Piedmont’s Little Provence

lavender fields in Piedmont

Valentina Nicastro visits the little-known lavender fields of Piedmont for a spot of Nature’s own aromatherapy – it’s the perfect spot for a relaxing break Photos by Valentina Nicastro unless otherwise stated   Lavender is commonly associated with the region of Provence in France, but Italy has its own share of violet fields. There’s an […]

Italy’s five best small islands

Italian islands - Elba

Surrounded by sapphire seas and fringed with golden sand, Italy’s small islands make perfect holiday destinations – here are five of our favourites Photos by Getty Images and iStock 1 With the Tyrrhenian Sea lapping its shores and a mountainous inland terrain, Elba in Tuscany offers both the pleasures of lazy beach life and the challenges of […]

The Amiata effect

Cycling, Monte Amiata Italy

Tuscany isn’t all about sipping wine and watching the sun set, as Amy McPherson discovers on an e-bike tour around Monte Amiata, in the region’s south Photos by Ciclica Foto, Mario Llorca   Giant moss-covered boulders rise in vertical stacks, as if someone was attempting to build a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It […]

Ten reasons to love Lake Como

mount grona

Ros Ormiston reveals ten of the best reasons to visit captivating Lake Como in Lombardy – there’s something to appeal to absolutely everyone… Lake Como photos by Provincia di Como Servizio Turismo unless otherwise stated   1 The Villa Melzi botanical gardens at Bellagio Bellagio is picture perfect with vibrant cafés and restaurants and busy shops, […]

Ten top Italian beaches

marina di alberese, Italian beaches, Tuscany

Join us for a trip around some of the best Italian beaches, from the impossibly iconic to some that are right off the beaten track. Which is your favourite? Photos by Getty Images Though Italy attracts visitors throughout the year, many of us also like to spend summer holidays there, enjoying the country’s coastline and […]

Pavia & Oltrepò Pavese travel guide

pavia cathedral

Valentina Nicastro shares some of the best attractions and sights around Pavia and its surrounding countryside – plus top spots to eat and stay. Photos by Valentina Nicastro What to see & do Certosa di Pavia This beautiful monastery complex (left) is a masterpiece of the Lombard Renaissance. It’s about 10 km from the city […]

48 hours in Verona

Verona view

Our Venice correspondent Sara Scarpa travels west to spend a weekend in Verona, the city of love and opera set in the land of wines   Photos by Iain Reid   When you visit Verona, you will soon understand why this city is the perfect setting for the world’s greatest love story. Beautiful piazzas, winding […]

To Arezzo for lunch

Arezzo Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy

Rachael Martin took a road trip from Milan to Arezzo to discover the secrets of this Etruscan town and experience its famous antiques market  Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   We were planning our regular Easter break with the kids and we had all agreed that this year we would be going to […]

Rome for families

Rome for families

Having explored Rome’s nooks and crannies several times over, Beth Al Rikabi delves into the city once more on a multi-generational family holiday… Photos by Beth Al Rikabi  It was while I was cheffing at a yoga retreat amongst the mellow green folds of the Sabine Hills, with the city an hour’s train ride away, that […]