Chestnuts roasting…

Chestnuts Italy

Julie Friend attends a special food festival in the province of Viterbo, and discovers that here the chestnut is not just for Christmas Photos by Getty unless otherwise stated   Clinging to the side of Mount Cimino, in the province of Viterbo, is the hilltop town of Vallerano. Perched 400 metres above sea level, the […]

A Wild Christmas

Krampus festival in a snowy field just outside Castelrotto, South Tyrol, Italy

Each December, the terrifying costumed figures of Krampus paint South Tyrol red with their extravaganza. Marina Spironetti attends a traditional parade of the monsters in Castelrotto Photos by Marina Spironetti   If your idea of a typical Italian Christmas involves getting dressed up as Babbo Natale for the fun of the little ones in the […]

Five reasons to visit Italy’s lakes

Lake Como, Italy

Whether you favour the grandeur of the tourist favourites, or the peace of off-the beaten-track locations, there is a perfect lakeside destination for you Photos by iStock and Jane Keightley 1 Maggiore Lake Maggiore is one of Italy’s beloved northern lakes. The Borromeo family has dominated three islands on the lake since the 16th and […]

Making Tracks, Part 3: to Lake Como

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 I start off in Lecco, at the southern tip of Lake […]

Castello travel guide

Graffiti near San Francesco della Vigna, Venice

Adrian Mourby shares some of the best sights, accommodation and places to eat & drink in one of Venice’s least-visited districts Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby What to see and do Querini Stampalia After the Querini family died out in 1868 their palazzo – and all its art works – was turned into a museum featuring […]

Castello: the quiet sestiere

Londra Palace, Venice

Adrian Mourby takes a walk around the tranquil backwaters of Venice as he explores the city’s fascinating Castello district… Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby   It’s the sestiere that Venetians call truly Venetian. The neighbourhood of Castello consists of the same narrow lanes, broad campi and monumental churches as the other five sestieri, but it lacks the […]

Salento travel guide

Street market, Lecce, Puglia

Sara Scarpa explores a few of Salento’s top things to see and do, plus great places to eat and accommodation to suit all budgets… Photos by Iain Reid What to see and do Basilica di Santa Croce, Lecce The Basilica di Santa Croce is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Salento. The […]

48 hours in Salento

Lecce, Puglia

Sara Scarpa travels to Salento in Puglia and discovers a timeless land ‘beyond the sea’ Photos by Iain Reid    Puglia, the iconic and much loved ‘boot heel’ of Italy, is a large and varied region that has been a crossroads for several civilisations and cultures over the centuries. Salento, possibly the best known area […]

Viewpoint: Path of the Gods

Path of the gods, Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast’s breathtaking ‘Path of the Gods’ stretches from the hilltop town of Bomerano to Nocelle, a frazione of Positano Photo by Getty Images The ‘Path of the Gods’ – Il Sentiero degli Dei – is an eight-mile walk over some of the finest views the Amalfi Coast has to offer. You can walk […]

Five of the best Tuscan gardens

Tuscany garden

Tony Bassett of Tuscan Secrets explores a few of his favourite green spaces in Tuscany… how many have you visited? Images by PG Media; Getty Images 1 Villa Reale, Lucca Once home to Napoleon’s sister Elisa. It has several different gardens including camellias, which flower during February and March, as well as a Spanish garden, and a lemon […]