Renaissance princes, romantic poets, European nobility and American heiresses all found beauty and inspiration in Italy's Lake District. Today, this spectacular region, shared by Italy and Switzerland, still beckons the rich and celebrated as well as travelers in search of an authentic adventure amidst Italy's Alpine paths and tranquil lakes. There are many ways to see this stunning Lakeland trekking over mountain trails, from the deck of a private ferry, aboard a cable car or from the window of a mountain train. Alpine peaks are reflected in blue waters, wildflowers bloom in meadows and fabulous villas overlook Como, Maggiore and Lugano. On Lake Como, the magnificent Villa Carlotta, its gardens ablaze with flowers, is home to a collection that spans centuries of Italian art.

Chic and steeped in culture, Tuscany will charm you with its abundant lush landscapes and mouth-watering cuisine. We'll bicycle rural roads along gently terraced hills, cycling through vineyards and olive groves with plenty of time to appreciate the region's timeless beauty and historic art treasures. Evenings we'll relax at small luxury hotels, perfectly situated in Italy's favorite towns.

Umbria is a world apart, a color palette of lush greens, yellows and muted ochre combining to create an ethereal countryside known alternately as the "green heart of Italy" and "land of shadows".

If Tuscany is a legend, Umbria is a littleknown medieval fable, its green heart beating in the shadow of its more famous neighbor. Our walk combines the renowned Tuscan Hills and vineyards and exquisite Renaissance cities with a journey through the bucolic landscapes and enchanting lakes of Umbria. Here saints, poets, artists and musicians are celebrated in medieval cities such as Spoleto where the world famous Festival dei Due Mondi is held. These ancient towns cling to the hills where Etruscans, Romans, Carthaginians, and even Goths, once ruled. Two of Italy's finest wines come from the region Orvieto Classico, a dry white, and Rubesco, a robust red. Filmmakers found it the perfect locale for The English Patient, Life is Beautiful and Under the Tuscan Sun.

The Italian Renaissance sprang from the rich landscape of Tuscany its green and golden hills, groves of cypress and olive trees, brilliant light and exquisite, ancient cities. The Etruscans first settled here their life loving, creative spirit remains. Michelangelo, da Vinci, Bottecellii painted here, Dante and Petrarch wrote and Machiavelli and the Medici schemed. Siena's architectural gems, the Duomo, Palazzo Pubblico and the Campo, where the annual Palio is run, all gleam under the Tuscan sun. From this rich earth and cloudless sky, comes the acclaimed cuisine of Tuscany. Feast on olive oil, Tuscan beans, vegetables, pork, fish, stuffed pasta, crostini, risotto, succulent beef and wild boar. Hearty, honest subtlety seasoned with rosemary, fennel and thyme and handmade local cheeses. The food, like the country is a revelation.

This fabled island at the tip of the Italian "boot" has been a crossroads and a point of contention for thousands of years. Its strategic location, stunning beauty and fertile lands attracted Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards and French. They came, saw, and conquered the land but never the independent spirit of the Sicilians. Their presence is still felt in the diverse and splendid architecture, ancient temples, Greek theatres, Roman villas, medieval towns, Baroque churches and brilliant mosques. A walk through its timeless pathways is a revelation the volcanic island of Lipari, Taormina where Roman nobility built their villas, Ragusa, carved into the side of a mountain and Siracusa, once a capital of Antiquity.

Just north of Venice lies the sun-drenched Veneto, a region of breathtaking beauty bordered by the Dolomite Mountains. Once home to Venetian nobles, the Veneto's fertile landscape is dotted with fortified towns and opulent villas surrounded by robust vineyards, cypress trees, and lush green pastures.

Ulysses resisted the lures of the mermaids on the craggy rocks of the Amalfi Coast but, ever since, visitors have succumbed to its Siren Song. Roman nobility, artists, writers and film stars vacationed here, captivated by the sun, the scenery and the rich culture and history of this splendid land in Southern Italy. Boats and ferries ply the waters of the Bay of Naples, taking us to Positano and Capri. Positano is a walker's wonderland where multicolored houses emerge from the side of a soaring cliff. Climb its steep steps from the beaches up to the magnificent churches, Roman ruins and winding passageways leading to wonderful shops and charming caf￩s. History is perfectly preserved in ancient Pompeii in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius.

The magnificent coast,the rugged yet welcoming Elba Island,and always inspiring natural beauty and fortified towns all weave a spell of enchantment. Step back in time as we visit ancient Etruscan sites and medieval towns. All the while, surrounded by unrivalled vistas and lovely scenery.

"The sun, the moon, the stars - and Amalfi" was how proud natives described their independent kingdom 600 years ago. It is still how walkers praise the Amalfi Coast today. Ancient pathways ascend to mountaintop monasteries and down to romantic harbors and lovely beaches.

Como's polished mirror surface reflects the soaring alpine peaks behind the lake, while palatial villas and waterfront towns that resemble opera sets shimmer in the foreground. We linger in charming lakeside towns, visiting villas and discovering delightful waterside restaurants.

The pathways and rocky terraces of the Cinque Terre were forged by the Romans as trade routes. Expanded by the residents of the remote and remarkable "Five Lands," they wind along spectacular bluffs overlooking the Mediterranean, linking five enchanting villages nestled in the cliffs and harbors of the "Italian Riviera." Pastel houses reach down to the sea. Terraced vineyards and olive groves are supported by walls hundreds of years old. World Heritage status assures the preservation of this precious land its breathtaking natural beauty and cultural treasures. We walk the legendary Sentiero Azzurro and the Via dell' Amore. Their names recall the blue Ligurian Sea and the romance and passion evoked by this magical corner of Northern Italy.

Cinque Terre attracts walkers inspired by dramatic coastal scenery and elegant, old-world towns. We descend verdant hillsides to Portofino and Santa Margarita Ligure, across hillsides that have been cultivated for centuries, past terraced vineyards and olive groves, meadows and woodland.