The prime minister today begins the Italian leg of his summer holiday.

Tony Blair kicked off his month-long break in the Caribbean home of Sir Cliff Richard, before heading to Athens for the opening of the Olympic games.

He watched the opening ceremony, before spending Saturday watching British Olympians compete in swimming contests.

He is likely to spend time at Silvio Berlusconi's Villa Certosa on the Sardinian coast before heading to the Tuscan mansion owned by Prince Girolamo Guicciardini Strozzi.

Some reports suggested he would not stay with the Italian prime minister - although it is thought he may spend two nights as a guest of the billionaire businessman turned political leader.

It was claimed last year that the Blairs switched to the Caribbean following a clash with Italy over international policy.

Controversy

The Blair family's holiday arrangements have long been a subject of controversy.

They were criticised after it emerged the Egyptian government had put them up at two private government villas at the New Tower Hotel in Sharm-el-Sheikh.

The Egyptians also provided the family with a return flight from Cairo to Sharm-el-Sheikh.

In return Blair made charitable donations to a charity chosen by the Egyptian government.

In 2000, the prime minister was accused of wasting £40,000 of public money on a royal flight when he and his family flew to Italy on a BAe146 aircraft used by the Royal Squadron.

In 1999, Blair attempted to defuse a row by asking Tuscan authorities to lift a public ban on the beachfront by his holiday villa.

A decision to attend the controversial Palio horse race in Sienna also made front page news following criticism from animal rights groups.

A trip to the Seychelles in 1998 caused a stir after it was claimed Blair was involved in rescuing a Danish tourist from drowning.

The man later claimed he was simply resting from a long swim when Blair's boat invited him aboard.

An Italian stay courtesy of the controversial former paymaster general, Geoffrey Robinson, also landed the prime minister in hot water.