian ski resort experience in Foppolo. Whatever the time of year it is lovely to stroll through the streets of San Giovanni Bianco and Piazza Brembana and watch the river Brembo flowing by. All this is just a short train journey from Bergamo itself.
Roberto Biondo
Sunflowers and salumi near Parma
Castell’Arquato is a beautiful medieval town in the foothills of the Val d’Arda, about 20 miles from Parma, dominated by the majestic fortress of Rocca Viscontea and surrounded by sunflowers on the plain in summer. At the foot of the town there are two car parks, from where you can walk through the arch and along the cobbled streets and alleys to enjoy the panorama and visit the fortress, the neighbouring Romanesque church and opposite the Palazzo del Podestà, which hosts art exhibitions. On the way you will pass the Luigi Illica (librettist) museum, the Museo Geologico with its prehistoric whale and dolphin remains, and a wealth of restaurants and enoteca – wine bars – where you can taste salumi and the local red wine, gutturnio or white ortrugo.
Patricia
Spontaneous guided walks, Aeolian Islands
Salina is one of the volcanic Aeolian Islands – the craters are no longer active, but it offers great views of Stromboli, which is constantly erupting. A few years ago, developers tried to buy a mountainside outside the village of Leni, but a group of islanders pooled their savings and convinced the landowner to let them buy the land – there’s now nothing left but a bothy and a few olive trees. They run guided walks (along paths they maintain themselves) to watch the sunset over the nearby islands of Filicudi and Alicudi, followed by a barbecue, wine and song in the bothy. Afterwards they hand out headlamps and lead everyone back to the village. It’s all absolutely authentic – the islanders enjoy themselves as much as the guests – and it’s my fondest memory of the island. No website: ask about the walks at the bakery in Leni (or the beach bar by the harbour, Rinella).
Pink
Butterflies and a beautiful bay, Calabria
San Nicola Arcella is a small town perched on the cliffs overlooking Dino Island in a beautiful bay on the Calabrian coast, about two hours drive south of Naples. It is a beautiful Calabrian town with live music every weekend, black sand beaches and lovely swimming in the clear water. There is a beautiful old villa (Palazzo dei Principi Lanza di Trabia), a Saracen fortress (now Torre Crawford after the American-Italian writer Frances Marion Crawford, who once stayed there) and hills with beautiful views and, on some days in spring and summer, lots of butterflies. We counted 30 different species on one walk in a beautiful valley. The local food is also delicious, especially the ricotta. A beautiful place in the summer.
Peter Kent
Winning tip: villages and hills near Padua
An hour from Venice, and just south of Padua, lies the beautiful Euganean Hills Regional Park, a natural paradise of lush forests, pretty hilltop villages, thermal springs and vineyards. From Monselice train station, a gentle three-mile walk takes you to the village of Arquà Petrarca, home of the 14th-century poet Francesco Petrarca. The southern boundary of the park is the fortified town of Este, while for views I headed to Teolo in the north and the 603-metre Monte Venda – the highest of these volcanic hills – in the west. Buses from Padua crisscross the more remote areas, while there are regular trains to Monselice and the spa town of Abano Terme. We followed the Strada del Vino, which helped us really enjoy the food, drink and atmosphere of this beautiful area.
Matt Lunt
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