If you’re visiting Tuscany for a rest this summer, why not visit the thermal falls of Saturnia, where Italia! recently took to the soothing waters… Of all the many natural wonders that Tuscany boasts – from the impressive conical cypress trees to the vast acres of unspoiled pastures – relaxation has always been paramount to […]
Bears might be particularly well known for loving honey, but so do we. Italia! puts some fine examples of liquid gold to the taste test. It’s time for something sweet… Honey always seemed a quintessentially British ingredient as a child, whether as the adorable Winnie the Pooh’s ‘drug’ of choice, or because of the way […]
Sarah Lane takes a relaxing stroll around the lakeside oasis in Lombardy to find out more about nesting storks, Latin poets and the singularly rampant Gonzaga dynasty Approaching Mantua from the east you’re presented with the captivating sight of the city’s fairy-tale skyline, seemingly afloat on its watery foundations. Mantua is built in the middle […]
When it comes to store cupboard stand ins, they don’t come more handy than a trusty jar of green basil pesto. Italia! put a selection of the classic sauce to the test There are countless classic basil pestos available on our supermarket shelves, but there are many variations on the authentic recipe on offer too. The […]
Look out France, Switzerland and Belgium. A new contender is shaking up the world of luxury chocolates. Italia! looks at the dark gold rivalling Europe’s most established chocolatiers 1. Amedei Since the early 1990s, when Cecilia and Alessio Tessieri (the brother and sister team behind Amedei) set up their Tuscan chocolate factory, they have been […]
Artichokes are a hugely popular ingredient in Italian cooking, and these succulent baby globes, combined with juicy prawns make this pasta concoction a mouth-watering treat that can be on your plate in minutes. Ingredients Serves 4 1 lemon, for juice 4 baby globe artichokes, preferably with good long stalks 3 tbsp olive oil 2 […]
A turbulent era in Italian politics saw the emergence of a great aviator, the flamboyant Marshal Balbo, as famous for his stand against Hitler as for his revolutionary leadership. Of the many colourful personalities to come out of Italy’s fascist era, Italo Balbo was among the most exuberant. He was a prominent member of the […]
A few dozen miles from Rome, but a world away from the hot, hectic capital, Ciociaria’s awesome landscape is peppered with fascinating towns. Fleur Kinson has her eyes opened to a secret part of central Italy Elderly Italians sit around me, reading and sipping from glass mugs. I’m sitting in the sunshine, contentedly, and take […]
Only second to Brazil in the rankings as the most successful World Cup football team ever, the Italian team basks in the glory of its second title in 1938, in Paris. Victory on the football field seems almost second nature to the Italians. In the third staging of the Fifa World Cup, the Italian […]
A tiny island off Italy’s west coast hides in the shadows cast by its more popular neighbours, Ischia and Ponza. Sarah Lane finds out why Ventotene deserves a visit. The island of Ventotene is one of Italy’s best kept secrets. It is officially part of the Ponza archipelago off the coast of southern Lazio, but in […]