Thinking of renting a holiday home? Or buying one to rent? Villa in Umbria Umbria, also called the ‘Green Heart of Italy’, is the landlocked region next to Tuscany, a popular holiday destination. Rolling hills with vineyards and olive trees, the fourth largest lake in Italy and a serious mountain range combine to make for […]
Mario Matassa reveals his choice of the top ten holiday resorts in Italy. From the mountains to the sea, for food fans or culture vultures, there’s a destination for everyone… In a country synonymous with history, art, architecture, style, fashion, gastronomy – not to mention seemingly endless golden sands, striking and rugged landscapes, grand historical cities […]
Olives, bread and wine form the ‘Trinity of the Table’ in Tuscany, and there is an impressive supporting cast behind them too. Wanda Djebbar explains just what it is that makes Tuscan cooking so good… With the region’s great agricultural heritage, it is not surprising that Tuscan food is strongly linked to the land. Most […]
If you’re visiting Tuscany for a rest this summer, why not visit the thermal falls of Saturnia, where Italia! recently took to the soothing waters… Of all the many natural wonders that Tuscany boasts – from the impressive conical cypress trees to the vast acres of unspoiled pastures – relaxation has always been paramount to […]
Under the Tuscan Sun captures the allure of this region, this is what we had to observe about this popular, romantic american comedy… Under the Tuscan Sun (2003, Florence, Cortona & Positano. Directed by Audrey Wells. Starring Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan) Under the Tuscan Sun is the film adaptation of Frances Mayer’s popular autobiographical novel set […]
With such a vast coastline Italy has plenty of beautiful, small islands dotted around its shores. Italia! selects five of the best diminutive destinations. Isola D’elba, Tuscany Tuscany’s Elba was once home to Napoleon during his period of exile in 1814. It’s now hard to imagine how such an imposition could be deemed a punishment, […]
Luckily, though, unlike some regional neighbours, Lucca has managed to avoid turning into an over-commercialised tourist trap. Lucca has been a thriving community since Roman times and before. It was, in fact, such an important centre for the Romans that in 56BC Caesar, Pompey and Crassius met here for their historic pow-wow, which culminated in […]
Rolling hills, beautiful coastline and gothic architecture, we discover what more Tuscany has to offer… Tuscany was one of the first destinations to attract large numbers of travellers from the UK – and with very good reason: the region offers a rich combination of culture, historic cities, antiquities, agreeable climate and friendly locals; it encapsulates everything that is beautiful about […]
Chris Allsop last visited Tuscany as a young boy. Thirty years later he decided to go back… The last time I was in Tuscany, I mostly chased pigeons. I was six, on a family holiday, and the astounding art heritage of Florence was no match for the challenge of putting the wind up every pigeon […]
With a history steeped deep in the philosophy of La Cucina Povera, the Val d’Orcia offers taste and tradition. Wanda Djebbar guides us on a gastro tour through the past and present… Gourmet Guide to the Val d’Orcia Those among you who are looking for rich, difficult, complicated food to combine with sublime landscapes, art […]