Gourmet guide to Montalcino

As much as anywhere in Italy, the food of Montalcino is intensely local and dear to its residents. Wanda Djebbar explains the culinary heritage of this Tuscan town with her Gourmet guide to Montalcino… Sitting proudly on its hilltop at 567 metres above sea level, looking out over the Val d’Orcia and the Via Francigena, […]

The Sound Of The Dolmites

Chris Allsop attends the Sound of the Dolomites festival for world-class music in a breath-taking natural setting, and then discovers the unspoiled gem known as ‘Little Venice’… The hills are alive with the sound of music. Except this is northeast Italy, not Austria, and it might be a tad rude – if not inaccurate – […]

48 Hours In Taormina

Is the Sicilian town of Taormina the friendliest tourist destination in Italy? Yolanda Zappaterra spends a long weekend there to find out… ‘La sposa arriva, la sposa arriva!’ shouts a small suited child excitedly as the hubbub from the crowd around the Chiesa San Giuseppe rises noticeably and hands begin to dig into bags of […]

Passport to Seborga

Marina Spironetti visits the intriguing city state of Seborga in western Liguria. Fiercely independent, it still boasts its own currency, its own passport and, yes, its own prince… Small countries have always fascinated me. From Andorra to Liechtenstein, from Monaco to San Marino – tiny states with their own history, proud to be different. I […]

Salt Flats of Sicily

They have been farming the salt flats of Sicily since long before the Romans arrived on the island and they still are – the tourist industry here, you see, is not the most buoyant in Italy… Few tourists venture to the far west of Sicily. Even those travellers intrepid enough to leave the north coast […]

Venice by bike & boat

Adrian Mourby leaves the planes and trains behind and sets out to reach La Serenissima from a new perspective – Venice by bike & boat… I had never heard of Chioggia until I joined a group of cyclists cycling from Mantua to Venice. I’d never thought about cycling around Italy either until now but it […]

48 Hours in Conversano

Off the beaten track, and yet still within striking distance of Bari airport, Conversano’s relaxed atmosphere offers a peaceful and easy break. Jane Gifford flies down to Puglia… It’s early evening in the centro storico, the historical centre of the ancient little walled town of Conversano in the Bari district of Puglia. The town is […]

Top Tips For Conversano

Following an amazing 48 Hours in Conversano, Jane Gifford has put together the best things to see and do, where to stay and where to eat, to make your stay perfect! GETTING THERE ➤ BY PLANE Bari airport is only about 40km from Conversano. ➤ BY TRAIN From the airport, take the shuttle train to […]

48 Hours in Ravello

Dreamily serene, with breathtaking views across the Amalfi Coast, tiny Ravello has long inspired major artists, writers and musicians. Fleur Kinson heads to this sublime little heaven… Like most visitors, my 48 hours in Ravello begin in Amalfi. I had been hurtled to this famous coast’s eponymous town along the hair-raising Amalfi Drive, gasping each […]

Springtime on Elba

Tuscany’s largest island is a paradise of white beaches and clear waters, with some fabulous walking routes thrown in. It can be packed-out in summer, so Fleur Kinson nips over nice and early… In travel as in life, journeys should be as interesting as destinations. And my long, convoluted voyage to Elba – a plane, […]