Tourism

It's been that way for centuries... and now a new slow food "presidia": Casalbuono Beans

Spanning 142 square miles, Garda—the largest lake in Italy—is a massive triangle of water measuring 32 miles long, from its northern tip at the spur of the Alps to its southern base in the Veneto region. Our journey will touch places of stunning beauty and deep history, where locals and tourists alike know how to enjoy nature, gorgeous food and incomparable wines.

Sextantio - Le Grotte della Civita in Matera was created to offer its guests an unparalleled hospitality experience, one that is not classifiable in stars, and one that is definitely anything but conventional. The restoration works involved the most ancient part of the Sassi, the Civita, almost exclusively characterized by caves, some of them quite sizable, overlooking the Gravina, with very few notable architectural features. It is as place of a particularly exceptional scenic value between Via Civita and Via Conservatorio, near the Churches of St. Nicholas of the Greeks and Madonna of the Virtues. The owner is Daniele Kihlgren, entrepreneur with a Genoa-born Swedish father

The Ionian coast of Calabria—those looking to escape the crowds are in for a real treat. Less developed than the Tyrrhenian side of the region, this coast offers plenty of archaeological sites, enchanting natural beauty, and gorgeous food and wine.

With a territory that stretches between the Adriatic Sea and the Alps, Friuli Venezia Giulia is one of the most diverse regions of Italy. Beautiful art cities, hearty food, incredible variety of native grapes, and plenty of outdoor activity options, make Friuli Venezia Giulia the ideal destination for travelers of all types.

The tallest leaning medieval tower in the world welcomes visitors to the city of Bologna. Torre degli Asinelli was built in the 12th century and is part of Bologna's iconic cityscape. After a 3-month renovation project, the tower recently reopened to the public.

From the wooded mountains to the emerald sea, Calabria’s Ionian Coast is a richly nuanced land with millennia-old traditions. The region has remained largely unspoiled and as a consequence is teeming with fresh goods. In fact, only the freshest and most local products are dished up here. Neither can you talk about this part of Calabria without mentioning its production of Mediterranean-style wines and liqueurs. Not for nothing, in ancient times the region was called “Enotria” (“wine country” in Greek), and Greek colonies were indeed the first to cultivate wine in the region. Read on to find out some of the most noteworthy products and the finest wines from Calabria’s Ionian Coast.

The Ionian coast of Calabria—those looking to escape the crowds are in for a real treat. Less developed than the Tyrrhenian side of the region, this coast offers plenty of archaeological sites, enchanting natural beauty, and gorgeous food and wine.

Spanning 142 square miles, Garda—the largest lake in Italy—is a massive triangle of water measuring 32 miles long, from its northern tip at the spur of the Alps to its southern base in the Veneto region. Our journey will touch places of stunning beauty and deep history, where locals and tourists alike know how to enjoy nature, gorgeous food and incomparable wines.

Michele and I have been visiting Naples since 1970. To us, it is the most interesting and exciting city in Italy and we were happy to return recently.

Didn’t we say we’d take you to Italy this Spring? After the Amalfi Coast, here comes our second suggestion: a city made up of over 100 small islands, with buildings that seem to rise out of the water, no cars and plenty of seafood! Venice offers the best of what Italy has to offer. Plus, many hotels and resorts will welcome you with special offers and Alitalia will take you there through Rome at discounted rates!

Snow storms aside, let's admit it: Winter is about to end and we're already dreaming about our Spring break! So here is the first of our Italian suggestions: The Amali Coast. 30 mile stretch of coastline that look as if they belong on a postcard. Plus, many hotels and resorts will welcome you with special offers and Alitalia will take you to Naples at discounted rates!

In a radical change of policy, the Italian government has just appointed twenty new directors for museums and archaeological sites from Milan to Paestum. Among them are ten women. Seven are non-Italians, such as German art historian Eike Schmidt, who will head the Uffizi Galleries in Florence. Not everyone is thrilled at the sweep of this new cultural broom.

Italy is splendid in the Summer, but it is wonderful in the Fall. And with lower fares for airline and hotels, Fall in Italy may be a real deal. Many Italians and foreigners alike are avoiding the heat and crowds of the Summer and enjoy magical vacations at minimal prices.

Good news for youth between the ages of 18-25: thanks to Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, which teamed with ENIT, you can now win your dream trip to Italy in the Dream It Contest. Older than 25? Have fun voting for your favorite entry!

Parma proudly boasts some of the highest quality food products renowned at both national and international level: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma and various cured pork meat products such as the Culatello from Zibello, Salame from Felino, Coppa, as well as wines from the Parma hills, Porcini mushrooms from the Taro river valley, and Tomatoes.

The founder of Eataly talks about Alba and the Langhe, a thriving region located in the heart of Piedmont, between the sea and the Alps

The Italian National Tourist Board organized “The Importance of The Grand Tour of Italy for College Students,” which took place at the Italian Academy of the Columbia University.

A little over a year before the official opening of the Expo 2015 in Milan (Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life), the neighboring region of Piemonte is preparing to offer the international public an extraordinary number of events and tourism initiatives. Such programs have recently been introduced to American tour operators at the offices of the Italian Tourist Board

The tourists are back, to the delight of Roman restaurateurs and hotel and shop keepers. But investments in the cultural heritage are neglected, even in Rome, and a chronic shortage of funds and personnel means that the museums are not part of the celebration. “You can’t hope for tourism and then shut down the very places that are the real worldwide attractions,” protests Adriano La Regina, president of Italy’s National Institute for Archaeology and Art History. But is tourism really the cure? Not everyone agrees.