Interview with the Crown Prince of Italy

James Miller is granted an audience with the heir to what would have been the Italian throne, a man who grew up in exile and is now an Italian personality. Read the full interview with the Crown Prince of Italy here… We are sitting and waiting in the grand lobby of the Hotel Regina Baglioni, […]

Italian Weddings

Regular Italia! contributor Freya Middleton got married in Italy, and is therefore well placed to advise any who might be thinking of doing likewise. Here she tells all about Italian Weddings… Italian weddings are fun, beautiful and elegant, and they always have excellent food and wine. Have I just stated the obvious? Don’t all weddings […]

Christian Mosaics

The use of gold in mosaic art was introduced in a big way during the early Christian period of the late Roman Empire. Mosaics dazzle in Christian buildings due to the luxurious splendour created by the gold tiles and the brilliance from the rich colour glass. The individual square shaped tiles are called tessarae (pl.) from […]

Italy’s Rice Road

It is, sadly, a dying industry, with cheap imports threatening to change this landscape forever. But Kevin Pilley finds that in Italy there is still devotion to the humble grain of rice, and, of course, to the risotto it makes… Italy’s first, and so far only, official rice ambassador looked solemnly down at my plate, […]

48 Hours in Capri

Fleur Kinson spends 48 hours in Capri and discovers the island’s best-kept secrets – its wonderful walking routes, far from the crowds, with stunning natural beauty in every direction… Towering out of the Bay of Naples, Capri has long seemed a distinctly enchanted island. It was from here that the sirens of Greek myth reputedly called […]

Top Tips for Capri

If you’re planning a trip to Capri, you may like to visit some of the below landmarks, hotels and restaurants. Read more about Capri in Fleur Kinson’s 48 Hours in Capri by clicking here. WHAT TO SEE AND DO THE BLUE GROTTO Via Grotta Azzurra, Anacapri This brilliantly illuminated sea cave mustn’t be missed. A […]

Botticelli’s Birth of Venus

Botticelli’s Birth of Venus is the beautiful depiction of an idea – the image of Renaissance beauty, where the ancient world merged with the Christian immortal soul… Why is Botticelli’s Birth of Venus one of the most famous paintings from the Renaissance? It depicts the birth of the goddess of love and beauty as a fully […]

Discover Cortina d’Ampezzo

Mark Nicholls visits the Dolomites and discovers an oft-forgotten aspect of World War One history… The peaks are sharp and jagged, forming a ruggedly stunning backdrop across the Dolomites. This is a landscape considered so impressive that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With 18 peaks rising to above 3,000 metres and […]

Living La Dolce Vita with Flavia Cacace

James Miller met the Strictly Come Dancing star while she was preparing for Dance ‘Til Dawn and asked her about the essence of la bella figura and la dolce vita… Flavia Cacace is now one of the UK’s best known Brits of Italian descent. Performing on the hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing, she has […]

The First Medicis – Godfathers of the Renaissance

ITALIA! presents a special, in-depth Past Italia! as Freya Middleton explores the long-lasting influence of the Medici family… The Medici family is one of the most extraordinary families in Italian history. They wielded economic and political power in Florence and in Europe for three hundred years. They were one of the wealthiest families in Europe in […]