Sublime

Aria di Mare Rooms rents four sunny rooms and an apartment 20 yards beyond Trattoria dal Billy at the very top of town. If you don’t mind staying in a mostly residential zone high above the tourists, this is a great value. Three rooms have spacious terraces with knockout views and lounge chairs. Maurizio speaks a little English (Db-€85, Db apartmen

Back in 1299, the Tuscans had one such unfair advantage: their bookkeeping. Florence’s merchant banks prospered because they were better at business than anyone else.

Il Casello is the only place for a fun meal on a terrace overlooking the old town beach. With outdoor tables on a rocky outcrop, it’s a pleasant spot for a salad, pasta, or secondi (€9-13 pastas, €13-18 secondi, daily April-Oct—food and drinks served all day long, closed Nov-March, mobile 333-492-7629, Bacco).

$$ Nicolina Rooms consists of seven units in three different buildings. Two rooms are in the center over the pharmacy, up a few steep steps (Db-€80-90); another room is on a twisty lane above the harbor (Db-€80); and four more are in a building beyond the church, with great views (D-€100, Db-€140, two-bedroom suite with harborview terrace-€180 plus

nice, tidy, well-equipped rooms with a large and inviting common living room, plus three apartments. It’s in a modern setting a few minutes’ walk uphill from the train tracks (Db-€100, view apartment Db-€140, Qb-€180, 3-night minimum for apartment, air-con, Wi-Fi, Via Discovolo 126, mobile 334-389-4764, www.dapaulin.it, prenotazioni@dapaulin.it). H

Reservations, run with care and smooth communication by American expat Amy and her Italian husband Francesco, offers seven rooms and seven apartments (Db-€70-100 depending on view, Db suite with top view-€130, discount if you pay cash, reception open daily 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00 in season, some rooms have air-con, Wi-Fi at office; parking-€10