Tuscany's third-largest city is a quintessential port town with a colourful history and cosmopolitan heritage. Declared a free port in the 17th century, Livorno (Leghorn in English) attracted traders from across the globe, who brought with them new customs and habits, exotic goods, slaves and foreign forms of worship. The result was a city famed throughout Europe for its multiculturalism. Today its seafood is the best on the Tyrrhenian coast, its shabby historic quarter threaded with Venetian-style canals is full of character, and its elegant belle époque buildings offer evocative reminders of a prosperous past. An easy train trip from Florence, Pisa and Rome, it makes an understated but undeniably worthwhile stop on any Tuscan itinerary.

Livorno

Despite possessing the types of landscapes that dreams are made of, much of this part of Tuscany feels far away from well-beaten tourist trails. Here you can investigate the multicultural past and extraordinary cuisine of port city Livorno and then follow the Strada del Vino e dell'Olio Costa degli Etruschi south, visiting vineyards, olive groves, medieval villages and scenic archaeological sites along the way.

And then there’s Elba: ripe for alfresco frolics, this Mediterranean island has a landscape dotted with orange trees, palms, vineyards and sandy coves begging you to lay down a beach towel. It's the perfect place to wind down after a stretch of busy Tuscan travelling. Dedicated island-philes meanwhile will most certainly get a kick out of sailing to the tiny but intriguing Tuscan islets of Pianosa, Giglio and faintly more developed Capraia.

Central Coast & Elba

A local legend says that when Venus rose from the waves seven precious stones fell from her tiara, creating seven islands off the Tuscan coast. These little-known gems range from tiny Gorgona, just 2.23 sq km in size, to the biggest and busiest island, 224-sq-km Elba (Isola d'Elba), best known as the place where Napoleon was exiled.

Tuscan Archipelago

Exploring the medieval town of Montepulciano, perched on a reclaimed narrow ridge of volcanic rock, will push your quadriceps to failure point. When this happens, self-medicate with a generous pour of the highly reputed Vino Nobile while also drinking in the spectacular views over the Val di Chiana and Val d'Orcia.

Montepulciano

The picturesque agricultural valley of Val d'Orcia is a Unesco World Heritage site, as is the historic centre of the town of Pienza on its northeastern edge. The valley's distinctive landscape features flat chalk plains, out of which rise almost conical hills topped with fortified settlements and magnificent abbeys that were once important staging points on the Via Francigena.

For information about places, activities and events in the Val d'Orcia see www.parcodellavaldorcia.com.

Val d'Orcia

Prepare for a roller-coaster ride of feasts, treats and temptations experiencing Germany's soul-stirring scenery, spirit-lifting culture, big-city beauties, romantic palaces and half-timbered towns.

Bewitching Scenery

There's something undeniably artistic in the way Germany's scenery unfolds; the corrugated, dune-fringed coasts of the north; the moody forests, romantic river valleys and vast vineyards of the centre; and the off-the-charts splendour of the Alps, carved into rugged glory by glaciers and the elements. All of these are integral parts of a magical natural matrix that's bound to give your camera batteries a good workout. Get off the highway and into the great outdoors to soak up the epic landscapes that make each delicious, slow, winding mile so precious.

Pleasures of Civilisation

You'll encounter history in towns where streets were laid out long before Columbus set sail, and in castles that loom above prim, half-timbered villages where flower boxes billow with crimson geraniums. The great cities – including Berlin, Munich and Hamburg – come in more flavours than a jar of jelly beans but all will wow you with a cultural kaleidoscope that spans the arc from art museums and high-brow opera to naughty cabaret and underground clubs. And wherever you go, Romanesque, Gothic and baroque classics rub rafters with architectural creations from modern masters such as Daniel Libeskind, David Chipperfield and Frank Gehry.

Gastro Delights

Experiencing Germany through its food and drink will add a rich layer to your memories (and possibly to your belly!). You'll quickly discover that the local food is so much more than sausages and pretzels, schnitzel and roast pork accompanied by big mugs of foamy beer. Beyond the clichés awaits a cornucopia of regional and seasonal palate-teasers. Share the German people's obsession with white asparagus in springtime, chanterelle mushrooms in summer and game in autumn. Sample not only the famous beer but also world-class wines, most notably the noble Riesling.

High on History

Few countries have had as much impact on the world as Germany, which has given us the Hanseatic League, the Reformation and, yes, Hitler and the Holocaust, but also the printing press, the automobile, aspirin and MP3 technology. It's the birthplace of Martin Luther, Albert Einstein and Karl Marx, of Goethe, Beethoven, the Brothers Grimm and other heavyweights who have left their mark on human history. You can stand in a Roman amphitheatre, sleep in a medieval castle and walk along remnants of the Berlin Wall – in Germany the past is very much present wherever you go.

Germany

Nowhere else in Sardinia is nature as overwhelming a force as it is in the wild, wild east, where the Supramonte’s imperious limestone mountains roll down to the Golfo di Orosei’s cliffs and startling aquamarine waters. Who knows where that winding country road might lead you? Perhaps to deep valleys concealing prehistoric caves and Bronze Age nuraghi, to the lonesome villages of the Barbagia steeped in bandit legends, or to forests where wild pigs snuffle amid centuries-old holm oaks. Neither time nor trend obsessed, this region is refreshingly authentic.

Outdoor action abounds: drop anchor along the coast in a string of pearly-white bays, multipitch climb upon cliffs thrusting up out of the sea, pedal mountain bikes along old mule trails, and hike atop peaks and through ravines only reachable on foot. True, the Costa Smeralda attracts more celebrities, but the real rock stars and rolling stones are right here.

Eastern Sardinia

Inspiring natural beauty goes hand-in-hand with history and urban charm in Sardinia's northwestern corner.

The obvious belle of the ball is the coastline with its brilliant sandy beaches, heady cliffs and hidden rocky coves. But head inland and surprises await – architectural and archaeological gems litter the green, stony countryside. Most notably, a string of Pisan Romanesque churches testify to medieval glories and tumbledown ruins attest to the presence of thriving prehistoric communities.

A history of foreign rule has left an indelible mark on the area, not only in bricks and mortar but also in spirit. Alghero, the northwest's main gateway and a one-time Catalan stronghold, has a distinctly Spanish feel, while Sassari owes its cosmopolitan outlook to its past as a Genoese colony. In many ways, the entire area seems less Sardinian than other parts of the island, less rural and less reserved, but is no less enchanting for it.

Northwestern Sardinia

Anchored by its magnificent basilica, this ancient and intriguing part of Florence defies easy description – from the rough-cut streets around the central train station it’s only a short walk to the busy social scene around increasingly gentrified Piazza di Santa Maria Novella and the hip boutiques on the atmosphere-laden, old-world ‘back streets’ west of Via de’ Tornabuoni. Shopping here, intermingled with a multitude of attractive dining and drinking options, is among the best in Florence.

Santa Maria Novella

Made up of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom may not always seem very united - indeed, Scotland came close to voting for independence in 2014. Yet this historic state is packed with appeal for the visitor, from pulsing cities to stunning countryside. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are fine destinations in their own right, and travels between these countries reveal both the shared culture and distinct local flavours that contribute to the UK.

The United Kingdom

There's far more to this green corner of Tuscany than Italy's iconic Leaning Tower. Usually hurtled through en route to Florence and Siena's grand-slam queue-for-hours sights, this is the place to take your foot off the accelerator and go slowly – on foot or by bicycle or car. Allow for long lunches of regional specialities to set the pace for the day, before meandering around a medieval hilltop village or along an ancient pilgrimage route.

University hub Pisa and 'love at first sight' Lucca – with its 16th-century walls ensnaring a labyrinth of butter-coloured buildings, Romanesque palaces and gracious piazzas – have an air of tranquillity and tradition that begs the traveller to linger. Lesser-known Pistoia, Prato and Pietrasanta, all off the beaten tourist track, provide a welcome reprieve in high season from the crowds (dead-easy half- or full-day trips by train from Florence, incidentally). This is snail-paced Italy, and impossible not to love.

Northwestern Tuscany

This part of the city fuses a gutsy market precinct – a covered produce market and noisy street stalls surrounding the Basilica di San Lorenzo – with capacious Piazza San Marco, home to Florence University and a much-loved museum. Between the two is the world’s most famous sculpture, David. The result is a sensory experience jam-packed with urban grit, uplifting art and some fabulously authentic, local-loved addresses to eat, drink and shop.

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