Italy

It would be wrong to visit Tuscany without stopping off at a Chianti vineyard or two to sample Chianti Classico, the area’s most famous wine.

A visit to Chiavenna, a gorgeous alpine mountain town in Italy, brings culture, history, incredible natural beauty, waterfalls and the best in traditional Italian food.

The most beautiful villages to visit in Lombardy, Italy. From medieval castles, lakes, mountains, gorges and waterfalls to highlights and hidden gems.

A guide to Alta Badia ski resort in the beautiful Italian Dolomites. Where to stay, where to ski and what activities to enjoy off the pistes during your ski trip.

Why skiing in Alta Badia ski resort in the Italian Dolomites makes the perfect ski destination for gourmet food lovers and skiers alike.

Rome, the Eternal City, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Read on for some practical advice and tips for visiting Rome to help you get the most from your trip.

These fascinating facts about Rome will have you booking a weekend there before you can utter the words Eternal City.

A culinary and cultural encounter with The Roman Food Tour, or, how I ate my way around the Eternal City on the best Rome food tour ever.

Italian food and wine holidays with Bookings for You and Palazzo Tronconi. The perfect combination of food, wine and culture on your Italian holiday.

Coffee is a serious past-time in Italy and comes with its own etiquettes and customs. Let’s get to grips with the ground rules of ordering coffee in Italy…

Recipe for Aperol Spritz the aperitivo that Italians love. How to make the perfect summer drink that I like to call ‘sunshine in a glass’.

How to get from Pisa Centrale Station to the Leaning Tower of Pisa including a handy map. What to see on the way and where to get the best gelato…

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or free-standing bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa, famous worldwide for its tipsy tilt to one side.

Catania’s cafes and bars are the perfect place to indulge in a cup of coffee and a cannolo when the sightseeing begins to take its toll. Chock full of character, charm and the best Sicilian patisserie.

The Port city of Catania, Sicily’s second largest city, is situated on the east coast of the island. Enjoy colourful food markets, cool cafes, coffee, canolli and culture.

The cool, calm, quiet of the Consoli kitchen is a complete contrast to the clamour of Catania’s colourful market. The next part of the tour was to immerse ourselves into the flavours, cooking customs and rich history of Sicilian cuisine.

Catania’s Pescheria is an explosion of sights, sounds and smells – bustling and chaotic it’s alive with atmosphere which instantly awakens all the senses – and the appetite!

Tuscan cuisine is food for the soul; intense fresh flavours from a few choice ingredients which have been freshly picked or pulled from the earth. Unpretentious, seasonal and prepared with passion.

The Chianti region of Tuscany is renowned for its beautiful rolling landscapes, Tuscan cuisine and Chianti Classico wines but the area has some lesser known gems too. So, what else …

Tavarnelle is a municipality in the Chianti region of Tuscany situated in the beautiful countryside between Florence and Siena. Think fields ribboned with grape vines, ruby red wines and medieval …

A few hours in Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is such a tease but it was all I had. Just enough time to catch a fleeting glimpse of the city that pays homage to the Renaissance; a living showcase of art, history and architecture but no time to dig deeper or step inside a museum or gallery. Join me on a mini-tour of photogenic Florence.

Burano is a tiny island just a boat ride away from Venice. Filled with prettily-painted fishermens’ houses lining quaint canals it’s a riot of colour. Italy’s technicolour town.

Matera, Basilicata in southern Italy is a town built on the side of a steep ravine where people lived in warren of natural caves – let me tell you about the secrets of the sassi…

Venice from the water – the best way to see the sights of Venice is from the water. We took a boat tour with Walks of Italy to see the best Venice sights.

San Marino might be the smallest Republic in the world but it punches well above its weight when it comes to cool views, castles and quirk. Read on for things to do on a day trip to San Marino.

While in Modena this September we thought we’d make a pit-stop at Modena’s Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari – and boy am I glad we did. As well as beautiful cars; Maseratis Ferraris and F1s displayed inside, the building itself is incredible too.  The …

It was back to school for me this September and not just any old school – I went to the coolest school ever – the Carpigiani Gelato University, Bologna to learn the art of making artisan gelato.

Positano is a little fishing village teetering on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast between Sorrento and Praiano. Discover the best things to do in Positano a picture postcard pretty town.

Ponte di Tiberio Bridge in Rimini is one of the Italian town’s most historical attractions. At nearly 2000 years old it’s also one of the oldest.

Tucked up in the hills above Positano is a wonderful, family-run, restaurant with one of the best views in the whole of Italy. The food’s pretty fabulous too…

A drive along the beautiful Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast) in Italy and how to drive it even if you don’t have a car.

Sorrento is a pretty Italian town with enough to see to keep visitors happy for a day or two. Its also perfectly located for visiting some of Italy’s top sights.

Of the three epithets bestowed upon Bologna; La Dotta – The Learned, La Rossa – The Red and La Grassa – The Fat, it was the latter, fatter moniker that caused me concern. Let me share the foodie delights that Bologna brought to the table.

One of the things that captivated me about Bologna in Italy was its beautiful porticoes. Over 53 kilometres of pillars and collonades protect the Bolognesi from the elements. Here I take a look at the history and architecture of the city’s porticoes.

The city of Pompeii was buried under 6 metres of ash when Mount Vesuvius furiously erupted on 24th August 79AD. We visited to discover what secrets have been uncovered from the ash…