Italy’s Cinque Terre is the stuff of postcards, and its colourful coastal railway is as pretty as a picture. Tristan Rutherford takes a train journey of discovery along the Ligurian coast. Central Italy is snowbound, so it is a shock to see La Spezia Station in radiant green. Palm trees run alongside the tracks in […]
This lesser-know region in idyllic central Puglia is fast becoming a foodie paradise, as Rachel Beckwith discovers as she visits the producers… Just a light lunch, they said. The heaving table in front of me suggests otherwise – it gives an audible creak every time our hostess balances yet another plate of food at the […]
The city of Bologna – la Grassa – is just as famous for its food and culture as it is for its ancient university. Heather Crombie samples its delights… Bologna is different things to different people, a city of many names reflecting the many facets of its personality. To the academics it is the ‘learned […]
Did Heather Crombie’s 48 Hours in Bologna inspire you to book your next trip? Here’s our top tips on where to stay, where to eat and what to see and do. WHAT TO SEE AND DO ➤ The Two Towers For fantastic views of the city, climb to the top of the Asinelli and see how many […]
WHAT TO SEE AND DO ➤ Palazzo Ducale & Galleria Nazionale delle Marche Entrance on Piazza Duca Federico +39 0722 32262 www.palazzoducaleurbino.it Hours: Mon, 8:30am-2:00pm; Tue-Sun, 8:30am-7:30pm ➤ Casa Natale di Raffaello< Via Raffaello, 57 +39 0722 320105 www.accademiaraffaello.it Hours: Sun, 10:00am-1:00pm, Mon-Sat, 9:00am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-7:00pm ➤ Oratorio San Giovanni< Via Barocci, 31 +39 0722 910259 >Hours: […]
The busy university town of Urbino is often called ‘the perfect Renaissance city’ – and indeed the birthplace of Raphael rivalled Florence and Siena in its day. Joe Gartman returns to find out if they have got any of their loaned out paintings back yet… Standing at the Punto Panoramico, near the walls of the forbidding […]
Marina Spironetti visits the intriguing city state of Seborga in western Liguria. Fiercely independent, it still boasts its own currency, its own passport and, yes, its own prince… Small countries have always fascinated me. From Andorra to Liechtenstein, from Monaco to San Marino – tiny states with their own history, proud to be different. I […]
Adrian Mourby leaves the planes and trains behind and sets out to reach La Serenissima from a new perspective – Venice by bike & boat… I had never heard of Chioggia until I joined a group of cyclists cycling from Mantua to Venice. I’d never thought about cycling around Italy either until now but it […]
Verona’s spectacular ancient Roman amphitheatre is an unforgettable place to enjoy grand opera beneath the starry summer sky. Fleur Kinson is dazzled by the magic atmosphere and the vocal fireworks as she attends the Verona Amphitheatre Opera… Sweat, fear, noise, blood and anguish. Not much has changed in Verona’s giant amphitheatre over the last 2,000 […]
An impeccably dressed Amanda Robinson steps back in time and discovers the art of elegant travel as she takes a trip on the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express… Let’s face it, most people’s main imperative for the daily train commute is more about getting to the office without delay or complication, to get the day started with […]