48 hours in Bagni di Lucca

For so many who arrive at Pisa airport, it is the honeypots of Siena and Florence, and the juicy vineyards of Chianti that lure them southwards Not for me though. I was heading in the opposite direction to the Val di Lima in the lesser-travelled area of northern Tuscany known as the Garfagnana. Living and […]

Le Marche Regional Guide: Part 2

Le Marche lies on the eastern side of Italy, east of Umbria, between majestic mountains and inviting sea. The region is split into five provinces: Pesaro-Urbino, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno and the recently constituted Fermo. Its proximity to both mountains and sea makes it very appealing to prospective homebuyers. The Adriatic coastline stretches some 180km […]

Le Marche Regional Guide: Part 1

Le Marche lies on the eastern side of Italy, east of Umbria, between majestic mountains and inviting sea.  The region is split into five provinces: Pesaro-Urbino, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno and the recently constituted Fermo. Its proximity to both mountains and sea makes it very appealing to prospective homebuyers. The Adriatic coastline stretches some 180km […]

Christmas in Venice

Visiting Venice at this time of year will offer you an experience quite unlike the one you would have if you were to join the throngs of tourists in mid-summer Local woman Sara Scarpa describes the atmosphere of a Venetian winter and shares with us some secrets about what Venetians will be enjoying in their […]

Duomo of Orvieto

The striking black and white cathedral of Orvieto in Umbria is well worth further investigation, enjoying a long and varied history and rare aesthetic appeal The remarkable medieval city of Orvieto in Umbria is home to one of Italy’s most spectacular cathedrals. This architectural treat sits majestically on a hill of golden volcanic tufa, standing […]

Top Five: Italian Markets

There’s no better way of buying authentic Italian produce than by rubbing shoulders with the locals at one of Italy’s many bustling markets. Here are our favourites… The Rialto Markets/ Pescheria Venice, Veneto Among the multitude of architectural, historical and scenic ‘must-sees’ and ‘must-dos’ in this iconic city, here is a gastronomic imperative  to add […]

The best views of St Peters Dome

Head to Via Niccolò Piccolomini and if you reach the street coming from Villa Doria Pamphili, the dome looks huge, then ‘shrinks’ as you move towards it, thanks to a strange optical illusion. Also try the top of the Aventine Hill, next to one of the city’s most beautiful examples of early Christian architecture, Santa […]

Puglia regional property guide

The slender region of Puglia dips its heel into both the Adriatic and Ionian seas, as it is located at the bottom of the peninsula’s east coast, with Molise as its neighbour in the north, Campania to the northwest and Basilicata to the west. The climate is reliably sunny, and hot and dry in the […]

Visit this winter wonderland in Florence

Located on the steps of the Basilica Santa Croce, the architectural jewel at the heart of the world famous Piazza Santa Croce, Florence’s annual Christmas market offers a shopping experience like no other. Just moments from the Temple of Italian Glories, the final resting place of Italian icons Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli amongst others, after exploring the […]