Ten Best Reasons to buy Property on Lake Como

We asked Beverley Rosen, Lake Como Expert from Lake Como Properties and Advisor to Channel 4’s A place in the Sun 2015 what she thinks are the Ten Best Reasons and Tips to Buy on Lake Como. This is what she told us… 1. All day sunshine This is an essential consideration both for your own enjoyment […]

Italian Weddings

Regular Italia! contributor Freya Middleton got married in Italy, and is therefore well placed to advise any who might be thinking of doing likewise. Here she tells all about Italian Weddings… Italian weddings are fun, beautiful and elegant, and they always have excellent food and wine. Have I just stated the obvious? Don’t all weddings […]

Family Values at Appassionata

Appassionata is a family run fractional ownership business, offering 1/10th (5 weeks) shares in luxury properties in Le Marche, Italy. This inspiring venture was created by entrepreneur, Michael Hobbs, and his wife, interior designer, Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, in 2007. Along with help from their daughter, India and husband Charlie they have found the perfect balance, a […]

Southern Italian layered potato pie

Patate al forno  New potatoes are abundant at this time of year and as well as being great boiled, they also bake very well – use them in this Southern Italian layered potato pie…. ➤ Serves 2 ➤ Preparation 15 minutes ➤ Cooking 35 minutes 450g new potatoes, scrubbed salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 onions, peeled, finely chopped […]

Walking to Rome

The Path of St Francis is a walking trail inspired by the life of St Francis of Assisi that takes you from the north of Tuscany, down through Umbria and into Lazio. Lysa Walder starts at the top, then continues all the way on to Rome… Walking along the Via Francigena from Valle d’Aosta to […]

Christian Mosaics

The use of gold in mosaic art was introduced in a big way during the early Christian period of the late Roman Empire. Mosaics dazzle in Christian buildings due to the luxurious splendour created by the gold tiles and the brilliance from the rich colour glass. The individual square shaped tiles are called tessarae (pl.) from […]

Italy’s Rice Road

It is, sadly, a dying industry, with cheap imports threatening to change this landscape forever. But Kevin Pilley finds that in Italy there is still devotion to the humble grain of rice, and, of course, to the risotto it makes… Italy’s first, and so far only, official rice ambassador looked solemnly down at my plate, […]

Venice Lido

While the crowds flock to Venice, Adrian Mourby finds a much more relaxing way of life on the Lido, where tourists of the past would stay and spend much of their time, away from the stifling air of the city… You can hear the silence of the Adriatic from up here. It doesn’t so much […]

48 Hours in Capri

Fleur Kinson spends 48 hours in Capri and discovers the island’s best-kept secrets – its wonderful walking routes, far from the crowds, with stunning natural beauty in every direction… Towering out of the Bay of Naples, Capri has long seemed a distinctly enchanted island. It was from here that the sirens of Greek myth reputedly called […]

Top Tips for Capri

If you’re planning a trip to Capri, you may like to visit some of the below landmarks, hotels and restaurants. Read more about Capri in Fleur Kinson’s 48 Hours in Capri by clicking here. WHAT TO SEE AND DO THE BLUE GROTTO Via Grotta Azzurra, Anacapri This brilliantly illuminated sea cave mustn’t be missed. A […]