Albergo del Senato at the Pantheon

The Pantheon is my favorite building in Rome and Piazza della Rotonda is the quintessence of the Eternal City. Albergo del Senato is located directly on the Piazza and from its rooms you will think you can actually reach out and touch the great dome of the Pantheon. This 3-star hotel occupies a 19th century palazzo that has been redesigned utilizing all the modern amenities while keeping its antique details. The hotel provides a beautiful breakfast (double rooms start at under 200 Euros in the high season) and has a breathtaking rooftop terrace bar from which you can contemplate the beauty of the Pantheon high above the crowds. Book a superior suite for a truly elegant Italian experience.

Venice's Londra Palace Restored to Old Glory

Just down the "street" from St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, is the Londra Palace Hotel. With views across the lagoon, this hotel's location is incomparable. And now its interior has been painstakingly restored to reflect the grand history and beauty of Venice. The hotel's rooms are furnished with authentic antiques and its restaurants are light-filled and pleasant. The water-taxi stops right in front of the hotel so you will be able to see all of Venice from your doorstep. Be sure to ask for a room with a view!

Castiglion del Bosco: Ferragamo's Tuscan Retreat

Massimo Ferragamo has restored an ancient Tuscan estate in the heart of Brunello wine-making country. Castiglion del Bosco is a group of private villas for sale, all decorated with the finest materials. If purchasing an Italian villa is a little too rich for your blood, there are 26 suites and guestrooms available for short-term stays in the old estate owner's villa, called Il Borgo, along with a cooking school, restaurants and a spa (opening in 2010). Your own private Italy-in high style.

The Pool at the Hotel Caruso Belvedere

The Hotel Caruso Belvedere in Ravello (my favorite town on the Amalfi Coast) is so spectacular, Budget Travel has written a whole article about it. Well, part of an article, anyway. Read all about this infinity pool with the most incredible view of the Mediterranean at budgettravel.com.

Castello Falconara in Butera, Sicily

Not far from Caltagirone, just off the road that leads from Siracusa to Agrigento, is the Norman-era Castello Falconara. The castello and its grounds are now host to the 5-star Falconara Resort. The resort lies on a promontory in the Mediterranean and is redesigned in a stunning marriage of classical and modern elegance. Every amenity is available, from spa facilities, pool and tennis to a children's playground and canoe rental. The restaurant and the rooms are stunning, with panoramic views of the castello and the sea. If you are headed to southeastern Sicily, the location of this resort in Butera is ideal, for it is centrally located among the great sites of Piazza Armerina, Agrigento and Siracusa.

Villas Villas Villas

Travel and Leisure highlights Tuscan villas this month-and how to enjoy them on a budget. T and L has five villas where doubles cost less than $300 a night. Locanda del Glicine in Campagnatico offers an inn in the village and a farmhouse (Pieve Vecchia, pictured) in the countryside. Choosing which one is the hardest part! Villa Bordoni in the Chianti region is owned by the very same proprieters of Trattoria Baldovino in Florence and there is a cooking school on-site. Villa il Poggiale in Val di Pesa is an historic estate with wood-beamed ceilings decorated in superb Renaissance style. There is also a small private two-bedroom cottage on the estate available for 300 Euros, complete with kitchen. Villa le Luci in Castagneto Carducci, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea, has six bedrooms and one suite, all finished in luxuriously spare style. Villa Poggiano near Montepulciano (one of my favorite regions!) has a gorgeous pool, light and airy rooms, and a breakfast to die for. PS: The next Twilight movie is filmed in Montepulciano!

Hotel Capo d'Africa in Rome

An award-winning boutique hotel close to the Colosseum, Capo d'Africa is a an easy home base for the tourist who wants all the comforts of space, efficiency and modernity. Breakfast is included in the price (rooms start at under 200 Euros if you book in advance) and every Wednesday they offer live jazz. Located in a 19th century palazzo, this thoroughly updated hotel is perfect for visits to the Roman Forum and Nero's Golden House.

Hotel Albani in Florence

Reasonable hotels in Italy abound. Nice hotels in Italy are also numerous. But finding a reasonably priced nice hotel in Italy is pretty rare, especially when you are in Florence. The Hotel Albani is one of those uncommon finds-an elegantly decorated, spacious hotel with excellent service at a great price. It's located just steps from Florence's open-air market and Piazza Santa Maria Novella. It even has its own courtyards and gardens for strolling and relaxing. The proprietors are very accommodating and the European breakfast is fantastic. And if walking all day in Florence isn't enough, there's also a fitness room. Doubles start at 110 Euros in April, a real bargain for Florence. Via Fiume, 12.

Travel and Leisure is All About Italy

This month's Travel and Leisure magazine is full of information about several Italian cities, including Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Amalfi and even a few out of the way spots. Find out about American Ballet Theatre's newest star, Robert Bolle, and his favorite spots in his hometown, Milan. Travel and Leisure's Italy expert, Valerie Waterhouse, shares some secrets about Venice. Affordable and stylish hotels in Rome and Florence are featured, and an authentic family restaurant in San Cesareo, near Rome, is recommended.

The Frugal Traveler Visits Venice and Milan

New York Times blogger Matt Gross (a.k.a the Frugal Traveler) recently visited Italy with his wife and newborn baby girl. On the agenda were Venice and Milan. His posts last week were filled with all kinds of tips on visiting Venice with an infant and finding comfortable and stylish accommodations on a budget in Milan. If you are at all hesitant to take Junior on his first trip to Italy-don't worry! It can be done, even in winter, and you can still have a ton of fun. Remember, Italians love babies.

Anapo River Retreat in Siracusa

Just outside Siracusa, on the banks of the Anapo River, is an old masseria, or farming estate, that has been converted into a unique and stylish hotel. Surrounded by fields of flowers and fruit-bearing trees, the Caol Ishka Hotel is modern and rustic all at once. You'll appreciate the infinity pool after a day touring Siracusa's archaeological preserve (just a 15 minute drive away) and if you are feeling adventurous, take a canoe trip down the Anapo to its mouth in the Bay of Siracusa. From there you will have a gorgeous view of Ortygia, the ancient and Baroque part of Siracusa. Prices start at 190 Euros in the high season-not bad for a luxurious, peaceful escape.

Emporio Le Sirenuse in Positano

Le Sirenuse (The Sirens) is indisputably one of the best hotels in Positano. But not only is it unique, luxurious and quintessentially Italian, but it is also right across the street from its own boutique, Emporio Le Sirenuse. The shop is run by Carla Sersale, the daughter-in-law of Antonio Sersale, the hotel's owner. Here you can find everything in exquisite taste: ballet flats by Porselli, Laura Urbinati swimwear, Faraone Mennella jewelry, Venetian glassware and bohemian textiles by Lisa Corti. The shop is Suzy Gershman's (Born to Shop Italy) favorite store in all of Italy. Diverti te! 30 Via Colombo.

Capofaro in the Aeolian Islands

If you really want to get it away from it all, try the Capofaro Malvasia and Resort in Salina, one of the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily. For those of you who can't get far enough away from the crowds, this might just be the place you've been searching for. Set amid 13 acres of vineyards, the resort is rustically modern, whitewashed and surrounded by the blue sea and views of the neighboring volcanic islands. The resort makes its own Malvasia, a regional sweet white wine. Salina was one of the settings for the 1994 Oscar-winning movie Il Postino and is considered by many to be the most beautiful of the Aeolian islands. Rates at the Capofaro start at 170 Euros and include breakfast.

Secret Hotels of Sicily

Budget Travel has a great list of villas and farms that have been turned into hotels. Each property starts at below 150 Euros and promises to offer an authentic and unique Sicilian experience. The Villa Letizia in Palermo is right on the waterfront and near one of the city's most charming quarters. The Hotel Gutkowski in Siracusa's historic Ortygia district (pictured) offers sea views and a real regional Sicilian breakfast. The Villa Nettuno in Taormina is situated in a lush garden overhanging a seaside cliff. For more "Secret Hotels" read the article on BudgetTravel.com.

Hotel Orientale in Palermo-Old World Splendor

The Hotel Orientale in Palermo is housed in a 17th century palace once belonging to Prince Alessandro Filangieri II. Now the baroque residence is crumbling a bit, but it still maintains its elegant atmosphere. With simply furnished bedrooms, the place is truly a budget hotel, with rates starting at around $90 a night. However, its location in the historic center and its frescoed ceilings will convince you that you are royalty too. Well, former royalty at least.

Vegetarian Holiday Menu from Quisi on Capri

Yes, Christmas is over, but it's always the season for a festive meal. L'Espresso's food blog, Cucina, has a great holiday menu for vegetarians. Stefano Mazzone, the chef at Quisi (at the Grand Hotel Quisisana on Capri), has prepared a special menu using regional ingredients and traditions. All the courses would be appropriate at any time of year (except the Neapolitan cake, Struffoli, which should really only be enjoyed at Christmas). The menu begins with a vegetable and cheese bruschetta, moves on to a simple onion pasta, and for the main course Eggplant Parmigiana. Try Google's Translator for the recipes in English. The Italians celebrate Christmas until January 6th, so feel free to serve the Struffoli until then!

Ustica-The Black Pearl of the Mediterranean

The tiny island of Ustica off the coast of Sicily has definitely not been discovered by tourists yet-well, maybe some Sicilian tourists. Just a short ferry boat ride from Palermo (take the aliscafi-hydrofoil), Ustica offers some of the best diving and snorkeling in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Everything about the island is pristine, including its little town. Ustica even boasts its own Blue Grotto, almost as impressive as the one on Capri. Hotel La Grotta Azzurra is named for this cave and offers a great pool to relax seaside. Most hotels on the island are very simple (and quite affordable!). Profondo Blu can help you find a boat and captain to take you out on the sea for exploring, swimming and diving.

Hotel Palumbo in Ravello

Originally built in the 12th century, the Hotel Palumbo was a private palazzo until 1875, when its owners turned it into a hotel. The great composer Richard Wagner stayed there and even composed many pieces on the piano which is still in use at the hotel. The public rooms were decorated in the 1600s and incorporate intricately frescoed ceilings and Greek and Roman columns from Paestum and around the Amalfi Coast. The hotel's restaurant, Confalone, makes use of these grand rooms and includes a terrace overlooking one of the most spectacular views of the Amalfi Coast. The hotel is an exquisite marvel, worth visiting even if the high room rates (600 Euros for a double in the summer!) make a stay out of the question. Stop in during the evening to truly make the most of this romantic place.

Travel and Leisure: Best Hotels in Rome

Travel and Leisure Magazine has just released its list of the top 500 hotels in the world. Rome has 5 of them, including one that is new to the list: The Hotel Majestic (pictured). Located on the Via Veneto, this hotel was built in 1889 and was the setting for Fellini's famous film, La Dolce Vita. Rates start at 465 Euros, so it certainly isn't a bargain! But can you put a price on La Dolce Vita, anyway? The other 4 hotels on Travel and Leisure's list are the Hotel d'Inghilterra, the St. Regis Grand, the Westin Excelsior and the Hotel Hassler. All are luxurious and all are worth it. Stop by for a drink if you the room rates are a little too high for you (and in this economy, they are definitely too high!).

Travel and Leisure's Top 500 Hotels:Amalfi Coast

Every year Travel and Leisure publishes THE LIST. This year, 5 hotels on the Amalfi Coast and one in Sorrento made the coveted ranking, however none of them are new to the list. All are luxurious and all are VERY expensive. But even if you can't stay at any of these properties, stop in for lunch or a drink. The views and service are definitely a worthwhile experience. On Capri, the Capri Hotel & Spa and the Grand Hotel Quisisana are recommended. In Positano, Travel and Leisure ranks Il San Pietro di Positano and La Sirenuse as the best. In Ravello, the lovely and exclusive (43 rooms) Palazzo Sasso (pictured) is the hotel to visit. If you make it over to Sorrento, the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria overlooks the Bay of Naples and provides an excellent jumping-off point for visiting ruins, islands, and the Amalfi Coast.