Pope Pius II dreamed of a perfect city, and on this sunbaked Tuscan hilltop, he built it. The trapezoidal Piazza Pio II unfolds like a stage set, framed by the cathedral, the papal palace, and the town hall in flawless Renaissance proportion. Beyond the belvedere, the Val d Orcia rolls away in waves of wheat […]
Perugia sits high on a hill in Umbria, a city of Etruscan foundations and medieval towers where chocolate hangs in the air as surely as history does. This is the home of Perugina, the company behind Baci chocolates, and the annual Eurochocolate festival draws sweet-toothed travellers from across Europe. But Perugia is more than confectionery. […]
The ferry approaches the island and the first thing you see are the Faraglioni, three limestone stacks rising from the turquoise sea like ancient sentinels. Capri has long been synonymous with luxury, drawing visitors from Roman emperors to Hollywood stars. Yet beyond the designer boutiques and glamorous cafes lies an island of stunning natural beauty. […]
Spoleto rises from the Umbrian hills like a stone secret waiting to be discovered. Narrow medieval alleys twist past Roman arches and Renaissance palaces, each corner revealing a fresh vista of olive groves and distant mountains. The air carries the scent of wild herbs and sun-warmed stone. Come summer, the entire city transforms into a […]
The first sound is the crunch of fresh powder under a ski edge. Then silence so complete that you hear your own heartbeat beneath the insulated layers. From the summit of Les Arcs, the slopes of the Paradiski domain tumble down through larch forests and open bowls, their surface shimmering under a high alpine sun. […]
Categories: Austria, France, Italy, Wellness, Relax & Sports, Wellness, Relax & Sports, Wellness, Relax & Sports, Wellness, Relax & Sports
Positano cascades down a steep cliffside like a waterfall of pastel houses. Lemon trees burst from terraced gardens above the sea. The narrow steps that serve as streets demand a certain surrender from every visitor. You cannot rush here. The town refuses to be hurried. Every descent toward the sparkling Tyrrhenian water offers another postcard […]
Categories: Cities, Italy, Nature, Nature, Sea Sites, Sights, Sights
Siracusa was once the most powerful city in the ancient Greek world, greater even than Athens. Its Greek Theatre is one of the largest and best preserved anywhere. The Ear of Dionysius, a limestone cave with incredible acoustics, still echoes with whispered words. On the island of Ortigia, the old city core, layers of history […]
Categories: Cities, Islands, Italy, Nature, Sicily, Sights, Sights
The Sella Ronda circuit loops around its namesake massif in the Italian Dolomites. This ski route connects four valleys through a network of lifts and slopes spanning 40 kilometres. You can ski the entire circuit in a single day, crossing from Alta Badia to Val Gardena, then over to Arabba and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The scenery […]
Categories: Italy, Wellness, Relax & Sports, Wellness, Relax & Sports
Pastel coloured houses climb the hillside, their facades reflected in the calm waters of the harbour. Portofino is the jewel of the Italian Riviera, a fishing village turned glamorous resort that has attracted the world’s elite since the 1950s. The Piazzetta, a tiny square at the water’s edge, buzzes with conversation as diners sip wine […]
Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on Earth. People have lived in its cave dwellings, the Sassi, since before the birth of Rome. For decades the city was called a national shame, its cave homes deemed unfit for modern life. Then the artists and filmmakers arrived and saw what others had missed. […]
