Spring blooms in Florence with the return of the Firenze Flower Show, as winter’s grey skies slowly give way to longer, sunny days and milder temperatures.

Florence’s flower show will be on 28 and 29 March 

With the arrival of spring the Tuscan capital once again celebrates nature’s rebirth with the return of the Firenze Flower Show, the city’s most important floriculture fair. On 28 and 29 March 2026 this popular event reaches its 11th edition.  Set against the enchanting backdrop of Giardino Corsini, the historic garden in the heart of the city, the two-day showcase will host around 70 of the finest Italian and international growers. From 9:00 am to 8:00 pm guests can wander through a vibrant open-air exhibition where rare and often hard-to-find botanical varieties take centre stage, alongside exclusive previews presented especially for the 2026 edition.

Flowers galore and a stay at the FH55 Grand Hotel Mediterraneo

Visitors will be able to admire countless varieties of roses, rare hydrangeas, orchids, camellias and azaleas, as well as an extraordinary selection of ornamental citrus trees, including ancient and intensely fragrant specimens. There will also be cacti and succulents, majestic centuries-old olive trees, Mediterranean plants, perennials, bulbs, fruit trees and ornamental grasses. Japanese maples, and many other botanical treasures from around the world. Just moments from the event, FH55 Grand Hotel Mediterraneo offers the ideal base for a refined stay. Overlooking the Arno River and only minutes from the historic centre, the hotel combines comfort, elegance and a strategic location, allowing guests to fully embrace both the magic of the Flower Show and the timeless charm of Florence.

Garden décor and floral cocktails 

As well as plants and flowers the Firenze Flower Show has curated sections dedicated to garden and home décor, fine craftsmanship, food and wine excellence, and natural wellness products, all united by a strong focus on sustainability and authenticity. Beginners can take part in introductory gardening courses and attend talks led by exhibitors, exploring plant history, care and practical uses. Special activities and creative labs are also planned for children, offering a playful introduction to botany, environmental awareness and ecology. And, as tradition dictates, a dedicated food and beverage area will tempt guests with seasonal delicacies, local specialties, craft beers and even floral cocktails. For information: https://www.firenzeflowershow.com

China Eastern will operate five weekly Shanghai-Venice flights from the end of March 2026.

Venice Week in Shanghai Pudong Airport 

Venice presents itself as the main gateway to the Dolomites, reachable in two hours from Marco Polo International Airport, as well as to the entire system of nine UNESCO sites in the Veneto region, thanks to a special initiative underway at Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong Airport (until 20 March 2026). “Venice Week” is an exhibition and interactive area, created as a gesture of hospitality by the Shanghai Airport Authority, which conceived and developed the concept of the space to welcome Italy to the Chinese airport. In autumn 2026, Venice Airport will in turn offer a dedicated space within its terminal to promote the airport and the Shanghai area.

The Venetian airport also serves Slovenia 

The event is the result of the close collaboration between the Save Group, operator of Marco Polo International Airport and Shanghai Airport, which saw the launch of a direct flight operated by China Eastern Airlines on 26 September 2024. The flight, which has recorded a load factor of over 80% since its debut, will increase to five weekly flights from 29 March, responding to solid market demand.The Venetian airport thus confirms its role as a gateway to a large, cross-border area that also effectively serves Slovenia. To maximize the impact on the Asian market, the Dolomiti Bellunesi DMO has been involved, communicating the destination to passengers in transit in Shanghai through an interactive space.

First visit to Italy for 65% of Chinese passengers 

“We want to make it known how it is possible to reach various places in the region quickly from Venice, taking advantage of a variety of opportunities, including our mountains,- says Camillo Bozzolo, director of aviation development for the Save Group. The data confirm the effectiveness of the direct flight: 78% of Chinese passengers who choose Venice as their travel destination say they were greatly influenced by the existence of the direct flight, and for 65% of them, this is their first trip to Italy. In a context of instability in the Middle East, this direct flight remains a strategic and safe reference point for traffic between Europe and Asia. It is an important opportunity for our catchment area: 96% of Italian passengers using this flight come from Veneto and Friuli, with a significant penetration of the Slovenian market.” 

Promoting the Belluno Dolomites 

“The presence of the Belluno Dolomites in Shanghai is part of a process of opening up to the Chinese market that we have been pursuing for some time,- says eEmanuela de Zanna, president of the Belluno Dolomites Foundation. -We will return to Shanghai in the coming months to participate in one of the country's major tourism fairs, continuing our work of building relationships with local operators and media. We are seeing very positive signs of interest in our mountains, with growing public engagement on Chinese digital platforms. The direct flights between Shanghai and Venice are an extraordinary opportunity to make the Belluno Dolomites increasingly accessible and known internationally."

GROTTAMMARE – THE PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC - 13-16 November 2026

* The fam trip is aimed at travel agents and tour operators in Europe, preferably from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland.

Friday 13 November: Grottamare

Arrival of the participants at Ancona or Pescara Airport, transfer to Grottammare depending on flight schedules, and accommodation in a four-star hotel. Afternoon visit to the facilities and a walk to the town, one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy (subject to reconfirmation, and according to flight schedules). Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Saturday14 November: San Benedetto del Tronto – Offida

Breakfast in the hotel and departure for San Benedetto del Tronto, famous for its beautiful palm-shaded promenade and sandy beaches. Visit to the MAM, Museo d'Arte sul Mare (Art Museum on the Sea), a fascinating open-air museum on the south pier. Stretching for about a kilometre, this route has a permanent collection of sculptures and paintings from the international art symposium “Festival dell'Arte sul Mare” (Art on the Sea Festival), which began in 1996 and has so far seen the participation of 201 artists from all over the world.

The Museo d'Arte sul Mare contains 200 sculptures created on the faces of the breakwater blocks lined up along the promenade,  and over 30 murals painted by world-renowned street artists on the faces of the third section of the concrete blocks. During the visit the participants will meet local fishermen, learn about the typical products of the area and have lunch in a restaurant, with the local “Brodetto alla Sambenedettese.”

Afternoon departure for Offida, the village of lace makers. This ancient village enclosed by 15th-century castle walls,  is listed among the most beautiful small towns in Italy. Situated on a rocky spur between the Tesino and Tronto valleys, it is known for the laborious and patient art of lace-making, an ancient tradition to which one of the town's main museums is dedicated. Aperitif with wine tasting. Dinner at the hotel, overnight stay.

Sunday 15 November: Ascoli Piceno

Breakfast in the hotel. Departure for a guided tour of Ascoli Piceno: a town with a special charm thanks to the ivory-white colour of the local travertine stone used throughout the historic centre, from the palaces and stately homes to churches, pavements and private residences. Travertine is not an easy stone to work,, but Ascoli’s skilled craftsmen have create beautiful decorations for portals, rose windows and mullioned windows. Traditional lunch in a restaurant with the famous Ascoli-style stuffed olives. Free afternoon. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Monday 16 November: Grottamare – end of fam trip

Breakfast in the hotel. Morning at leisure for participants, followed by transfers to Ancona and/or Pescara airports according to return flight schedules.

⤑⤑ To join this event, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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Destination Torino is taking a new direction to boost the city's identity.

Tourism as a lever for growth

Destination Torino has been created, and is promoted, by Federalberghi Torino, the consortium of accommodation facilities, private operators and specialized services, which work together to boost its presence on the Italian and international markets. “With this development model tourism becomes a lever for growth, interacting with the economy, culture and innovation without replacing other sectors,” says Caterina Fioritti, president of the consortium. 

A network of 2,700 rooms and 6,000 beds

“The consortium operates in a constructive spirit: it does not replace existing bodies, but works alongside them,” explains Fioritti. The operational hub is the hotel booking centre, integrated with Federalberghi's Italyhotels portal, which manages availability and competitive conditions. The network brings together 2,700 rooms and some 6,000 beds in hotels and apartments, with the aim of presenting itself to the market as a single point of contact and strengthening Turin's position in the leisure and MICE segments.

Building a competitive and recognizable destination 

With strategic sectors including golf and conferences, in 2024 some 12,000 events were held in the Turin metropolitan area, with approximately 1.5 million attendees, and the city hosted 36 international conferences. This is complemented by modern facilities, including the Lingotto exhibition centre, which is awaiting redevelopment. The aim is to build a competitive and recognizable destination, capable of attracting new visitors and positioning itself on international markets, overcoming seasonal peaks and distributing visitor flows throughout the year. Tourism and sport: complementary levers for creating jobs, attracting investment and boosting the city's image.

In 2026, Turi Turi will embark on a new phase in its history with a rebranding.

Focusing on international markets 

The operator will launch a completely restyled logo with a revamped graphic design to accompany the brand's evolution towards an increasingly international dimension, bolstering its position in the organized cultural travel market.

The new logo evokes the world

After celebrating thirty years of activity in 2023, the Bergamo-based company is now taking a natural and symbolic step forward. The new logo is not designed to break with the past, but to transform it into momentum.  The previous logo, which featured stylized yellow lines on a blue background evoking the mountains, gives way to a new dynamic and fluid symbol: a circular shape that evokes the world, movement, encounters and the continuity of travel. The colour restyling maintains the brand's identity colours - blue and yellow - reinterpreting them with more vibrant and modern shades, in line with the evolution of the corporate identity.

A contemporary, dynamic and recognizable identity

“This restyling is much more than a simple aesthetic change,- explains Diana Cappellini, owner of Turi Turi. -It is the synthesis of a growth path that has taken us from a local reality to a recognized operator in the cultural travel scene. The new logo reflects our ability to evolve while keeping our soul intact: that passion for authentic travel, cultural discovery, and encounters between people and places that has distinguished us from the beginning. We wanted a visual identity that would speak to the international market without losing our essence, one that was contemporary, dynamic and recognizable."

An authentic off-the-beaten-track Italy

Among the tour areas offered by the tour operator there are Eastern Sicily, Vicenza, the Langhe and Modena. Then there is Veneto, with its art, vineyards and sparkling wines, Val d'Orcia, with its medieval villages and the legendary sword in the stone, Padua and the Palazzo della Ragione, the itinerary aboard the Trenino Verde delle Alpi (Green Train of the Alps), and the tour of Lake Braies. So many different ways to discover an authentic, off-the-beaten-track Italy.

Omnia Hotels' new Rome hospitality project, Aria Palace Hotel, is to open just a stone's throw from Rome's Opera House and Via Nazionale.

Inspired by the world of Italian opera

Following the complete renovation of a historic building formerly known as the Hotel Mondial in Via Torino in the heart of Rome, the hotel will be fully operational in the coming months, with all services gradually being activated. Inspired by the world of opera – the Rome Opera House is just around the corner - the hotel will have 90 rooms and suites of various types.

Functional event spaces 

Two rooms are dedicated to the great masters of Italian opera, the Puccini Room and the Verdi Room, located on the mezzanine floor with natural light, ideal for private events and meetings. There are also additional spaces for special occasions, such as the Opera Lounge and the Vivaldi Room where breakfast is served and which also serves as a multifunctional space. The most iconic features of the hotel will be on the 5th and 6th floors with the Terrace Allegro Restaurant and the Roof Dome Pool Bar, which combine a restaurant, panoramic bar and swimming pool with views over the city's rooftops and domes.

“Modern services and a strong identity”

“Aria Palace is a contemporary project, which restores a historic building to the city, redeveloped both structurally and taking into account the most innovative technologies related to energy sustainability,- explains Francesco Lazzarini, CEO of Omnia Hotels. -We wanted to create a hotel that dialogues with the cultural soul of Rome, while offering modern services and a strong identity.”

In the heart of the Eternal City

The location is one of the hotel's strengths: in the heart of the city, it allows easy access on foot to strategic and monumental sites, from Piazza della Repubblica to Termini station, from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to the Imperial Forums, and from the Quirinale Palace to the historic centre of the Eternal City.

To mark the opening of the Giotto and St Francis exhibition in the National Gallery of Umbria in Perugia on 14 March, Elle Viaggi is offering a three-day, two-night package.

An exhibition dedicated to St. Francis and Giotto

The exhibition celebrating the eighth centenary of the death of St Francis, which will run from 14 March to 14 June 2026, is dedicated to two figures who left their mark on the history of art and spirituality: Giotto and St Francis of Assisi. The exhibition is one of the most important cultural events of 2026 in Italy, a high-profile tribute to St. Francis, the patron saint of Italy, and the genius who translated his life into revolutionary images, the great 14th-century painter Giotto di Bondone. Through works, insights and artistic comparisons, the exhibition highlights the decisive role played by Giotto in transforming the story of the saint into a human, intense and deeply modern narrative: not just sacred art, but a true visual revolution.

A three-day Spoleto-Perugia-Assisi art package

Elle Viaggi creates experiences designed for art lovers, combining exclusive itineraries with visits to museums, exhibitions and cultural events throughout Italy: packages that include all elements of a stay, from the tickets for the exhibition, museum or event, to the itinerary, the transfers and of course the stays in a wide range of accommodations.  On this occasion it is offering a package that starts on the first day in Spoleto. The second day is dedicated to Perugia and a visit to the St. Francis exhibition, which will run until 14 June, in the National Gallery of Umbria. The third day leads to Assisi, a city that symbolizes universal spirituality. Here, in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, visitors can admire the frescoes that recount the life of the saint with a narrative force that still moves millions today.

In 2025, Italian museums were speaking more languages than ever before with half of their isitors from abroad. 

amuseapp uses AI to make content more understandable

Nearly one visitor in two who enters an Italian museum now comes from abroad and is looking for cultural experiences that explain art clearly, accessibly and, above all, in multiple languages. This is one of the key findings of the first report by amuseapp, a platform developed by a Veneto-based startup that uses AI to make cultural content easier to understand and more engaging.

Over 70% of what you learn in a museum is quickly forgotten 

The data, collected from around 70 cultural sites across Italy, from Venice’s Palazzo Ducale to corporate museums, temporary exhibitions and places of worship, is a snapshot of a curious, connected and increasingly international audience., with museum experiences reaching an average rating of 9.08 out of 10. The report starts from a striking insight: according to research by CECA, the ICOM committee dedicated to museum education, more than 70% of the information received during a cultural visit is forgotten within just a few hours. Not because visitors are distracted, but because the language used in many museums can still be too technical and distant from the way people absorb and process information today.

Italian museums get visitors from 144 different countries

When content is accessible and well explained, however, the outcome changes dramatically. The amuseapp analysis shows that 42% of visitors come from abroad, representing 144 different countries. The typical visitor profile is mainly adults between 25 and 54 who account for 63% of the total, but younger audiences are also present, with visitors aged 18 to 24 making up 15%. As in many cultural venues across Europe, women represent the majority of visitors, accounting for 58% of the total.

“When content is clear the experience improves…”

After Italian (38%) and English (26%), the third most selected language is Spanish, followed by French and German. Less common languages such as Dutch, Portuguese and Polish also appear with notable shares and one of the elements visitors appreciate most are audioguides. “When content is clear, multilingual and designed for different audiences, the visitor experience improves significantly. Technology helps ensure that when someone looks at a work of art or visits a museum, they truly understand what they are seeing,” says Marco Da Rin Zanco, co-founder and CEO of amuseapp.

Museums need to speak the languages of their visitors

The example of Venice’s Palazzo Ducale, which has adopted amuseapp as its official audioguide, shows how innovation can enhance cultural heritage, and the message is clear: Italy’s cultural heritage continues to attract visitors from around the world. But to truly connect with a global audience, museums increasingly need to speak the languages of their visitors.

Destination weddings continue to be one of the most dynamic segments of Italian tourism,  and Rimini is strengthening its identity as an ideal destination.

Foreign and Italian weddings

Growth in the wedding sector is coming from both foreign couples and the domestic market. According to the new report by the Destination Wedding in Italy Observatory promoted by Italy for Weddings, a division of Convention Bureau Italia, in 2025, Italy hosted around 16,700 weddings for foreign couples (+9.8%), generating over €1.1 billion in turnover and more than 3 million overnight stays, with an average expenditure of €67,000 per event. 

Destinations outside the mass tourism circuits

Alongside the international market, the domestic Destination Wedding market is also growing, i.e. weddings celebrated by Italian couples outside their region of residence: a segment that generated €369 million in turnover, with approximately 8,500 events and an average budget of €43,400. These figures confirm that weddings are now a strategic driver for the national tourism economy, capable of promoting areas, villages and destinations outside the mass tourism circuits. 

May to September are the most popular months

In this scenario of structural growth, Rimini is also consolidating its position as a destination for civil and symbolic weddings. VisitRimini recorded over one hundred requests for information for ceremonies in the two-year period 2025-2026, with approximately one in four requests being finalized and a significant concentration of ceremonies in the months from May to September.

Rimini is adding new municipal venues

Each year an average of thirty ceremonies, including weddings and civil partnerships, are managed in the various locations made available by the Municipality: Palazzo del Fulgor, Teatro Galli, Museo della Città, Palazzi dell'Arte Rimini, Palazzina Roma, Villa des Vergers, the Casa dei matrimoni al mare and the Grand Hotel. For 2026 VisitRimini is working with the municipal administration to increase the number of municipal venues available, with the aim of further strengthening the offer and the type of locations.

Experiences and seasonality were Sicily’s two buzzwords at the ITB exhibition in Germany. 

Sicily is focused on deseasonalization

Growing tourist flows, strengthening the German market and developing what the destination has to offer were the topics addressed at a press conference during the ITB Berlin exhibition with regional councillor for tourism, sport and entertainment Elvira Amata.During the meeting with operators and the trade press, the Sicilian Region presented the latest results and strategic guidelines for consolidating Sicily’s competitiveness on European markets, with a particular focus on Germany, which has been one of the island’s main sources of demand for years. 

One of the world’s top five destinations

“The latest data confirm growth in tourist flows in 2025, with particularly encouraging signs in the mid-season periods,- said Amata, - this testifies to the effectiveness of the policies of deseasonalization and enhancement of the territorial offer on which the Sicilian Region has been working for some time.” Sicily also continues to strengthen its position internationally: according to Tripadvisor's “Best of the Best” Travel Destination 2025 ranking, the island is among the top five tourist destinations in the world and second in Europe, a recognition that underscores the quality and variety of what the region has to offer visitors.  

German visitors rose by 3.9% in 2025

Sicily has been paying particular attention to the German market, which in recent years has grown steadily to become the leading foreign market for tourist arrivals to the island. In 2025, the number of German visitors grew by 3.9% over 2024 and by 26.4% over 2023, an increase above the general average for tourist flows. The average length of stay is also increasing and now approaches four days. “Germany is a strategic market for us, not only in terms of numbers but also in terms of the type of demand it expresses: tourism focused on culture, nature, food and wine, and authentic experiences. This segment is perfectly in line with the characteristics of our region.”

Visitors arrive also in September and October

The data also show that German tourists contribute significantly to the deseasonalization of arrivals with a strong concentration of visitors in the spring and autumn months, particularly between September and October. In order to meet the growing demand for quality travel experiences, the Sicilian Region is boosting the island's position as an experiential tourism destination, a segment that is growing strongly at an international level. According to the analyses presented during the press conference, so-called explorers, which is to say travellers in search of authentic and participatory experiences, generate 18% more spending than the average tourist and now account for over 60% of total spending in the leisure travel market.

The island has over 1,600 kilometres of coastline

Sicily can count on a diverse range of appealing products from food and wine experiences to cultural itineraries, and from outdoor activities to cycle tourism. The latter segment is booming thanks to itineraries such as Sicily Divide, the Sunset Route and the Cycle Route of the Parks, which pass through some of the island's most evocative natural landscapes. “Sicily has a unique heritage with over 200 cultural sites, seven UNESCO sites, 87 protected natural areas and more than 1,600 kilometres of coastline. Our goal is to enhance this wealth by offering integrated and sustainable attractions that will appeal to new market segments and distribute tourist flows throughout the year,” concluded Amata.