5 Thermal spas to visit in Lombardy

Thermal spas lombardy feature

Penny Wainwright travelled to Lombardy to discover five of Italy’s thermal spas, each with its own unique qualities… Words and images © Penny Wainwright The term ‘spa’ is sometimes said to come from an acronym of the Latin phrase ‘sanus per aquam’, meaning ‘health through water’, but while that’s a neat idea, it isn’t true. […]

Day trips from Rome: 12 top locations to visit in Lazio

Temple of Vesta Tivoli with passing train taking day trips from Rome

Let Elisa Colarossi take you on a voyage of discovery around Lazio, with her 12 favourite day trips to take from Rome Words by Elisa Colarossi. Lazio, my region. A region of many wonders; a compound of sumptuous landscapes, ancient medieval hamlets, superb regional delicacies and ravishing nature. Bordered by the Tirreno waves and traversed […]

6 alternative things to do in Puglia

trulli to visit in Puglia

Looking for things to do in Puglia? Kate Wickers recommends 6 ways to explore this charming region at a more considered pace Featured photo © Kate Wickers Words by Kate Wickers It’s not so very long ago that Puglia was off the tourist map, judged as the poor southern relation to culturally rich northern Italy. […]

Truffle Hunting in Le Langhe

White truffles arranged on a pillow with wine and a shaver. a Piedmont landmark can be seen in the background

Kate Wickers goes to Le Langhe in search of the elusive truffle On a mauve-smeared morning in the wine-producing Langhe Hills of Piedmont, where soft grey mists hang in vine-strung valleys, I’m striking out into woods with a young female trifulau (truffle hunter), Marta Menegaldo, and her Lagotto Romagnolo pup, Luna. With the snap of […]

Travels with my teen

Lorenza and her daughter sat on a wall lakeside in Menaggio

After two years of pandemic-imposed travel restrictions, Lorenza Bacino enjoys an extended trip to Lake Como, the Cinque Terre and Sardinia with her teenage daughter… It was with some trepidation that I embarked upon a month-long trip with my 16-year-old daughter as a post-exam treat. She’d been involved in the decision-making from the start, using […]

Discover Umbria on foot

Looking down towards Ferentillo from Rocca di Precetto

Among the nature and hilltop villages of Italy’s green heartland, Amy McPherson discovers that travelling slowly on foot means seeing and experiencing more… There is something very precious about the steps we take, knowing that thousands have taken the same steps before us, hundreds of years ago. Their mission was to follow a spiritual path, […]

Exploring Italy’s Past

Piazza Duomo, Syracuse

Paul Beston, an experienced guide from Peter Sommer Travels, explains how an appreciation of the layers of Italy’s history adds an extra dimension to any Italian holiday Photos by iStock     There’s no such thing as an Italian tour. You can’t do justice to this magnificent country by reducing it to that homogenised prospect. […]

Four hidden highlights of Rome

Trastevere Rome

Real Rome Tours runs guided tours of Italy’s capital, and they have some fantastic expert tips for hidden Roman gems that you can visit in just one day… Rome is simply iconic – full of amazing sights, sounds and tastes to discover and enjoy. The only downside tends to be the huge number of tourists! […]