Italy’s most romantic destinations

Italy has an innate sense of romance; crumbly lemon-coloured homes clinging to jagged cliffs, remote fishing villages, and misty lake towns only reached by boat. It’s a country with the power to move you and these hideaways prove that at least in Italy, romance is alive and well.*

Murano, Veneto

Venice has long been the island of choice in the Venetian Lagoon, but Murano is making a name for itself as a getaway for romantics. Murano was once the glass capital of the world and watching one of the many glass-blowing demonstrations on offer and gifting a loved one (or yourself) with a kaleidoscopic, luminous piece is time well spent, but the island has more than its material reputation. A far cry from Venice’s tourist-saturated streets, the canals of Murano wind past colourful homes that have a rugged, industrial flair to them. The waterways themselves are sparsely populated, meaning you’ll have all the views Venice offers without the crowds. Wake up early for a quiet stroll across empty bridges, before jumping onto a vaporetto and skimming the sloshing waters that crest the island for a waterside perspective. It’s equally pretty from above, so treat your loved ones to a stay at the penthouse apartment at Murano Suites.

Tellaro, Liguria

Not far from the colourful Cinque Terre, Tellaro is a little less star-studded than its neighbours but equally likely to charm. A tiny hamlet, its labyrinthine streets are stitched across and under the colourful buildings, where clementine walls play off against sunshine yellow facades. Built steeply along the area’s rocky cliffs, there’s a quiet weariness to the town, where even with its brightly adorned buildings, it looks like it’s trying to hide. One reason for that might be the legend of the octopus. Local stories suggest that at a time when the town was vulnerable to pirate pillaging, a giant octopus came to the rescue, clinging to the bell tower and alerting the residents who then had time to flee from invading pirates. Seafood continues to play a big role in the town’s character, so tuck into a plate of gorgeously grilled squid before retreating to the glamourous Villa Soldati.

Orta San Giulio, Piedmont

Built on a gently sloping promontory, Orta San Giulio is hushed town swept onto the shore of Lake Orta. Often overlooked for its larger, more glittery neighbours – Como and Maggiore – Orta and its towns have a place in the heart of locals, often dubbed “Cinderella” for its more reserved beauty. In Orta San Giulio mist hangs low around the lake and town at one moment, while the next, sunlight streams through the cloud of canopies above and the lake glints hypnotically below. It’s a spectacular setting throughout the seasons, but journey out to the lake’s centre to Isola San Giulio for a clear picture of Orta San Giulio’s romantic tangle of buildings blooming in the distance. Fragrant with flowers strewn into the lake, wander ‘the way of silence’ around the Benedictine monastery, before swimming in the water at sunset. In the backstreets of Orta San Giulio, dine out on the pavement under creaky lanterns at Al Boeuch, its quiet intimacy a perfect prelude to the tucked away B&B Al Dom.

Positano, Campania

Hugging the southern part of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Positano is the cliffside village romantics dream about stumbling upon. Houses in pink, peach and sky blue, cascade over one another, while fragrant geraniums in fuchsia line snug balconies and wrap themselves around rickety alleyways. It’s hard to not feeling a little loved-up at the sight of the town, so rent a boat and toast to the gorgeous spectacle laid out in front of you. Upon you return, grab your loved ones and wander the vertiginous, looping streets, each turn as deserving of a photo opportunity as the last. The inclines (and declines) help to work up an appetite, so head to Ristorante Terazza Celè for atmospheric views and delectable seafood. Then round the day off with a well-earned Negroni at the Le Sirenuse Hotel bar.

Portofino, Liguria

Colourful, mountainous and iconic, Portofino is a masterclass in Italy’s incorruptible elan. A small, picturesque fishing village, its patchwork charm has magnetised the world’s elite and honeymooners to its once hidden shores. Lemon and blood orange-coloured homes straddle the leafy Ligurian cliffs, overlooking the ritzy yachts of the harbour which bob gently in all their glittery glory. Scrabble up a narrow staircase to the plaza of Chiesa di San Giorgio and its dandelion yellow facade for sweeping views of the town, or dive deep into Portofino harbour and circle around the submerged Christ of the Abyss for a totally different perspective. When it’s time for dinner, skip over the waterfront restaurants in town for something a little more intimate, and take the boat to neighbouring San Fruttuoso – only accessible by boat or foot – to waterside La Cantina. Here you can tuck into steaming plates of spaghetti alla vongole under a flowering trellis and pinstriped parasols. Sail back to Portofino’s low-lit shoreline for a nightcap on the terrace at Belmond Hotel Splendido.

**These destinations were picked based on endorsements for ‘romance’ in Italy, according to global travellers.