Tuscany travel guide for opera lovers

If you love opera, where better to hear it than in Tuscany? All summer long, you can enjoy beautiful music in lovely Tuscan locales. From great accommodation to top spots for food and drink, Adrian Mourby’s guide is your perfect travel companion Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby Where to stay Nido D’Amore Butterfly Hotel The Love Nest […]

Puccini: the sound of Tuscan music

Travel to Tuscany during the summer months and you can enjoy thrilling operatic performances in the region’s historic towns and villages. Adrian Mourby visits Lucca as it comes alive with the music of Giacomo Puccini Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby   Towards the end of his life, Giacomo Puccini admitted that one day he’d like to hear […]

Ask the experts: travelling by train, rural property advice and more

Our experts are here to help with all your questions about Italy. This month, travelling around Italy by train, choosing the location for a rural property, and the question of freehold/leasehold… Photos by iStock Travel by train Q We have taken holidays in Italy before, but this time we don’t really want to hire a car […]

Tuscan September: a trip to Maremma

With no children in tow, Jon Bickley and his wife headed off to southern Tuscany for a tranquil luxury break at Punta Ala in the beautiful Maremma area Photos by Baglioni Hotels unless otherwise stated   September, and summer is officially over. Prices near enough halve, children disappear and the Italian tourist trade begins to […]

Italia! photos of the month: May 2018

We love seeing your Italian snaps, and these are the winning photos for this month. Which is your favourite…? This month’s winner:  “Boat trip from Panarea, heading to Stromboli. Summer 2017.” by Karen McKenna, Ushaw Moor   And more of this month’s best reader snaps… “We have travelled around Italy during the past 30 years. This […]

Ten places in Italy we want to move to right now

Dreaming of a move to Italy? Whether you’re seeking a second home to get away from it all, or looking for a permanent relocation, these ten places tick all the boxes for great property prospects and a fantastic quality of life 1. Treviso, Veneto Elegant Treviso is a delightful, prosperous city, filled with historic interest […]

The Lost Ligurians

The scenic village of Alassio on the Ligurian Riviera was once a magnet for Britons. They left when war broke out, and never came back. Mary Novakovich wonders why… (Photos by Adam Batterbee) Wintering on the Riviera… The phrase immediately conjures up images of well-to-do 19th-century British families promenading along seafronts on the northern Mediterranean […]