Noto
Freshly minted Netum lies 1km southeast of Noto's historic core, and while the suburban location isn't prime real estate, the property offers ample on…
Must-see hotels in Italy
Positano
With hand-painted Vietri tiles, high ceilings and the odd piece of antique furniture, the rooms at this friendly family-run place are simple but smart;…
Tyrrhenian Coast
Founded by Antonio Presti, the entrepreneur and art collector behind the town's Fiumara d'Arte project, this quirky hotel at the water's edge has 23 'art…
Modica
Modica's chocolatey heritage is celebrated at Oro, where each room is not only named after a spice used in local chocolate but also comes with a block of…
Bologna
Affiliated with the upmarket Bologna Art Hotels mini-chain, this refined pile with a prime location just off Piazza Maggiore seduces guests with its slick…
Florence
Five elegant and refreshingly spacious rooms are named after Tuscan wines at this gourmet-themed B&B, a short walk away from Santa Croce. The best in the…
Bologna
It's overpriced at the high end, but other times of year this family-run, three-star superior hotel is a real gem, mainly for its panoramic terrace, which…
Palermo
Furnished with fine design and antiques, this sophisticated slumber pad is just west of Via della Libertà in one of Palermo's most peaceful, exclusive…
Naples
Clean, simple, pastel-hued CasAlice B&B offers four comfortable rooms, each with modern en-suite bathrooms, cushy beds and artworks ranging from historic…
Taormina
Each room at this welcoming, LGBT-friendly guesthouse is dedicated to an artist, from Botticelli to Keith Haring. While the older rooms are highly…
Siena
Siena's historic centre sorely lacks backpacker accommodation, so we were thrilled when this hostel just off Piazza Duomo opened in 2017. Though primarily…
Foresteria del Monastero di San Girolamo
San Gimignano
This is a first-rate backpacker choice. Run by friendly Benedictine Vallumbrosan nuns, it has basic but comfortable and impeccably clean rooms sleeping…
Chianti
Like the idea of staying in a luxury hotel in an elegant 15th-century building but fear your budget won't stretch that far? This meticulously presented…
The Dolomites
A stylish residence-hotel with young, happy staff and a casual vibe. Suites are decorated with wood, wool and leather; all have heated floors, big baths…
Umbria
A block down from Narni's main drag (Via Garibaldi), this sweet three-room B&B juxtaposes original medieval walls with modern design. Contemporary rooms…
Bologna
Probably the city's most romantic choice, Porta San Mamolo's 48 rooms are spread about five adjoining buildings centred on an ivy-draped courtyard and…
Syracuse
Immersed in an Eden of orange groves and papyrus reeds 7km southwest of Syracuse, this lovely agriturismo sits next to the Fonte Ciana spring immortalised…
Umbria
At the top of the village, this gem of an affittacamere (room rental) plays up the historic charm with its stepped entrance of exposed stone and beams…
Ravenna
It's not necessarily about the rooms (simple but spacious) at this family-run, six-room B&B, but rather the jungly back gardens, which sit right next door…
Naples
Darling of the Grand Tour set, this stately pile once hosted the likes of Virginia Woolf and Robert Louis Stevenson. Today Prada-clad guests lounge on…
Salerno & the Cilento
At this exquisite B&B, boasting panoramic views of Agropoli and the coast to the west, and rolling countryside to the east, you can sleep under wood beams…
Ostello Contessa Ava dei Lambardi
Central Tuscany
Named after the noblewoman who founded Abbadia a Isola in 1001, this hostel welcomes pilgrims walking the Via Francigena and other travellers, too. In the…
Modena
Though not as elegant as its former life as a palace and monastery dating to 1530 suggest, there is a pleasant air of aged European elegance at…
Eastern Sardinia
About 20km from Nuoro, deep in a cork-oak forest, is this fabulously rustic farmstay, with exposed walls, heavy wooden furniture, hanging pots and pans,…
Palermo
What can you say about an art nouveau villa that was designed by Ernesto Basile for the Florio family (of tuna and Marsala-wine fame)? This is Palermo's…
Parma
Opera-loving, English-speaking Giovanni is a consummate host at this sensible Oltretorrente choice, which offers well-equipped rooms, studios and one-,…
Perugia
Behind a weathered stone facade draped in ivy, this historic three-star hotel hides 14th-century walls and secrets like its former past as a love motel…
Naples
Set in a monastery beside the Basilica Santa Maria della Sanità, this artful B&B is run by 'La Paranza', the inspiring young co-op behind the restoration…
Spoleto
Owner Anna Maria is the star at this lovely family-run hotel. She cheerfully welcomes you to her lovingly restored 18th-century home set in tranquil…
Palermo
Delightful multilingual owner Nicoletta rents 12 apartments in the 18th-century Palazzo Lanzi Tomasi, the last home of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa,…
Paestum
This is a top choice for artists, bohos, free spirits and lovers of low-key beach life. The large, slightly dated rooms have private balconies and…
Lucca
Those on a Tuscan road trip or who love easy parking will be smitten with this stone house in a wealthy surburb, 4km north of Lucca's walled city in St…
Florence
In a golden 15th-century villa framed by extensive grounds, not far from hilltop Fiesole, HI-affiliated Villa Camerata is among Italy's most beautiful…
Taormina
Surrounded by tranquil terraced gardens, the homey 32-room Villa Schuler has been run by the same family for over a century. The retro rooms are…
Lake Como
It would be difficult to feel more deeply ensconced in the rural world. Off the Pian del Tivano, a high country plain some 7km from lakeside Nesso, this…
Elba
Billing itself as a family hotel, this huge four-star place right on the beach has a seawater swimming pool, two hydromassage pools, a kid's club, tennis…
Western Sicily
Polished cherrywood furniture, vintage B&W snapshots of yesteryear salt workers and pretty wallpapers inspired by Sicilian pottery welcome guests at this…
Friuli Venezia Giulia
In a secluded location, up a steep winding road, Borgo Eibn has created a folk-luxe playground. Three large chalets of reclaimed timber and local stone…
The Dolomites
Just outside the pretty village of Fié allo Sciliar, this pair of well-equipped apartments on a working farm enjoys gorgeous views down into the Isarco…
Lago Trasimeno
Romance abounds at this artistically minded retreat in Castiglione del Lago's historic centre. Housed in a 16th-century tower, its six rooms and two mini…
