Archive for 'Beaches'

Sicily is an exceptionally beautiful place, this is a well-known fact. The pace of life, blue skies, charming villages, rich historical sites, rugged coast and crystal clear seas are all celebrated features of the island and its natural beauty is well-regarded. However, the most stunning scenery on the island is found in the Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve. Created in 1981 as the first nature reserve on the island, it is located West of Palermo, just after Castellammare del Golfo.

Here the rugged coastline is at its most spectacular and has been shaped by the sea, creating coves, grottos and sculptures in the hard limestone cliffs. Stretching 7km along the coast between the lovely little village of Scopello in the east to near San Vito Lo Capo in the west, it covers more than 1600 hectares and is an unspoiled, natural stunner with plenty to see and do and beaches plucked right from your dreams.

The Church of San Pietro is a stunning little church, exceptionally popular for weddings, that is perched picturesquely on the tip of the promontory of Portovenere, surrounded by craggy rocks and cliffs and blue seas.

Once the site of a Temple to Venus (Venere in Italian), after whom the town of Portovenere was named, an early Christian building made of black marble was then built there in the 6th century.

In the 13th century a campanile and Gothic extension clad in bands of black and white stone were added to the earlier structure.

Small and a little rugged but very striking and framed by perfect scenery, it is a building that has captured imaginations for centuries and which continues to do so.

Vieste is a small but perfectly formed town that is located right on the very tip of the spur of Italy's boot. Positioned on the most eastern part on the Gargano peninsula of Italy, in the Puglia region, it is a charming little fishing village that offers stunning views and where you will find a surprisingly long list of things to see and do. Whitewashed buildings crowd up from the soft sand and blue seas of two beaches and the town is strategically placed atop the steep Pizzomunno cliffs.

The result resembles a cross between Naples and Dubrovnik and is at once Italian and a little more exotic. Outdoor pursuits and water sports, in particular, are on offer here for those who seek adventure but there are plenty of quieter and calmer activities as well. As such, it is a location that can cater for families, groups of friends and couples alike. For a dreamy seaside holiday in Italy, all you need to do is browse our vacation rentals in Vieste.

Panarea is an island off the coast of Sicily that is both the smallest and most fashionable of the Aeolian islands. It is a place that attracts celebrities and jet-setters and offers a slice of paradise and a real taste of luxury.

With no cars on the island, crystal blue seas, white villages, soft sandy beaches and bright blooming bougainvillea, iconic hotels and bars, yachts filling the tiny harbour and chic visitors and inhabitants abounding, it is an incredibly picturesque island that paints an image of a very different lifestyle to the one that most of us are familiar with.

To become a fellow resident of the princess that lives on the island or have a holiday home there, is a long and laborious process that requires being rich, famous, powerful and, most importantly, charming. However, it is possible to visit on day trips as a guest once you have found a vacation rental in Sicily.

Trani is a town in the south of Italy that is often known as the “Pearl of Puglia” and it is easy to see why it draws comparisons to precious materials.

The beautiful town is made up of whitewashed buildings against impossibly blue waters and skies that turn vibrant pinks and oranges as the sun sets.

It is a sophisticated and elegant place that attracts tourists used to the good life who sit in the marina-side bars and gaze across the yachts and fishing boats after spending days wandering the historic centre, past the palazzi, stone streets and mediaeval churches.

If you want to get a taste of it for yourself, just choose one of our vacation rentals in Puglia and spend lazy days in this stunning seaport town.