“You may have the universe if I may have Italy,” said Temistocle Solera, Verdi’s librettist for his opera Attila in 1846. And that, in essence, is why it’s so very hard to choose a destination in this country. There’s a whole universe of delights: 5,000 miles of coastline, four seas, 74 mountain ranges, 1,500 lakes, 20 regions and some of the greatest art, architecture and design in the western hemisphere.
1. Procida
Best for festival fun
This tiny volcanic island, just 40 minutes by sea from the port of Naples, has long been overshadowed by the glamour of neighbouring Ischia — but for those in the know it has far more. Its coronation as Italian Capital of Culture for 2022 finally puts it on the global map, offering visitors a fabulous festival — 44 cultural projects and 150 events featuring 350 artists from 45 countries. You can also expect pretty pastel fishing villages (remember those scenes from The Talented Mr Ripley?), Renaissance palaces, baroque churches, near-deserted wild beaches and a generous welcome from its unshowy islanders. The seafood is excellent, too.
2. Chianti
Best for sublime scenery — and exceptional wines
It’s 300 years since we fell in love with Tuscany and the British are still going weak at the knees for Chianti’s glorious landscapes. Head for the heart of the wine-producing region, with its pretty hilltop villages and endless sprawl of vines, beginning in Greve, home to a mouthwatering weekend market. Drop in at butcher Dario Cecchini in Panzano to indulge in his Officina della Bistecca, a riotous meat feast at a communal table. Move on to Radda for chic boutiques, admire the street art in Gaiole and explore the hillside tunnels of Castellina. For exceptional Chianti Classico and world-class art, book a suite at Castello di Ama.
3. Matera
Best for otherworldly architecture
Bond fans will have seen this extraordinary southern hill town, carved in the rock, in the opening scenes of No Time to Die. And Matera, occupied for almost 10,000 years, is as otherworldly as any film set: a cave community of “sassi” hollowed out of soft stone, creating a maze of underground houses, frescoed churches, tiny shops, water cisterns — and even a communal bread oven. In the 1950s, it was declared the “shame of Italy” and its inhabitants rehoused. Now, though, a vibrant creative force is breathing new life into the caves, creating cool hotels (Sextantio is its best), a wealth of artists’ workshops and some truly great restaurants (Vitantonio Lombardo, we’re looking at you).
4. Tropea
Best for timeless travel
No one is quite sure what time it is in Tropea. At the blue-and-white-striped beach shacks on this bit of Calabrian coast, there’s a lazy, late-afternoon air of 1956. Renato Carosone’s Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano crackles through tinny speakers; a gang of grandmas, waist deep in the waters of the Tyrrhenian, lament the price of onions; and a fisherman mends his nets in the shallows. It’s the resort that time forgot. Calabria has had some bad press — but it’s bouncing back, with its 485 miles of often gorgeous coastline, two seas (the Tyrrhenian and Ionian), deserted beaches, three mountain ranges and a string of national parks. Stay at the Villa Paola — it’s a tranquil delight.
5. Abruzzo
Best for a walk on the wild side
Natives call it “Tuscany without the English”, but the central region of Abruzzo is a wild world away from the hills of Chianti. If you’re looking for a well-kept secret, this really is it: 4,000 square miles of high mountains and Adriatic beach that even Italians struggle to find on the map. Here are the most beautiful hill towns, three national parks — home to wolves, ibex and Marsican brown bears — great vineyards and sensational cooking, all powered by people Primo Levi described as “forte e gentile” — strong and gentle. It’s also where you’ll find one of the nation’s most exciting chefs, Niko Romito, at his three-Michelin-starred Reale.
