Good wine and food, beautiful views and wonderful people Where else but Italy can you find everything you desire for your honeymoon from fantastic weather, good wine and food, beautiful views and wonderful people
IN ITALY, unarguably the most romantic country in the world, you'll find locations that offer an unforgettable holiday whether you're on your first or second honeymoon, celebrating your engagement or just feel like having some time together. If you want to let someone else do the organising, then try Italian Journeys (www.Italian journeys.com) for a week or two of organised bliss. They offer wonderful holidays including Serenissima e Eternal which is three nights in Venice (bottom, left) and four nights in Rome (bottom, right) or visit the Italian capitals with Due Capitali which is three nights in the exciting city of Naples (once the capital of Sicily and southern Italy) and four nights in Rome. You'll be met by a chauffeur, taken on first class train journeys and stay in beautiful hotels with private terraces and Jacuzzis. For spectacular sunsets and romantic walks, hidden coves and little cobbled streets then try the Positano (left) and Capri package. Alternatively if you feel like escaping to a luxury hideaway, then take a look at the special honeymoon packages from Great Hotels of the World (www.ghotw.com) that choose accommodation based on special features and include many such as the Hotel Monna Lisa in Florence or the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello. How about staying at the exclusive Capri Palace in Anacapri for the ultimate romantic break? Take a five-night honeymoon package between April and October. You'll be offered one night on the hotel's privately owned yacht and given an island tour, and then there are four nights in the classic room with a stunning garden view to be enjoyed whilst sipping the complimentary champagne and fresh fruit you're given on arrival. The Meragon Suite is a stunning apartment that's captured many a hearts including that of Harrison Ford. Another superb place to find the ultimate in romantic hotels is www.room4romance.com Take a peek at the latest additions including Caol Ishka, described as a "contemporary cool meets old time Sicilian Masseria" or the stunning Albergo Villa Marta at the foot of Monti Pisani a few kilometres outside ancient walled city of Lucca. Alternatively for something contemporary and a little bit more manly, try Hotel Straf in Milan, which will appeal to those who like comforts in an "extensively stripped-down sort of way. Not a frill or frou-frou in sight".
SUN, SEA AND SAND
If you feel like escaping to an island then contact Just Sardinia (www.justsardinia.co.uk) They will help you to relax with some of the most beautiful seascape views the Mediterranean has to offer. You'll discover some of the most inviting turquoise waters - perfect of course for snorkelling or sailing. Take a boat trip or a coastal drive along the Costa Smeralda. There's just about everything on offer including watersports, fishing, horse riding, cycling and walking and of course delicious food and drink to sample, including the sweet Muscatel wines. For more clear water trips opt for a stay in Calabria with MA & MA Travel (www.maema-travel.com). You'll find wonderful packages including hotels in the stunning region of Tropea or Capo Vaticano, known as the Coast of the gods (above). In this part of the world you'll find many beautiful sandy white beaches and crystal clear water. If you'd rather be in the sea than looking at it, you must try the Kuoni (www.kuoni.com) diving trip to Tank Village in South Cagliari. Located in the regional district of Villaminius, the position of the resort is ideal to explore some of the best sights of the island including the Roman ruins of Nora and the archaeological complex of Barrumiun. Alternatively, if you fancy snuggling up on a cruise together whilst discovering the beauty of Italy, then book the 11-night Royal Clipper Cruise that takes you on an unforgettable tour from Rome to Venice: see www.cruisingholidays.co.uk. If all you want to do on your special holiday is purely unwind, then how about a relaxing spa week, such as the spectacular Araba Fenice hotel on Lake Iseo (www.arabafenice.it). For those wanting to discover the beauty of the surrounding countryside on foot in the nature reserve of Torbiere del Sebino, which is criss-crossed with endless tracks and pathways. The hotel has an interesting past as it was formerly a 19th-century coaching house which has been carefully restored with ornate ceilings and elegant and spacious lounges. It is said that there were many patriotic meetings here at the time of the Italian unification (circa 1948) and a secret meeting held between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini during World War II. In the Maremma region you'll find more beautiful walks in the hidden resort of Cala del Porto in the stunning seaside town of Punta Ala. It's poised on a point that slopes down to the sea and enjoys wonderful views of the bay and the Island of Elba. There are many watersports available including windsurfing, sailing, rowing and water-skiing. If you like fishing there are opportunities and you can also discover the area by mountain biking or horse. Another tempting resort is Fattoria Caldese (www.fattoriacaldese.it), set in a beautiful and panoramic position in a 16th-century village near Perugia. It offers you just about everything whether you want some relaxing health treatments or an invigorating horse ride and of course lots of delicious local food. For a wine-lovers honeymoon, why not try the 11-day tour offered by Cellar Tours (www.cellar tours.com) - you'll have a chauffeur, a private boat tour in Capri, VIP wine visits in Tuscany, cooking classes in the Amalfi coast and stay in wonderful historic hotels. Alternatively take a break at the beautiful and exclusive Bisol estate and stay in the Relais Duca di Dolce (www.bisol.it), which is an exquisitelyrestored monastery and farmhouse in the Treviso region, where you'll be surrounded by stunning vines and wonderful landscapes as well as being able to eat local delicacies and sip the best prosecco in the world to your heart's content. For the ultimate romance and great food try Borgo dei Sogni where you'll find one of the prettiest villages situated in Montone, Umbria (www.umbriacharme.com). You'll find wonderfully decorated rooms, breathtaking views and lots to see and do. You may also get the chance to meet Giancarlo Polito, joint owner and Italian celebrity chef who, of course, will offer you some of the best Italian dishes around.
YOU'LL FIND WONDERFUL PACKAGES INCLUDING HOTELS IN THE STUNNING REGION OF TROPEA OR CAPO VATICANO KNOWN AS THE COAST OF THE GODS ...EAT LOCAL DELICACIES AND SIP THE BEST PROSECCO...
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT For those looking to get close and see Italy from a great height then why not try a romantic hot air balloon ride? With www.ballooningintuscany.com you can take in the beautiful landscapes from above, following a delicious champagne breakfast. Located in the Montisi valley, surrounded by woods and wild animals, you'll rise above Siena and venture towards Pienza and the stunning Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana areas. If it's your heart you'd like to see soaring then opt for a tailormade opera holiday from Arbaster & Clarke. You'll be given first-class tickets to the best opera houses including La Scala in Milan and La Fenice in Venice (both very hard to book!) and you'll stay in some wonderful four-star hotels. www.winetours.co.uk La Joie di Vivre (www.lajoiedivivre.co.uk) offers special tailormade honeymoon packages that combine different types of holiday depending on what the bride and groom prefer doing. There's also a brilliant "Honeymoon miles" service to enable the happy couple's family and friends to contribute to the holiday of a lifetime rather than just another toaster. Other experts in Italian honeymoon packages are Creativity Travel, who offers a range of romantic holidays as well as something truly cultural. There are romantic breaks in major Italian cities including Venice, Rome and Florence, as well as a holiday on the Lakes or by the sea. There are also specialist holidays available in many regions, including staying in a nobleman's beautiful palazzo in Venice, discovering mountains and mushrooms in the Trentino and Alto Adige, luxurious hotels to discover in Sicily or in Rome (brace yourselves people) there's a chance to have a tour of the city with your own personal shopper! There are a ton of creative itineraries (www.creativity travel.com) Finally, for keen golfers then how about getting close with some rounds up north in Stresa, Lago Maggiore at the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees (www.borromees.it). One of the most breathtaking views with a wonderful golf course on the hotel site with 18 holes. The course is situated 500 metres above sea level, with a southerly exposure and is perfect between June and September. There are also tennis courts, watersports and horseriding when you feel like trying something new but equally as sporty. So this is just a fraction of what glorious Italy offers for your time away together. Of course, the beauty is that once you are in the land of romance you will undoubtedly both discover something new and exciting about the country and each other.
