If, like me, your very favourite country to visit is Italy, you might be interested in this summary of some of the best ever weekend trips to the countryside. We found this in The Times, but we’ve picked a selection we really liked the look of. The Romans were big fans of taking mini holidays. At one point, 50 per cent of their annual calendar was dedicated to festivities, religious celebrations and work-free days — yet, somehow, they managed to build an empire. Perhaps they had the balance right.
Centuries later, a culture of carpe diem is as strong as it ever was, making Italy the ideal country to enjoy a spontaneous or planned short break.
Rich with historic buildings, fabulous hotels and unbelievable restaurants, the country’s easily accessible cities are a good place to start. Ambling through the streets of these open-air museums is one of the best holiday activities on earth; you’ll be ticking off some of the world’s key sights and stumbling into new finds. Gaze starry-eyed at Roman landmarks glamourised in classic Hollywood movies, marvel at Milan’s well-dressed denizens forever in a fashion parade, or escape Venetian crowds by hopping across the Lagoon to Lido island.
Alongside the obvious urban choices, there are also up-and-coming destinations to discover. A glittering display of mosaics and modern galleries makes Ravenna a magnet for art fans, while energetic Naples sizzles like one of its famous margherita pizzas.
Beyond busy centres, easy-to-reach rural areas, mountain slopes and sandy coastlines are options for a more relaxing getaway. Trains, planes, bike-friendly country roads and hiking paths connect the country, making it possible to pack a lot into a short period of time.
Whether rejuvenating at world-class spas or wild swimming in glassy waters, the north’s sub-Alpine lakes are an excellent choice for relaxation. Or for better beach weather, delve into Sardinia’s jewellery box of sapphire waters and amber sands.
Although it’s impossible to do everything in one go, treat these taster trips as antipasti for bigger adventures to come.
Explore, enjoy, and seize the moment — Do as the Romans did and make the most of a long weekend hiking the Prosecco hills or art-hopping in Ravenna or simply ‘Rome’ around! And if you are planning a trip later in ’23 or perhaps ’24 make contact with our very own travel guides at Fine Travel.
Florence: Velona’s Jungle
Florence is ever more crowded in summer so you need a really local experience to scrape the surface. Enter Veronica Grechi, owner of Velona’s Jungle, a luxury B&B with the kind of decor you’d find in a posh hotel (Christian Lacroix textiles on the walls, for starters), paired with next level personal service. A born-and-bred Florentine, she’s obsessed with her city. You’ll find carefully curated artisan jewellery in the lobby, 18th-century furniture from her antique dealer grandfather’s collection in the rooms, and bathroom tiles that recreate Palazzo Pitti’s famous façade. Veronica can organise cooking classes in the Fiesole hills, or point you in the direction of her favourite no-nonsense trattorias. She’s just a five-minute tram ride from the airport — and a romantic 20-minute walk along the Arno to the Ponte Vecchio.
Tuscany: La Bandita Townhouse
In May, Tuscany’s rolling hills are fuzzed in acid green, wild poppies and broom bushes flower by the roadside, and the tiny towns aren’t yet crammed with the summer crowds. Pienza is the place to stay — it was dubbed the “Ideal City” by Pope Pius II, who rebuilt his home town in the 15th century in classic Renaissance style, and its perfectly proportioned palazzos balance on a hill overlooking one of Italy’s greatest landscapes. Rent a car or an e-bike to dive into it, wiggling along cypress-studded avenues, cutting across hills on strade bianche — dirt roads, coloured off-white by the clay soil, and rolling up and down past thermal springs and more Renaissance hill towns towards Monte Amiata, the dormant volcano embracing the valley. June, when the wheatfields blaze yellow, is another lovely time to visit, as is October, the month for spicy new olive oil, fresh chestnuts and spectacular sunsets. Stay at La Bandita Townhouse, a former convent turned into a hotel.
Cinque Terre: Camogli
Today, tourism is focused on Cinque Terre — five tiny fishing villages etched into the cliffs near La Spezia — but you can’t go wrong anywhere in the region, since it’s one long curved slice of coastline. To keep things simple, base yourself in Genoa — it’s an underrated city of medieval alleyways, swaggering Renaissance palazzos and relatively few tourists. You already have coastline here. An easy 40-minute walk from the centre along Corso Italia, with belle epoque villas one side, the sea the other, gets you to the fishing village Boccadasse, where at GE8317 you can feast on fresh seafood netted that morning by the owners, the local fishing cooperative. In the suburb of Nervi, 15 minutes by train, the grounds of fancy villas have been turned into a beautiful seafront park, with restaurants and bars cantilevered above the water. Trains continue south along the Riviera di Levante — you can get to Cinque Terre and that other tourist hotspot Portofino for the day, but if you’re after something calmer, try Camogli, a peaceful fishing village tucked into the coastline on the other side of the Portofino promontory. Straddling the line between sleepy and chic, it’s a haven for Milanese weekenders.