Discover the historical centre of San Gimignano and how its downfall became its architectural saviour. Midway between Siena and Florence stand the towers of San Gimignano, no modern city skyline but a sight largely unchanged since the medieval era. Taking advantage of their hilltop elevation, the wealthiest San Gimignano families fortified their palaces with a […]
Michelle Jackson, The Novel Traveller, visited Italy’s most iconic region and discovered the highlights of Tuscany. Before we start… Now that Covid vaccinations are progressing well the world is slowly starting to open again for some well-deserved travel experiences. Italia! have partnered with Travel Department to help you fall in love with Italy again in 2022. […]
Fiesole offers a day away from the bustle of Florence and is well worth exploring when you get there, writes Florence tour guide Freya Middleton. Images by Freya Middleton Going to Fiesole is something I have always loved, and I’m not alone. The place has been continuously inhabited and constantly visited by foreigners since the […]
Mario Matassa reveals the secrets of Italian festive food. Though Christmas Day provides the climax of the occasion, the Christmas Eve feast provides the perfect opportunity to warm up for the big event Photos by Mario Matassa Festive holidays are always special occasions in Italy, and none more so than Christmas. In a country where […]
If you’re thinking of a new life in Italy, Piedmont could be for you. Fleur Kinson discovers the property potential of this spectacular northern region… Photos by Getty Images Piedmont lies in the far northwest of Italy and gets its name from its location at the ‘foot of the mountains’. It is bordered by […]
La Bellina is set in Monticiano, Tuscany. This is a unique farmhouse, located in the middle of the Torrente Farma Nature Reserve, between Siena and Grosseto. It was purchased by the Dutch actress Monique van de Ven and her husband Edwin de Vries in 1993, when it was a ruin, and rebuilt as their summer […]
Tuscany isn’t all about sipping wine and watching the sun set, as Amy McPherson discovers on an e-bike tour around Monte Amiata, in the region’s south Photos by Ciclica Foto, Mario Llorca Giant moss-covered boulders rise in vertical stacks, as if someone was attempting to build a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It […]
Villa Castiglione del Lago, Umbria. This is a spacious villa with garage in a beautiful panoramic position. Up a spiral staircase you come to a “tower room” with views over the Umbrian and Tuscan countryside to Montepulciano. Next to the house is an 11x5m indoor swimming pool heated with solar panels and, if desired, a […]
The piazza is at the heart of Italian life and each one boasts its own unique history and atmosphere – here we pay homage to a few of our favourites Photos by iStock 1 Dubbed by Napoleon “Europe’s finest drawing room”, Venice’s Piazza San Marco is simply breathtaking. Even during the height of the season, when […]
Rachael Martin took a road trip from Milan to Arezzo to discover the secrets of this Etruscan town and experience its famous antiques market Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated We were planning our regular Easter break with the kids and we had all agreed that this year we would be going to […]