Five reasons to visit Puglia

Old Town Of Vieste, Gargano Peninsula, Apulia region, Italy, Europe

As if you needed any more reason to take a trip to this sun-drenched southern region, here are five excuses to pack your bags and book that plane! Photos by Puglia Holiday Rentals 1 Puglia is one of the largest wine regions in Italy but it is only in recent years that it has actually produced its […]

Making Tracks, Part 5: Milan to Genoa

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 It’s that same scene every time I leave Milan early in […]

The Sanctuary of La Verna

Sanctuary of Verna in snow, Italy

Rachael Martin shares the story behind this religious site, which is nestled in the hills of Tuscany’s beautiful Casentino National Park   In Canto 11 of Paradiso, the third and final book of his Divine Comedy, Dante speaks of that “harsh rock between Tiber and Arno where he received from Christ the last seal, which his […]

Vero Italiano: agriturismi

Italian agriturismo

Mario Matassa heads out into the countryside to stay on an agriturismo, and discovers why these farm-stays can provide the perfect holidays for foodie travellers…  Photos by Mario Matassa There are more than 18,000 agriturismi in Italy, half of which have sprung up recently – particularly in Tuscany and Alto Adige. The idea of coupling […]

Hidden Garda

View from limonaia, Lake Garda

Lake Garda, the largest of the Italian lakes, can also be the most crowded. Chris Allsop visits its western side where he enjoys the lake’s quieter spots and a rich vein of history Photos by Chris Allsop   Of all the Italian lakes, it’s Garda – with its enviably temperate climate – that really pulls […]

Head for the hills

Sanctuary of La Verna

Travelling far from the bustle of city life, Rachael Martin heads off the beaten track to find peace and quiet in Tuscany’s Casentino National Park Photos of Casentino by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   Once more, TripAdvisor figures confirm that Tuscany is at the forefront of Italian tourism and in particular Florence, which comes […]

In search of la bella figura

The Masseria San Domenico, Puglia

Beverley Byrne goes to the Masseria San Domenico on the Adriatic coast of Puglia in her quest for wellbeing   Science confirms that oil and water do not mix. Yet, at the Masseria San Domenico in Puglia, their combined benefits are said to hold the secret of eternal youth. This family-owned boutique hotel and spa […]

Luci d’Artista in Turin

Lights in Turin Italy

Every winter the streets of Turin come alight with sophisticated electric installations by renowned artists – Joe Gartman investigates… Photos by Patricia Gartman Thomas Edison started it all, of course. Not content with inventing the light bulb, he strung dozens of coloured lamps around his laboratory for the 1880 holiday season. In 1882, his business partner, […]

Five reasons to visit Italy at Christmas

Christmas Market Bolzano Italy

From festive markets to presepe, Italy is especially magical in December – here are a few good excuses to book that flight! Photos by iStock & Getty Images 1. Where better to be at Christmas than in a festive high-altitude town known for its fantastic traditional outdoor market and with the stunning Dolomites as a picturesque […]

Making Tracks, Part 4: To Turin

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 Life on the train today consists of a group of Spanish […]