Italy

The ‘seven sisters’ of the volcanic Aeolian Islands are scattered like stars across the deep blue Tyrrhenian Sea, north of Sicily.

For a list of hotels in Aeolian Islands, Sicily, click here

Craggy, winding and riddled with caves and secret beaches, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the world. The volcanic headland reaches out from the ankle of Italy towards the Tyrrhenian, sheer mountainside plummeting into the sun-sparkled sea.

For a list of hotels in Amalfi Coast, click here

The tiny island with a big following.

For a list of hotels in Capri, click here

For a city boasting more past glories than the average continent, the capital of Tuscany is excitingly forward-looking.

For a list of hotels in Florence, click here

Art, fashion, furniture and football are Milan’s healthy obsessions.

For a list of hotels in Milan, click here

This northwestern region is a reminder that until just over a hundred years ago, Italy wasn’t a country, but a collection of states, each with its own distinct identity.

For a list of hotels in Piedmont, click here

Located in Italy’s sunny south, Puglia has a unique character and charm, little known to outsiders; the Italians who flock here in the summer keep this laidback playground of blue sea, golden sands and olive groves strictly a family affair.

For a list of hotels in Puglia, click here

With the Vatican in town, Easter and Christmas are highlights of Rome’s calendar, but visitors flock all year to the Raphael frescoes and the Sistine Chapel.

For a list of hotels in Rome, click here

This Mediterranean island has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and if you venture inland you’ll find breathtaking countryside.

For a list of hotels in Sardinia, click here

The Ancients believed that mariners were lured to the islands and towering cliffs of the Amalfi Coast by the songs of the Sirens, mythical temptresses who gave their name to the seductive town of Sorrento.

For a list of hotels in Sorrento, click here

Austrian until 1919, the South Tyrol – or Südtirol – is Italy’s most northerly province, with a uniquely Teutonic tone. Two-thirds of the population speak German as their mother tongue, and handsome schlossen dot every hillside, but still an Italian sensibility prevails, creating an intriguing cultural mix.

For a list of hotels in South Tyrol, click here

When mother Nature was handing out charm, she really piled the goodies up high when it came to this above-the-knee patch of Italy.

For a list of hotels in Tuscany, click here

Truly one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Venice is a maze in which to lose yourself, wandering its charming, traffic-free alleys.

For a list of hotels in Venice, click here