Italy at its most straightforward is already inexhaustible: twenty regions, each with its own dialect, its own cuisine, its own relationship to the sea or the mountains or the plain. At its most layered — when you begin to understand that the village on that particular hillside was built there because of a medieval water source, or that the recipe for that particular pasta exists nowhere else within forty kilometres — it becomes something that rewards years of attention without ever feeling finished.This section is the broadest view of the magazine: the place where regions, cities, coastlines, and landscapes are introduced on their own terms. Itineraries, profiles, seasonal guides, and essential reading for anyone approaching Italy with curiosity rather than a fixed plan.
For foreign companies looking to establish a foothold in the Italian automotive and motorcycle accessories market, one name from the Marche region has been quietly…
Cittaslow was founded in 1999 in Orvieto as an extension of the Slow Food philosophy to urban life. A Cittaslow town commits to noise reduction,…
The town of Deruta, south of Perugia in Umbria, has been making decorated maiolica ceramics since the fourteenth century. The craft is still practised in…
The Aeolian Islands are seven volcanic outcrops north of Sicily, each with a distinct character and landscape. To understand the archipelago properly requires a boat…
Truffle hunting in Umbria happens in the oak and hornbeam forests of the Valnerina between November and March. The trained dog does the finding; the…
Cortona sits above the Val di Chiana at an altitude that gives views across to Montepulciano and Lake Trasimeno. Its Etruscan origins are documented in…
The earthquake of January 1693 destroyed the old city of Noto entirely. The decision to rebuild on a new site, in the new baroque style,…
The best day trips from Rome — Ostia Antica, Tivoli, the Castelli Romani hill towns, and the Etruscan coast — with transport options and timing…
How to plan an Italian road trip using the Stelvio Pass, Val d'Orcia, and lesser-known secondary roads that reveal the country's character beyond the autostrada.
Italy by train: how to book the Frecciarossa high-speed network, navigate scenic regional lines, and plan a rail journey from the Alps to Sicily.