Travel and Leisure

Walking holidays abroad too often involve the safest, commercially established routes. In Italy, many people may not deviate from the popular tour destinations: a visit to greater Rome or Pisa's major architectural wonders. But there are so many endearing things in Italy that are often left out, and these destinations are definitely worth checking out.

The Italian Lakes
Living in a mansion overlooking an Italian lake is just one of James Bond's favourite things; while we cannot really aspire to live in style like the UK's most famous fictional spy, we can explore the very same breathtaking places, if only for a few days. Make your walking holidays abroad unforgettable by seeking out walks that include the areas around the lakes Como and Maggiore, with their stunning vistas and lush countryside feel. And while you're at it, perhaps you could venture forth for an exploration of the lesser-known (but still gorgeous) lakes of Lugano and Orta, which happen to be nearby.

The good news is that touring the Italian lakes is often included (or can be easily added to the itinerary) if you're visiting Venice. There are myriad dining and accommodation options on guided walking holidays here, with many well-appointed 17th- or 18th-century villas in the region that are now converted into hotels. You shouldn't miss the opportunity of spending a few days in such a villa, such as those located on the shore of Lake Como.

Enchanting Puglia
Puglia is so beautiful yet it receives a very small percentage of the millions of tourists that visit Italy each year. You can walk its centuries-old country roads and village streets and you can feel the thick, exhilarating air of history. And there lies the rub-with relatively few tourists visiting it, you're assured of visiting a place with its local color and culture largely intact. Indeed, planning your walking holidays abroad should include a few days or an entire week of guided walks throughout Puglia-explore its old castles, gorgeous country, amazing forests, spectacular coastlines and undulating plains in as leisurely a way as possible. After all, it's not like all Puglia has to offer is its stunning sights: its local cuisine, while essentially rustic, is cheerful and uplifting.

A Sicilian 'Offensive'
The large island of Sicily is both famous and notorious, depending on what piece of literature or movie you've been swayed by. It is complex and intricate and it is a great shame not many tourists include an exploration of Sicilian sights and flavors when they're planning their walking holidays abroad. But Sicily can definitely stand on its own as an important tourist destination. As the largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is not something you can finish off in a day, considering the richness and diversity of its culture and history. In fact, the best explorations here could last at least two full weeks - starting in Palermo, then Taormina, then outward in the Aeolian islands. And if you think that's all there is to it, there's actually more - yes, the food. Sicilians love eating, and because there are actually different distinct cultural regions throughout the island, you can enjoy a diversity of flavors: from Palermo's culinary delights, to the unforgettable ways those who live in the Aeolian and Toarmina cook and prepare their seafood. It's truly a feast for the senses.