Top 5 Castles

italian caste

We take a look at Italy’s Top 5 Castles. Image: iStock 1. Emperor Frederick II built the immaculately planned Castel del Monte near Bari in the 13th century. A masterpiece of architectural achievement, the castle’s octagonal theme is intrinsic to its design. The Italian government bought the castle in the 19th century and began the […]

What News on the Rialto?

With its iconic bridge and elegant architecture, the Rialto district of Venice is steeped in history. Joe Gartman tells the story of Fondaco dei Tedeschi with images by Patricia Gartman Sunset view over the Rialto Bridge to Grand Canal from the roof of Fondaco dei Tedeschi It may be on a spring day, when the […]

Winter in the Valle di Gran San Bernardo

san bernardo carnival

Rachael Martin arrives in Aosta’s ‘cold valley’ just in time for carnival, as well as taking advantage of the snowy weather to explore the region Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   It’s carnival time on a cold February morning in the Great St Bernard Valley in northern Italy’s Aosta Valley region. I’m in […]

Avoiding Bernini in Rome

The sculptor and architect created many of Rome’s most iconic sights – you can hardly take a selfie without him bombing you. Words by Joe Gartman, photos by Patricia Gartman   Let us imagine that you are standing in Piazza Barberini, in Rome, gazing at the famous Triton fountain. Triton, the giant son of Poseidon […]

Don’t look now: Venice after dark

Even the most familiar places tend to look a little different as night falls… Sara Scarpa bravely steps into the shadows in search of Venice’s spookiest legends. Photos by Iain Reid The maze of narrow alleys, combined with the tricks of the light reflected in the canals, the decaying palaces and the fog make Venice […]

Drive Italia: Alfa Romeo Montreal

Alfa Romeo Montreal

More exclusive than a Jag E-Type or Porsche 911 at the time, the Alfa Romeo Montreal remains an enigma even today… Photo by Getty Images The Alfa Romeo Montreal was introduced at the Montreal Expo ’67 without an official model name. The public and motoring press took to calling the car the ‘Montreal’ and the […]

Drive Italia: Lamborghini Countach

Lamborghini Countach

Epic engine, scissor doors, limited visibility, and wider than a Range Rover – the Lamborghini Countach was the quintessential supercar! Photo by Martyn Lucy/Getty Images Breaking with the tradition of naming cars after famous bulls and bull fighters, word has it that ‘countach’, an exclamation of astonishment in the Piedmontese dialect, was frequently used by […]

Drive Italia: Lancia Stratos

Lancia Stratos

Short, low and wide, Ferrari-powered and beautiful from any angle – the Stratos was a winner from the start!  Photo by Getty Images The broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson once said that the Lancia Stratos was the only supercar built not just to parade around the streets of Monaco looking wonderful, but to get there cross-country ‘rally-style’.  […]

Viewpoint: Miracle of Summer Snow

summer snow

People gather outside the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore on Rome’s Esquiline Hill to witness a soap foam re-creation of the Miracle of Summer Snow… Photo by Getty Images Legend has it… that on the night of 4th August, a long, long time ago, it snowed in Rome. Not everywhere, and not a lot, but […]