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Meg Nolan, the author of Italian Hideaways spoke to Indagare about her favorite places in Italy and about the country’s next It destinations.

How many properties did you consider for the book and how did you end up choosing the thirty featured?

I originally had only wanted to include twenty-five properties, but the purpose of showcasing the variety of property styles in Italy made including thirty more sensible. The ones chosen were based on quality, of course, and then disparate characteristics from one another and last, geographic variation. Each property though had to pass muster on five core categories: guestrooms quality/design, hotel decor, hotel location (hideaway), lesser-known status, and overall size and intimacy.

How do you define what constitutes a “hideaway” in Italy?

First, lesser known among my audience and then second location, oftentimes the smaller town next to the one more internationally recognized like Praino on the Amalfi Coast rather than Positano. Plus, whenever we would get lost en route to a new property I had a good feeling and knew it was on its way to being considered for the book.

Which properties do you consider a good fit for a first-time visitor to Italy?

Il Falconiere is a wonderful, culinary-laced glimpse into Tuscan life with gorgeous vineyard views and prime location next to the ancient hill town of Cortona and then the Bauer Palazzo for a historic and lush look at Venice.

Which properties are totally off-the-beaten path and surprising even for a longtime traveler to Italy?

Castello di Vicarello is a true diamond in the rough in rural Val d’Orcia and the couple who own it has poured their very interesting and diverse backgrounds – he was a film producer at CineCitta and she a longtime antiques collector, gardener and cook who spent 18 years in Indonesia and traveling abroad – to their refurbishment of this beautiful castle. I also love Ca Maria Adele in Venice as being a pleasant and highly attentive alternative to the San Marco square crowds. Run by two affable brothers who are locals and come from an established Murano glass family, it is the ideal way to revisit the city.

If you could use details (furniture, decoration, art, antiques, views, setting, gardens etc.) from any of the properties in the book to create your perfect home, what would you use?

I fell in love with the living room at Villa Cabbiavoli. The fabrics and antique furniture in that room still haunt me. I loved the gold tones mixed with red and the pink and white carerra marble on the fireplace. Alas, until I figure out how to translate a Tuscan villa to New York City properly I may be stuck just poring over photos and dreaming. I also find Ferragamo’s Portrait Suites in Rome to be especially smart. All the custom details on the furniture and gray palette with bright greens and pinks was alluring. Luckily Lungarno, their other property, has a store in Florence right across from the hotel and below Lungarno Suites where you can pick up some of the items from their hotel rooms and bring them back.

Which properties in the book would you suggest for families traveling with kids? Are there any cities/regions in Italy that lend themselves better to traveling with children than others?

I think the best thing for kids with Italy is to make sure the hotel has lots of activities. Alas, its just unfair to assume a child will find an ancient relic or delicacies like lardo paired with a rich Brunello as enjoyable as adults so I always recommend that you take children somewhere where they can be most active – seaside or countryside. I’ve included villas in the book because there is no better way to appreciate a culture than to attempt to live in it on your own – even if only for two weeks. I think for children a villa on the sea or in the country will keep them appeased and interested as they can feel comfortable and establish a routine.

Speaking about Italy in general: is there a regions you find underrated?

I’m partial to Lombardia because I find the northern lakes to be without rival in natural beauty. Plus the mountains have skiing in the winter and despite its overwhelmingly gray facade, Milan has its hidden stars as well.

Is there a region you find overrated and how can travelers going there still have an authentic experience there?

There is no denying Tuscany’s stronghold over the general public’s image of Italy however I don’t find it overrated in the least. Tuscany is simply gorgeous and with an up and coming seaside area (Maremma) and inlet, Monte Argentario—one of my all-time favorite locations in Italy, its high profile reputation is well deserved. As for an authentic experience still readily available, absolutely. You just need to know where to avoid and where to look.

A huge part of an Italian journey is the food. If you had to choose five great authentic restaurants in all of Italy, which ones would they be?

Alas, my restaurant knowledge isn’t on par with my hotel experiences but for those iconic and beloved places that I’ve been and do continue to recommend from personal experience they would be: Villa D’Este in Cernobbio, Lake Como; Da Nino in Rome Harry’s Bar in Venice; La Sirenuse in Positano; and Villa Feltrinelli at Lake Garda.

When you look into your crystal ball, what’s the next hot destination in Italy (à la Lake Como thanks to George Clooney)?

Oh George! I will not fully elaborate on what he’s done to my favorite spot in Italy other than acknowledge he must have good taste. I was just married there, so I feel quite close to the area though do also recognize its cover as a hot destination has long been blown, so to speak and I think the next hot destinations are more likely Puglia and Umbria. Both are becoming quite apparent on people’s radar screens and their labels as the “other Tuscany” or the lesser known area of the country are gaining lots of attention and rightfully so.

Is there any place left that you have not been to in Italy and where are you dying to go next?

I am mortified to admit I have never been to Sicily. I vow my next trip will be direct to Palermo and then onto the Aeolian Islands.