22 stunning photos of Christmas in the south of Italy

tree of life illumination Christmas photos from south of Italy

Joe and Pat Gartman share the festive photos they took when they spent Christmas in the south of Italy… Jump to the photos After a stay in Rome, we headed south by train in the middle of November 2022 – our first trip back to Italy since the pandemic. Somehow, despite all our wanderings, we’d […]

Top 5 natural wonders in Italy

Overview of Mount Etna in Sicily during an eruption

Italy is home to many natural wonders. Browse our list of five of the best to find your next destination… 1. Mount Etna, Sicily This brooding volcano in Sicily is one of Italy’s most majestic sights. Virgil himself witnessed an eruption in Roman times, an account of which was recorded in the Aeneid. Because of […]

Viewpoint: Costa Paradiso, Sardinia

Costa Paradiso Sardinia Italian beach

Those with a taste for adventure journey to Costa Paradiso in Sardinia to experience the island’s unspoiled beauty… Crystal-clear azure waters lap the shores of Costa Paradiso, a less-visited corner in the northern coastline of Sardinia. Nestled within a rugged landscape, this breathtaking destination is a haven for those seeking both serenity and adventure, far […]

The running Madonna – the Easter procession in Abruzzo

Members of the fraternity of St. Mary of Loreto carry the statue of the Virgin Mary through the streets of Sulmona in Abruzzo during an Easter procession

Discover the story behind this interesting Easter procession in Abruzzo, which takes place on Easter Sunday… Members of the fraternity of St. Mary of Loreto carry the statue of the Virgin Mary through the streets of Sulmona in Abruzzo during an Easter procession. This unusual Easter procession in Sulmona, Abruzzo, is called ‘La Madonna che […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Verona 2019

The Christmas star flies from the arena to piazza bra in verona

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Verona in 2019 A prosperous modern city of medieval squares, Verona has several historical claims to fame. It’s the town where Romeo and Juliet lived, loved, and, alas (spoiler alert) died. It’s where […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Sorrento 2018

Workers club presepe in sorrento

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Sorrento in 2018. Perched on top of sheer cliffs, high above the Bay of Naples, Sorrento provides an abundance of picturesque charm, history, views, cafés, summer sunshine and lemon-scented air. It’s also the […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Venice 2019

Christmas tree in front of Doges Palace, Venice

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Venice in 2019. Those who are tasked with decorating Venice for Christmas have a challenging job: it’s difficult to park a boom lift in the middle of a street to hang lights if […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Turin 2017

Luci d’Artista lights on Via Po

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Turin in 2017. We arrived in Turin early in December. There was a huge advent calendar set up in Piazza Castello. Every night the fire brigade arrived with a truck-mounted cherry picker to […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Rome 2017

7 Acts of mercy presepe

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Rome in 2017. When the City of Rome’s official Christmas tree – a72-foot Norway spruce from Trentino – was erected in Piazza Venezia on the 8th of November, it was shockingly bare of […]

Beekeeping in a Tuscan retreat

tuscan beekeeping, colourful beehives

Amy McPherson takes a tour of the apiary of Borgo Pignano and finds a heaven not only for the guests enjoying the luxury surrounds of this Tuscan retreat, but also a sustainable paradise for the estate’s bees as well. Francesca Orlandini carefully picks up a struggling bee from the ground, then deposits it in the […]