While every honeymoon couple dreams of relaxing and taking it easy during their first few days as man and wife, the ideal hotel also has a choice of interesting activities to keep couples busy should they prefer. This month we suggest five of the best...

MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO – SAVELLETRI DI FASANO, PUGLIA

...beautiful setting

DOWN IN THE BEAUTIFUL REGION of Puglia is where 5-star luxury combines with some of Italy’s most striking countryside at the divine Masseria Torre Coccaro, and where you’ll find a warm welcome and the invitation to relax and unwind in the masseria’s charming atmosphere. Boasting 16th-century origins, the property’s tower was once a stronghold against Turkish invaders, and has since been converted into a luxury resort whose aim is to spoil guests with all the best that nature has to offer while ensuring their stay is as comfortable and restful as possible.
However, that doesn’t mean there are no activities on offer - quite the opposite! In this beautiful setting immersed in centuryold olive groves and offering striking sea views, guests can stroll along the long sandy beaches, enjoy treatments at the masseria’s fabulous spa, take advantage of the property’s golf course or even take a few cooking lessons. There are also jogging circuits nearby, it’s possible to organise beach volley ball games, go sailing, play tennis, try some jet skiing, and for the super fit, how about some kite surfing or five-a-side football? No excuse for putting on the pounds here... Tel: (+39) 080 4829310 Web: www.apuliacollection.com

RELAIS DON ALFONSO – SANT’AGATA SUI DUE GOLFI, CAMPANIA

...oasis of elegance

ON THE HILLS of Punta Campanella on the Sorrentine peninsula sits one of Southern Italy’s true gems – the Relais Don Alfonso. Run by Alfonso and Livia Iaccarino with their sons Ernesto and Mario, this fabulous hotel is a true oasis of elegance and charm nestled away in the small town of Sant’Agata Sui Due Golfi which aims to provide a once in a lifetime gourmet experience for visiting food lovers. Soak up the surroundings - lemon and olive orchards, vineyards, vegetable gardens, the foaming blue sea and an impenetrable, perfumed Mediterranean forest; and of course, the warm Mediterranean climate that this part of the world boasts.
Not only will you be well catered for by Don Alfonso’s impeccable two-star restaurant, but you will also be able to take part in hands-on cooking lessons with the kitchen staff, pick up tips from the world of haute cuisine, learn more about the Mediterranean diet and the culture, land, sea, and delicious produce of one of the most beautiful places in Italy and in the world. Staff will also be happy to help you organise treks along some of the hillside pathways that offer stunning views of the coastline, find the best local food artisans, and even arrange for a sail around the coast. And when you’ve had enough, relax with a glass of wine in the flowered gardens or lounge by the pool.
Tel: (+39) 081 8780026 Web: www.donalfonso.com

FORTE VILLAGE RESORT – SANTA MARGHERITA DI PULA CAGLIARI, SARDINIA

...luxury accomodation

ORTE VILLAGE RESORT is situated in a beautiful part of Sardinia, just a few kilometres from Cagliari, in a natural oasis of magnificent beaches, crystal blue waters and Mediterranean greenery. The resort provides several luxury, 4 or 5 star accommodation arrangements and is able to organise personalised stays that ensure couples can be as active or as lazy as they wish. Certainly, within the resort’s tropical gardens, it’s easy to see why many guests choose to laze near a pool, indulge in a spa or thalassotherapy treatment or enjoy one of the many gourmet restaurants, but there are lots of other choices too.
Apart from the water sports, go-karting and trampolines available within the grounds, Forte Village Resort’s position in southern Sardinia is also close to numerous places of environmental and cultural interest, making it an ideal starting point for all types of excursions. You can hire cars, jeeps, bicycles, mountain bikes and boats or ride horses in the nearby riding schools. Itineraries can be sea-based (to other islands or along the spectacular nearby coast), land-based (to the fascinating Sardinian hinterland) or lead you to discover the most characteristic local folklore traditions. For instance, just 15 minutes away by car you will find the spectacular archaeological ruins of Nora – an impressive Phoenician commercial outpost. Pink flamingos nest in the striking natural oases of Molentargius near Cagliari and impressive remains of the Punic city of Tharros lie along the western coast of Sardinia in the direction of the Oristano Gulf.
Tel: (+39) 070 92171 Web: www.fortevillageresort.com

BYBLOS ART HOTEL – CORRUBBIO DI NEGARINE, VERONA

...evocative setting

WE SUGGEST this hotel for those who are looking for activities that don’t require too much effort... Situated in Corrubbio, in the heart of the Valpolicella area and only 7 km from the centre of Verona, Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà offers a unique and evocative setting with all the characteristics of a classical Venetian-style Villa. Painstakingly refurbished, this monumental villa boasts a large hall dominated by a Venetian chandelier and other rooms with elaborate ceiling decoration and murals. There are also three conference rooms, three dining areas where it is possible to enjoy exquisite cuisine (one of which is outdoors), and a large cellar for wine-tasting. The extensive gardens offer an evocative setting, with fountains, a swimming pool and a state of the art Henri Chenot Institute health spa.
But, as the name suggests, it is the art that makes this hotel so very particular. Conceived as a permanent contemporary art exhibition, the hotel displays the work of internationally renowned artists such as, Valerio Adami, Takashi Murakami, Luigi Ontani, Mimmo Paladino, Mimmo Rotella, and Cindy Sherman. And after brushing up on your art, why not enjoy a couple of trips to Verona’s world famous Arena to catch the season’s operas?
Tel: (+39) 045 6855555 Web: www.byblosarthotel.com

GRAND HOTEL MIRAMARE – SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE, LIGURIA

...breathtaking views

THIS MAGNIFICENT Liberty building stands on the shores of the Gulf of Tigullio in the picturesque town of Santa Marghertita Ligure. Surrounded by luxuriant Mediterranean gardens and offering breathtaking views of this stretch of the Ligurian Riviera, the hotel combines elegant simplicity with comfort in what has to be one of Italy’s most delightful settings. The Grand Hotel Miramare has an impressive history and over the years has counted numerous politicians, actors and members of the jet set among its clients. And it was at this hotel that in August 1933, for the first time in history, Gugliemo Marconi transmitted radio telegraphic and radio telephonic signals from one of the hotel balconies.
The hotel offers a rich variety of activities to keep guests amused. It has a heated open sea water pool, caters for all main water sports such as sailing, yachting, canoeing and diving, and has a special arrangement with the nearby Rapallo Golf Club for guests. The area is the perfect destination for experienced hikers, with the Park of Mount Portofino nearby, and there are even cooking lessons with the hotel’s chef for those eager to learn the secrets of preparing the perfect Ligurian pesto sauce. After which, head off and treat yourself to the beneficial effects of a treatment at the spa.
Tel: (+39) 0185 287013 Web: www.grandhotelmiramare.it