Exploring Italy: where to stay, see and experience

Words by Jennifer Prince

6 min read

Look beyond the classic Roman Holiday with this round up of our most-loved cities, coastlines and regions across Italy.

Europe, Italy, Puglia, Ostuni, bicycle on authentic whitewashed street

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A hub of creative cultural heritage harking back centuries; to think of Italy is to think of classic luxury. High fashion is innate in its geography, striking architecture rivals the drama of the opera, and intricate artwork recalls the Renaissance — there’s much to be admired.

And yet, all too often Rome alone takes the top spot for travellers seeking to explore this boot-shaped nation. That’s where we come in.

At Carrier, we know no one needs persuading to embark on an Italian escape, but encompassing everything on offer is almost as impossible as choosing between pizza and pasta — almost. To give you the gift of dolce far niente outside of the capital, our expert travel designers have hand picked their top five destinations for your next luxury holiday to Italy. Suitcase at the ready?

Lake Como

Europe, Italy, Como, Passalacqua, Staircase and gardens

Perfect for: Vintage glamour

These aren’t just any verdant hills that cascade to beautiful blue waters, this high-flyer hotspot is home to Italy’s most sought-after lakeside lodgings. Picture pretty little villages dotting the shoreline, estates gilded with grandeur fronted by expansive garden terraces, and old-school speedboat excursions that take you to the heart of awe-inspiring scenery.

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Stay at: Passalacqua

Once an 18th-century summer haunt of Count Passalacqua, this lakeside retreat revives the Italian tradition of la villeggiatura — the annual ritual of leaving the city for the calm of the countryside. And with cartwheels of space to roam in quiet solitude, it’d be easy to fall under the pretence that you own the place.

Step out for: Kayaking Como

Become truly immersed in so magnificent a setting with a private kayaking experience on the waters of Lake Como. Guided by a private instructor, feel free as a bird to take to the lake for two hours, lapping up the landscape from its centre, complete with a complimentary aperitif.

Explore Passalacqua

Puglia

Sunset view over an ancient town with historic stone buildings and a clock tower under a clear sky.

Perfect for: Travelling before the trend

Compared to the ever-popular Como, Puglia is perhaps not the first destination that springs to mind on our list, though it’s on our radar for good reason. Enveloped by a sprawling coastline at Italy’s heel, this southern belle — with its olive groves, ancient ruins, and folkloric traditions — is quickly becoming the talk of travel.

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Stay at: Borgo Egnazia

Emanating the soul of southern Italy, the scents, flavours and lifestyle here are inextricably Mediterranean. Inspired by ancient masserie and rural villages, this marriage of high-end bliss and rural charm proves that opposites do, in fact, attract.

Step out for:  Dancing to the beat of tradition

For centuries, the people of Puglia have performed the traditional Pizzica, and now is your chance to join them. Step by step, dance the simple and not-so-simple moves to the tune of live musicians, while learning of the culture and legends surrounding this longstanding tradition.

Explore Borgo Egnazia

Tuscany

Perfect for: Foodie favourites

Paired, of course, with the region’s finest wines, dining here is an authentic affair, especially with Tuscany’s long list of local delicacies. Displaying the beauty in simplicity, traditional dishes lean into the less-is-more, fuelling more elaborate bucket list activities — Bocelli concert or Palio horse race, anyone?

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Stay at: Borgo Pignano

Rolling olive groves, traditional terracotta tiles, and an ancient limestone infinity pool; this stone-hewn sanctuary is intrinsically linked to its Tuscan heritage. And while there are plenty of quiet outdoor spots to sit among blissfully bucolic views, villas provide that home-away-from-home feel to focus on the connections that really matter.

Step out for: Touring Chianti Valley

Row upon row of verdant vineyards stand in line alongside chestnut forests in the Chianti Valley. This sublime natural scenery is the setting for a tour that ebbs and flows over its rolling hills. Begin with a visit to the medieval village of Greve, to peruse the boutique shops and artisan workshops at the Piazza Mateotti, before lunch at a local winery fuels a trip to Castellina — the home of the Chianti Classico DOCG.

Explore Borgo Pignano

Venice

Perfect for: Slow-sail sightseeing

With an abundance of history weaving through its waterways, Venice’s collection of over 100 islands is truly a melting pot of culture. Famed for gondolas floating by intricate architecture, gothic and renaissance influences are apparent at every corner, providing a spectacular backdrop for a city synonymous with romance.

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Stay at: Belmond Cipriani

Standing in mature gardens on Giudecca Island, just four minutes by private launch from Piazza San Marco, this is a destination hotel for the discerning and for the deeply romantic. A stunning showcase for the contemporary and heritage venetian craft, breathtaking views abound over the gardens, vineyard, the lagoon and overlooking St Mark’s Square.

Step out for: Learning from the locals

Connect with those who know best on an excursion designed to embrace every aspect of local life. Journey through the venetian lagoon; take in the landscape as you sail through the streets, dine on local delicacies prepared by a professional chef, and learn of the traditional recipes reimagined to create the flavours on your plate.

Explore the Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel

Amalfi Coast

Perfect for: Honeymoon hotspots

Couples in search of a spot of sightseeing need look no further than the Amalfi Coast. A destination with romance at its heart, you’ll be hard pressed to find a scene more picturesque than these cliffs that tumble to the shoreline. Best experienced without the crowds, head to this sunbaked citrus shoreline in early spring or late autumn.

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Stay at: Palazzo Avino

The height of sophistication in more ways than one, there’s an air of aristocratic refinement and feeling of timeless elegance at this 12th-century villa. Time a visit with the Ravello Dawn Festival in the summer, and you’re in for a spine-tingling experience watching an orchestra perform during a concert at sunrise.

Step out for: Capturing Amalfi on canvas

Guided by an artist, tour Amalfi to find the perfect spot to paint. Whether you’re a budding Michealangelo or a first-time craftsman, commit so picturesque a setting to more than memory in your choice of either oil or watercolour. Once you’ve brushed up on your skills under the guidance of a professional artist, take your work away as your very own souvenir.

Explore Palazzo Avino

Spoilt for choice? Simply extend your stay

Whether it’s the indulgence of la dolce vita or the pull of the cities steeped in history, it’s all too easy to fall in love with Italy.

Stay under its spell for longer with our curated twosome, and experience authenticity in eastern Sicily.

To travel through just one corner of these ancient lands is to journey through centuries of art in its many forms; history bottled, performed, tasted, or towering above like Mount Etna herself.

Begin at: Belmond’s Grand Hotel Timeo, where timeless glamour in Taormina has long been a lure for stylish high society.

Followed by: Il San Corrado di Noto, once an ancient masseria, a sanctuary of minimalism now awaits the contemporary traveller escaping into the arms of luxury.

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