Artistic devotion – discover Italia!

When it comes to works of religious art, the Medici chapel in Florence has plenty to offer. Take a closer look at the history behind the paintings with Marina Belozerskaya Classical stories and portraits graced the homes of rich and self-consciously enlightened Florentines, but by far the most common household images were the Madonna and […]

Events this weekend – Milano Moda Donna

If you’re the type of person who goes gaga for Gucci and crazy for Cavalli, you’ll want to pencil this prestigious twice-yearly fashion show into your diary Okay, so many of the events are invite only, but it’s worth going along just to catch a glimpse of the glamorous guests on the red carpet. And […]

The painting of Dante inside the Florentine cathedral

A painting often really does speak a thousand words, and in this one we get to dive into to the mystical world of Dante Inside the cathedral in Florence, just before the presbytery, on the left aisle wall, there is painting of Dante (1265-1321). It is a wonderful visual biography of this much-loved national icon. […]

48 hours in… Verona 2016

Penny Wainwright combines a trip to see an Adele concert with a tour of the Verona of Romeo and Juliet, and a day out in the vineyards of Valpolicella… Verona, La Città dell’Amore, the City of Love, is known – to English-speaking visitors at least – first and foremost, for Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s ill-fated […]

From Pisa to Palermo – Italia Moments Week 7

It’s that time of year when holidays seem like a distant memory yet some of our readers have been whisking themselves away to a land where summer never seems to end.. Castello Aragonese in Taranto, Puglia. The photographer, Jarno Liimatainen, explained “Italian army runs the castle as it has been their base, so a tour is free […]

A tale of three cities, we visit Syracuse

Dive in to Sicily’s historic and picturesque Ionian Coast, today we visit Syracuse, an area featuring some fantastic ruins and beautiful lanes My final stop involved travelling south once again, to Sicily’s third city, Syracuse. Founded on the island of Ortigia in 734 BC by the Greeks, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a shining Baroque […]

48 Hours in Alba and Asti

With truffles, Barolo and hazelnuts on the menu, Francesca Unsworth is very happy to indulge herself at the gastronomic centre of Italy on an autumnal trip to Alba and Asti The Italians have elevated numerous foodstuffs to iconic gastronomic status, but no single region can boast quite the same gourmet cachet as Piedmont. Home to both […]

A tale of three cities, first up we visit Taormina

Touring Sicily’s historic and picturesque Ionian Coast, Chris Allsop takes in the sights while contending with the island’s ever-increasing profile thanks to its superb culinary scene, extraordinary history, and all-round Mediterranean pulchritude… Trips are all the sweeter when there’s an unseasonal Arctic blast forecast for the weekend back home. On this gale of Schadenfreude I breezed […]

Discover Abruzzo

Marine snails, Pecorino grapes and square spaghetti, we embark on a gourmet tour of one of Italy’s most striking regions The Abruzzo region is commonly associated with the words forte e gentile (strong and gentle), conjuring up images of the powerful mountains that tower above the tranquil sea just a few kilometres away. It is an area […]