KM Malta Airlines has announced Malta to Palermo flights three tines weekly, starting on 20 May.

Palermo is a new destination for Malta

These flights further strengthen connections between Malta and Sicily as part of the airline’s 2026 summer schedule, and they will operate three times weekly.  “We are delighted to introduce Palermo as a new destination in our 2026 summer schedule.  Palermo is currently not served by direct flights from and to Malta, and this new route expands the range of destinations available to the Maltese public, whilst creating further opportunities to attract visitors to Malta. Sicily and Malta share strong cultural, economic and tourism ties, and we are confident that this service will further strengthen connectivity between our two islands,” said David Curmi, chairman of KM Malta Airlines.

“Encouraging new tourist and commercial traffic”

“We welcome the launch of the new connection between Malta and Palermo announced by KM Malta Airlines, - said Gianfranco Battisti, CEO of GESAP. - This is a strategic route that further strengthens Palermo Airport’s role as a hub in the Mediterranean and expands travel opportunities between two territories that are historically and culturally very close. These flights help to support the growth of the airport’s international traffic and to encourage new tourist and commercial  traffic between Sicily and Malta, in line with the path of development and progressive opening up to international markets that we at GESAP are pursuing.”

Today, 1 April, ITA Airways officially joins Star Alliance, marking a key step in consolidating its international position whilst strengthening the network of the world’s largest airline alliance. 

ITA is the 26th member of Star Alliance 

The event was celebrated yesterday in Terminal 3 at Rome Fiumicino Airport, in the presence of representatives from ITA, the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance. From tomorrow, fully integrated into the Star Alliance ecosystem, ITA Airways will connect its hubs at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate directly to a global network comprising over 1,150 destinations served by 26 airlines.  The move, supported by the Lufthansa Group, is the result of intensive integration work involving teams from both airlines over recent months. “We welcome ITA Airways as our 26th member airline, expanding our network and enhancing the passenger experience,” said Theo Panagiotoulias, CEO of Star Alliance.

“We bring our distinctive Italian touch to Star Alliance"

Joerg Eberhart, CEO and general manager of ITA Airways echoed this sentiment, describing the entry as a historic milestone. “We bring our distinctive Italian touch to Star Alliance, enriching the alliance and strengthening ITA Airways’ role in connecting Italy to the world, combining global standards of excellence with the warmth and elegance that define the Italian way of flying.” Dieter Vranckx, chief commercial officer of the Lufthansa Group, added: “Joining Star Alliance has only been made possible thanks to the commitment and close collaboration of the dedicated teams at ITA Airways, the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance."

ITA flies over 16 million passengers annually

With over 16 million passengers a year and more than 350 daily flights, ITA Airways strengthens the alliance’s presence, particularly in Southern Europe, improving connections between Italy and key global markets. The strategic move helps make Star Alliance even more extensive, bringing the total to over 17,500 daily flights across more than 190 countries.

It is finally time for profits at ITA Airways, which posted €209 million in profits in 2025.

2025 was a positive financial year

The board of directors of the airline – in which Lufthansa holds a 41% stake – has approved the draft consolidated financial statements for the 2025 financial year, showing a net profit of €209 million. Revenue reached €3.2 billion (of which €2.8 million from passenger revenue), EBITDA €404 million and EBIT €25 million (this marks the second consecutive year in the black, representing an improvement of €22 million compared to the 2024 figure).

The aim is to achieve full profitability

In an official statement, the carrier notes that, unlike in 2024, the results were influenced by the positive effects of the accounting adjustment of debts and receivables denominated in foreign currencies (primarily US dollars) to year-end exchange rates. "The impact of financial charges associated with leasing contracts relating to the fleet modernization and expansion plan remains high, meaning that the operating result is not yet fully sustainable; the company will continue to work on this to achieve true profitability."

In 2025 ITA Airways operated over 123,000 flights

On the operational front, ITA Airways operated over 123,000 scheduled flights during the year (-11% compared to 2024) and carried 16.2 million passengers (-8% compared to 2024), with a load factor of 83.4%, up 2.1 percentage points year-on-year. Also in 2025, 10 new aircraft joined the fleet, bringing the total to 106 aircraft by the end of the year (24 wide-body and 82 narrow-body), with the simultaneous withdrawal of three older-generation aircraft. Of these, 70% are new-generation aircraft, with an overall average age of 6.5 years.

CEO Eberhart: "We are on the right track"

 “2025 marked a turning point for ITA Airways: we are closing the year in profit for the first time, confirming that we are on the right track,- commented Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways. -This is the result of the commitment of the entire company and the first tangible effects of our industrial partnership with the Lufthansa Group. However, we know that to achieve fully sustainable profitability, we must reduce the burden of fleet leasing costs; we are already working resolutely on this.”

A winning strategy for success

“We are celebrating another historic achievement for the company. The approved results confirm the soundness of ITA Airways’ trajectory and the value of the collaboration between its shareholders. The company continues to play a central role in the country’s connectivity, with a strategy based on quality, sustainability and innovation. This cooperation is crucial for building a modern and competitive carrier, to the benefit of the country’s economy,” said ITA's chairman Sandro Pappalardo.

Mantua, in northern Italy is uncrowded and packed with things to discover and enjoy.

Three lakes and the Mincio river

Mantua feels quietly suspended between land and water and, unlike many of Italy’s more crowded destinations, it is a city of extraordinary art and history that is intimate and wonderfully undiscovered. Historically it rises from three lakes, Lago Superiore, Lago di Mezzo, and Lago Inferiore, formed centuries ago when t the Mincio River was redirected to protect the city. Today the waters create a natural moat while canals surround the city.

Palazzo Ducale has almost a thousand rooms

Despite its artistic importance, Mantua rarely feels crowded. Wandering through arcaded squares, along cobbled streets, and into leafy gardens there is none of the bustle that invades larger Italian cities. The historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, is remarkably intact with elegant porticoes, intimate piazzas, Renaissance palaces, and shaded courtyards where cafés spill out onto stone pavements. At the heart of Mantua’s cultural legacy stands the immense Palazzo Ducale, once the seat of the powerful Gonzaga family. This vast complex contains nearly a thousand rooms connected by corridors, gardens, and galleries. Within it lies one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance: the “Camera degli Sposi” painted by Andrea Mantegna. 

Frescoes wrap around walls and ceilings

Equally extraordinary, but entirely different in spirit, is the nearby Palazzo Te, built as a pleasure palace for the Gonzaga court, and a masterpiece of Mannerist architecture. Inside rooms explode with frescoes with the famous Sala dei Giganti (Room of the giants) immersing visitors in a swirling mythological scene with painted giants tumbling from the heavens in a theatrical illusion that wraps around every wall and ceiling.

Concerts, food fairs and local wines

Mantua is deeply tied to culture and tradition; music and theatre fill the city throughout the year, echoing the legacy of Claudio Monteverdi, who worked here in the early 17th century. Outdoor concerts are organized in historic courtyards and along the lakeside promenades. Seasonal food fairs celebrate the rich cuisine of Lombardy, with such delights as pumpkin-filled tortelli, aged cheeses, and local wines. Mantua’s location also makes it an ideal base for exploring northern Italy. Within easy reach are the romantic streets of Verona, the gastronomic traditions of Parma, and the culinary excellence and Formula One racing cars of Modena. Yet many travelers find that Mantua itself is the place they linger longest. For information: www.italia.it/en/lombardy/mantua

CNN Traveller 's pick for Italy in "The Best Places to Go in Europe in 2026" is Milan. The Lombard capital, it says "has long been misunderstood and underestimated" going on to add that it delivers "nuanced culture, rich heritage...and a bursting dynamism only set to grow in 2026."

Having opened the year with the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, next up in April is the 64th edition of Design Week, or Salone del Mobile, the world’s largest furniture fair. The offshoot Fuorisalone, in hundreds of courtyards, galleries, and showrooms features the chosen theme in many different guises, and this year focuses on sustainability and social impact.

Adding to the city's rich offering of five-star hotels, four more are set to open in the famous fashion golden triangle: the Rosewood Milan, the Six Senses with 68 guest rooms, suites with plunge pools and a sky pool, the Mett Milan, a 26-story 1950s skyscraper, and Soho House with 50 rooms, a rooftop terrace and a pool.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Easter in Bastia Umbra, the little town in the Umbria region in the foothills just below Assisi, is a celebration of faith, culture and community.

Easter is shared by residents and visitors

The Easter period is a deeply rooted community experience that is shared by the community and visitors.  Bastia Umbra's Cultural and Territorial Promotional Councillor Paolo Ansideri explains that the Easter Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday when the faithful gather in different parts of the town, carrying olive branches that symbolize peace and renewal, as they make their way to church.  

Reenacted Stations of the Cross

"Good Friday is the heart of the celebrations, with the liturgy of the Passion and a procession through the streets carrying the statue of the Dead Christ. In the little hamlet of Costano the Stations of the Cross are brought to life, with the residents reenacting scenes by torchlight.  Then on Holy Saturday there is the traditional blessing of food, and in the evening, the Night of the Resurrection ends with the entrance of the Risen Christ into the church."

Easter traditions on the table

Easter Sunday in Bastia Umbra is a day of celebration with the traditional “Rinchinata” ceremony when the statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary are carried by members of the local confraternities into the town square where the two statues bow to each other. The weekend celebrations also include cultural events from concerts to exhibitions, and traditional foods like the Holy Friday "Baccalà e Fagioli" salt cod and beans and the “Torta di Pasqua” Easter cake are part of the festivities.   

"A more laid-back alternative to Assisi"

Bastia Umbra's Rocca Baglionesca medieval fortress is one of the main historical landmarks in the town, and visitors enjoy the cafés, small shops, and very local atmosphere. The town is neither crowded nor touristy, which makes it perfect for relaxed strolling and people-watching, and the surrounding countryside is ideal for easy walks and cycling. Councillor Ansideri says the town also "offers an excellent range of accommodation from small hotels to farm stays to holiday rentals, and is an interesting more laid-back alternative to Assisi which is very easy to visit from here."  For information: www.comune.bastia.pg.itwww.comune.bastia.pg.it

ITA Airways is scheduled to join Lufthansa's Miles&More loyalty programme on 1 April.

ITA Airways will be a fully integrated partner

The process of integrating ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group takes a significant step forward: on 1 April. The Italian airline will join the Miles&More programme, the German giant’s loyalty scheme, as a fully integrated partner, with a gradual integration of the user experience set to be consolidated throughout April.

35 airline partners and 135 commercial partners

With over 39 million members worldwide, ITA Airways will become a fully integrated partner offering customers a wide range of exclusive benefits and privileges with 170 international partnerships, including 35 airline partners and 135 commercial partners. Consequently ITA Airways passengers will benefit from global recognition with access to one of Europe’s most established loyalty networks; a unified experience across all Lufthansa Group airlines.

Greater flexibility and travel value 

“ITA Airways’ membership of Miles & More as a fully integrated partner represents a major milestone in our integration process with the Lufthansa Group,- said Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways. -Our customers will benefit from one of the most comprehensive and rewarding programmes in Europe, ensuring greater flexibility and value for their travels. This is a clear example of how synergies within the Lufthansa Group translate into tangible benefits for passengers.”

A wide range of products and services

Registration will be available directly via the airline’s website and mobile app, with a sign-up process aligned with that of the other airlines in the group. New members will be able to earn miles from their very first flight with ITA Airways, as well as with all airlines in the Lufthansa Group and affiliated partner airlines. Miles can be redeemed for award tickets, travel benefits and a wide range of products and services offered by the programme’s partners

A loyalty experience for millions of travellers

“The Board of Directors has taken an important decision for the company’s development path. I would like to thank them for their contribution and the sense of responsibility that led to this resolution, adopted in the interests and for the benefit of ITA Airways. We will continue to work together with our shareholders to further strengthen the company’s future and the value it represents for the country," said Sandro Pappalardo, chairman of ITA Airways. This announcement follows the first step taken in February 2025, when ITA Airways announced commercial synergies with the Lufthansa Group. Today’s milestone consolidates this partnership, creating a unified loyalty experience for millions of travellers.

Intimate, discreet and rich in character, UVE Rooms & Wine Bar is the ideal choice for chic wedding in the vineyards of La Morra. 

Once part of a historic convent

In the heart of La Morra, one of the most enchanting hilltop villages in the Langhe - just 15 kilometres from Alba, the white truffle capital, and 70 kilometres from Turin - this property  is perfect for couples who dream of a wedding that is elegant, authentic and with a deep sense of place. The old building once formed part of a historic convent, and today UVE Rooms & Wine Bar preserves the quiet, spiritual soul of the past with artistic design elements that blend with the original architecture, creating sophisticated yet warm interiors that are perfect for a celebration that values intimacy over grandeur. 

Iconic views of the Langhe 

The romantic landscape provides an unforgettable backdrop with rolling hills and vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, offering some of the most iconic views in the Langhe. The vines here produce legendary wines such as Barolo, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, these same wines that fill the glasses raised in celebration during weddings and celebrations.

Overnight stays in the UVE Rooms & Wine Bar Relais 

At UVE Rooms & Wine Bar, weddings are carefully tailored, the dedicated team supporting couples at every stage of the planning, from the styling of the rooms to the culinary experience. The elegant cloister, onto which both the restaurant and rooms overlook, and to make the occasion even more memorable, couples and guests can stay overnight in one of the Relais’ eight rooms and suites.  Beyond the wedding itself the Langhe are invites exploration and discovery with wine tastings at historic cellars, walks in UNESCO-listed landscapes and visits to nearby towns such as Barolo and Monforte d’Alba.  For information: www.uvelanghe.it