Emilia-Romagna: cities of food

Alexander James brings us the low-down on the top spots for food and drink in Emilia-Romagna… one of the best regions for enjoying Italy’s finest specialities Modena Modena is a city laden with hidden culinary treats. Many know it as the place-name that adorns balsamic vinegar bottles. But the real deal vinegar is very different […]

Emilia-Romagna: University of the Good Life

Bologna. L'antica zona del Mercato di Mezzo (Mercato Vecchio, Quadrilatero). Vie Pescherie Vecchie. Negozio di salumeria e prodotti tipici enogastronomici.

Think of Italy and its most well-known food exports, and a third of them come from one region: Emilia-Romagna. Alexander James finds out why this part of the country is such a gastronomic hot-spot… Photos by Bologna Welcome (www.bolognawelcome.com) unless otherwise stated Visit this region between the Adriatic Sea and Tuscany and you’ll find the […]

Cilento travel guide

Acciaroli, Campania, Italy

Denise Otero shares the very best of Acciaroli and the glorious Cilento area in Campania – from great places to stay to must-visit attractions Acciaroli & the Fountain of Youth If you are looking for the Fountain of Youth, Acciaroli would be a good place to start. We can thank the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de […]

10 things we love in Cilento

Beautiful beaches, unspoilt landscapes and fresh, natural food make the Cilento coast one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. Denise Otero pays homage to the region and explores why people here live so long. Here’s our top ten picks of things to do when you visit… Photos by Denise Otero unless otherwise stated 1. See the town […]

Past Italia: Il Castello di Santa Severa

Castello di Santa Severa, Lazio italy

The medieval castle of Santa Severa faces out to sea on the Lazio coast, just 40 minutes north of Rome The Castle of Saint Severa is named after a young girl whose entire family was martyred. Her father was a Roman military commander who converted to Christianity and was put to death for refusing to renounce […]

Insider’s Rome: The Pantheon

Pantheon, Rome, Italy

Proposals to charge entry to the Pantheon remain controversial, after plans were announced to start charging visitors from May this year… Words by Jon Palmer. Image by iStock Up until now, entry to the Pantheon was free, and had been throughout its 2,000 years of continuous use. This January, however, Italy’s culture minister, Dario Franceschini, confirmed […]

Cortona: the genius of a place

Cortona, Tuscany, Italy

Rachael Martin visits Cortona to meet Sarah Marder, a film-maker whose documentary explores the changed life of this Tuscan hilltop town Photos by iStock unless otherwise stated When Sarah Marder first started going to Cortona in the 1980s, she fell in love with a place and a time. At this point in her life she […]

S’Acqua Salia agriturismo, Sardinia

If you’re seeking a special place to eat in Sardinia, Mary Novakovich shares a hidden gem, nestled in the hills in the island’s tranquil southwest Photos by Adam Batterbee   Magnetic though the coast is in this area, eventually we headed into the hills – specifically to Paola and Antonello’s agriturismo, S’Acqua Salia, outside the […]

Nora Archaeological Park

Nora and tower Sardinia

Mary Novakovich shares her experience of this important and beautiful archaeological site in southwest Sardinia… Photos by Adam Batterbee   Founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC and then ruled from Carthage, Nora became Sardinia’s principal city when the Romans took over in 238BC. Nora’s precarious position on a spit of land made […]