What’s hot in 2010? – our guide to the Italian destinations to go to this season..

January 5th 2010

With a New Year and most of us battling through the freezing temperatures , there is no better thought than having something to look forward to...

It’s that time of year again when we all start thinking of the summer months ahead and of booking our summer holiday.

If you are after summer sun, Italy offers great value and perfect weather and for those who are still hoping for that barbeque summer in the UK, Italy generally still works out cheaper than a UK holiday in many cases when you factor local travel, accomodation, food and drink.

Here are our predictions for the ‘hottest’ 5 locations in Italy this year:

1/. Lake Como – There was Clooney, then Richard Branson and this season the x-factor Louis (well don’t let that put you off!). Como is fast creeping up on its popular sister lake, Garda. Como is outstandingly beautiful with the blue-green waters of the lake contrasting with the dramatic backdrop of the Alps. It is laden with fairy-tale waterside villages and enchanting towns such as Tremezzo, Menaggio, and Bellagio and has inspired artists, composers and poets over the centuries. A perfect romantic location for 2010.

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2/. Puglia – Slowly people are understanding that this beauty of a region is magical and countless articles and publicity in the media is starting to do the trick. The landscape and culture of Puglia are definitely Mediterranean and there are a wealth of towns and villages to explore, such as Ostuni, Alberobello, Otranto, etc. The crowning glory of the region is its beautiful coastline with miles of sandy beaches and sand dunes that are not overcrowded – think the Amalfi Coast without the crowds! This region offers some perfect coastal towns such as Polignano and Gallipoli. Puglia offers a refreshingly different and affordable holiday destination and is a food and wine lover's paradise.

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3/. Liguria - With the glitz and glamour of the coastal towns (such as San Remo, Alassio, Portofino), the peace of the valleys and great coastlines, Liguria offers something for everyone. The region is awash with sea hamlets and valley villages that are full of character and history, especially in the Cinque Terre area. The Italian Riviera was fashionable back in the 50’s and 60’s but is really making a come back as tourists are starting to realise again that this region has plenty of sunny days to offer, great landscape and is on the doorstep of Italy’s main competitor, France (making day trips over the border easy!).

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4/. Sicily - Sicily, the island in the sun, is a wonderful holiday destination and home to heavenly beaches, majestic mountains, awe-inspiring architecture, fabulous food and Europe's greatest natural wonder, Mount Etna. The island of Sicily is a place of contrasts, from the crumbling grandeur of Palermo, to the Greek ruins at Syracuse, the craters of volatile Mount Etna, the chic resort of Taormina, picture perfect coastal towns such as Cefalu and the Baroque town of Ragusa. Sicily's coasts are gold with orange and lemon orchards and you’ll find a landscape of rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves – pretty much perfection!

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5/. Tuscany – people never seem to tire of Tuscany and its not hard to see why. This region is full of sun-soaked landscape and glorious, peaceful scenery. Tuscan cities such as Florence, Siena and Pisa as well as towns such as Lucca, Cortona and Arezzo, house some of Italy's greatest artistic treasures. The most well known part of Tuscany has to be the Chianti region, perfect in its beauty with rolling hills dotted with vines and silvery olive groves and with dozens of pretty villages, all of which offer unlimited opportunities to sample and buy wine. From City apartments to rustic village properties to farmhouses with pools, Tuscany is wonderful holiday destination that combines nature with medieval history.

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