Italien

The Penisola Salentina, better known simply as Salento, is hot, dry and remote, retaining a flavour of its Greek past. It stretches across Italy's heel from Brindisi to Taranto and down to Santa Maria di Leuca. Here the lush greenery of Valle d'Itria gives way to flat, ochre-coloured fields hazy with wildflowers in spring, and endless olive groves.

Införandet av den omdiskuterade turistskatten i Venedig planeras att införas sommaren 2020. Frågan som återstår är hur man ska betala.

Den vackra kanalstaden Venedig lockar många turister varje år. Nu blir staden den första i Italien att debitera sina besökare – en inträdesavgift pÙ� drygt 30 kronor har nämligen införts.

Ett italienskt nätverk välkomnar matälskare från hela världen till sina egna hem för genuina och lokala smaker, matupplevelser och marknader. Boka en pastakurs eller följ med till matmarknaden och ät middag lagad av hemmakockar från hela Italien.

With ancient treasures, medieval towns, remote hilltop monasteries and volcanic lakes, Lazio is one of Italy's great surprise packages.

Hub of the Renaissance and now the cosmopolitan heart of modern Florence, the enchanting maze of narrow streets between the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria packs one almighty historic and cultural punch. A neighbourhood harking back to Dante, the Romans and beyond, this is where the city’s blockbuster sights – and most tourists – can be found. Cafe life is naturally vibrant in this chic neck of the woods, as is shopping, which climaxes with the designer strip, uber-fashionist Via de' Tornabuoni.

De kommer med marmorstatyer, infinitypool och olivlundar. I Toscana kryllar det av riktiga drömvillor som går att hyra på Airbnb. Kanske är det i sommar du samlar ihop dina favoritpersoner och drar till Italien? Låt oss i alla fall leka med tanken...

Införandet av den föreslagna skatten för turister som besöker Venedig utan att övernatta har ännu en gång skjutits upp. Anledningen är att man inte kommit på hur avgiften ska krävas in. Men första januari nästa år hoppas kommunen att den nya lokala turistskatten ska vara verklighet.

Tossed like colourful dice into the beautiful blue Bay of Naples, the islands of the Amalfi Coast are justifiably famous and sought out. They are surprisingly diverse as well. Procida, Ischia and Capri vary not just in ambience and landscape but also in their sights, activities and size. Pretty Procida is the smallest of the trio; tiny, tranquil and unspoiled, and possible to explore in just a few hours. The fashionable flipside is Capri, with its celebrity circuit of experiences, sights and shops; plan your day (and your footwear) with care, especially if you’re hoping to hike. Ischia is the largest island, with natural spas, botanical gardens, hidden coves and exceptional dining. If that all sounds too challenging, make a beeline for the beaches – they are the Bay of Naples’ best.

Italy's second-largest lake, Maggiore is one of Europe's more graceful corners. Arrayed around the lakeshore are a series of pretty towns (Stresa, Verbania, Cannobio and, on the Swiss side of the border, Locarno) and these serve as gateways to gorgeous Maggiore islands. Behind the towns, wooded hillsides rise, strewn with decadent villas, lush botanical gardens and even the occasional castle. Further still from the lakeshore, but not as far as you might think, the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland provide the perfect backdrop and idyllic vantage points over the lake are many, from the breakfast terrace of your lakeside hotel to the eyries reached by cable car from Locarno, Laveno and Stresa. And fabulous detours await, whether into the high valleys from the northern end of the lake or to Orta San Giulio to the southwest, one of the region's most beguiling villages.