In 1910 a new car manufacturer was formed, launching its first vehicle, the A.L.F.A 24HP. What was A.L.F.A went on to become Alfa Romeo, one of Italy’s producers of design icons… Who hasn’t, at some point, hankered after an Alfa Romeo? Anyone who has petrol rather than blood running through their veins will appreciate the […]
Though it can be reached by train from Venice in 25 minutes, Padua is often overlooked by visitors to the northeast of Italy. Sara Scarpa seeks to redress the balance… When you arrive in Padua from Venice, the one thing that jumps out at you is the energetic buzz of the city. With nearly 60,000 […]
During the Second World War, Pope Pius XII was criticized for his perceived lack of aggressive action towards Nazi Germany. But he actually did more than was known at the time… On 15 October 1943, thousands of men, women and children gathered around Pope Pius XII during his inspection tour of Rome after an American […]
Marina Spironetti visits Bologna to see the first museum dedicated to artisan Italian gelato, and a school where aspiring entrepreneurs are taught all the sweet secrets of gelato-making… Are you a gelato addict? Have you always wanted to know all tricks of the trade? If so, the gourmet city of Bologna is the place to […]
It’s Milan as you have never seen it before as we explore, Diurno Venezia, below the street with Forbidden Places… These public baths below the streets of Milan were built in an Art Deco style typical of the interwar period. Besides baths, barber shops and sundry recreational facilities, customers had a choice of services ranging […]
Once they had decided it was going to be their permanent home, rather than just a holiday retreat, Jane Smith and her husband called in the builders to demolish their farmhouse in Le Marche. Here Jane shares part one of her story: Building A Home In Le Marche… “Richard, if we don’t speed up they will […]
Pompeii is a truly spectacular place, frozen in time for two millennia… There are very few places to visit that are as historically fascinating as the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The demise of the city and all of its citizens took just 24 hours as Mount Vesuvius erupted with tragic consequences. The inhabitants were […]
The Castello sul Mare was built in 1551 as a defensive fort against pirates who had conducted raids, including the kidnappings of local civilians, in 1549… Standing by the water at Rapallo, on the Ligurian coast, the Castello sul Mare – also known as the Castello di Rapallo – connects by a small bridge to […]
This lesser-know region in idyllic central Puglia is fast becoming a foodie paradise, as Rachel Beckwith discovers as she visits the producers… Just a light lunch, they said. The heaving table in front of me suggests otherwise – it gives an audible creak every time our hostess balances yet another plate of food at the […]
If you’re looking for panoramic views of Etna’s landscape and would like to visit the window ‘kissed by lava’, then you might find yourself heading for the Crateri Silvestri – the Silvestri Craters… The Crateri Silvestri of Mount Etna were created by the volcanic eruption of 1892 and are, compared to the 459 square-mile volcano, […]