If you ever find yourself in Emilia-Romagna, Ravenna is an absolute must. It really is a treasure trove of art and culture, writes Sara Scarpa. Above me is depicted a dark blue sky full of golden stars.The many thousands of tiny mosaic tiles set in various inclinations seem to capture and cascade light onto anyone […]
What could be more enjoyable than a week combining an Italian Language Course in the morning and visits to Bergamo in the afternoon? The Homestay Language Course gives you an ideal opportunity to experience life as a ‘local’ as well as the chance to practice conversational Italian in a friendly environment. Not only will you […]
Sally FitzGerald discovers Castello del Nero, the perfect Tuscan hideaway just off the road between Florence and Siena. When a hotel is voted as having ‘The Most Beautiful Bathroom in The World’ by Harper’s Bazaar, you head along with a certain level of expectation. The bathroom in question belongs to Castello del Nero, a 12th-century castello […]
This serenely beautiful region burst onto the foreign-buyer scene less than twenty years ago and swiftly became a favourite. It’s still one of the most coveted rural property spots in the country, says Fleur Kinson On the map, Le Marche forms the shapely calf muscle of the Italian leg. So it seems rather fitting that […]
When St George slayed the dragon and rescued the princess, he acted with fearlessness – but his brave horse was never quite so sure that the fight would be won. High in the Alps, in the far northwest of Italy, is the Valle d’Aosta, the smallest of Italy’s official regions, and the most lightly populated. […]
Rachael Martin on what living in Italy has taught her about food: from pasta to risotto and beyond… The first time I made my Italian boyfriend a dish of pasta, he took one mouthful and looked at me. Horrified. Pasta without salt, way up the list of the seven deadly culinary sins as any Italian […]
Last autumn the town of Norcia in Umbria suffered a devastating blow after an earthquake hit. Hannah Frances went back to see how the town fought back. Autumn is a great time to see Norcia, says Hannah Frances. Fractured by last October’s earthquake, the determined and resilient town in the heart of Umbria is coming […]
There are many ways to see Italy, but surely one of the most unique has to be by steam train. Mark Nicholls enjoys a nostalgic steam train tour across the Apennines from Rimini to Florence, then to Siena, Pisa – and Pistoia, the home of Italian steam. The air dances, black smoke drifting on the […]
Traveleyes is a company that offers holidays for visually impaired people. Rachael Martin went with them to join a group of sighted and visually impaired tourists on a trip to Verona and Lake Garda. It’s a Sunday morning in Piazza Bra, in the heart of Verona. The square is full of people taking their morning […]
Dawn from Appassionata talks about the moment they began viewing properties that would lead them to fulfilling their dream…. Our weekend in Florence was over in a flash and we reluctantly flew back to London Stansted airport. Low grey cloud and drizzle welcomed us with open arms. We drove home through the gloom and heavy […]