Whether the Etruscans originally came, as some believe, from Asia Minor, or from middle Italy, their earthiness and spontaneity, as depicted in ancient tomb paintings, certainly seem to reflect the rural spirit of Tuscany and Umbria. However, apart from museum pieces and rare outcrops in architecture – like Volterra’s Porta all’Arco – little of what is visible today bears the mark of this mysterious civilisation which held sway from the 8th to the 4th-century BC.

This is patently not true of the Romans – Rome itself being the supreme example. There are Roman amphitheatres too at Spello, Gubbio, Volterra and Fiesole, and many other impressive reminders of the Empire that once ruled half the known world.

That said, the influences that most characterise central Italy are medieval and Renaissance. People today live their lives against an achingly beautiful backdrop of centuries-old towns, villas and country houses. Indeed, in many of the properties chosen by Simpson Travel, you can revel in their historical resonance, for in the process of up-dating them their owners always respect what has gone before.

With a heritage second to none in Europe, Italians are at ease with their identity and have an inborn sense of tradition. For the visitor who cares about such things, it is something to warm your hands on.