Lake Como travel guide

gravedona palazzo

Find some of the best places to stay or eat while staying around Lake Como, with Rosalind Ormiston’s guide to the highlights of the area… Photos by Provincia di Como Servizio Turismo unless otherwise stated Lake Como was colonised by the Romans in the 2nd century BC and has been a haven for relaxation and vacationing […]

Ten reasons to love Lake Como

mount grona

Ros Ormiston reveals ten of the best reasons to visit captivating Lake Como in Lombardy – there’s something to appeal to absolutely everyone… Lake Como photos by Provincia di Como Servizio Turismo unless otherwise stated   1 The Villa Melzi botanical gardens at Bellagio Bellagio is picture perfect with vibrant cafés and restaurants and busy shops, […]

Italia! photos of the month: August 2019

We’ve got another spectacular collection of Italian photos this month – all taken by Italia! readers for our regular competition. Get set to enjoy these stunning snaps… This month’s winner:  “We got married in Alghero, one of our favourite places in Italy. Here we are being piped through the old town. We also think it […]

Ten top Italian beaches

marina di alberese, Italian beaches, Tuscany

Join us for a trip around some of the best Italian beaches, from the impossibly iconic to some that are right off the beaten track. Which is your favourite? Photos by Getty Images Though Italy attracts visitors throughout the year, many of us also like to spend summer holidays there, enjoying the country’s coastline and […]

Pavia & Oltrepò Pavese travel guide

pavia cathedral

Valentina Nicastro shares some of the best attractions and sights around Pavia and its surrounding countryside – plus top spots to eat and stay. Photos by Valentina Nicastro What to see & do Certosa di Pavia This beautiful monastery complex (left) is a masterpiece of the Lombard Renaissance. It’s about 10 km from the city […]

48 hours in Pavia & Oltrepò Pavese

pavia, italy

Explore Pavia and Oltrepò Pavese – one of Italy’s best-kept secrets and not far from Milan. Words and photos by Valentina Nicastro   There’s a stretch of land just 40 kilometres south of Milan that is still fairly unknown to tourists and offers the unique opportunity to live a truly authentic Italian experience. This is Oltrepò […]

Five best Italian piazzas

Piazza del Campo, Siena

The piazza is at the heart of Italian life and each one boasts its own unique history and atmosphere – here we pay homage to a few of our favourites Photos by iStock 1 Dubbed by Napoleon “Europe’s finest drawing room”, Venice’s Piazza San Marco is simply breathtaking. Even during the height of the season, when […]

Meet Paolo Arrigo

Paolo Arrigo

Christine Smallwood meets up with Paolo Arrigo and finds out about his deep-rooted connection with the soil Photos courtesy of Paolo Arrigo   Last spring I rediscovered a book that has been on my shelf for a decade. As I planted some veg seeds in my garden for the first time, From Seed to Plate […]

Drive Italia: Ferrari Dino

ferrari dino

Ferrari didn’t want to sully the name of its exclusive brand with a cheaper Ferrari, so the ‘Dino’ was created… Photo by iStock Dino was Ferrari’s marque for mid-engined sports cars produced from 1968 to 1976. Enzo Ferrari named the V6 series of cars in honour of the untimely passing of his son and heir Dino. […]

Past Italia: Abbazia di Santa Maria di Pulsano

pulsano abbey

Pulsano Abbey stands on the spur of Italy’s heel in the Gargano area of Puglia, overlooking the Gulf of Manfredonia Photo by Getty Images There has been an abbey at this location on the Gargano promontory since the 6th century. However, the original was destroyed by Islamic invaders and the 12th-century rebuild – which had […]