Italy boasts heaps of creamy pastas and cheese-riddled pizzas, but the land of all things Dolce Vita offers more than just amazing food. It is one of the world's best destinations for avid hikers, thanks to a tradition of pedestrian trails that can be traced back to the Romans. Visitors can enjoy everything from seaside walking paths to intense mul...
READ MOREA new study from CV Villas has revealed Europe’s most underrated luxury destinations, and the quiet Italian region of Umbria tops the list. The travel agency analyzed reviews for top attractions across 50 lesser-visited European locations to uncover hidden gems that offer both luxury and authenticity. Umbria earned an impressive “underrated luxury...
READ MORERaphael’s Banner of the Holy Trinity, normally housed at the Municipal Art Gallery in Città di Castello, will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as part of the exhibition Raphael: Sublime Poetry, curated by Carmen Bambach. The show, scheduled to run from March 23 to June 28, 2026, will offer a comprehensive look at Raphael’...
READ MOREEvery autumn, the people of Umbria reach for their rakes and head for the hills. There they come together for an ancestral ritual: the olive harvest. For centuries this was papal territory and, fittingly, this is a rite of self-sacrifice and resurrection. The olives are collected by sweaty hand, using those rakes to shake down bunches at a time; th...
READ MOREOn a brisk spring morning in Rimini, I stood in a hushed cathedral with 11 other hikers, waiting for a bishop’s blessing. Ahead lay days of strenuous trekking through Italy’s mountainous Emilia-Romagna region to the Sanctuary of La Verna, a Franciscan monastery in Tuscany. Together we would climb and descend for 75 miles on paths, some rugged and s...
READ MOREHow many times have you looked at Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper? It’s one of the most studied and admired works of art in history. But there’s a detail that most people miss. Right at the center of the table, beneath the hands of Christ and his disciples, lies a white tablecloth adorned with delicate geometric patterns. While it might seem like a...
READ MORECan 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...
READ MOREAs summer arrives in Italy, the rhythm of daily life begins to shift, especially outside the cities. In towns and villages across the country, the signs are unmistakable: plastic chairs appear in the piazza, parish banners are unfurled, and the smell of frying food drifts through side streets. Loudspeakers crackle to life in the early evening, chil...
READ MOREArt Nouveau Week 2025: Celebrating Italy’s Belle Époque The best bread award in Italy this year goes to Sicily Protecting workers from extreme heat: Italy's new workplace safety protocol ORACLE: Italy’s mission to extract oxygen from moon dust The Italian cities where life and work feel most rewarding DOP Tourism: a new model for travelling in It...
READ MOREThe European Cultural Routes are cross-border journeys that help travelers explore how Europeans have lived and interacted since ancient times. The concept was launched by the Council of Europe in 1987. One of the latest additions to this network is Saint Francis’ Ways: European Route of Franciscan Heritage, which has now been officially r...
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