Lake Como
Lake Como (Lago di Como) is one of the famous Italian Lakes destinations, not far from Milan in the north of Italy.
Lake Como is long (50km), slender and extremely deep. The southern end forks into two long ‘legs’, with the picturesque town of Bellagio situated on the promontory between them.
Like the other Italian Lakes, Lake Como has been popular as a resort since the days of the Roman Empire. Visitors ever since have admired the blue waters and relaxed in luxurious villas in the wooded lakeside slopes above. Today, most of the towns around the shores of Lake Como are popular with tourists, walkers, cyclists and swimmers.
Puglia
Puglia has long since been a favoured holiday destination for the Italians who come, largely in July and August, for the incomparable turquoise sea and unspoilt beaches, and for the excellent food and wine. In the last few years it has increased in popularity with the British and Americans, but is a long way off being ‘touristy’, tending to attract the more discerning traveller.
What makes Puglia unique is quite how many things it has to offer the foreign visitor, in that there is something for everyone. On the most basic level, as a summer holiday destination, it has miles of unspoilt coastline. On the Adriatic side there are rocky beaches, long stretches of sand, and coves with rocks at the edge and sand in the middle. The sea is exceptionally clean and the weather warm usually from April until the end of October.
It is well worth a visit at any time of year however. The food and wine are outstandingly good and, relative to elsewhere in Europe, inexpensive. Visitors to Puglia are almost invariably overwhelmed by the food, both in terms of its quality and quantity! The freshest fish and seafood, vegetables bursting with colour and flavour, local cheeses, fantastic bread, fresh pasta and baked products and, of course, the incomparable olive oil and wines.
Natural beauty abounds, whether you are driving through a landscape dotted with olive and fruit trees, divided up by dry stone walls, or admiring a crystalline turquoise sea from a cliff top vantage point, or lying on a white sand beach. There are architectural gems as well, from the perfect, simple medieval chapel to the full blown Baroque cathedral and everything in between . There are castles, towns with winding cobblestoned streets and white washed medieval houses, harbours with brightly coloured fishing boats and more sophisticated marinas with visiting yachts. You can ride, sail, windsurf, walk, explore by bicycle, have cooking lessons, help with the grape or olive harvests, visit wineries or simply relax.
The way of life is slow and relaxed, the people are friendly and often genuinely welcoming and helpful because they are thrilled that foreigners want to see their Puglia, rather than simply wanting to make a fast buck. Above all, with a few exceptions, Puglia is a real place. In Bari, the little old ladies still sit outside their houses making fresh pasta because they have always done so, rather than because it is appealing to tourists. The fishermen come back in with their boats, the market traders call out their wares and, in many cases, life continues as it always has.
We have focused on the area between Bari and Brindisi as it is less well known than The Salento area further south and more unspoilt, while being also more accessible due to the advent of Ryanair flights to Bari and Brindisi airports. It also has a more varied landscape (the Salento is relatively flat and, in the summer, arid) and the combination of hills, valleys and plains, and the long coastline, give it an idyllic microclimate. The heat is seldom oppressive as you are never far from the sea and so there is usually a sea breeze.
Italy
Italy needs little introduction. A country of great scenic variety, a wealth of cultural history, a gastronomic heritage. It has long been a favourite holiday destination, and its reputation is deserved. Spring comes early to Italy and autumn lingers, providing the visitor with a long season in which to explore many still-uncovered corners of this fascinating country.
From the sunny southern slopes of the Alps to the lush orange groves of Sicilia, Italy offers enormous variety in its natural scenery and historical backgrounds. Because a good part of Italy grew up as a collection of independent city-states, customs and food vary greatly from region to region. This rich history is preserved in the colorful folklore festivals that take place in all of Italy’s regions throughout the year.
Tuscany
The medieval city of Lucca is a perfect little walled town unspoiled by tourism, with marble-paved streets, beautiful churches, an incredible market and the most delicious cafes and stalls selling pizza and polenta. Amongst many fiestas, celebrations and cultural events, on the third weekend of every month there is an expansive, outdoor antiques market centred around Piazza San Giusto. Everything about this charming small city delights the visitor. One of the great attractions is to walk along the top of the Renaissance-era walls which completely surround the city.
The surrounding countryside is exceptionally beautiful and quite different from other parts of Tuscany. Spectacular mountains, deep river valleys and intensely rich forest areas.
In winter there is snow skiing in the mountains to the north, and in the summer there are the beach resorts of Viareggio and the the renowned beachside glamour of Forte Dei Marmi.
In the far northern area of this Tuscan Region there lies a valley, rich in history and traditions, that is very close to famous and important historical centres such as Lucca, Pisa and Florence. This valley, created by the Serchio River and its tributaries, is a chest full of natural treasures enclosed between the chain of the Apuan Alps and the Tuscan-Emilian Appennines. Enjoy staying in a stunning Palazzo or converted 18th century farmhouse near Castelnuovo, which is the principal town and the heart of the green Garfagnana area. This is a territory that constitutes the northern part of the valley of the Serchio River, which runs between the mountain walls of the Apuan Alps and the Appenines. The town is 40 km from both Lucca and the Versilia coast. The ancient outlying villages of Palleroso, Monterotondo, Antisciana, Gragnanella, Cerretoli, Colle and Rontano are beautifully situated and accessible on country paths through green woodland. A walk to these villages allows visitors to be in contact with nature and at the same time to discover the traditional daily rhythms of an agricultural people and to admire their rural architecture.
