After picking up your campervan, head off the beaten track by driving east into the enigmatic region of Abruzzo. Dramatic mountains, vast valleys and atmospheric abandoned hilltop hamlets await, forming what locals call ‘Italy’s last wilderness’.

Surely such a region deserves special attention on your central Italy road trip! Stay in Sulmona, a little town in the Morrone massif, famous for its sugared almonds and a perfect base for exploring the area.

Steeped in myth, Abruzzo is believed to be a land of ancient magic. Head to Scanno to see women in traditional costume making lace by hand, and to visit a lake that local legend says was formed in a battle between a white witch and a sorcerer.

Or there’s Cocullo, with its bizarre snake festival. Spend a day or so hiking through the alpine meadows of the Majella National Park, or get your adrenaline pumping with some moonlit white‑water rafting on the River Aventino.

From Abruzzo, head west on your central Italy road trip to the better-known Orvieto. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, Orvieto is easy to fall in love with.

Winding streets, pretty piazzas and a glittering cathedral, it perches high above the plain, captivating and compelling. And, with its illusion of rising mysteriously out of the volcanic rock from which it was built, it’s also wonderfully eerie.

Visit the cathedral first, then go further back in time with a trip to the Museo Claudio Faina e Civico with its ancient Etruscan artefacts. Escape the Mediterranean sun with a wander through subterranean Orvieto — 440 caves lie beneath the city’s streets, once used for everything from World War II air-raid shelters to wine cellars.

And when you’re done with sightseeing, relax with a glass of Orvieto Classico, a wine famed since Roman times. Luca Signorelli, who painted the cathedral’s frescoes, was paid in Orvieto’s wine — maybe you’ll be inspired to paint a masterpiece yourself after a few glasses too.

Where do Romans go on holiday? There’s no punchline, sorry. The answer is actually the third stop on your Central Italy road-trip itinerary: Lake Bracciano.

The second-largest of Lazio’s volcanic lakes sits just under an hour north of Rome, a natural paradise perfect for luring city dwellers to the countryside. Set in an enormous volcanic crater, it isn’t a lake for adrenaline junkies — motorboats are banned, for one thing. This is a lake for seriously kicking back and relaxing.

Enjoy a peaceful canoeing trip in the lake’s clear waters or take a sailing lesson. For swimming and picnicking, head for Lungolago Argenti. And it’s not just the lake that’s charming — the town of Bracciano is absolutely gorgeous.

Pay a visit to the impressive Orsini Odescalchi castle, where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were married. Even if you couldn’t care less about celebrity gossip, this place still makes an impression.

Finales don’t come more fabulous than Rome. In history, art, architecture, food and atmosphere, Rome goes above and beyond.

Iconic ancient ruins — the Colosseum and the Pantheon — sit in a city brimming with world-famous art by the likes of Michelangelo and Caravaggio. Every corner you turn reveals new wonders; calling it a cultural cornucopia is no exaggeration.

Start with a heady dose of religious splendour at St Paul’s Basilica or the Sistine Chapel, then explore the museums — or mix it up with some contemporary work at the MAXXI exhibition space. Stroll down streets thronging with Vespas.

Maybe enjoy a picnic in Villa Borghese. As evening falls, wander bohemian Trastevere and savour an aperitivo in a streetside trattoria. The food is just as exceptional as you’d expect of Italy’s capital, so be sure to try specialities like cacio e pepe or artichokes cooked alla Romana.