The pretty town of Cortina d’Ampezzo nestles in the Dolomites – a chic holiday destination for skiers, walkers, cyclists and anyone who wants to be inspired by breathtaking scenery The ‘Queen of the Dolomites’, as Cortina d’Ampezzo is sometimes known, is a place like no other. Tucked away in the mountains in the Belluno province, […]
A spectacular example of 19th-century architecture, this elegant arcade in Milan had a central part to play in the birth of the modern-day malls in which we shop today Gazing up through the central octagonal glass dome of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the blue skies above gives a whole new twist to the […]
Looking down on this energetic scene as gallons of water crash against the rocks, it’s hard to believe this river’s final destination is the tranquil Lake Orta A truly imposing sight, this cavernous ravine contains the rushing waters of the Nigoglia river, Lake Orta’s tributary. The river leaves Lake Orta at its north end, flowing […]
Sangiovese is the only grape permitted in the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, where the people of the town make one of Italy’s best wines. But eight years ago, they nearly lost it all… In 2008, a scandal broke in Montalcino. It was said that certain people in this small but highly prestigious DOCG region had […]
In Cirò Marina, Calabria, great swathes of countryside play host to rows of bright tomatoes, which are laid out in their hundreds beneath the hot southern Italian sun – all ready to undergo the sun-drying process Calabrian cuisine is well known across Italy for its distinctly flavourful, spicy character, which is much influenced by the […]
Mario Matassa welcomed an exciting new development in Castell’Arquato, Emilia Romagna a couple of years ago – a milk machine that certainly seems to have moo-ved many of the locals to a fever pitch of excitement A few years ago the credit crunch – or crisi in Italian–was hitting hard. Italians hardly need an excuse […]
Lake Como is the the backdrop for the dramatic story of a herd of Haflinger horses and their struggle for survival. It’s a story – that without the help of some very special people – could so easily have ended in tragedy. Jan Mazzoni reports on The Horses of Bisbino… It’s early morning in the […]
Step aside Rick Stein – the ambitious fishermen of Goro are about to show you how shellfish really should be cooked. Mario Matassa joins them Take several buckets of fresh garlic, parsley and other herbs and spices; 620 kilos of assorted shellfish; a few sturdy shovels and a rake… oh, and don’t forget the seven-foot […]
Anyone who has ever visited the region will immediately recognise this scene as quintessential Tuscany – the green fields, the rolling hills, the sense of timeless peace – and those trees… The Mediterranean Cypress (cupressus sempervirens) is as much a symbol of Tuscany as the Duomo of Florence and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A […]
Once upon a time, deep in the heart of Tuscany, the ancient hilltop town of Casole d’Elsa was filled with plastic objects in the name of art… The small 12th century town of Casole d’Elsa near Siena saw its main street completely transformed by this unusual work of art in 2001. The quirky and colourful […]