The Crowne Plaza Rome - St. Peter's is an elegant 4-star superior hotel located in the tranquil area of Villa Doria Pamphilj, just a few minutes from the Vatican City. It offers a wellness center, swimming pools, tennis courts, and spacious gardens. Ideal for business stays and tourism, the hotel combines modern comforts with a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere.

Work has begun to renovate the former Hotel Mondial in Rome, acquired last autumn by the Omnia Group. 

Close to Rome’s Opera House

Once the work is completed at the end of the year the property will reopen under the name Aria Palace, in homage to opera, given its close proximity to the Rome Opera House. The hotel will feature contemporary-style rooms, a restaurant, lounge bar, and meeting rooms, with the added bonus of a wellness area with a gym, a garage for guests arriving by car, and a rooftop with a swimming pool. 

Aria Palace

Renovations also for the Hotel Imperiale and the Shangri La 

"The new Aria Palace will be a fine addition to our portfolio,- says Francesco Lazzarini, CEO of Omnia Hotels, - a project that has seen us engaged for months as has the redevelopment of the Hotel Imperiale in Via Veneto and the ongoing work on the Shangri La in the EUR district. This led to the reopening of the historic restaurant, redesigned outdoor areas, a new swimming pool and an additional 70 guest rooms. Since the beginning of our journey, carrying on the legacy of our parents together with my brother Riccardo, we have continued to invest in the city of Rome, recovering many abandoned buildings.” 

Bari is Volotea's new operating base, its eighth airport in Italy and the twenty-first in Europe. 

A 37% increase in seats on sale

This will allow the Spanish airline to operate more than 1,260 flights, with 224,000 seats on sale (+37% compared to 2023) for a total of 18 destinations, nine of which are exclusive. There are eight new routes: Dubrovnik, Rhodes, Toulouse, Bilbao, Comiso, Split, Malaga and Preveza / Lefkada.

Bari is the 21st base in Volotea’s network  

"We have been present in Bari since the start of our activities in 2012, and the opening here of the eighth Italian operating base, the twenty-first at network level, is a further confirmation of our synergic link with this territory, – said Valeria Rebasti, Volotea's international market director. -Thanks to this important investment not only will we support the local economy through an increase in tourist flows passing through the airport, but we will also offer more opportunities for the local communities to travel to other European countries.”

“An increase in flights, and in induced activities”

Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia, said that the opening of Volotea's base represents “a great asset for our territory. In fact, it is not only the airport that will benefit, but also and above all the entire economy of the community where the airport is located. With not only an increase in flights, but also an increase in induced activities, to the benefit of Puglia. The opening of a base always represents a fundamental step in the life of an airport. It will promote competition and adaptability to changing market conditions in favour of consumers, allowing a wider range of destinations to be offered to passengers, while Aeroporti di Puglia will be able to expand its network.”

Volotea flies to 18 cities from Bari

There are 18 destinations connected with the new Bari base: nine in Greece (Athens, Corfu, Heraklion/Creta, Mykonos, Preveza/Lefkada, Rhodes, Santorini, Skiathos and Zante), threee in Italy (Comiso, Florence and Olbia), two in France (Lyon and Toulouse), two in Spain (Bilbao and Malaga) and two in Croatia (Dubrovnik and Split).

The Roma Barberini is the sixth Roman hotel of the Numa hybrid hospitality group.

38 elegant modern rooms close to Via Veneto

With 38 rooms, a modern and elegant design, furnishings by brands such as Marset, Flos and Hay, and works of art from the Bisou gallery in Amsterdam, it is on Via Liguria, in the Ludovisi district just a few steps from Via Veneto. 

Art lovers are close to two great galleries

Providing guests with easy access to major tourist attractions, art lovers will enjoy the proximity of the Palazzo Barberini and the Galleria Borghese, where they can immerse themselves in the works of Caravaggio and Bernini.

Piazza Navona for trattorias and ice-cream parlors

Guests seeking relaxation will enjoy the park of Villa Ludovisi for a stroll or a pedalo ride on the lake. Near Piazza Navona there are also many trattorias and ice-cream parlors offering homemade Italian specialities. And to round off the day in a special way, a sunset visit to the Janiculum Hill to enjoy a breathtaking view of Rome is a must. One last stop on the way back is the Trastevere district, renowned for its characteristic streets and squares.

Sicani Villages proposes experiences of slow tourism that respect local communities. 

An exhibition of collective popular art

The Borghi Sicani network proposes an alternative to mass tourism in the heart of Sicily, the Mediterranean's largest island. Among the numerous initiatives, visitors should not miss the Archi d'Estate (Summer Arches) in San Biagio Platani, in the province of Agrigento, some 70 kilometres south of Palermo.  This summer edition of the Easter event dedicated to lovers of art, gastronomy and ancient traditions, will feature ephemeral architectural forms made of intertwined willows and reeds, legumes and cereals that become works of contemporary art and will be exhibited until mid-August. "This is one of the few examples of collective popular art in Sicily," explains Paola Busciglio, councillor for tourism of San Biagio Platani, the municipality also famous for its pistachio production.

A film festival that is a trip down memory lane

The Paradiso Film Fest, to be held from 2 to 4 August in Palazzo Adriano, is a real trip down memory lane, with the reconstruction of scenes that have gone down in history and new film narratives in the places where Giuseppe Tornatore's “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” was filmed. "Our inland area, which continues to be a popular destination for many international film productions, shows tourists how it is possible to create a quality artistic project even inland," says Nicola Granà, mayor of Palazzo Adriano.

Music, peaches and wine

Music will also be the protagonist of the Sicilian summer, with the Cortili Jazz Festival in Sant'Angelo Muxaro,  some 20 kilometres south of Agrigento, in the courtyards and small squares, alleys and narrow streets of the village on 7 and 8 August. For those in search of authentic flavours, Bivona there will hold the Festival of the Peach, one of the most historical and delicious events in the area, on 10 and 11 August. Also not to be missed are the wine tastings with Luna Sicana or Luna Minoica, who are partners of the Sicani Villages network. 

Italy’s Alto Adige South Tyrol region can boast some 800 castles, and the fairytale Monguelfo Castle in the Alto Adige region is one well worth visiting. 

Close to the border with Austria

Many of these castles are museums, others are hotels and restaurants, with Schloss Welsperg, as Monguelfo’s castle is also known, a popular visitor attraction.  Complete with crenellated walls, a tower and an access bridge (there used to be a drawbridge) it stands on a spur of rock in the verdant Val Casies valley - Austria is just behind the mountains – close to the Val Pusteria, in the province of Bolzano.  In 1765 a fire destroyed a large part of the castle, including the palace and residential wing.  In the 1900s it passed into the hands of the Counts Thun-Hohenst who restored it and today it really looks like a fairytale castle. 

The Knights Hall is used for events and exhibitions

The little stone courtyard has a fountain with drinking water drawn directly from springs in the valley. The keep, which is the heart of the castle and its oldest part, is 40 metres high and as well as being a lookout tower, was also a dungeon where prisoners were locked up. During some recent restoration they found paintings, dating from around 1540, that had been hidden for centuries behind white plaster walls. On the upper floor the largest room is the Knights' Hall where concerts, exhibitions and plays are now organized, and there is a large garden with a medicinal herb garden where concerts are held in summer. 

A castle is a short walk from Monguelfo village

To get to the castle start from the tourist office in Monguelfo, walk through the village towards the bridge crossing the Rio di Casies. After a short climb through meadows and a forest, you reach the castle having first passed the ruins of Thurn Castle which was destroyed by fire. The tour lasts around two hours.
For information: www.val-pusteria.net.

The Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa of the R Collection Hotels Group is a 5-star luxury hotel in Menaggio on Lake Como.

A unique lakefront location and original features

The historic Villa has a unique lakefront location with a private pier, while the more recent Palazzo has a swimming pool area, restaurants and lounge bars in an impeccably harmonious architectural setting.    In the lounge the original chandeliers have been preserved as has an antique painting, and the old fireplaces which now work on steam. There are also beautiful stuccoes and the historical staircase. The new Palazzo in a former convent, is the result of two and a half years of renovations and extension. It has two underground floors where there is parking for 90 cars as well as electric charging stations. On the ground floor there is the swimming pool area, the gym, the spa and the second restaurant, while the guestrooms are on two floors, have the same colours as the old Villa, and a covered passage joins the two buildings.

A gym and swimming pool area

The large and bright Grand Hotel gym has a beautiful view of the pool and is open 24 hours a day. The meeting rooms are equipped with eighty-inch videos and have a capacity of 60 and 80 seats, while the Promessi Sposi room has a capacity of 110.  There are guest34 rooms, including prestigious suits, in the Villa, while the Palazzo has 47 rooms, including suites of great versatility and comfort.

Connecting rooms and some double bathrooms

On the fifth floor of the Villa the Queen Victoria Suite consists of two rooms. And not only in the Villa but also in the Palazzo there are solutions with two rooms connected to the suites, without an internal door but with a common atrium which makes them more private. In the Palazzo all the balconies and loggias are larger than in the Villa, and some rooms also have double bathrooms.

Two restaurants featuring Italian and Asian-inspired menus

The Lago Restaurant is an all-day-dining restaurant with a show cooking area created for convivial gastronomic events and cooking classes, with the dishes that have been created served on an impressive marble table. The restaurant has a veranda that can be modulated between internal and external spaces for different seasonal needs. The mis-en-table is in sophisticated French-style to enhance the prestigious marble tabletops. The Restaurant 1827, which opened this year, is a fine dining concept and is open in the evenings.  It offers guests a choice of three five-course tasting menus, that skilfully blend Italian traditions and typical elements of Asian culture, showcasing the best quality products, which vary according to the season.

The Erre Spa

The Erre Spa is the largest spa on Lake Como and has a Turkish bath and a heated twenty-meter swimming pool. The Fire Relaxation Room is very special, with a central steam fireplace lit by a flaming effect and the sound of burning wood.

The Victoria Beach, also for celebrations 

After renovations the Grand Hotel Victoria has reopened the Victoria Beach, one of the most frequented and best loved beaches in the central lake area. This organized beach establishment offers guests a pool and sunbathing area equipped with sun loungers, umbrellas, and gazebos, as well as a catering service. The Victoria Beach provides the perfect setting to celebrate important occasions such as weddings, graduations and birthdays with the lights and colours of Lake Como as a backdrop.

A member of leading prestigious networks

The Grand Hotel Victoria is part of the most prestigious luxury networks, a member of Small Luxury Hotels, Virtuoso Preferred, Signature Travel Network, Select Hotels & Resorts Internova, Serandipians, as well as the Lake Como circuit and Forbes Travel Guide.

The new Mercure Reggio Calabria is due to open by mid-2026 under a Monrif Group-Accor franchising agreement.  

The new property will have 89 rooms

With 89 rooms spread over five floors, the new property is the result of a franchising agreement between the Accor Group and Ega - Emiliana Grandi Alberghi, a division of the Monrif company, which operates in publishing, advertising, new media and hospitality.

Only ten minutes from Reggio Calabria’s airport

The hotel will also have a conference centre for up to 200 people, a wellness centre with a salt room, a rooftop with a swimming pool, a lounge area with bar service, and a restaurant with a terrace. Located at the end of Corso Garibaldi, the main artery of the historic centre of Reggio Calabria, the hotel is only ten minutes from the airport and provides easy access to the main points of interest, including the railway station, the Palace of Justice and the Granillo stadium, as well as being close to Reggio's most exclusive shops.