Wines from Umbria

Known as the Green Heart of Italy, Umbria has a deep-rooted wine tradition, and despite recent earthquakes their wines are on the rise Umbria, in central Italy, is a region of lush rolling hills, hilltop villages and iconic historic towns. Nestling in the heart of the Italian peninsula, it is landlocked by Tuscany, Le Marche […]

Lake Maggiore travel guide

Rosalind Ormiston shares a few of her favourite places to eat, drink and stay around Lake Maggiore – the perfect place for a laid-back Italian break… Photos by Rosalind Ormiston and Getty Images The location of Lake Maggiore has given it a colourful past, close to the borders of Switzerland, Austria and France. Many people […]

Homes in Le Marche

Garden-like countryside and a gleaming coast make this central Italian region a perennial favourite, says Fleur Kinson… Photos by Getty Images   Set between the sparkling Adriatic and the majestic Apennines, Le Marche enjoys a splendid position. So much about this region seems well-placed and well-proportioned; there are just enough hills, just enough towns and […]

Women’s Day Cocktail

This Women’s Day cocktail is a variation on the classic Mimosa. Though, of course, we are using prosecco instead of champagne… International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. It has its roots in early 20th-century socialist movements in Eastern Europe, with the first […]

At the foot of Il Bianco

Rachael Martin spends a weekend exploring the alpine splendour of Courmayeur and its environs in the mountainous region of Valle d’Aosta Photos by Rachael Martin and Auberge de la Maison   What Cortina is to the Dolomites, Courmayeur is to Valle d’Aosta. It’s desirable, often exclusive, with fantastic skiing opportunities right next to the Mont Blanc […]

Super Tuscany

Tuscany’s Alta Maremma – once a malaria-infested swamp – has become a mecca for hedonists the world over. Anna Blomefield finds out why… Photos by Anna Blomefield unless otherwise stated   I’m leafing back through my wine-tasting notes. “Perfumed, black fruits, baked, liquorice. Great length… amazing!” The page is stained with purple drips. I remember this […]

Piano and the Port

Renzo Piano was born in Genoa, and the famous Italian architect has been instrumental the regeneration of the city’s Old Port… Photos courtesy of Genoa Tourism and Sarah Rodrigues   From the outside, the Piano-designed Aquarium may resemble nothing more spectacular than a large shipping container but, as one of the largest in Europe, the understatedness […]