From beautiful bays to the wilds of the inland reaches, there’s more to northern Sardinia than the glitz of its coast. Amanda Robinson travels away from the tourist hotspots… Photos by Amanda Robinson unless otherwise stated Ahh, the North Sardinia coast – the glitzy millionaires’ playground in north Sardinia where the jetset have gone to […]
Olive oil is essential to Mediterranean food culture – how would Italians live without it? Join us to sample a selection of the best… Olive trees are the oldest known cultivated tree and the oil they produce is referred to as ‘liquid gold’. With its extraordinary health-giving properties, one can see why this glistening liquid […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Amanda Robinson shares her pick of the best places to eat and stay in Florence – plus a few special spots to visit on your next trip to this Renaissance treasure… Photos by Amanda Robinson & Lungarno Collection What to see & do Piazza del Duomo The complex of Santa Maria del Fiore is the […]
This Italian hard cheese has long lived in the shadow of Parmigiano Reggiano, but there’s no real reason why it should. We put seven supermarket brands under the spotlight… Grana Padano cheese has a long and noble history: originally made by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle way back in the 12th century, it is now […]
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 […]
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 […]