Oh, the places you’ll go!

For fifteen years I have been exploring this boot shaped country in southern Europe. It is a country of iconic, must-see attractions, but also full of hidden gems and lesser known spots just waiting to be explored. Italy is impossibly picturesque and incredibly diverse with a rich history and traditions that remain strong. Italy had me at day one and continues to tug at my heartstrings every single time. There is a deep connection now that continues to have a profound impact on my life. This is a journey that I will stay on for many years yet because there is still SO much more to discover!!

I want to share with you an email that I received this week. Leanne has summarised beautifully what I have strived to achieve since starting Ciao Italy.

Almost ten years now since the website was designed means it’s a little overdue for an update. New content has been written that includes all of the tours for 2026, but there are a couple of technical challenges concerning change of hosting and issues that I don’t begin to understand which Sam is in the process of finding solutions for. Where would I be without my very capable, highly skilled son?

Therefore, until the new website is online and just in case you missed the newsletter a month ago outlining all that is planned for 2026 (because the tours are filling quickly), here is a brief overview of exciting Italian adventures next year.

Here are all the places you dream about. Italy is a feast for the eyes and a seduction of the soul from charming hilltop medieval villages to the crystal blue seas of the Cinque Terre and the surreal beauty of Lake Como.

Adored for its perfect countryside and beautiful villages and cities, Tuscany conjures up the image of fertile rolling hills, winding white roads bordered by cypress trees and honey coloured stone farmhouses with terracotta roofs. Everything you imagine . . . it’s true.

There are now many places in Italy that have fallen victim to overtourism, including the Cinque Terre. However, by staying three nights in Monterosso al mare and knowing how to best avoid the crowds, it is possible to enjoy full immersion in all of the villages. The same can be said for gorgeous Bellagio and other lakeside villages on Lake Como.

I love spring in Italy because it smells amazing. One month into spring in mid April is the start of the first tour with sunny, crisp days in the low twenties. Once is not enough, so the second tour begins in the first days of autumn when the days are a little warmer in the mid to high twenties with balmy nights.

Rome to Matera to the Amalfi Coast is an exquisite contrast of regions and places. For over ten years I have been in awe of Matera and yearn to return year after year. This is one of the oldest cities on the planet with a story that I love to share as we walk the labyrinth of streets stacked nine levels high. The region of Basilicata is the least understood, the least visited and the least populated, but what a treat it is to spend three days in Matera.

How strikingly different to then arrive on the Amalfi Coast, only three hours drive away. I’ve always thought it’s a shame to miss places because they are too touristy. Clever planning, timing, experience and knowledge ensure you can see these heavenly places nestled between the Lattari Mountains and the sea; eat glorious food; go boating in the Tyrrhennian sea; walk the most stunning paths in the world and learn that the Amalfi Coast has a rich history.

Sicily is a sensory overload - a melting pot of different cultures and food over the centuries that leaves you gasping for more. Stunning mountain top towns, the opportunity to walk the craters on Mount Etna whilst she’s quietly letting off steam, three glorious days on the tiny island of Ortigia, time spent in the most beautiful Baroque towns of Sicily. It’s all amazing. To then ferry to an archipelago of seven islands off the north coast of Sicily and spend three days on Lipari is an unforgettable experience. Italy’s biggest region offers so many unique adventures.

There are days in Riva del Garda and the Dolomites when I am lost for words. All the adjectives I think of seem inadequate. It is dramatic, breathtaking, rugged and in the last days of spring when we arrive, the days are warm and the fields are filled with flowers, even though the mountains are snowcapped. Contrary to belief, you don’t need to be an experienced hiker or extremely fit, as a network of cablecars and gondolas ascend 2,000+ metres to beautiful valleys and easy walking trails.

From Rome to the romantic city of Verona to the adventure playground of Riva del Garda, it is pure bliss to have five days in our picturesque village nestled in a valley in the heart of the Dolomites at the start of the season when everything has opened, but the tourists haven’t quite arrived.

Imagine one country offering twenty vastly different holidays. This is the beauty of Italy. Every one of the twenty regions has a different landscape, different food and traditions, different festivals. The land of fifty million olive trees is a joy to discover with its whitewashed towns on the Adriatic coast and picture perfect villages like Locorotondo and Alberobello. Just the names make you want to go there.

Italy’s southernmost region has an 800 kilometre coastline where the blue Ionian sea dazzles spectacularly. No surprise then that Puglia is the winner of 13 coveted Blue Flag beach awards.

Every tour includes my favourite city in the world that I can never quite get enough of… ROME! How I love to wander this city, showing you all of my favourite cobblestoned streets, hidden corners, quiet neighbourhoods, special places to eat, shop and meet beautiful locals.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb