Known as the Gateway to the Dolomites, the Luson Valley is a hiker’s paradise with a number of trails leading from here into the mountains that surround it… The Germans call it Lüsen, as do its inhabitants. Though we are well inside the modern Italian border here, some 40km northeast of Bolzano, roughly the same […]
Italy’s Cinque Terre is the stuff of postcards, and its colourful coastal railway is as pretty as a picture. Tristan Rutherford takes a train journey of discovery along the Ligurian coast. Central Italy is snowbound, so it is a shock to see La Spezia Station in radiant green. Palm trees run alongside the tracks in […]
An itinerary on the tracks of the legendary 18th-century lothario, Casanova, as told by Sara Scarpa… To many, Casanova is simply the reckless Venetian lover who once upon a time escaped from a prison cell. Portrayed as such over the years in film and television productions, this tarnished account of him is etched into the […]
Valle d’Aosta is now part of Italy, but it hasn’t always been. Chris Allsop travels to Italy’s smallest region and discovers a valley beloved of kings, popes, and – of course – skiers… There’s something of the hidden kingdom about the Valle D’Aosta, like an Italian Bhutan (but with a lot more ski lifts). Entering […]
The ability to speak the language will get you so much further in Italy, and where better to learn it? Why not try one of these Language Learning Holidays? CENTRO STUDI ITALIANI Founded in 1986, Centro Studi Italiani is the first school for foreigners in the Marche region. The school has provided Italian language and […]
Renaissance towers, arcaded porticos and a cuisine to die for – Bologna is the perfect alternative to the north’s more famous destinations. Marina Spironetti reports… Bologna, a hedonistic city for connoisseurs, can be underestimated by the average tourist, who often sees it only from the train window on the journey from Venice or the lakes […]
Young, fruity wines, healthy lake fish, mineral mountain waters and a boom in wellness hotels. Charlotte Lyon finds everything you need to relax and rejuvenate at the serene town of Bardolino on Lake Garda… Looking into the bathroom mirror as I step off the three-hour flight from Gatwick to Verona, I do a double-take. Is that really me? The pallid skin, […]
Though it can be reached by train from Venice in 25 minutes, Padua is often overlooked by visitors to the northeast of Italy. Sara Scarpa seeks to redress the balance… When you arrive in Padua from Venice, the one thing that jumps out at you is the energetic buzz of the city. With nearly 60,000 […]
Native Venetian Sara Scarpa and her photographer boyfriend Iain Reid share their recommendations for the best places to eat out in Venice… The beautiful country, or bel paese, as it is referred to in Italian, is famous around the world for its art, culture and traditions. But it also has a reputation for its outstanding […]
There isn’t much of Italy you could describe as ‘undiscovered’, but Rebecca Ford finds something close – and just an hour from Rome. The Sabine Hills… We had been walking for a couple of hours when we came to the little meadow. It was early summer and the poppies were in bloom. Some farmers were […]