Castello: the quiet sestiere

Adrian Mourby takes a walk around the tranquil backwaters of Venice as he explores the city’s fascinating Castello district… Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby   It’s the sestiere that Venetians call truly Venetian. The neighbourhood of Castello consists of the same narrow lanes, broad campi and monumental churches as the other five sestieri, but it lacks the […]

48 hours in Salento

Sara Scarpa travels to Salento in Puglia and discovers a timeless land ‘beyond the sea’ Photos by Iain Reid    Puglia, the iconic and much loved ‘boot heel’ of Italy, is a large and varied region that has been a crossroads for several civilisations and cultures over the centuries. Salento, possibly the best known area […]

Making Tracks, Part 2: to Rome

Twenty years ago Rachael Martin arrived in Italy, exploring the country by rail and dreaming of rooms with a view. Twenty years, one Italian husband and two kids later, she still has the memories of those first voyages of discovery… Photos by Rachael Martin   “What can I get you?” the woman on the other […]

48 Hours in Matera

Sara Scarpa flies south to visit a unique town in Basilicata that lives in the imagination of all Italians… Photos by Iain Reid unless otherwise stated   Lots has been written about this mystical and historic town in the otherwise little-known and rarely visited region of Basilicata. Part grotto, part subterranean wonderland (it is known […]

48 Hours in Ravello

Ravello is a joy for all ages, and Laura Thayer always finds something new to discover in this spectacular Amalfi Coast tourist destination Photos by Laura Thayer   On a coastline famous for its rugged beaches and pretty harbours, there’s one remarkable town on the Amalfi Coast that sprawls across a promontory jutting out of […]

Puccini: the sound of Tuscan music

Travel to Tuscany during the summer months and you can enjoy thrilling operatic performances in the region’s historic towns and villages. Adrian Mourby visits Lucca as it comes alive with the music of Giacomo Puccini Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby   Towards the end of his life, Giacomo Puccini admitted that one day he’d like to hear […]

10 things we love in Cilento

Beautiful beaches, unspoilt landscapes and fresh, natural food make the Cilento coast one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. Denise Otero pays homage to the region and explores why people here live so long. Here’s our top ten picks of things to do when you visit… Photos by Denise Otero unless otherwise stated 1. See the town […]

10 reasons why you need to visit Friuli-Venezia Giulia

The region’s name is a mouthful, and it’s often omitted from tourist itineraries, but Christine Smallwood reveals why Friuli-Venezia Giulia should be the next stop on your Italian itinerary… Photos by Christine Smallwood unless otherwise stated 1. Trieste Trieste is the elegant capital of the region, yet is curiously less visited by foreigners than it […]

Rome in a Fiat 500

Italy has given us many great cars, but there is one that is more iconic than any other. Mark Nicholls experienced a tour around Rome as a passenger in a classic Fiat 500… The streets emit a cacophony of toots and hoots as our drivers whizz us around the centre of Rome. We’re jammed cosily […]