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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

48 hours in the Po Delta

Looking across the reeds and islands of Sacca di Goro, Po Delta, Italy

The mighty Po flows for 400 miles across Italy and in many ways defines the north of the country. Penny Wainwright visits the area where it meets the sea… Photos by Penny Wainwright The Renaissance city of Ferrara and the River Po Delta are a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, linking Ferrara, the Delta and its […]

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 […]