TUSCANY
When people think of Tuscany, most images conjure up a mental picture of rolling countryside with olive groves and cypress trees, such as captivated the Renaissance painters. A region best known for its landscape, art, wines, olive oil and the language – the language of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio whose Tuscan dialect became Italy’s official language and national tongue. Her hill towns and art cities quietly complement the artistic riches of Florence. With its restful pace and orderly landscape of cultivated fields and vast vineyards, total Tuscany intoxicates the senses. From the shores of the shimmering Tyrrhenian Sea to the slopes of the Apennines, Tuscany flaunts her charms: great cities embracing treasure of art and ancient architecture; green hills and valleys under a cobalt sky; warm-hearted wines that match the spirit of the Tuscan people.

UMBRIA
Umbria is often called “Tuscany’s Little Sister” and although, historically, the paths of these two sisters seldom crossed, they bear more than a casual family resemblance. The timeless, transcendent landscapes, medieval hill towns, beautiful frescoes, good wine and olive oil are all as much a part of Umbria as Tuscany, though often in a simpler, less polished form. Long ruled by Papal indifference, Umbria was never as wealthy as Tuscany and its contributions to Western civilization were spiritual rather than intellectual. It is known as “the green heart of Italy”, a region of steep, austere hills, deep valleys and fast flowing rivers. Umbria in its miniature time warp tends to be conservative and complacent, but also kind, sweet-tempered & hospitable. Far more than Tuscany, Umbria is a place to be, rather than to do.

LAKES & SEASIDE
The Italian Lakes have for centuries enchanted and fascinated travelers, writers, historians, artists, heroes and conquerors. From the most famed lakes, Como and Maggiore, to the lesser-known but equally beautiful lakes Orta, Lugano, Varese and Garda, each has a distinctive character and its own breathtaking scenery. The Italian lakes have been backdrops to books and Shakespearean plays and to architectural follies such as Gabriele D’Annunzio’s luxurious Liberty-style villa on Lake Garda. In recent times wealthy families built imposing villas and magnificent gardens on the shores, islands and hills above these beautiful lakes creating a paradise on earth.

The Italian Riviera along the coastline of Liguria is a narrow strip of sandy beaches and spectacular rocky cliffs stretching from the French border to Tuscany. Liguria has for centuries inspired many famous artists and poets such as Keats, Shelley and Byron who all made their homes here. Famed for its mild climate year-round, quaint seaside villages and an excellent cuisine, it is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world.

No less beautiful and fascinating is the famed Amalfi Coast and the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida in the Bay of Naples. The sparkling sea, white-washed Mediterranean villas clinging to the rocky cliffs and the splendid Amalfi Drive make this one of the most romantic places in Italy. Moreover the infectious spirit of the Neapolitans and their gioe de vivre have conquered many an alien heart! 

Visit the lakes or the seaside, and find your eyes and soul reflected in these mirrors of heaven.

VENETO
Though Venice is the queen of the Veneto region, there is an infinity of lesser-known towns and villages to discover. Padua is one of the region’s major art cities – a bustling place with a medieval nucleus and seat of a famous university founded in 1222. Throughout the region one encounters the signature of the 16th century architect, Andrea Palladio, whose name is the root of the tern “Palladian”, which has come to signify gracefully incorporated elements of classical architecture – columns, porticos and domes – into a style that reflected the Renaissance celebration of order and harmony. Many of his works can be admired in Vicenza and along the bank of the Brenta river where he designed summer residence for wealthy Venetian families. Veneto is an amazing place to discover!

SICILY
Sicily, a beautiful island located in the Mediterranean Sea, with its rich natural heritage, represents one of the most interesting tourist destinations. Sun, blue sea and beaches are the natural attractions of a place full of history and culture, celebrated throughout the centuries by writers and poets, who have spread its fame from ancient times up to the present.

"Having visited Italy without seeing Sicily is like not having seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the key to everything". (Goethe)

Sicily is a fascinating mixture of different races which followed each other over the centuries: Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines, Turks, Goths, Spaniards and French.These dominations have left their mark on the island's history and architecture as well as on Sicily's traditions and gastronomy. In fact, religious festivals, monuments and regional dishes testify that the island is a crucible of different civilizations.