OUR LIFE ON LAKE MAGGIORE Michael Bennington owns a two-bedroom apartment on Lake Maggiore, in a converted fin-de-siècle period villa. He and his wife Sarah make regular visits there from their home in Cheshire, and offer weekly holiday rentals on the property at other times. “Italy is where we first met!” Michael says. “Sarah was […]
Michelangelo’s David still standing… on fractured ankles Bad posture can lead to joint problems in the fittest of us, and standing slouched against a tree stump for over half a millennium seems to have caught up with Michelangelo’s statue of David. Scientists have discovered “micro-fractures on the lower part of both legs”, likely caused by […]
My mother in law remembers shopping for shoes at Ferragamo in Florence many moons ago and Salvatore Ferragamo would be there with his leather apron around his waist. The shop is still the same, located in the magnificent Palazzo Spini Feroni, built in the 13th century by Geri Spini, in the most elegant area of […]
In 1659, the Medici family, now well and truly the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, sold their 1400s Renaissance home in Florence, where they had lived when they were bankers and the unofficial rulers of the Florentine Republic, to the Riccardi family. Understandably, the new owners immediately renovated. Possibly their most spectacular addition to the palazzo […]
The new Italia! Guide following the Grand Tour around Italy is on sale now! Inside this issue you will find: The essential food stop and spectacular vistas of the Italian Alps 48 hours discovering the delights of Turin Go off the beaten track in a weekend in Milan 18th Century Venice and the face […]
Find your way around beautiful Tuscany with this extensive guide… TUSCANY by Rebecca Ford, Footprint, £13.99 (paperback) Tuscany has an embarrassment of riches for the visitor, and so it’s no surprise that this exhaustive guide book runs to 320 pages. It features in-depth advice and tips for all the major parts of the region and […]
This month we showcase the most stylish retreats in the popular region of Tuscany, starting with a traditional family run hotel that offers a slice of slow Italian living? LOCANDA LE BOSCARECCE (HOTEL) A sparkling star in Tuscany?s firmament. Susanna is full of life and laughter, and her daughter Swan is equally warm. Susanna, or […]
Italy has particularly liveable cities ? small-sized, friendly, rich in history and lovely to look at. They make especially good locations to invest in a property, says Fleur Kinson… However much you love Italy?s wonderful countryside, you can?t have failed to notice that Italy?s cities are among the country?s greatest charms. Who wouldn?t swoon to […]
Be sure to tick these sensational Italian art galleries off your list if you are visiting Italy this year? Built in 1581, the Uffizi gallery, one of the world?s oldest, is regarded as Italy?s finest collection of Renaissance art ? and with over 40 rooms stocked full of masterpieces, it?s reason enough alone to visit […]
The September issue of Italia! is on sale now and is filled with inspiration to tantalise your Italian dreams. Join our editor Hannah Bellis for 48 hours in the Aeolian Islands where she finds the best places to stay and exciting things to do on your weekend retreat. Indulge with Marco Polo’s guide to food […]