Out and about in Italy

Many Britons are seduced by the dream of a simple life in rural Italy. But, as Barbara McMahon reports, the reality can be less appealing.

The 13 towns that comprise the ‘Castelli Romani’ (it translates as ‘castles of Rome’) have a special place in Italian history, being the holiday retreats for Romans escaping the summer heat. Rome being Rome that means several millennia of holidaying out. Today, the family may load up the 4×4 for their weekend, once it was the Emperor and court. To this day, the Pope has his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo on Lake Albano.

Located south-east of the Eternal City, the castelli are (in alphabetical order) Albano Laziale, Ariccia, Castel Gandolfo, Colonna, Frascati, Genzano di Roma, Grottaferrata, Lanuvio, Lariano, Marino, Monte Compatri, Monte Porzio Catone, Nemi, Rocca di Papa, Rocca Priora and Velletri. We’re going to take a closer look at the towns in question, but Grottaferrata is a big favourite. It’s very pretty, and has the Abbey of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata. You’ll find a more complete guide to Lazio and the Castelli Romani here.

Giro d’Italia organisers are hoping recent police investigations and an easier route mean the race, which starts in Sardinia on Saturday, will escape the doping scandals that have blighted it in past years.

The Travel Guardian is an invaluable resource for Brits travelling or thinking of travelling to Italy - its strong suit is that, being aimed at Guardian readers, the choices tend to be a little more idiosyncratic. And while the seeking after unspoiled authentic Italy can get a little intense (cue fevered discussion on where to holiday to taste the best wild aspargus and orechiette) it does throw up some interesting angles. The fact that readers get to suggest their picks enlivens things, though we would say beware some of the hotel suggestions - discussion boards are notoriously susceptible to spamming. Treat with caution anything that says ‘we found this lovely little hotel in Amalfi, just €90 per night with breakfast, here’s the phone number of the place, all major credit cards accepted’. Some nice pieces currently showing include a feature on the truffles of Piemonte, a celebration of 60 years of the Vespa, a National Geographic photo tour of Rome, and a group of women on an escorted shopping weekend in Florence.