Classic Itinerary in Umbria, Italy

Umbria is a region of Central Italy, is a great place for a touring holiday, with picturesque hill towns, art of the highest quality, Roman and Etruscan history and some of Italy's most stunning scenery.

Here are LoveTravel's suggestions on how to get the most out of the region, whether you're attracted by the culture, the countryside or the cusine.

Perugia is the main city of Umbria: the lively evening passeggiata in the main piazza of Umbria's vibrant capital (a university city), is not to be missed. The key buildings are the pink-and-white cathedral, begun in 1345 but not finished until 1490, the 14th-century Palazzo dei Priori, which now houses the National Gallery of Umbria, and the extraordinary Fontana Maggiore, a marble fountain with carvings by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano.
Stay at: Le Silve, a retreat in the wooded valleys east of Assisi, with high-quality apartments from 100 EUR a night.

Assisi, the huge buttresses of the hilltop Basilica di San Francesco look forbidding as you approach, but they belie the extraordinary aubtlety of Giotto's frescos of the life of St Francis on the walls inside. Arrive early to miss the coach tours, and allow a full day here: the rest of the medieval town is less crowded than the basilica and well worth exploring.

Orvieto is likely to be the high point of your trip. Its 14th-century cathedral has a gilded-mosaic facade that glows spectacularly in the sunset. Look out for the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, the bell tower in piazza della Repubblica and the Pozzo di San Patrizio, a 16th-century well with a double-spiral staircase. The local wine is excellent too.
Stay at: Hotel Duomo, 15 stone-steps away from the majestic Gothic cathedral of the city.

In Spello the original Roman gates survive, but it is the steep, winding streets of this medieval town that give it so much character. Don't miss the Pintoricchio frescos in Santa Maria Maggiore.

Spoleto, has an extraordinary mix of Roman remains incorporated into much later buildings; the little church of Sant'Eufemia is one of the best examples of this. Make sure to see Lippi's frescos in the cathedral, and the vertiginous Ponte delle Torri, a bridge that spans a steep gorge on the edge of the town.
Stay at: Cavaliere Palace Hotel, in the 17th century Accoramboni della Valnerina Palace, adorned with splendid frescoes.

Todi's main square, Piazza del Popolo, is perhaps the prettiest in Umbria. Lined with medieval and Renaissance palazzi, it slopes gently upwards to the facade of the 12th-century cathedral. But you get the greatest sense of the town's long history from its three sets of tconcentric walls: they were built by Etruscan, Roman and finally medieval engineers.

Planning your trip
The most convenient way of getting to Umbria is to fly from Stansted to Perugia. Alternatively, fly to Rome from Heathrow or Gatwick and drive up the A1. There are also some good-value local car hire.

Click here for hotel booking in Umbria.

Holiday to Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh has become one of Egypt's most popular resorts on the Red Sea. The offshore waters are home to some of the world's most exquisite coral reefs and considered one of the prime water sports and diving locations throughout the world.

Diving In Sharm El Sheikh
Lying on the very southern tip of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Sharm El Sheikh holidays are located in an impressive Red Sea holiday region that is an acclaimed area for divers. A diving holiday in Sharm El Sheikh gives visitors the opportunity to see the amazing exotic marine life of the Red Sea along with a variety of wrecked ships that lie at the bottom. Every level of ability is catered for and many people have had their first taste of diving on holidays to Sharm El Sheikh.

A Stunning Red Sea Sunrise
For a taste of Egyptian culture there are camel treks out to Bedouin villages, although the area is not renowned for having great links to historical Egypt, so there are not a great many historical sights in the Sharm El sheikh area.
A visit to Mount Sinai, where Moses reputedly received the Ten Commandments is a popular attraction of many Sharm El Sheikh holidays, especially an early trek up the mountainside to watch the stunning sunrise.

Book a hotel in Sharm El Sheikh for holiday
The Baron Palms Hotel, sister hotel to the Baron Resort, is a stunning Andalusian style oasis, located close to Naama Bay, the resort's lively centre. This stunning boutique property, with a backdrop of crimson mountains and desert landscape, is set just 80 metres through the lively Baron shopping Boulevards, from the resort's extensive private beach where crystal waters gently lap the shores. Lush tropical gardens incorporate two swimming pools with action packed entertainment such as water cascades, several Jacuzzis, horizon effects and waterfalls for a total swimming experience. Gourmet cuisine is served, buffet style in the Tiran Restaurant, whilst delicious Oriental specialities are served in the Egyptian Restaurant and an endless variety of mouth-watering snacks and exotic drinks in the pool restaurant/bar. the Baron Palms offers guests spacious and luxuriously furnished rooms, overlooking the tropical pools or the surrounding beautiful, landscape. All are equipped with first-class amenities.

Hotel Sharm El Sheikh - Seven nights five-star all inclusive from £649pp

August in Capri, Italy

Isle of Capri is most attractive and fantastic Summer Resort in Italy, It has been one of the most famous tourist place in the world, a luxurious and excellent Island.

What to See
1) Arco Naturale and Pizzolungo, this bold Arch is what remains of a large grotto that penetraded the mountain. The waves of the sea extended its aperture and wasched away its debris.

2) Villa Jovis - Mount Tiberio, the most important of the island's twelve imperial villas, Villa Jovis was built in the First Century AD and discovered in the 18th Century under the rule of Charles of Bourbon.

3) Augustus Gardens - Via Krupp, the Gardens of Augustus are only few minutes walk from the Piazzetta, near the Via Krupp, the road which was the idear of A.F. Krupp, the German steel Industrialist, who - for this ene - purchased the "Fondo Certosa" (Certosa Estate), on the part of which rise the Gardens.

4) The Charterhouse of St. Giacomo. Count Giacomo Arcucci of Capri, Secretary to Jeanne I of Anjou, found just such a spot enclosed by walls in a small south-facing coastal valley called SAMA or LAMA, located some distance from the town. The Charterhouse's foundations date back to 1371 and it is believed that it was built on the remains of previous Roman buildings and the sixth villa of Tiberius.

5) Tour of the Island. Whether you choose to join an organised tour, or rent a private boat with captain, taking to turquoise waters is the only way to explore some of the most beautiful parts of the island. In fact, many of the most enchanting stretches of the Capri coastline are completely inaccessible by land. By boat visitors are able to reach those secluded bays which are just perfect for swimming or sun bathing - far from the crowds crammed onto the tiny pebble beaches.

6) La Grotta Azzurra, a magic no word or image could ever describe. It is a 60-metre-long, 25-metre-wide cavity; to get into it, yu need to take one of the small rowing boats moored outside the cave; since the opening is very narrow, you will have to lie on the bottom of the boat to get into the grotto (in case the sea gros rough, boat service is suspended). There is acturally a bigger but completely submerged opening; this very underwater entrance allows the blue coloration of the water inside the grotto, due to a phenomenon of sunlight reflection. There is an almost surreal view in the inside, the transparency and the blue colour of the water give us the impression of navigating through a clear sky, and the boats seem to float on a fantastic universe.

The blue Grotto has been known since the Roman times, and Emperor Tiberius chose it as his own personal nymphaeum (Roman monumental fountain, translator's note), later on almost nothing was known of the grotto, also because the fishermen of the island believed it to be haunted by evil spirits. It was rediscovered and made popular as late as April 18th 1826 by the German painter August Kopisch and his friend Ernst Fries with the help of Angelo Ferraro, a fisherman; since then, the grotto has been visited by millions of tourists from anywhere in the world.

7) Mount Solaro - Cetrella - Chairlife, it is the highest place on the island (589 metres above sea level). You can eigher walk there (by taking the narrow street at the beginning of Viale Axel Munthe) or take the chairlife.

- 12 minutes by chairlife from Piazza Vittoria: about 1 hr on foot.

8) Villa San Michele - Axel Munthe, is located on the north-eastern side of Anacapri, 327 metres above sea level, Here was an ancient Roman imperial villa, whose ruins were preserved by Axel Munthe and are now to be found in the garden. In the area there were the remains of a medieval chapel later moved to its present position by Munthe himself.

9) La Migliera. You will certainly not miss one of the most beautiful walks in Capri. The route dateds back to the Roman times and was built to link Capodimonte (the only access to Anacapri until the last century) to the Migliera belvedere where the remains of Imperial-age buildings were found.

10) Towers and Forts. It is a long itinerary with some inaccessible stretches but its extraordinary beauty is worth the effort. The blockhouses and the set of paths and streets are located along the western coast of the island, between the Blue Grotto and the Punta Carena Lighthouse.

11) Punta Carena and Faro (Lighthouse). It is named after the westernmost point of the Island, is the second most important and powerful lighthouse in Italy, standing on the rocky promontory named Punta Carena (Carena = keel) because it looks like the keel of a ship.

12) Villa Damecuta. Excavations at Villa Damecuta began in 1937 under the direction of Amedeo Maiuri. Amongst the findings salvaged from recent excavations, are fragments of columns made from pure Greek marble. These point to the villa's rich decor of marble floors, stucco work, decorations and works of art. The panoramic loggia of the villa si still preserved and reflects a structure similar to that of the imperial loggia at Villa Jovis.

Getting here
You can reach Capri by ferry or hydrofoil from either Naples or Sorrent. Trasportation from Naples is available either at the port of Calata Porta di Massa (only ferries) Molo Beverello and Mergellina (both only hydrofoils); however, it is much more convenient to depart from Molo Beverello because of the greater frequency of departures and larger selection of hydrofoils. The port of Calata Porta di Massa is connected with the nearby Molo Beverello with a shuttle service.

From Naples, the ferry takes about 80 minutes and costs about 9,00 EUR, while the hydrofoil takes about 20 minutes and costs about 12,00 EUR.

Where to stay
Hotel La Floridiana, 4-star hotel, ideal ofr those who want to relax in a central but quiet position (a mere 5 minutes form the piazzetta), this hotel is surrounded by greenery and faces south in a marvellous triangle of sky, sea and pine trees.and near a public swimming pool, tennis courts and disco. For other hotels information, please refer to Hotel Capri page in Booking.com.