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A shirtless sailor in a roughed up inflatable dinghy approached as we sat in the cockpit at anchor. Along with two friends, my wife Roxy and I had just arrived in Marsala, a working fishing port known for its fortified wine, on the western point of Sicily. “I just came to warn you to be extra careful! Some people tried to steal my dinghy outboard t...

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Italy has long been a tourist attraction, and with good reason. Its timeless appeal, differing culture, and enticing meals appeal to millions of visitors each year. While major urban areas like Rome, Florence, and Venice have long dictated Italian travel, small, unknown urban areas are increasingly being touted as hidden gems to explore. Among thes...

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The phrase “Made in Italy” conjures images of steaming bowls of pasta, enormous wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano, paper-thin slices of prosciutto and sleek Ferraris. Everyone knows what Italy is famous for, but far fewer realize that many of these icons come from a single region: Emilia-Romagna. Stretching from Piacenza in the west to Rimini on the Ad...

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Swimming along the river Tiber could become the newest way to experience the Eternal City, and cool off in the summer, under plans launched by Rome's mayor. Roberto Gualtieri - who will be seeking a second five-year term in office once his current mandate ends next year - has tasked a working group with assessing the Tiber's suitability for swimmin...

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On a rocky cliff above the Tyrrhenian Sea, in Calabria’s province of Vibo Valentia, we find the town of Pizzo. Small in population but rich in reputation, it is known across Italy as “the town of gelato.” Its fame, however, doesn’t come from the amount of gelato produced, but from a single, iconic creation: the Tartufo di Pizzo, a dense, round ball...

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Picture a dream Italian coastal town, and the five towns of Cinque Terre will likely come to mind. Perched on the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, the narrow, pastel-coloured houses stand tightly together, surrounded by terraced vineyards, olive groves, lemon orchards, and lush greenery of the land, while the rocky cliffs plummet down to the t...

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Tucked away in Abruzzo, an off-the-radar region in central Italy, lies a best-kept skewer secret called arrosticini. A centuries-old cultural treasure, this Abruzzese street food proudly wears the region's finest culinary features. The mountainous area provides a perfect landscape for animal husbandry and shepherding, hence its special focus on fre...

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During sweltering summers, when the heat in Rome may become oppressive, a secret oasis exists just a drive outside of town where you can chill out and experience a taste of Italy’s countryside. Castel Gandolfo, high on a hill overlooking Lake Albano, has been and remains the papal summer retreat—a site of calm, loveliness, and clean air, providing...

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Can 5 days be enough to slow down, shift gears, and see with new eyes a land that holds centuries of history and unspoiled landscapes? Yes, by starting in Gubbio and following the ancient route of the Strada della Contessa, a medieval link between Umbria and Montefeltro. Following a route that winds along the border with the Marche region, we’ll cr...

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A southern Italian hamlet referred to as a ghost town is now attracting thousands of tourists by commissioning artists to paint more than 140 murals on the sites of shops and homes. It seems fitting that the birthplace of so many of the world’s great artists should leverage painting as a means of recovery—why should Rome and Florence have all the b...

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