Discover Cortina d’Ampezzo

Mark Nicholls visits the Dolomites and discovers an oft-forgotten aspect of World War One history… The peaks are sharp and jagged, forming a ruggedly stunning backdrop across the Dolomites. This is a landscape considered so impressive that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With 18 peaks rising to above 3,000 metres and […]

Living La Dolce Vita with Flavia Cacace

James Miller met the Strictly Come Dancing star while she was preparing for Dance ‘Til Dawn and asked her about the essence of la bella figura and la dolce vita… Flavia Cacace is now one of the UK’s best known Brits of Italian descent. Performing on the hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing, she has […]

The First Medicis – Godfathers of the Renaissance

ITALIA! presents a special, in-depth Past Italia! as Freya Middleton explores the long-lasting influence of the Medici family… The Medici family is one of the most extraordinary families in Italian history. They wielded economic and political power in Florence and in Europe for three hundred years. They were one of the wealthiest families in Europe in […]

Ghiberti’s Doors

Ghiberti’s doors are a splendid masterpiece of what would become the characteristic of Renaissance art – spatial realism with people and buildings shown proportionately. The bronze, gold-covered doors of the Florentine Baptistery opposite the entrance to the Cathedral are one of the masterpieces of the early Renaissance period. They were 25 years in the making […]

Past Italia! – Emma, Lady hamilton

Born the daughter of a Lancashire blacksmith, she rose – thanks to her incomparable beauty, sharp wit and fine intelligence – to become one of the most celebrated ladies in all of Europe… Two hundred years ago this month the world lost Emma, Lady Hamilton, second wife of Lord William Hamilton, British Envoy Extraordinary to […]

My Italia! – Antonio Tonelli, La Tagliata

Executive chef Antonio Tonelli tells about La Tagliata, the exciting new Italian dining concept in London’s Spitalfields… What made you decide to come and work at La Tagliata? Mainly it was the enthusiasm of Carlo Palumbo, managing director of the restaurant, and the challenge involved in creating a place like home, where you always go back for […]

Fast Culture: Coppedè’s Quarter

Serious books on the architecture of Rome seldom mention Coppedè’s Quarter. If you enjoy it, you are indulging in a guilty pleasure! When Gino Coppedè was commissioned to design a residential complex in the Parioli section of Rome, he knew he needed a unifying fountain. Since the time of Marcus Agrippa, who established hundreds of […]

Top Tips For Verona

Planning a trip to Verona? See below for Lorenza Bacino’s tip on the things to see and do, what to eat and where to stay! WHAT TO SEE AND DO ➤ ARENA  +39 045 800 3204 Built in the 1st century AD, a 12th century earthquake destroyed most of the outside walls – only a small section […]

48 Hours in Palermo

Each region of Italy is unique, but there is none quite so different to the rest of the country as Sicily. James Miller finds he can’t keep away from its capital city… They say that Italy is a diverse cultural tapestry. Each region can be considered a country in its own right. There is one […]

Hidden Venice

Getting to know Venice is that much easier when your guide is a Venetian. Sara Scarpa takes us on a tour of the city she calls home… Most of my friends have already been to Venice at least once so when they come to visit me I show them the side of town that I […]