Famous worldwide for its white wine and extraordinarily beautiful cathedral, there is much more to the Umbrian town of Orvieto than meets the eye… Any mention of Orvieto will probably bring to mind the popular white wine produced in the area – either that or the magnificence of the cathedral. Before my visit, that was […]
Rolling hills, beautiful coastline and gothic architecture, we discover what more Tuscany has to offer… Tuscany was one of the first destinations to attract large numbers of travellers from the UK – and with very good reason: the region offers a rich combination of culture, historic cities, antiquities, agreeable climate and friendly locals; it encapsulates everything that is beautiful about […]
Chris Allsop last visited Tuscany as a young boy. Thirty years later he decided to go back… The last time I was in Tuscany, I mostly chased pigeons. I was six, on a family holiday, and the astounding art heritage of Florence was no match for the challenge of putting the wind up every pigeon […]
With a tangible history dating back to Etruscan times, Perugia, the capital city of Umbria, had more than enough to keep Lorenza Bacino busy for a long weekend… Sitting on the marble steps of the centrally located San Lorenzo Cathedral, soaking up the sun and the atmosphere while enjoying a traditional piadina with prosciutto, was […]
A symbol of the very founding of Rome, the Capitoline Wolf – a bronze sculpture – has been housed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori since 1471. The story goes like this… It was as long ago as the mid-700s BC. Numitor, the grandfather of the twins Romulus and Remus, was usurped by his brother Amulius, […]
Question: what do you do if you wish to take a holiday during which you will be spoilt rotten by a series of delicious meals, but from which you nevertheless wish to return home leaner, stronger, healthier and happier than before? Answer: you go a gastronomic hiking in Tuscany. It was to cater for just such demands […]
Jane Keightly discovers the wonderful world of truffles at perhaps the most famous truffle fair in all of Italy: The Alba White Truffle Fair… One of Italy’s most interesting seasonal events is the truffle season in Piedmont, when food lovers from all over the world descend upon the town of Alba for the International White […]
The busy university town of Urbino is often called ‘the perfect Renaissance city’ – and indeed the birthplace of Raphael rivalled Florence and Siena in its day. Joe Gartman returns to find out if they have got any of their loaned out paintings back yet… Standing at the Punto Panoramico, near the walls of the forbidding […]
As much as anywhere in Italy, the food of Montalcino is intensely local and dear to its residents. Wanda Djebbar explains the culinary heritage of this Tuscan town with her Gourmet guide to Montalcino… Sitting proudly on its hilltop at 567 metres above sea level, looking out over the Val d’Orcia and the Via Francigena, […]
Roman Generals, exploding carts and wayward donkeys are all on the agenda for those who choose to travel to Italy this March. Intrigued? Then step this way to find out more… Tosca 1-12 March Rome If you’re looking for a true taste of Italian culture, you can’t get much better than a performance of Puccini’s […]