Insider’s Rome: The Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are by far the most visited art galleries in Italy. And so they should be. There are more than 20,000 items on display at any one time – and sometimes it feels as if there are just as many people seeing them. The Museums house the collections of five centuries’ worth of […]

An Italian summer with Citalia

It’s never too early to start planning next year’s holiday to Italy – so from Amalfi and the islands to Lake Garda and Liguria, let Italian holiday specialists Citalia inspire you… With nights drawing in and leaves starting to turn, we think it’s the perfect time to start dreaming of beach-front trattorias, al fresco espressos and daily […]

Insider’s Rome: St Peter’s Basilica

Indeed, Rome was not built in a day… Work on St Peter’s began in 1506, but the church wasn’t ready to be consecrated until 1626… Like many other buildings in Rome, St Peter’s uses stone recycled from the Colosseum. As is usually the case when a building takes longer to finish that one might have […]

For the first time you can explore the Colosseum at night

The Colosseum, Rome

Say hello to the late-night tour at the Colosseum Following a major restoration, the Colosseum in Rome more polished than it’s been in 2,000 years and now visitors can be taken through the ancient arena and underground at night! You can wander around the 50,000-seat gladiatorial arena, which dates back to the year 80. This used to be […]

A Grand Tour of Puglia

The expression ‘Grand Tour’ was coined by Richard Lassels, a 17th-century Roman Catholic priest and travelling tutor, in his book The Voyage of Italy, Or a Compleat Journey Through Italy. Lassels included many northern Italian towns and central locations, but the remarkable region of Puglia does not get a mention. Perhaps lost to him were […]

Discover the Alabaster Caves of Volterra

Mario Matassa visits Volterra, a medieval hilltop town in Tuscany, where he discovers the alabaster caves and workshops for which the area is famous The chalky white alabaster from Volterra is considered the finest in Europe because of its characteristic compactness, transparency, veining, softness and smoothness. Although the etymology of the word remains disputed, the […]

7 Things to Do in Lake Garda

Italy’s largest lake is famed for its scenery and its gardens. Lorenza Bacino visits some of her favourite horticultural spaces, and finds a cookery course and a wedding venue… Stay in the Grand Hotel Gardone If an air of relaxed fin-de-siècle elegance is what you’re seeking, then this beautiful 19th-century villa and hotel in Gardone Riviera […]

Sailing off the Amalfi Coast

We take a trip back to Leanne Casellas’s trip along the Amalfi Coast. Now, it may not be action packed, but sailing off the Amalfi Coast provides plenty of relaxation and glamorous locations. When you’re thinking of hitting the high seas, billowing sails and a decent, salty wake Italy may not be the first destination […]

Top Tips For Taormina

See below for the best places to eat, what to see and do, where to stay and how to get there to ensure you have the best time in Taormina, Sicily… What to see and do Isola Bella It would be easy to miss out on a trip to Isola Bella if you are on […]