Visit Tuscany: the heart of authentic Italy!

Michelle Jackson, The Novel Traveller, visited Italy’s most iconic region and discovered the highlights of Tuscany. Travel with confidence: Your holiday is a very special time, and Travel Department craft the itineraries to make sure that you get the most enjoyment. The world is continuously changing, and they have been adapting to make sure that they […]

Exploring the Italian Lake District

The Italian Lake District is the perfect escape for those looking for a holiday in Italy full of relaxation, beauty and culture, amid a stunning natural backdrop. From the picturesque scenery to the delicious Italian food and charming town squares. With nearly 25 years’ experience, Travel Department has become a specialist for Italian Lake District […]

Discover Villa Adriana

villa adriana

How does a Roman Emperor create the ultimate symbol of power? By building an ‘ideal city’ that still stands to this day. Unenthused by existing villas yet keen to follow in the tradition of Roman emperors’ having a rural retreat, Emperor Hadrian constructed his vast residential complex at the foot of the Tiburtine Hills in […]

A love affair with Italy starts in Lake Garda

Are you looking for the perfect location to start a love affair with Italy? The Novel Traveller, Michelle Jackson, enjoys some enjoys some gems with Travel Department on a guided tour of Lake Garda, Verona and Venice. Before we start… Now that Covid vaccinations are progressing well the world is slowly starting to open again […]

Slopes and more: discover the Dolomites

Cortina d’Ampezzo exudes Italian elegance and style. Alongside its glorious pistes there is shopping, strolling and a cultured après-ski. Mary Novakovich reports on a visit she made there… Images by Adam Batterbee Cortina d’Ampezzo’s elegance is practically inexhaustible. Fashions come and go, but this grande dame of Europe’s great ski resorts still reigns as the […]

Dolomites travel guide

Find some of the best places to stay, eat and visit while staying around the Dolomites with Mary Novakovich’s guide to the highlights of the area… Image by Adam Batterbee Where to eat and stay Cinque Torri Largo delle Poste 13, 32043 Cortina Local specialities – including spätzle and casunziei – join excellent pizzas on […]

Discover the Medici Gardens & Villas

medici gardens

Now open for all, these impressive country villas and gardens were de rigueur for any self respecting Italian dynasty like the Florentine Medicis. The wealth and influence of the Medici family arose from their ownership of the prosperous Medici bank, and they amassed an impressive portfolio of rural country palaces, clustered around Florence and throughout […]

Can you feel the heat?

Mary Novakovich visited Calabria and discovered the full extent of the locals’ passion for peperoncino in a region of Italy where the love of this fiery fruit reigns supreme. Images by Adam Batterbee unless otherwise stated Of the colours of the Tricolore, red is the one that best sums up Calabria. Not through any political […]