Italy - Timeless temptations

ALL ROADS, THEY say, lead to Rome. And certainly there are lots of roads in Italy to draw incentive organisers – whether their achievers are looking for history, culture, art and religion or are hungry for high-energy sport and delectable cuisine or well…la dolce vita.



Easy air, road and rail connections with the rest of Europe, and a tradition for hospitality make Italy an unashamedly five-star offer.



Entering a new millennium, Rome’s role as the pivotal point of Christian heritage takes on a special meaning. Audiences with the Pope aren’t the easiest of events to arrange but could be the ultimate incentive experience. Less ambitious groups might be content with joining the tourists shuffling round St. Peter’s in search of the Sistine Chapel and its mind-boggling Michelangelo ceiling.



Rome has so many high-spots: the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps…



To browse our collection of hotels in Rome, please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/results/country/italy/city/rome/getrates/false/search.htm



Milan, too, has lots on offer. Cap a trip with a night at the opera – La Scala is, after all, the world’s premier venue for such high culture. Then maybe an InterMilan or Milan FC soccer game would be more the ticket.



Culture devotees will appreciate an incentive trip to glorious Florence with its profusion of historic architecture, museums, galleries – and all those churches.



To browse our collection of hotels in Florence, please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/results/country/italy/city/florence/getrates/false/search.htm



No longer can you walk to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa, but a group picture at its base will make a lasting memory of a good trip which is bound hinge largely around Italy’s culinary offerings, of which mega-pizzas and the full pasta and salad repertoire are put together.



A culinary-themed visit to the northern province of Trento, with its fascinating mix of Germanic and Italianate cultures, could include a drive in a blood-red Ferrari (yes they can be hired for an ultimate boy’s toy incentive), a drink of the namesake Ferrari – the region’s sparkling wine – organised visits to vineyards and orchards and samplings of such unusual delicacies as the oddly-named "strangled priest" (it’s a kind of speciality dumpling), alongside tours through the mighty peaks of the Dolomites and a boating excursion on delightful Lake Garda.



Beaches can be as strong a theme as are lakes and mountains. The Adriatic resort of Rimini bases much of its business around conferences and incentives. Nearby is the odd little independent republic of San Marino, home to a major motor race. How about a drive round the circuit in the wheelmarks of Schumacher, Hakkinen and the rest? Or, as an alternative setting, heading back to the Milan area and paying homage at the historic Monza circuit? Down south, Naples has much to offer. A full group of programme could include visits to Vesuvius and Pompeii, an excursion along the stunningly picturesque Amalfi coast and a trip across to the delightful little islands of Iscia and Capri, the latter the one-time home islands of entertainer Gracie Fields.



Bigger islands call too. Sardinia is laced full of history and boasts the fabulous Costa Smeralda, with its profusion of five-star resort hotels developed through the inspiration of the Agha Khan. Forte’s holiday village, for example provides a wide range of package options.



To browse our collection of hotels in Sardinia, please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/results/country/italy/city/sardinia/getrates/false/search.htm



Sicily is truly fascinating, its heritage a mix of Greek, Roman, Norman, Arab and other influences. Here, the tourism infrastructure has been massively upgraded over recent years and if you want to take your group right to the top, try a guided walk to the smoking crater at the summit of might Mount Etna



Towering peaks and lush valleys, tiny villages and cosmopolitan cities. Italy’s motivational magnetism displays a delectable timelessness.



To browse our collection of hotels in Italy, please visit: http://www.ghotw.com/results/country/italy/getrates/false/search.htm