Exploring the Gran Paradiso National Park in Aosta

Amy McPherson explores Italy’s oldest national park, Gran Paradiso National Park, and finds adventure, history and wildlife Words by Amy McPherson A high-pitched whistle penetrates the cool mountain air as I slowly ascend the slopes on a hiking path that was once part of King Victor Emmanuel II’s network of hunting trails. The whistle, I […]

Slow travel in the Valle d’Aosta

The Great St Bernard Valley in the Valle d’Aosta links Italy with Switzerland. Rachael Martin discovers why it’s the ideal place to unwind… Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   The Valle di Gran San Bernardo, or Great St Bernard Valley, with its high mountain peaks and characteristic villages such as Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses and Étroubles, […]

Viewpoint: transhumance in Aosta

The transhumance of livestock in Italy is a tradition that dates back centuries, even millennia…   Transhumance, the act of moving livestock ‘across ground’ to new pastures, has been practised in Italy – and other parts of the world – for longer than anyone can remember. Recently, Italy, supported by Austria and Greece, asked to […]

48 Hours in Aosta

Sarah Lane travels to Italy’s northwestern corner to Aosta and discovers beautiful scenery and some surprising saints in an area of castles and culture much loved by popes and kings With spectacular alpine skylines, a chain of medieval castles and colourful ancient customs, the Valle d’Aosta region – Italy’s smallest – has a lot to […]

48 Hours in Valle d’Aosta

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 […]

Italian Recipes from Aosta

Boldly setting itself apart from traditional Italian recipes by shunning pasta in favour of gnocchi, polenta and rice, Mario Matassa leads us into the world of Aostan cuisine… Aosta is Italy’s smallest region, a valley nestled in the cradle of the Alps, bordering France and  Switzerland to the north and its regional neighbour, Piedmont, to […]

5 top Italian summer drinks to enjoy in the sunshine

Long summer evenings and sunny days mean getting together with friends and family – here’s our pick of Italian summer drinks that everyone can enjoy… Getting together in the summer – whether it’s an event you’ve been planning for ages, or an impromptu gathering on a warm evening – is an occasion to be savoured. […]

Liguria regional guide

Liguria is a beautiful region of Italy famous for its tantalising food, historical port and cliffside villages. Discover more about the amazing coastal region in our regional guide… Photos by Getty images and iStock Situated in Italy’s northwest, Liguria is the third smallest Italian region, after Molise and Valle d’Aosta. It borders France to the […]

Fast Culture: The Stag on the Rooftop

Just outside Turin stands a pleasure place built for Victor Amadeus, Duke of Savoy, who commissioned it as a hunting lodge. Image: Facade of the Palazzina di Caccia by Patricial Gartman It all started with Humbert the White-Handed. I don’t know how he got his nickname, but I’d guess that his hands, though white, weren’t […]