Viewpoint – Cortina d’Ampezzo

The pretty town of Cortina d’Ampezzo nestles in the Dolomites – a chic holiday destination for skiers, walkers, cyclists and anyone who wants to be inspired by breathtaking scenery The ‘Queen of the Dolomites’, as Cortina d’Ampezzo is sometimes known, is a place like no other. Tucked away in the mountains in the Belluno province, […]

Meet the ultimate pasta master, Giovanni Rana

Jenny Crombie travelled to Verona to meet the undisputed king of tortellini, Giovanni Rana, at his restaurant where she learnt the secrets of pasta making from the experts Giovanni Rana’s renowned trattoria Le Tre Corone is perfectly located in Verona’s Piazza Bra. It forms the ideal stop-off for opera lovers before and after performances at […]

48 hours in Cagliari

From ancient to exotic, Cagliari has it all. Sardinian resident Heather Browne spends a weekend getting to grips with the island’s colourful capital In attractive centre boasting vibrant culture and history? Check. A mild climate that regularly permits shirtsleeves in January? Check. One of Europe’s longest beaches? Check. No, it’s not Barcelona but Italy’s latest […]

This is the smallest theatre in Italy

In the small town of Vetriano, in the province of Lucca, is this theatre, now part of the Guinness World Records. This historial theatre, is now recognised as the smallest world! The theatre is located between houses and the streets of this stunning Tuscan village and keeps features of the 19th century, with a very little stage which is still […]

Island of Traditions – Part 2

Photojournalist Marina Spironetti travelled to inland Sardinia and the remote region of Barbagia to document the most fascinating and ancient carnival traditions of the island… Sos Thurpos, Orotellisos Sos Thurpos from Orotelli represent another centuries-old tradition. Unlike the masks in Mamoiada and Ottana, they don’t wear sheepskins but a simple black coat, handmade chaps (gambali) […]

Top Five: Thermal Spas

Montecatini, Tuscany

Bubbling hot springs and soothing mineral waters abound in the perfect climes and geology of the Italian peninsula. We take a look at five of the most therapeutic on offer… Ischia Bay of Naples, Campania This beautiful island nestles in the Bay of Naples in one of the most volcanic regions of Italy – prime […]

Discover the Cinque Terre coast by railway…

Italy’s Cinque Terre is the stuff of postcards, and its colourful coastal railway is as pretty as a picture. Tristan Rutherford takes a train journey of discovery along the Ligurian coast Central Italy is snowbound, so it is a shock to see La Spezia Station in radiant green. Palm trees run alongside the tracks in […]

Hands up for Halloween

Today’s the day for the weird, the wonderful and the downright scary, so we thought you’d like to take a look at this wonderfully misshapen curiosity which we came across in an elegant Sicilian vegetable garden this month. A serious contender for Ugliest Fruit of the Year 2016, its knarly, pitted, pock-marked appearance and lumpy […]

La Palazzina di Stupinigi – Past Italia!

In the woods and fields around the Palazzina di Stupinigi, outside Turin, between harvest time and Christmas, no animal big enough to be hunted was safe… The silhouetted figure on top gives a clue as to what this building was designed to be: a hunting lodge, a very grand hunting lodge. There has been a […]