Plan your perfect getaway with the new Italia! Guide to Italian Lakes & Islands 2023 – on sale now! Offering a breathtaking wealth of beauty and diversity, this new issue aims to bring you the best of every destination. Whatever type of trip you’re looking for – be it cultural city break, family beach getaway, […]
After two years of pandemic-imposed travel restrictions, Lorenza Bacino enjoys an extended trip to Lake Como, the Cinque Terre and Sardinia with her teenage daughter… It was with some trepidation that I embarked upon a month-long trip with my 16-year-old daughter as a post-exam treat. She’d been involved in the decision-making from the start, using […]
Our 2023 edition of the Italia! Tuscany Guide is here, bringing you the very best travel inspiration, advice and itineraries to make the most of your next trip to this much-loved region of Italy. Steeped in culture, Tuscany offers the independent traveller a wealth of destinations: with tranquil corners away from the tourist trail, as well […]
Karen Jensen-Jones jumps into life in Agnone in the heart of Molise to brush up on her Italian language skills and experience a slice of authentic Italian life. In Maria and Giuseppe’s rustic garden in the ancient hilltop town of Agnone, homemade digestivo di clementino and delicious sour cherry torta were generously offered to our […]
Spending a weekend in Elba’s capital Portoferraio is the best introduction to the island, says Jane Gifford Mythology has it that Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and love, was visiting one of her many lovers on the Italian mainland when she accidentally broke her string of pearls, and in doing so formed the Tuscan […]
The capital of Italy’s Tuscany region is home to many interesting secrets… Florence has so much history and culture to offer. Here’s our A-Z of all things Florence. ARNO The river that flows through central Florence begins at Monte Falterona in the Apennines and flows 241km from there to the Ligurian Sea. BOTTICELLI The prolific […]
Winter is a great time to visit Florence, and you will see the city in a new light – though if it does happen to snow while you’re there, you’ve been very lucky! You might not find an excuse to stop for a gelato quite as often, but you will avoid the worst of the […]
Val Nicastro visits the “Garden City” north of Milan that is, among other things, home to a palace that one Italian poet described as “Little Versailles” With an enchanting old town, unmatched natural beauty and plenty to explore, Varese and its surroundings are one of Lombardy’s best-kept secrets. Only one hour’s drive from Milan and […]
Amy McPherson takes a tour of the apiary of Borgo Pignano and finds a heaven not only for the guests enjoying the luxury surrounds of this Tuscan retreat, but also a sustainable paradise for the estate’s bees as well. Francesca Orlandini carefully picks up a struggling bee from the ground, then deposits it in the […]
Pasta con crema di zucchine e ricotta This creamy courgette and ricotta pasta is full of fresh Italian flavour with a vibrant green courgette sauce and plenty of ricotta, of course! Courgettes are a wonderfully versatile vegetable. They’re also very forgiving for the novice gardener and require minimal attention. Pick them small and they can […]