Chicken with crust of parsley, pine nuts and Parmesan

Chicken breast with a crust of parsley, pine nuts and Parmesan for picnic

Mario Matassa’s recipe for this petto di pollo con impanati al prezzemolo, pinoli e parmigiano is a perfect light main course or picnic addition Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 6-8 minutes Ingredients: • 2 large chicken breasts • 1 small free-range egg • 6-8 tbsp fine breadcrumbs • 1 heaped tsp dried flat-leaf […]

Torta di pane e pomodorini

Savoury bread cake with cherry tomatoes

This savoury bread cake with tomatoes is just perfect for al fresco dining. Mario Matassa shows us how to make this tasty torta… Serves 6 Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 40 minutes Ingredients: • 250g stale rustic-type bread • 500ml whole milk • 250g fresh ricotta • 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten • 200g smoked […]

A taste of Italy: the picnic

Mixed fruit salad with basil syrup

The summer picnic is a much anticipated event on every Italian’s culinary calendar, so Mario Matassa shows us how to prepare for the occasion in style Picnic food photos by Mario Matassa First, the picnic needs to be distinguished from the pranzo al sacco (packed lunch). The packed lunch is what Italians do when they […]

A taste of Italy: celebrations

Girelle for celebration

A celebration in Italy usually involves sharing a feast with family and friends, and here Mario Matassa has put together a menu to suit any special occasion Photos by Mario Matassa In Italy it would be unthinkable to have a celebration without food. Whether it’s a baptism, birthday party, graduation, wedding or anniversary, Christmas, New […]

Homes in Umbria

montefalco, umbria

Beautiful landscapes and exquisite medieval hilltowns make this tranquil region an enchanting place, and properties here make a sound investment, says Fleur Kinson… Photos by Getty Images   Nestled in the centre of the Italian peninsula, with Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche as neighbours, Umbria is a region of wide rural vistas and captivating hilltop […]

Una piccola sosta: Hotel Heureka, Venice

Lobby of Hotel Heureka, Venice

Step through the doors of this restored palazzo in Cannaregio – where modern design meets the architecture of the past… Words by Amanda Robinson, photos by Hotel Heureka    On a quiet backwater in Cannaregio, you could easily walk past the unprepossessing entrance to Hotel Heureka, a 16th-century palazzo revived and reopened in 2017. Just […]

The Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum

Mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite in Herculaneum

We are still making discoveries at Herculaneum, and computer technology may be about to reveal something very special, says Joe Gartman… Photos by Patricia Gartman   It’s been ten years or more since I saw the little, old-fashioned wooden display cases sitting in a deserted room of the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. When I […]

Italia! photos of the month: June 2019

venice carnival

This month we have a gallery of glorious photos from our readers, showcasing the very best scenes from up and down the Italian peninsula… This month’s winner:  “Wonderful Venice Carnival 2019, away from the crowds.” by Johannah Duckett, Southport More of our favourites this month… “Looking over the beautiful ‘Bay of Silence’ at Sestri Levante. We […]

To Arezzo for lunch

Arezzo Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy

Rachael Martin took a road trip from Milan to Arezzo to discover the secrets of this Etruscan town and experience its famous antiques market  Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   We were planning our regular Easter break with the kids and we had all agreed that this year we would be going to […]

Five reasons to visit Padua

Padua Prehistoric baths

Lorenza Bacino goes beyond the city’s obvious attractions to discover five things to see and do in Padua that will make any visit extra-special… Photos by Lorenza Bacino unless otherwise stated Padua is often overlooked by travellers in favour of the more famous Veneto cities of Venice and Verona, yet this pretty city between Venice […]