Those who travel to Italy in summer feel they have to decide between the city or the beach: enjoying the cultural richness of a primary artistic destination or enjoying the dolce far niente atmosphere of a charming seafront location. It’s simple to do both: Venice has its Lido beaches and the seaside village of Nervi is a suburb of Genoa, but here are five other tactics for combining urban and coastal tactics without too much noise.
City: Rome welcomed 35 million visitors last year, and despite court cases over overtourism and memories of hellish summer heatwaves, the Eternal City will most likely match or exceed that figure by 2024. And Rome is poised to take it on with ever-increasing numbers (and deep pockets), with new properties, such as the Hotel Bulgari and Six Senses, and the most anticipated for 2024, the Romeo Roma, in a 16th-century palace restored by Zaha Hadid Architects (the vanquished design The Visionary’s studio) near the People’s Square. The kitchen in the hotel’s restaurant will be prepared by Alain Ducasse and a plunge pool will offer a respite from the high temperatures.
In addition to hotel events, there are other reasons to stop in Rome in 2024. A primary archaeological site, Argentina’s Zona Sacra di Largo, where Julius Caesar met his death, has recently become accessible; and the Vatican Museums have extended their opening hours, which is good news for early risers: They will now open at 8 a. m. to meet ordinary post-Covid demand. (Museums will also remain open until 7 p. m. )m. y, in peak months, until 8 p. m. on Fridays and Saturdays).
Beach: To escape the heat, do as many Romans do and head to the nearby Lazio coast. Among the beaches that can be reached in about an hour by exercising is Ostia Antica, the ancient port city of Rome, with an exceptional archaeological park. just a few miles from the water. Anzio, from a ferocious World War II in 1944 (also an ancient Roman port and once a vacation destination of Roman Emperor Nero), is known for its Bandiera Blu (Blue Flag) beaches, a designation given to meet the needs of cleanliness and durability. (The exercise to Anzio takes about an hour and a half. )
For longer stays on the beach, head to the glamorous La Posta Vecchia, a five-star hotel in Palo Laziale (an hour’s drive from Rome) that attracts a chic foreign crowd. The estate was once owned by the noble circle of relatives Orsini and Jean Paul Getty. and is now part of the Pellicano Hotels group.
City: One of Italy’s best Renaissance towns, yet lesser-known, Urbino offers significant culture and charm, as well as the best vantage point to make it feel like you’ve found a wonderful place before anyone else. Its location in the Marche region, a region in east-central Italy, is possibly the reason why the city remains off the beaten tourist tracks. The nearest exercise station is in Pesaro, about a 45-minute drive away; The nearest foreign airport is Rimini, 60 kilometres away.
The Galleria Nazionale delle Marche in the Doge’s Palace. (Photo via Roberto Serra, Iguana. . . [ ] Press/Getty Images)
Like Florence, Urbino was led by a wonderful patron of the arts in the 15th century. Duke Federico da Montefeltro built an emblematic palace, the Doge’s Palace, which houses important museums, including the National Gallery of Marches, where you can see works. through Raphael (born in Urbino), Piero della Francesca and Titian. Urbino has an intact historic center, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that has changed little since its heyday in the Renaissance.
A in Pesaro, on the Adriatic.
Beach: Pesaro, a 45-minute drive from Urbino, offers a selection of fairly sandy beaches on the Adriatic, but the city is much more than just a sun and surf destination. Known for its annual opera festival and charming museums, in addition to those that pay homage to an outstanding son of the country, the wonderful composer Gioachino Rossini (The Barber of Seville), this artistic center has been designated the Italian Capital of Culture for 2024.
City: Stay cool by booking one of Florence’s hotels with a pool, such as Villa Cora, overlooking the Boboli Gardens, or Palazzo Castri 1874, near the Accademia and Central Market. As the sun sets, settle in with a refreshing Negroni (said to have been first created in Florence) at bars like the Gucci Giardino 25, a café and cocktail lounge in Piazza della Signora, or the Picteau Bistrot
Art lovers will appreciate how the capital of Renaissance art has become a fixture of the new art scene, with galleries and museums showcasing the paintings of the most important artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. This summer and fall, visit exhibits honoring Anselm Kiefer. (from 22 March to 21 July 2024) and Helen Frankenthaler (from 27 September to 26 January 2025) at Palazzo Strozzi. And don’t miss the Museum of Costume and Fashion at Palazzo Pitti, where new rooms display paintings by leading Italian artists and foreign designers from 1900 to the present day.
Aerial view of the Viareggio Sea coast.
Fuerte dei Marmi.
Beach: It takes about an hour and a half to exercise or drive to reach the closest beach to Florence, in Viareggio, on the Riviera Versiliana, a sea coast that stretches from the Ligurian border to Piombino. Known for its long sandy beaches on the Tyrrhenian Sea, many of which are designated as Bandiera Blu, the domain attracts a strong Italian and European clientele. Viareggio, a beach hotel since the 19th century, has stately hotels, such as the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, and other houses that offer a diversity of prices. Just under two hours from Florence is Forte dei Marmi, a favorite spot of the jet-set, once a haven for Agnelli’s circle of relatives and, in recent years, a haven for Russian billionaires. You can stay in the former Agnellis space if you book at the Hotel Augustus
Town: It’s no surprise that Italy’s oldest settlement, Matera, is very, very old, dating back to the Paleolithic; The city’s troglodyte housing complex, or sassi, was inhabited until the mid-20th century. Matera, a long-impoverished region, has rallied in recent decades as investors see its unique prospect of revitalization and tourism. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and European Capital of Culture in 2019. You can revel in troglodyte architecture at its origin by staying in a hotel. such as the Sant’Angelo Luxury Resort, a diffuse hostel with some rooms built in the ancient caves.
A beach in Metaponto, not Marina di Ginosa and Bernalda.
Beach: The Ionian coast is less than an hour’s drive from Matera. At Märina di Ginosa, find sandy beaches and translucent waters with personal clubs offering umbrellas and sun loungers. About a 45-minute drive from Matera is Bernalda, home of Palazzo Margherita, Francis Ford Coppola’s wonderfully restored 19th-century palace in his ancestral city. The hotel has access to a personal beach club 15 minutes away.
City: Verona ticks all the boxes for visitors to Italy looking for art, architecture, wonderful food, and an intimate cultural delight that spans centuries. The city’s magnificent amphitheater, which dates back to Roman times, hosts the world-famous annual opera festival. (June 7 to September 7, 2024), this year he presents Aida, The Barber of Seville, Carmen and other works. Among the attractions to see: the Capitolare Library of Verona, considered the oldest library (in continuous use) in the world; the Maffei Palace with works of art ranging from Veronese to Andy Warhol; the main cathedral (Santa Maria Matricolare) with Titian’s cathedral, The Assumption; and one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, Piazza delle Erbe, which dates back to the Middle Ages. Of course, Verona is known for its Romeo and Juliet tradition: the Casa di Giulietta, a 13th-century space once owned by Del Cappello. The family (his surname may have inspired the fictional novel Juliet’s Capulet) is one of the most visited sites.
Beach: Verona is close to Lake Garda, where many beaches can be reached in 60 to 75 minutes. Among the most valuable is the Parco San Vigilio, on the paradisiacal peninsula of San Vigilio. In addition to the mesmerizing views, the Parco (tickets required) offers a swimming pool with sun loungers and access to the lake, surrounded by olive and cypress trees. There is also a place to eat and a bar.
Campagnola beach near Malcesine on Lake Garda.
Malcesine, also on the east coast of La Garda and designated as one of Italy’s most charming villages, has a variety of loose (pebble) beaches. For those opting for a sandy shore of the lake, head to Manerba del Garda (in the west). Garda coast) and its white bay beach (Baia Bianca). Sand imported from the Caribbean.