Il Bel Paese … no other county compares with its undulating vineyard-covered hillsides, charming medieval hill towns, 5000 miles of dramatic coastline, and the jutting alpine peaks of the Dolomites in the north. But Italy is also blessed with some of the most alluring lakes, views that will take your breath away.

What could be more beautiful than a lake surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks? The Dolomites are home to some of the most stunning mountain lake scenery in the world.

Here are some of my favorites: Lago di Misurina, not far from Cortina (the formerly grand hotel at the far end of the lake puts me in mind of Wes Anderson’s film “Grand Hotel Budapest” J), Lago di Braies and Lago di Dobbiaco—all of which are easy to visit, no hiking required.

Italy’s most famous lake of all is Lago di Como. Considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe it is shaped like an upside-down Y with the ever-popular town of Bellagio at the top of the east and west fork.

One ferry stop northeast of Bellagio is the charming lakeside town of Varenna.

Take a 45-minute hike from town to discover the Castle of Vizio, with its spectral inhabitants, captivating carved figures and splendid vistas.

Lago di Garda is Italy’s largest lake and a favorite of cyclists and sporting enthusiasts. It features many fairy-tale lakeside towns, especially further north.

At the southernmost point you’ll find the popular resort town of Sirmione with its iconic medieval castle.

Lake Maggiore, less than an hour from Milan and often overlooked for the glamour of Lake Como, is a favorite of mine with its old-world charm and quiet air of sophistication.

I especially love its beautiful Borromean islands—Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori in particular—which you can get to by ferry from the town of Stresa on the lake’s western shore.

An undiscovered jewel not to be missed west of Lago di Maggiore in Piemonte, is the picture-perfect Lake Orta, which (thankfully) remains one of Italy’s best kept secrets.

Nestled between the northern cities of Bergamo and Brescia in the Franciacorta wine region is Lago d’Iseo with its quaint villages and lovely lakeside promenades.

Central Italy is also blessed with three particularly stunning lakes. Lago di Trasimeno is in the green heart of Umbria, amid beds of reeds and white water lilies. It’s shallow and abundant in fish —19 different species — and is home to wild ducks, cormorants, and kingfishers.

Lazio’s Lake Bolsena is the largest volcanic lake in Europe, formed by a great eruption 370,000 years ago. Encircled by a crown of hills, its shores are dotted with enchanting medieval villages. Rarely overcrowded and abundant with beautiful black volcanic sands and crystal-clear waters, it is a favorite getaway for Italians and bird watchers. (You can reach it easily from Rome or Orvieto.)

A half-hour drive from Rome, you will reach another volcanic beauty—Lake Bracciano—and feel transported to another world. Romans looking for a quick escape from the city enjoy its exceptionally clean waters and its quietude—powerboats are banned. Surrounded by greenery, olive groves, quaint villages and the imposing Orsini Odescalchi Castle (a popular spot for lux weddings), it is also a favorite spot for bird watchers.

Italy’s lakes are gleaming jewels not to be missed in a country already rich in a multitude of natural treasures!

In the south of Italy, surrounded by crystalline turquoise waters and 500 miles of Adriatic and Ionian coastline, is the enclave of Puglia — the sun-drenched heel of the Boot. I first visited years ago and fell in love with its sleepy whitewashed villages, colorful folk traditions, its unique trulli set amongst ancient olive groves, endless plates of mouth-watering food and some of the most gracious people in all of Italy.

More than 800 of the gargantuan trees at the ancient olive farm, Antica Masseria Brancati, near Ostuni, are considered natural monuments. With their deeply gnarled and sculptural trunks, many are upwards of 3000 years old!!!

The city of Lecce dates back to Magna Graecia, but because of its exquisite Baroque architecture it is known as the Florence of the South. The architectural style in Lecce is so distinctive that it was given its own name – “Barocco Leccese.“ The city’s opulent palaces and churches are built with Lecce stone, which has been used since ancient times.

Food is a surefire way to get to the heart of a culture and makes travel to Puglia ever so rewarding. Its tradition of rustic “cucina povera” centers around freshness and simplicity. Datterini mini plum tomatoes are cultivated in Puglia and renowned for their natural sweetness; burrata was invented in the 1920’s on a local farm as an ingenious way to minimize food waste by ingeniously wrapping a mixture of leftover shredded mozzarella curds and rich cream (a filling known as stracciatella) inside a pouch of fresh mozzarella. And the bread and foccacia is simply the BEST.

The month of June is marked by Cherry Festivals throughout the region as Puglia grows over 2/3 of Italy’s cherries. It’s special cultivar is Ciliegia Ferrovia, known as the “queen of cherries”, prized for its exceptional sweetness and firmness.

Puglia has plenty of charming towns ideal for leisurely wandering including Martina Franca; the labyrinthine whitewashed streets of Locorotondo and Ostuni; and the hobbit-like trulli of Alberobello, along with the stunning seaside towns of Polignano a Mare, Otranto and Gallipoli and their glorious beaches.

The town of Polignano a Mare has dedicated a statue and waterfront to the great Italian singer Domenico (Mimmo) Modugno (popularly known as Mr. Volare) who was born there in 1928. Mimmo was a singer, songwriter, actor, parliamentarian and three-time Grammy award winner.

His song Nel Blu Dipinto De Blu, popularly known as Volare, became a huge international hit in 1958 and sold over 30 million records. It also won him his first Grammy award (and an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show 😉

But what makes Puglia so appealing is its authenticity. Things move at a slower pace and people will always make time for you. Everyone is so proud of their region; they don’t mind when you take photos and are keen to help in any way they can.

La primavera—can there be a more delightfully pictorial or euphonious word? Derived from two Latin roots: primus meaning “first” and ver meaning “spring” (as a verb “spring” means to well up, leap forth, and to come into existence) and the verb has become a noun that describes the cycle of nature it characterizes. And it sounds as full of life as the season itself.

To celebrate spring’s arrival let’s take a close look at the painting, The Allegory of Spring, by Sandro Botticelli which, like his Birth of Venus, has become a beloved icon of Western art. The work depicts a group of mythological figures in a garden and is an allegory for the fecundity of spring.

Reading the painting from right to left, the biting March wind Zephyrus, depicted as a bluish male creature with aggressively puffed cheeks, kidnaps wood nymph Chloris, the maiden with flowers springing from her mouth. He then “marries” her and transforms her into the deity Flora, represented by the the flower-crowned figure in a delightful floral-patterned frock scattering the flower petals.  The elaborate scenery has been shown by botanists to contain over 500 identified plant species and about 190 different flowers. Clustered on the left, the Three Graces in diaphanous sheaths dance in a circle watched over by Mercury, who holds a staff to usher away the clouds and guard the garden—providing a spiritual balance to nature’s fecundity on the right. Somewhat set apart and above the others, but very much at the heart of all the springtime activity, is Venus (looking a bit like a Blessed Virgin Mary), goddess of love and harmony. Above her is Cupid, her son, and behind him the limbs of the fruiting orange grove form an arch gracefully framing Venus, providing a privileged position to serenely preside over the garden and beckon us to join in the celebration of la primavera.

About 140 years later Antonio Vivaldi, composer, conductor, and virtuoso violinist composed his best-known work—a series of  4 violin concertos titled Le Quattro Stagioni, The Four Seasons.  The first, “La Primavera”, is the most well-recognized and best loved piece of classical music in the world (with the first bars of “Spring” rivaling the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony).

May these early days of la primavera fill you with hope and joy!