For a millennium, the ‘Eternal City’ was the centre of one of the greatest civilizations ever and, amazingly, so much still remains intact in Rome. On your Rome luxury holiday, we recommend exploring the incredible Colosseum and climbing up St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City for spectacular views of the historic centre, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where palaces, ruins and monuments stand as testament to Rome’s rich heritage. To experience the beating heart of Rome, we recommend a few nights at Hotel de Russie. Located between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, guests can enjoy the height of luxury at the very heart of Rome’s centre.
Beautiful Umbria is known as the ‘green heart of Italy’, and is about as traditional as the country gets. Mountains descend into picturesque rolling hills, brightly painted with wild flowers and dotted with traditional medieval villages, and lush valleys peer down upon the River Tiber. With superb food and wine, Umbria is great destination for foodies: try the tartufo (truffle) and the local strangozzi and umbricelli pastas.
Assisi, best known for its famous saint, is one of Umbria’s prettiest hill towns, with a basilica showcasing a fantastic collection of medieval art on the walls. Those after a taste of city life should pay a visit to the charming cities of Perugia, Umbria's regional capital, and bursting with historic treasures, or Trevi, which counts Byron among its many admirers. Spend a few nights at Palazzo Terranova, a beautiful 18th-century Italian villa nestled in the gorgeous green hills of rural Umbria, which is easily accessible from Perugia.
To the east of Umbria lies the region of Marche, a less-visited gem with quaint hill towns and beautiful natural scenery in the Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini. Urbino was the birthplace of Raphael and became a prominent centre of the Renaissance, with the UNESCO-listed Palazzo Ducale one of the most culturally significant buildings in all of Italy. To the south, beautiful Abruzzo runs the gamut of picture-postcard landscapes, from coastal beaches to soaring mountains via the ancient forests of the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise.
