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Taking a trip to Italy this year? Why not visit some of the prettiest places to swim out in the open with our list of the top wild swimming locations.

Best for Hot Springs: Fosso Bianco, Bagni San Filippo, Tuscany

Hidden in the woods, a hot spring flows down the huge white calcareous rock face into a set of stunning hot pools. Just relax and enjoy this magical place, in winter or summer.

Best for Blue Pools: Laghetti D'Avola, Syracuse, Sicily

Two perfect rocky pools with an incredible colour, surrounded by a breathtaking canyon full of waterfalls, wildlife and flowers. The best place for river scrambling and an aquatic mini adventure.

Best for Waterfalls: Cascata Plera, Tolmezzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia

A waterfall drops into a true blue pool over the this funnel of rock. The air is always fresh, with the small droplets suspended in mid-air.

Best for Jumping: Torrente Ceronda, Valleys of Turin, Piedmont

In the middle of a wild and quiet forest, hold your breath and dive between the rocks into a large turquoise pool.

Best for Waterside Food: Lago di San Domenico, L'Aquila, Abruzzo

In the magnificent scenery of the Gole del Sagittario, this enchanting green lake is perfect for a picnic. Most eerie and magical at sunset.

Best for Kids & Families: Le piscine dell'Auro, Metauro Valley, Le Marche

In this magnificent valley the river Auro flows from one waterfalls to the other, in a series of easily accessible natural pools. The rocks are great for sun bathing and the water is warm and pleasant.

Best for Canoeing & Boats: Lago di Ledro, Trentino

Exploring the beaches of this beautiful lake by canoe, the best way to enjoy the stunning valley.

Best for Wild Camping: Foppiano, Fiume Taro, Emilia Romagna

In one of the most beautiful valleys of the Appennini, the River Taro's clear water offers a great opportunity to dive and swim. There are many beautiful villages around and wild camping in the forest.

Best for Canyons: Torrente San Michele, Lake Garda, Lombardy

Start your adventure in Campione del Garda and paddle up through the gorge of San Michele, where small pools, waterfalls, and rock channels are great fun.

Why not book car hire to ensure you can explore more than one of these beautiful outdoor pools on your italian getaway.

Running overseas is a great experience and breaks the routine.

If your 2016 New Year’s resolutions involved travel and fitness, then read on! We’ve travelled the world to find some of the long-distance running events that appeal the most to us, so if you need an extra incentive to get fit this year, take a look at these five stunning marathon locations. Then lace up your running shoes – and book your car hire!

Athens Marathon
The closest you’ll get to the original marathon, the Athens Marathon, follows in the footsteps of Pheidippides, who is said to have run from Marathon to Athens in 490 B.C. to report that Athens had won the Battle of Marathon. Taking place in November, this marathon traces his (ultimately fatal) path over tortuous hills to the triumphant setting of the white marble Panathenaic Stadium.

Niagara Falls International Marathon
Prepare to cross the border in October with the Niagara Falls International Marathon which starts in Buffalo, New York and finishes in Ontario, Canada. Join 1,500 runners as you make your way over the International Peace Bridge (the only hill on the course) before entering Ontario for 18 miles on the Niagara Parkway. There’s a stunning photo finish at the brink of the breath-taking Niagara Falls.

Cancun Marathon
The Marathon of Cancun is at its 31st edition with an absolutely beautiful and scenic racecourse that you will never forget. You will run along of the bay of Cancun, by the lagoon and resort. A Mariachi band will be waiting for you at the finish line to help you forget that you’ve just ran a marathon (or even the half marathon). Marathon Cancun has become a night marathon; this is the greatest charm of the event and purely for the participant’s satisfaction. With a perfect flat racecourse, you can finish without too much difficulty.

London Marathon
The London Marathon (known through sponsorship as the Virgin Money London Marathon) is a long-distance running event held in London, United Kingdom and part of the World Marathon Majors. The event was first run on the 29 th of March 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since. Since 2010, the race has been sponsored by Virgin Money. The most recent event was the 2015 London Marathon on the 26th of April 2015. The marathon is run over a largely flat course around the River Thames and spans 42.195 kilometres (26 miles).

There are many marathons which are held worldwide, why not apply to give your trip away a healthy twist! Need car hire on your travels? Why not visit greenmotion.com and book an environmentally friendly car which will help keep the planet green.

With snow-topped peaks, rugged coastlines, rolling green countryside and everything in between, car hire in Italy is a great way to explore everything the country has to offer. Taking a road trip in Italy is more than just a means to an end; with landscapes this beautiful, the journey itself becomes the destination.

Plan your Italy road trip in Tuscany

While the iconic cities of Florence and Siena are best enjoyed on foot, if you’re going to see anything of the “real” Tuscany in between, hiring a car is a great way to go.

The winding Via Chiantigiana is easily one of the prettiest road trips in Italy and well maintained, besides making for a comfortable and easy drive. The landscape here is peppered with picturesque natural landscapes, castles and fortified towns, and while it’s entirely possible to squeeze the drive into just one day, you’re going to want to take full advantage of the region’s abundant vineyards. Overnight stops are a must! Heading south out of Florence along the smooth and straight Via Senese will take you out onto the Via Chiantigiana, where the first stop is Greve in Chianti, the gateway to the region. After a stroll in the main square, take a detour to the west and the charismatic walled town of Montefioralle, perched on a hilltop. Make sure you have your camera at the ready! From there, it’s back to the main trail, through the town of Panzano – the ideal place to stop for a bite to eat – and the historic Castellina. Finally, weaving your way through the thick forest, you’ll head west to the ancient wine-producing town of Gaiole. Here you can enjoy the fermented fruits of the land at the nearby Castello di Brolio castle with its very own wine shop.

All road trips lead to Rome

What could be better for a road trip in Italy than following in the tracks of an ancient Roman road?

The Via Cassia, running all the way from Florence to Rome, is fringed with cypress and pine trees and many more twists and turns than its Roman roots might suggest.

At around six hours’ drive time from Florence, there are plenty of highlights and worthwhile detours along the way to break up the journey. Heading south from Siena, it’s around 30 miles of good road to the Etruscan town of San Quirico D’Orcia where medieval ruins, the alluring vistas from its hilltop location and the quiet retreat of the Leonini Botanic Gardens will tempt you off the road. Further south as you pass through the commune of Abbadia San Salvatore, follow the signs for another ancient road, the Via Francigena, which was once the main route to Rome for pilgrims setting out from Canterbury to visit the tombs of St Peter and St Paul. For a breath of fresh air, make a stop at Lake Bolsena, or carry on south to the ancient town of Sutri, standing on the edge of Bracciano National Park. All these attractions and more await on the long road to Rome.

An Italy road trip with a difference in Sicily

It may look small, but little Sicily is packed with things to see and do and hiring a car is the best way to visit all of the major sights at your own pace.

Two days in topsy-turvy Palermo is more than enough to get a taste for the place before you strike out east by car along the pretty coastal road, a motorway of sorts. The traditional route through the middle of Sicily via the A-19 is currently closed and looks unlikely to reopen any time soon. Happily, the alternative is the beautiful, if slightly slower, SS120, a local road that winds its way through the island’s rugged peaks and green valleys. Break for lunch in Cerda where the homely cuisine of the Trattoria Nasca 2 features an ingenious array of artichoke dishes. By the time you hit Tremonzelli, you’re back on the Autostrada and it’s plain sailing all the way to Catania, where you can park in the port and take the shuttle to the centre for a stroll around the Piazza del Duomo square. Then it’s just a 40-minute drive along one of the most spectacular roads in Sicily to the south side of Mount Etna. At Rifugio Sapienza you’ll swap your car for a cable car to cover the rest of the sensational journey to the top. Get ready for your first glimpse of the awe-inspiring crater, road trips in Italy don’t get much more explosive than this!

Explore the lakes with the ultimate Italy road trip

What do you get when you combine a landscape of lakes, mountains and forests with excellent Autostradas and an 80mph speed limit?

It’s the recipe for a fantastic road trip in Italy’s Lake District. While the local roads around the lakes themselves can tend to be twisty and narrow, the major roads linking one to the next are a dream for any road trip enthusiast. Milan makes a great jumping-off point for road trips in northern Italy. From here it’s an easy hour-long drive up the Statale 36 to Lecco and then on to Bellagio, the pearl of Lake Como along the shores of the lake itself. Bellagio is one of the best places to spend the night, with brightly coloured houses overlooking the lake and mountains. Heading southwest towards Lake Magiorre, the brand new A36 motorway saves you the trouble of heading back into Milan, dropping you straight onto the lovely A8 – the “Road of the Lakes” – leading up towards the elegant town of Stresa. Take the time to enjoy a boat ride out to Isola Bella Island, almost entirely covered by the luxurious palace and gardens of the Palazzo Borromeo. Back on the A8, you can carry on west into the colourful woodlands of Val Grande National Park, for the grand finale to your road trip in the Italian lakes.

Greece is not only beautiful with its ocean landscapes, distinct architecture and delectable food, but it’s also is a popular location for all the family. As one of the continent’s most popular destinations during the summer times, people from around the world flock to its famous islands for the sun, and to the cities for the history. It’s warm; it has delicious food, beautiful islands, and lively and friendly locals. It’s the perfect summer destination.

Visit the Acropolis – Located in Athens, this magnificent temple is a great place to learn about Athen’s history while you get a great view of the city and the nearby ruins.

Explore the past – Greece is where western civilization began and everywhere you turn, you will find ruins that are thousands of years old. Start in Athens with the museums, the Acropolis and surrounding ruins, and then set off to explore the ruins of Delphi, Sparta, and Crete. If you love history, you’ll love Greece.

Explore the beaches – From Crete to Santorini to Corfu, the Greek islands are some of the best in the world. Soak in the sun, admire the white sand and blue-roofed houses, and just relax. Santorini is famous for couples, while Ios is great for parties. Some off the beaten path islands include Rhodes, Kos, or the ones in the far east. During the summer, most of the islands are full so book early. 

Attend the Hellenic Festival – Every summer, the Hellenic Festival in Athens has concerts and performance theater, including reenactments of Greek tragedy. It’s one of the country’s top cultural events and if if coincides with your visit, you’ll see just how proud the Greeks are of their past.

Olympia – See the ruins of Olympia, the place where the famous Olympic games all started. There is also a great reconstructed Temple of Zeus here.

Meteora – Located mid-way through Greece, Meteora is famous for its monasteries that sit atop sheer rock mountains. They are a stunning sight to see and worth the steep trek up to the top. Although more than twenty monasteries used to perch on the steep rocks, only six remain today.

Take in the sun in Corfu – The Greek Islands may get all the press but sunny Corfu on Greece’s west coast is also a good place to enjoy the beach too. It’s a popular destination for young backpackers.

Delphi Ruins – Delphi has always been a place of historic and spiritual significance. This is where the omniscient Oracle would contact Apollo and give advice to those seeking good fortune. Although the eternal flame no longer burns inside, a visit to the Temple of Apollo is obligatory.

Melissani Cave – A boat tour will take you into these caves, where you can admire the magical quality of ultramarine water and monumental walls that surround you.

Mount Olympus – Mount Olympus is the home of ancient gods. From here the gods would control the lives of mortal men. Any climb to Mount Olympus starts from the town of Litochoro. A walk up this mountain will be strenuous and mystical and you’ll see why Greeks thought it was this mountain from which the gods ruled.

Hike the Samaria Gorge – For the outdoor enthusiasts out there, this is considered one of the best hiking experiences in Greece. While it isn’t the shortest or easiest trek, the Samaria Gorge does promise beautiful landscapes, fantastic photo opportunities, and a great workout. Most people come to Greece for the beaches so you’ll find very few people cluttering up the trail.

Patra Carnival – Every year in mid-January, the city of Patra is host to what is basically a month-and-a-half-long party. There are a slew of events, both major and minor; increasingly crazy weekends; and various costume parades, which even feature floats. It’s usually a good idea to make hotel reservations well in advance for this shindig.

Archaeological Museum of Heraklion – The number one attraction on Crete, this museum also happens to be Greece’s second largest archaeological museum next to the museum in Athens. There is a stunning collection here, which highlights the Cretan civilization (dating back from Neolithic times, through to the Roman empire).

Santorini – Many consider it to be the most spectacular island. Aside from the beautiful landscape and volcanic presence, it is a great place for beachside camping, winery tours, scuba diving, and more.

Temple of Olympian Zeus – When you are exploring Athens, this is a great archaeological site to stop at. This temple is massive and took over 700 years to construct (dating back to the sixth century). There are a number of Corinthian columns still standing, though many have fallen. It’s quite an impressive sight.

Endless miles of aquamarine coastline, sun-bleached ancient ruins, strong feta and stronger ouzo – the Greek landscape thrills, for more information on renting a car to explore Greece, visit greenmotion.com to ensure you help keep the planet green.