At the foot of Il Bianco

Auberge de la Maison, Mont Blanc, Italy

Rachael Martin spends a weekend exploring the alpine splendour of Courmayeur and its environs in the mountainous region of Valle d’Aosta Photos by Rachael Martin and Auberge de la Maison   What Cortina is to the Dolomites, Courmayeur is to Valle d’Aosta. It’s desirable, often exclusive, with fantastic skiing opportunities right next to the Mont Blanc […]

Florence travel guide

Florence

Amanda Robinson shares her pick of the best places to eat and stay in Florence – plus a few special spots to visit on your next trip to this Renaissance treasure… Photos by Amanda Robinson & Lungarno Collection What to see & do Piazza del Duomo  The complex of Santa Maria del Fiore is the […]

48 hours in Florence

Continentale Lungarno hotel Florence

Staying in the heart of Renaissance Florence, by its oldest bridge, it’s easy to immerse yourself in the city’s magnificent heritage, says Amanda Robinson  Photos by Amanda Robinson and Lungarno Collection   Once the only Florentine bridge across the River Arno, built at the river’s narrowest point, the Ponte Vecchio is made of stern stuff […]

Alta Maremma travel guide

Relais di Biserno, Maremma

In the realm of the ‘Super Tuscans’, Anna Blomefield shares the best places to eat and great accommodation choices for Tuscany’s gorgeous Alta Maremma area… Photos by Relais di Biserno   Where to eat & drink Osteria San Guido  The philosophy of the kitchen revolves around a respect for ingredients of the highest quality in a […]

Super Tuscany

Sassicaia barrels tenuta san guido, Maremma, Tuscany

Tuscany’s Alta Maremma – once a malaria-infested swamp – has become a mecca for hedonists the world over. Anna Blomefield finds out why… Photos by Anna Blomefield unless otherwise stated   I’m leafing back through my wine-tasting notes. “Perfumed, black fruits, baked, liquorice. Great length… amazing!” The page is stained with purple drips. I remember this […]

Piano and the Port

Porto Antico, Genoa

Renzo Piano was born in Genoa, and the famous Italian architect has been instrumental the regeneration of the city’s Old Port… Photos courtesy of Genoa Tourism and Sarah Rodrigues   From the outside, the Piano-designed Aquarium may resemble nothing more spectacular than a large shipping container but, as one of the largest in Europe, the understatedness […]

Genoa La Superba: the city that won’t be beaten

panoramic view from Spianata Castelletto

The collapse of the Morandi bridge last year shocked the world, but Genoa is a resilient city, and a splendid one to visit. Sarah Rodrigues samples its delights… Photos courtesy of Genoa Tourism and Sarah Rodrigues Who isn’t guilty of under-appreciating pesto, store cupboard stalwart that it is? It’s a staple I associate with nights when inspiration […]

Making tracks, Part 6: Genoa to Levanto

Train

Two decades ago Rachael Martin arrived in Italy, exploring the country by rail and dreaming of rooms with a view. Twenty years, one Italian husband and two kids later, she still has the memories of those first voyages of discovery… Photos by Rachael Martin   When I first met my Italian husband he told me […]

Forgotten islands of the Venice Lagoon

Venice lagoon sunset

The Venice Lagoon contains more than a hundred islands – some small, some large; some natural, some man-made. Sara Scarpa invites us on an island-hopping expedition… Photos by Iain Reid   Often, on a sunny summer morning when we are in my home town of Venice, my husband and I will cycle from the centre […]

Po Delta travel guide

Penny Wainwright shares some of the best places to eat and stay, and explores some of the Po Delta’s top sights and attractions Photos by Penny Wainwright What to see & do MyFeCard A MyFeCard gives over-18s free entry to many of Ferrara’s museums. A two-day card costs £10.50, a three-day card is £12.50. The […]