At the height of Mussolini’s powers, physical fitness was used to demonstrate the ‘supremacy’ of the fascist movement. As these diminutive skiers show, children were not exempt. Between 1926 and 1937, when the fascist regime was at its peak, Mussolini founded the Operazione Nazionale Balilla – Italy’s version of the Hitler Youth. Part of Il […]
We are at the second in a series of eight of the most memorable starring roles, next is the original ‘The Italian Job’ and the legendary getaway scene featuring the rooftops and back streets of Turin… The Italian Job (1969, Turin, directed by Peter Collinson. Starring: Michael Caine, Noël Coward) Michael Caine stars as Charlie Croker, a cunning […]
It brings together a heady mix of chocolate, damsons, spice and bruised cherries. Honesty in a wine is such an important trait. To find a wine that encompasses all-and-nothing-else of its terroir is a rare thing indeed, and yet this is precisely what Paola Corradi has achieved with her ‘basic’ Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. All […]
We present to you the first in a series of eight of the most memorable starring roles, we begin with Roman Holiday starring style icon Audrey Hepburn… Roman Holiday (1953, Rome, directed by William Wyler. Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck) Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck star in this timeless 50s classic, a worthy tribute to the Eternal […]
The smuggling of the mortal remains of St Mark to Venice from Alexandria in 828 satisfied a Divine Will – according to the Venetian version of the story, anyway… When, in the 4th Century AD, St Mark the Evangelist allegedly visited the then uninhabited lagoon, an angel appeared unto him saying: “Pax tibi Marce, Evangelista […]
Florence is the perfect venue for a weekend away if you simply want to be a tourist: there’s so much to see, read about and photograph, and it’s one of those rare places where there’s really no point in trying to blend in with the natives – try to and you’ll be spotted a mile […]
Umbria is one of these less explored regions of Italy where time seems to have come to a standstill in the small medieval villages that offer a tranquil life to its inhabitants. Coming from a hectic city these quiet little towns will inspire anyone. Many traditions are kept alive and Umbria has a number of […]
Italia! 119 is on sale now, with Artisan Florence, the Sound of the Dolomites, 48 Hours in Taormina, Puglia property, and the best Italian food and wine. We discover how Florence is maintaining an ancient artistic method of using stone as an art form; we visit an unusual music festival that takes place every year […]
Although less well-known than its fellow Piedmontese wine greats, Barbera is a fine expression of just what this region is capable of, as Paul Pettengale discovers… Piedmont is an absolute star in the vast world of wine. Some of the greatest wines on the planet originate there ? notably the ?king? and ?queen? of wines, […]
Grown around – and even on – the slopes of Mount Etna, the grape varieties that thrive in Sicilian soil make some of Italy’s finest white wines. Paul Pettengale investigates… Wine has been a way of life in Sicily for thousands of years. When the Greeks inhabited the island around 1500BC, they brought with them […]