Archive for 'Pretty Views'

The evocative Amalfi Coast presents one of the most iconic and enduringly beloved images of Italy. Of course, it presents many different images, not just one singular image, but one can easily conjure up a standardised prototype that could stand in as shorthand for the Amalfi Coast at large; romantically craggy cliffs, perfectly blue waters just waiting for you to dive in, and seaside towns perched along the edge of the world with colourful buildings stacked upwards from busy and bustling bays. This beautiful part of the world is an idyllic holiday destination and a perfect place to lazily explore stunning settings. There are various lovely trails to hike and lots of incredible different towns, all connected along the coast, to visit and explore. However, one of the best places that combines both of these things – trails and traditional towns – that you should definitely make time for is the Sentiero dei Limoni. This trail connects the towns of Maiori and Minori, is lined with lemon groves, and is the most idyllic of paths to follow if you have found a vacation rental on the Amalfi Coast and are exploring the area.

Sentiero dei Limoni is 3.9km long and a moderately trafficked trail that offers scenic views over the Amalfi Coast. Passing through terraced lemon groves, the route follows the coast and connects the towns of Maiori and Minori in Campania. Going up and down staircases, through alleys, along terraces, through lemon groves, and more, it is a varied and interesting walk that is not incredibly difficult or challenging and, therefore, should be fine for most people in any party. However, it is, in no way, readily accessible for those in a wheelchair, would be challenging for anyone relying on crutches or a walking stick, and does require that those who undertake it be relatively able-bodied and relatively fit. In saying that, it really is not a particularly difficult walk and is a great way to explore the area, admire the incredible views and surroundings, get some fresh air, and stretch your legs, all at the same time.

Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian Islands and is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, just off the northern coast of Sicily. It is an exceptionally beautiful place with pretty and colourful little villages, the most impossibly blue waters, lovely sandy beaches, craggy volcanic rock formations, and a lush green landscape. There are lots of things to see and do but the best all revolve around enjoying the incredible natural beauty of Lipari, with boat trips and hiking the various trails around the island being two of the best activities to really make the most of those stunning surroundings. If you have found a vacation rental in Sicily and you are coming to explore Lipari for the day then we would highly recommend that you follow one particular route, to the Forgia Vecchia, at the top of which you will be rewarded with a sweeping view over all of the incredible natural bounty below.

The Forgia Vecchia is a large obsidian crater, that is 600m wide and 1km long, created by an old obsidian lava flow that came out of Monte Sant'Angelo and it is an extraordinary sight to behold. It also happens to offer the most evocative and exceptional viewing point on the island. The nearby Stromboli may be famous for having the only permanently active volcano in Europe and for its black sand beaches but the lesser-known Monte Sant’Angelo and the Forgia Vecchia hold their own with the incredible setting and a volcano-dyed beach made up of black pebbles that curve around a tranquil bay, framed by the volcano’s lush green slopes.

If you are interested in colours that seem too vivid to occur in the real world and picture-perfect views, there are several contenders for spots to visit that meet these requirements all around Italy. However, there is one sight in particular that makes us want to hop on the next plane and go see it with our own eyes right now: the Place Moulin Dam.

Also known as the Lago Place Moulin or the Lac de Place-Moulin, it is located in the Aosta Valley, in the very north of Italy, amongst the Italian Alps. This is an incredibly scenic and beautiful part of the world, in general, with lots to see and a landscape that rewards the more adventurous traveller. This emerald gem, nestled amongst the Italian Alps is a particularly stunning find. If you have found a vacation rental in the Aosta Valley and are exploring the area by car or bike, we recommend that you make this one of your pit stops on your road trip across one of the most scenic landscapes in the world.

Sorrento is a beautiful gem of a town on the Amalfi Coast. Facing out onto the bay of Naples, it is perched atop a cliff, boasting sweeping views over the coast, at the base of which there is a busy marina. This stacking of the town gives it that distinct and picture-perfect look that lots of the towns in the area have: glittering water with bobbing boats topped by rows of colourful buildings. The charming old town is a warren of little streets and alleys that are lined with pretty historic buildings but amongst all of the pretty parts that make up this picturesque town, one of the most charming and unmissable sights and sites is the Chiesa di San Francesco and its lovely cloister. If you have found a vacation rental in Sorrento and you are exploring the town, be sure to duck in for a moment amidst your holiday wanderings and fun and enjoy a spot of tranquillity in the most fairytale-like of settings in Italy.

Located in the historic centre of the town, in Piazza Francesco Saverio Gargiulo, right next to the Villa Comunale Park, this 14th-century church with said iconic cloisters abutting it is famous for its Arabic portico and interlaced arches, which are interwoven with flowers, plants, and ornamental trees. The beautiful space is also often filled with birdsong, particularly in spring, as it is very popular amongst feathered locals.

Capri is one of those famously gorgeous places that people are just dying to see with their own eyes. If you have found a vacation rental in Capri and are busy exploring the island, once you have walked around a bit, you may want to see it all from above as well, to take in a sweeping view over everything at once. In this case, you’ll need to head to Monte Solaro, the highest and most panoramic point on the island, which offers views over the whole of the Gulf of Naples, glimpses over the Gulf of Salerno on clear days, and also takes in many of Capri’s famous landmarks at the same time.

There are two different options to surmount Monte Solaro, depending on your inclination, energy, preferences, fears, and the day in question: you can hike to the top or you can take the famous Anacapri Chairlift.

At 589 meters above sea level and at the top of a steep trail, the hike up to the pinnacle of Monte Solaro isn’t the most difficult in the world by any sort of stretch of the imagination. It is a well-marked trail that rewards viewers with lovely views the whole way up and can be completed in around an hour. Beginning at Piazza della Pace in Anacapri, behind the cemetery, it is a straightforward climb up that anyone who is relatively fit should be able to complete without much difficulty.