An oasis of calm in the Eternal City

Few cities are as frantic and bustling as Rome it is, after all, both a major European city and Italy's top tourist destination. Sometimes, though, you want to be able to escape the crowds, and the Lord Byron Hotel makes for a perfect, tranquil base.

It's situated in the classy streets of the Parioli district, to the north of the Borghese Gardens. "The upside of its off-centre location is peace, quiet and the sense of having wandered into the private Roman residence of a wealthy collector," says Lee Marshall in The Daily Telegraph.

Despite the quiet leafy streets you aren't in the suburbs the Spanish Steps and other main sights of the city are 15 to 20 minutes walk away. Inside, the hotel is a "haven of tasteful elegance, with a 1920s vibe", says Marshall. It is a "chic hideaway" with a "clubby ambiance, and everybody is oh-so-very-discreet here", says Frommers.com, which considers it the most romantic hotel in the city.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up

Sapori del Lord Byron, the hotel's restaurant, is "one of the finest and most romantic restaurants in Rome", says Frommers.com, and wine lovers will love the award-winning "encyclopaedic wine cellar", says Marshall.

From €201 for a double room. LordByronHotel.com, 00 39 06 3220 404.

Escape the city to a Tuscan farmhouse

The location is idyllic, a 30-minute drive from the coast and 15 minutes from the world famous Terme di Saturnia thermal spa. Situated around a volcanic pool, it offers an impressive array of treatments and an excellent restaurant. Thereare also several wineries in the area the owners of the villa live next door and are happy to help arrange wine-tasting tours or recommend local eateries.

Nibbio Reale from £1,500 per week peak season, off-peak from £1,200. Homeaway.co.uk.