The central Italian region of Abruzzo is bordered by Le Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and tiny Molise to the south… Its eastern side is taken up by a long sweep of Atlantic coastline, more than 100km long, and around a third of the region is made up of nature reserves and […]
Stewart and Ruth Holland swapped life in southern England for life in southern Abruzzo seven years ago… They bought a 200-year-old stone property on the edge of the Maiella National Park that had been divided into two houses. Now they live in one and offer holiday rentals in the other – which, among other accolades, […]
Here we have a selection of our favourite blogs on Sicily, including one from an ex-pat, a writer and photographer, and a blogger who left Wales for Italy… WWW.SICILIANGODMOTHER.WORDPRESS.COM The layout of this Sicily based blog may be simple, but the content is certainly worth a look. The Dangerously Truthful Diary of a Sicilian Housewife […]
The Italian festival season really gets going in May, and sees the country celebrating everything from ancient traditions to the modern motor car. If you’re planning a trip, read through our top recommendations for this vibrant month… PROCESSION OF THE SNAKE CATCHERS 1 May Cocullo, Abruzzo The month kicks off with this rather unusual event […]
Send us your favourite pictures from your travels to Italy, and each month the best photo will win a bottle of Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco and cooler!… THIS MONTH’S WINNER Carnival Costumes by Rosemary Wilmot “I was lucky to join the procession for the Silent Gondola Parade for the end of Carnevale – absolutely fantastic […]
Rosemary Campbell has always stayed true to her roots in Italy, returning to her parent’s home town every year to soak up the fine weather and sunflowers that adorn the hills… Can you tell us about your family connection with Italy? My parents immigrated to Toronto, Canada in January 1952 from the seaside town of […]
Here we review a new book from food writer Valentina Harris, updated travel guides and insightful fiction – read on for our selection of recently published Italian books this month… Fiori di Zucca by Valentina Harris, published by Duncan Baird, £20 (hardback) As the author of more than 40 internationally successful titles and from her […]
Grown around – and even on – the slopes of Mount Etna, the grape varieties that thrive in Sicilian soil make some of Italy’s finest white wines. Paul Pettengale investigates… Wine has been a way of life in Sicily for thousands of years. When the Greeks inhabited the island around 1500BC, they brought with them […]
The Marketing Manager at De’Longhi UK explains which sorts of coffee machines are the best for the home… Q. There are now many different types of coffee machines for the home. You can use capsules, powder or beans. Is there a big difference in the quality of coffee that these different methods produce? And is […]
MD of Marche Homes Direct, Kevin Gibney explains the best level of involvement for people undertaking a renovation project abroad… KEEPING A CLOSE EYE Q. As a UK resident, I will not be able to regularly check on the renovation work being done to my holiday home. How heavily should I be involved throughout the […]