Built in Turin, Desio (Monza and Brianza) and Termini Imerese (Palermo), between 1957 and 1975, the Fiat 500 is recognised the world over as a symbol of Italian identity… Measuring just under 3 metres long and originally powered by a tiny 479cc, two-cylinder, air-cooled engine delivering just 13bhp, the Fiat 500 – across its […]
With a history steeped deep in the philosophy of La Cucina Povera, the Val d’Orcia offers taste and tradition. Wanda Djebbar guides us on a gastro tour through the past and present… Gourmet Guide to the Val d’Orcia Those among you who are looking for rich, difficult, complicated food to combine with sublime landscapes, art […]
“He who controls the high ground controls the battle,” goes the old military adage – and it doesn’t get much higher than La Rocca Calascio. Standing at 1,460 metres above sea level – that’s 300 metres higher than Ben Nevis – this medieval fortress provides a vantage point over huge swathes of land… Standing in the […]
With a tangible history dating back to Etruscan times, Perugia, the capital city of Umbria, had more than enough to keep Lorenza Bacino busy for a long weekend… Sitting on the marble steps of the centrally located San Lorenzo Cathedral, soaking up the sun and the atmosphere while enjoying a traditional piadina with prosciutto, was […]
A symbol of the very founding of Rome, the Capitoline Wolf – a bronze sculpture – has been housed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori since 1471. The story goes like this… It was as long ago as the mid-700s BC. Numitor, the grandfather of the twins Romulus and Remus, was usurped by his brother Amulius, […]
Italy’s capital is so full of treasures, you could spend years here and not manage to see them all. So what hope is there for the short-term visitor? Don’t panic – Fleur Kinson is here to distil the great city into its most unmissable sights… Photos by iStock For 500 years, Rome was the mighty centre of […]
Everyone knows the stereotypes about Italians and driving – fast, impatient, aggressive, appearing to consider red lights as advisory… But there are more specific quirks that may take you by surprise. So, to make your driving experience in Italy a bit more predictable, here’s Gordon Craigie’s Top 10 Italian Driving Habits… Illustrations by iStock 1 Wavering […]
Dawn breaks over the Po Delta on a cold and grey late autumn morning, from a fisherman’s hut nets hang suspended over the water, waiting for the tides to dictate the start of the next shift… Fishing in the Po Delta is big business. Scenes like this – an isolated fisherman’s hut with nets hanging […]
It would take Titian the generation following Giovanni Bellini to really exploit the full potential of oil. He digested the expertise of Bellini and then took it to another level. Titian (Tiziano in Italian) was one of the greatest painters Venice ever produced – perhaps the greatest painter Venice ever produced. He was the […]
James Miller travels the east coast of Sicily to discover two cities rich in ancient history and vibrant with modern life… The Roman statesman and scholar Cicero described Siracusa as “The greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all.” In ancient times Sicily was once part of Magna Graecia, or Greater Greece, and […]