The medieval castle of Santa Severa faces out to sea on the Lazio coast, just 40 minutes north of Rome The Castle of Saint Severa is named after a young girl whose entire family was martyred. Her father was a Roman military commander who converted to Christianity and was put to death for refusing to renounce […]
Proposals to charge entry to the Pantheon remain controversial, after plans were announced to start charging visitors from May this year… Words by Jon Palmer. Image by iStock Up until now, entry to the Pantheon was free, and had been throughout its 2,000 years of continuous use. This January, however, Italy’s culture minister, Dario Franceschini, confirmed […]
Rachael Martin visits Cortona to meet Sarah Marder, a film-maker whose documentary explores the changed life of this Tuscan hilltop town Photos by iStock unless otherwise stated When Sarah Marder first started going to Cortona in the 1980s, she fell in love with a place and a time. At this point in her life she […]
Our experts are here to help with all your questions about Italy. This month, travelling around Italy by train, choosing the location for a rural property, and the question of freehold/leasehold… Photos by iStock Travel by train Q We have taken holidays in Italy before, but this time we don’t really want to hire a car […]
If you’re seeking a special place to eat in Sardinia, Mary Novakovich shares a hidden gem, nestled in the hills in the island’s tranquil southwest Photos by Adam Batterbee Magnetic though the coast is in this area, eventually we headed into the hills – specifically to Paola and Antonello’s agriturismo, S’Acqua Salia, outside the […]
Mary Novakovich shares her experience of this important and beautiful archaeological site in southwest Sardinia… Photos by Adam Batterbee Founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC and then ruled from Carthage, Nora became Sardinia’s principal city when the Romans took over in 238BC. Nora’s precarious position on a spit of land made […]
Many people seek the northernmost reaches of Sardinia for their holidays. Mary Novakovich headed the other way – southwest of Cagliari – to a corner of the island where the pace of life is slower Photos by Adam Batterbee The name of the house was a good omen. Casetta Maria – Mary’s Little House […]
With no children in tow, Jon Bickley and his wife headed off to southern Tuscany for a tranquil luxury break at Punta Ala in the beautiful Maremma area Photos by Baglioni Hotels unless otherwise stated September, and summer is officially over. Prices near enough halve, children disappear and the Italian tourist trade begins to […]
Mark Nicholls follows the culinary contours of Puglia on a walking – and eating – tour around this unique region of southern Italy Words and photos by Mark Nicholls The darkened inner walls of the baker’s oven begin to glow as the fire takes hold. With a long-handled tool, the baker loads the creamy-coloured dough […]
The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donatus in Arezzo, Tuscany, boasts a long history and some eye-catching architecture La Cattedrale dei Santi Pietro e Donato is the city cathedral of Arezzo, Tuscany. The façade is a 20th-century reconstruction, and the clock tower was added then too, but the rest of the church was built between the […]