Sally FitzGerald celebrates the 100th anniversary of DH Lawrence’s move to Lake Garda with a tour around the town of Gargnano… When someone visits a place for a day and decides to stay for six months you know they must have discovered something quite special. This is exactly what happened when the much-loved English writer […]
Be sure to tick these sensational Italian art galleries off your list if you are visiting Italy this year? Built in 1581, the Uffizi gallery, one of the world?s oldest, is regarded as Italy?s finest collection of Renaissance art ? and with over 40 rooms stocked full of masterpieces, it?s reason enough alone to visit […]
For a true taste of Italian Christmas, you can?t beat a classic slice of raisin-filled panettone ? so we tasted seven to see which one you should serve for dessert this year? For many in Italy, the festive season just wouldn?t be the same without a proud panettone sitting at the heart of seasonal confectionary. […]
Buying on a budget in Italy? Read this advice on cheap houses in Italy Q. My partner and I would love to live the Italian dream, but buying a second property outright is just not a viable option for us. If we pool our resources, we have around ?150,000 as a budget ? are there […]
A wonderfully versatile ingredient, we profile some ideas for this month?s top seasonal vegetable with Italian pumpkin recipes from the Vegetarian Society… Pumpkin soup Zuppa di zucca Serves 4 | Preparation 10 mins | Cooking 45 mins 1kg pumpkin 2 onions, chopped 25g butter or margarine 1 medium potato, peeled and diced 2 garlic cloves, […]
Sally FitzGerald takes in the sights and sounds of the Brescia province, from the majestic attractions of southern Lake Garda to the hidden gems of the provincial capital city… “We will go straight to the island. We must be faster than the storm.” If I?m being honest these aren?t the first words I am hoping […]
For food enthusiasts, there?s nothing better than escaping to Italy to learn some new kitchen skills. We?ve selected some top cooking holidays for those who want to learn cucina italiana? CUCINA DELLA TERRA Set in the beautiful Italian countryside setting of Umbria, Cucina della Terra offers customized cooking vacations or one-day cooking classes that enable […]
Laura Thayer invites us to a Christmas in Amalfi… The holidays are a magical time to be in Italy. The Christmas lights twinkling across piazzas and narrow streets, the colourful decorations, the scent of cinnamon and chocolate floating out of bakeries and the surprise of coming across a band making its way through the village […]
We have some grand highlights from newly published Italian books, including novelist Pietro Grossi, the latest offering from Lonely Planet and posh nosh to inspire you in the kitchen? Nuovo Mondo by Stefano de Pieri and Jim McDougall, Hardie Grant Books, ?25 (hardback) Translating as ?new world?, this innovative cookbook brings together modern twists on […]
On Lake Garda, from the bridge of San Giovanni in Peschiera, you can see this extraordinary underwater nativity scene? This unusual aquatic nativity scene in Peschiera del Garda was created in 1980 with additional characters added in 1993. The ghostly, life-size figures are sculpted from metal then covered with reflective paint before being lowered into […]