Uncovering the Ancient Historical Treasures of Italy

The mystique of modern Italy is profound yet intangible. The world over, people are strongly aware of the aroma of its coffee, the colour of its pasta sauces, the texture of its vineyards and the flavour of its rich culture. Yet there is so much to the allure of Italy that it is hard to summarise its mystique without resorting to cheap stereotypes.

To begin to truly grasp the 'oeuvre' of this nation, you need to invest time exploring its stunning landscapes and fascinating history. In many respects, it is indeed the ideal place for history buffs to holiday.

Roads leading to Rome

The quintessential image of Italian history is that of Rome. From the Coliseum to the Corinthian style columns, the Eternal City gave birth to an historic empire and culture that still captures the imagination of the world. Whether you choose to stay in cottages, castles or villas in Italy, you would be remiss not to take the many roads that lead to Rome, or even the lesser, more convenient trails that lead to Roman remains near your accommodation. From Sicily to Umbria, the mark of this complex period lingers. It will no doubt be an unforgettable experience for history buffs to walk in the shoes of purple-robed emperors, stern senators, austere philosophers, rugged gladiators, decadent poets or even the average, ethnically-diverse members of this expansive empire, whose lives are still reflected in iconic relics that remain today all over the peninsula.

Florentine Fancy

There really is no place like Tuscany, simply because it breathes in the romantic dreams of travellers from around the world and gives it back tenfold with its ambient golden mood. From the illuminated walls of the Florence Duomo to the cascading vineyards bathing in the Tuscan sun, travellers here can exult in la Dolce Vita. Of all the places to rent villas in Italy, few will emanate such a sincere blend of history and luxury as those in the Tuscan area. The birthplace of the Enlightenment to many, history buffs can discover how high culture was forged and passed on through the world via the words of Dante, the thoughts of Petrarch, or the ideas of Boccacio.

Go deeper in Sardinia

While the proud emblems of Empire and Enlightenment are well-known everywhere as representative of this proud nation's past, the castles and villas in Italy offer up a deeper investigation of history that will delight lovers of antiquity. For example, you can dig deep into the past of the island of Sardinia and uncover stories of life that predates the Roman Empire by a significant period of time. From the Mesolithic period and the Bronze Age through to the Aegean time, peoples, cultures and societies have flourished and diminished, leaving behind intriguing testaments to their former glories, such as the nuraghi, round tower fortresses that date from around 1500 BC and number nearly 7,000.

Jonathan Magoni is Senior Manager of Cottages to Castles, a family owned company specialising in high quality holiday villas, apartments and cottages in Italy. For spectacular villas in Italy in Tuscany, Sicily, the Italian lakes, ski resorts or city centres, we offer only the very best. Discover Italy at your own pace and without time restrictions in our hand picked villas and cottages.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.