Blog - Page 2 of 4 - Elizabeth Lake

How beautiful you are Rome, in the evenings…..so sang Venditti (Quanto sei bella Roma, quand’è sera….) and he wasn’t wrong!  The capital city is charming by day and delightful by night.  Nothing can prepare you for the sight of the Trevi Fountain in the evenings!  For me, it is the most beautiful sight I have ever experienced anywhere!

There are many beautiful monuments – the white one dedicated to the king Vittorio Emmanuele is particularly beautiful – why not go on a tourist bus and get on and off wherever you want to?  That way you will not miss the must-see places, like the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps… Read more

The capital of Emilia Romagna, this beautiful city is well worth a visit.  It is a gastronomic delight – walk past the markets and shops of the cobblestoned Quadrilatero quarter and admire the many cured meats, cheeses and other foodstuffs on display.

Many of these are Bolognese inventions – mortadella sausage, tortellini pasta, ragú sauce…Why not enjoy them also in a local trattoria?  Enjoy a coffee in Piazza Maggiore whilst admiring the fountain of Neptune.

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Many famous people throughout the centuries have fallen under the spell of the beautiful, mirror-still waters of Lake Como.  This beautiful lake at the foot of the Alps is worth a visit – Bellagio is one of the prettiest towns in this area, though the villages nestled on nearby shores are close contenders.

The snow-capped peaks looming above and the arcaded streets hint of Switzerland, but the lake’s legendary gardens are sublimely Italian.

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This area of the coast has been popular with British holiday-makers for many years.  Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, Praiano, many other cliff-hugging towns are a favourite holiday destination.

Here you can enjoy a scenic bus or car ride along the narrow, curving, occasionally vertigo-inducing ribbon of roadway that follows the coast from Sorrento to Salerno.

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Further up from the island of Capri is another enchanting island – Elba.  It is 12 miles off the Tuscan coast and most famous for being the place of exile for the Emperor Napoleon.

These days it is a great summertime refuge for those from the mainland – a realm of lush green valleys; craggy peaks; dramatic coastlines; and long, sandy beaches and secluded coves.

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Capri’s central square was once called the “most beautiful operetta stage in the world” (by Noel Coward).  This 4-square-mile isle in the Gulf of Naples is full of beautiful spots.  Picturesque

landmarks include the gardens of the Villa San Michele, overlooking the sea, and the Faraglioni – needle-like rocks rising from the offshore depths.

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Veneto in the North of Italy has many cities worth visiting – Venice is the most well-known and has been popular for centuries, attracting tourists from all over the world.  It will soon be time for Carnival and the city will be buzzing with activity.  Not far from Venice, with all its treasures are other cities worth exploring…

Padova has lovely piazzas and artwork by Giotto.  Vicenza has many beautiful buildings, being the city of the architect Palladio.  Verona of course is famous thanks to the opera and Romeo and Juliet and is a lovely city to walk around.  Belluno is a beautiful medieval city whose old name, ‘Belo Dunum’ is Latin for “splendid city”.

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From the bright quays in Camogli to the palm-shaded promenades in San Remo or the yacht-filled harbour in Portofino, the sea is never far from sight in Liguria.  If you want to go in search of the sun, you will enjoy the rocky perches which line the rugged coast all the way from the Cinque Terre to the French border on Italy’s Riviera.

If it’s the seaside you want, but with spectacular views behind you, Liguria is the place for you!  The more adventurous can walk along the path in the hills to all 5 places that make up the Cinque Terre.  Get the camera ready – the views are stunningly beautiful!

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What can be more pleasing on the eye than a drive through Tuscany?  Stately cypresses line the roads to Siena and other art-filled cities; vineyards and olive groves roll across the Chianti landscapes; and Montelpulciano and other towns can be seen on the hilltops.

The Italians use the term ‘bel paese’ – beautiful country – and there’s no better way to describe it.

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The summer holidays still seem a long way off – why not treat yourself to a city break to keep you going?  How about the beautiful Italian city of Florence?  It is a city rich in culture – the Florentines invented banking and modern poetry, promoted the scientific experiments of Galileo and other pioneers, and funded the artistic fervour that unleashed the genius of Botticelli, Michelangelo, da Vinci and others whose works you can admire in the Uffizi and other museums and galleries around the city.

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