Homes in Apartments

Well-built, comfortable and great value for money, an Italian apartment can make a wise buy. Whether you’re looking for somewhere urban, coastal or rural, Fleur Kinson guides you through some of the practicalities… Italy’s property prices are lower now than they were eight years ago, and current exchange rates allow non-euro buyers like yourself to get even […]

4 Ways to Use Garlic

In her new book on the subject, Jenny Linford describes every imaginable way of cooking with garlic. Here we present four of her recipes with a distinctively Italian twist… 1. Grilled wild garlic mussels / Cozze grigliate all’aglio selvatico A rich, tasty way to serve mussels, this offers a great contrast of textures between the crunchy […]

Le Marche – Expert advice from Appassionata

le marche

If you are serious about planning a new life in Italy, you will need to consider certain factors very carefully. We asked an expert to offer their best advice. After many years of searching for the ideal place to experience la dolce vita, we moved to the stunning region of Le Marche in 2007. We fell in love with ‘real […]

Top Ten Italian Holiday Destinations

Mario Matassa reveals his choice of the top ten holiday resorts in Italy. From the mountains to the sea, for food fans or culture vultures, there’s a destination for everyone… In a country synonymous with history, art, architecture, style, fashion, gastronomy – not to mention seemingly endless golden sands, striking and rugged landscapes, grand historical cities […]

Italia! Moments – Weekly Round Up 2

It’s time for our 2nd weekly roundup of Italia Moments submissions from our super talented fans. This week there’s a range of seascapes and delicate flowers, perhaps it will inspire you to send in your own photographic moments captured in Italy… Both of these photos along the Amalfi Coast were sent in by The Blog of Pigeon Voyageur, he explains that a […]

Benito Mussolini

This statuette was commissioned in the mid-1930s to glorify ‘il Duce’. It’s about 18 inches tall, but it carries a story much taller than that… The artist and sculptor Antonio Ligabue (1899-1965) was not what anyone who knew him would have called a ‘people person’. Though obviously talented – albeit in that self-taught way art […]

Lakes and mountains

Italy’s northern lakes and the mountains that surround them are recognized as one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. Start planning your stay for 2016… Private Italy Tours Discover the real Northern Italy Our Lake Region and Northern Italy small group tour provides you with the opportunity to encounter the romantic soul of Italy. From a […]

48 Hours in Cremona

Famous, yet relatively overlooked: that is the enigma of Cremona. Mario Matassa visits one of Italy’s truly hidden gems to uncover more than a few good reasons to visit Modesty is not a trait I would ordinarily ascribe to Italians. Italy is a country dominated by staunch provincial loyalties and most Italians will eagerly shout […]

This week’s #ItaliaIcon – The Trullo

They were originally constructed as temporary field shelters, and then affordable village housing – yet nowadays they can command quite a price… The trulli were first built by farmers and shepherds working in the Itria Valley, and would often be dismantled and reconstructed elsewhere as the patterns of agriculture shifted across the land. Then they […]

Almond Cookies

Casa Luca is a restaurant run by Favio Trabocchi and his wife, Maria, in Washington DC. The chef has let us in on some of the culinary secrets of his homeland in Italy, these almond cookies are just our favourite!  Serves 6 – Preparation 45 minutes plus 45 minutes standing – Baking 10 minutes Ingredients 5 large egg whites 500g granulated sugar 450g almond flour 2 […]