The central Italian region of Abruzzo is bordered by Le Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and tiny Molise to the south… Its eastern side is taken up by a long sweep of Atlantic coastline, more than 100km long, and around a third of the region is made up of nature reserves and […]
Marina Spironetti picks a selection of the best activities and events to get involved with during a stay in Mantua… MANTUA JAZZ FESTIVAL Indulge in listening to world-class musicians in the historical setting of Mantua. This year the festival ran in April, but it can vary over the springtime months so check www.mantovajazz.it for the […]
Follow Marina Spironetti as she unveils the treasures of the cobbled city of Mantua, one of the most atmospheric places to visit in northern Italy… A year ago yet another earthquake shook most of northern Italy, causing considerable damage. When I went back to Mantua a couple of months ago, I did not know what […]
Le Marche is on the eastern side of Italy, east of Umbria, between the statuesque mountains and the inviting sea… The region is split into five provinces: Pesaro-Urbino, Ancona, Macerata and Ascoli Piceno, and the very recently instituted Fermo. It is easy to get to both the mountains and the sea, which is very appealing […]
Decaying, flood-prone, overcrowded and expensive, Venice still manages to be the world’s most beautiful city. Perhaps even lovelier in gloom than sun, this is the capital of paradoxes, says Fleur Kinson… Coming in to land, the aeroplane window frames views of a sodden, misty-grey landscape that fragments into the Adriatic Sea. It’s a world half […]
Heather Crombie shares her selection of ‘don’t miss’ tips for eating, staying and sight-seeing in Pavia… UNIVERSITY MUSEUMS The museums associated with the university are scattered throughout the city and are all packed with fascinating exhibits and information. If you’re pressed for time simply focus on the Museo per la Storia dell’Università. This amazing collection […]
Heather Crombie visits the historic university city of Pavia and discovers a rich tradition of art, history and a timeless appeal that has inspired some of history’s greatest minds… Having a river running along the edges of a city always gives it a head start in terms of aesthetic appeal, and it is the river […]
Umbria is known as the ‘green heart of Italy’, thanks to the fact that more than 30 per cent of the region is made up of woodland… This is a tranquil and historically rich region, landlocked on all sides by Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche and situated right in the middle of Italy, although the […]
Take a look at the latest Italian products that have caught our eye… For food lovers who want to take their passion to the next level, designers have come up with this unusual Parmesan cheese lamp. Yes, that would be a hanging ceiling lamp that looks exactly like a wheel of Parmesan. It is […]