Most of us know Tuscany, but it's close neighbor of Umbria, has a number of historical towns and beautiful country sides.  Umbria is also easy to reach and very easy to navigate.  All of the towns of Umbria are relatively small, however there are many Roman remains, world-class museums, and various festivals throughout the year.  Umbria produces fine wine, olives, wheat, and tobacco.  Umbria is literally in the heart of Italy, the only landlocked Italian region, with Tuscany to the west, Le Marche to its east, and Lazio to the south.  To the north and south we have Emilia-Romagna and Abruzzo.  The main towns in Umbria are Perugia (the regional capital), Terni, Foligno, Citta di Castello, Spoleto, Gubbio, Assisi, Orvieto, Bastia Umbria, and Narni. If you've been to Tuscany, Florence and Siena, you'll find that this region has an unchanged beauty.  Umbria has unspoiled medieval treasures for the modern visitor to discover. LEARN MORE

The Dolomite Mountains are a group of spectacular peaks that make up the Eastern Range of the Alps in Northeast Italy.  The limestone peaks of the range are famous for their vivid coloring at sunrise and sunset.  The highest peak in the Dolomites, the Marmolada rises to about 10,964 ft/3,342 m, and still has glaciers.  The Dolomites are ideal for mountain climbing and skiing, but it's a great place to also take part in hiking, cycling on the surrounding roads, and visiting the villages and towns that lay in the shadows of the Dolomites. They are simply picturesque.  Towns can range from small farm villages to resort/vacation cities, such as Cortina d'Ampezzo and San Cassiano.  You can everything from quaint agriturismos, mountain refugios, to high-end hotels and resorts. LEARN MORE