The Italy of fables and traditions, of authentic small towns and charming villages, of suggestive pathways among vineyards, of hills and glimpses of the coast, to be enjoyed perhaps on a bicycle. Mir, Mediterranean Incoming & Representatives, founded in 1997,  promotes Hidden Italy.  "Our tours are aimed at a foreign target, in paricular Americans who love to discover the most authentic side of Italy,” said founding partner  Stefano Corbari.

Slow tourism and authentic experiences

The key to Mir’s offer is how every last element in an area is studied to make sure that visitors stay in contact with nature as they discover local arts and crafts in villages, and enjoy food and wine and also cycle tours. "These are the experiences foriegn visitors love,” continued Corbari. “We have all the answers for groups and individuals who want to experience slower tourism, discovering Italy through authentic experiences.”

Ferraris, wine tastings and local specialties

Mir also offers tours of the Via Emilia, featuring motor racing and gastronomy, visiting some of the most famous car factories in the world, or speeding across the hills of Maranello in a Ferrari. "We have many tours that feature food, for example to see how balsamic vinegar or organic Parmigiano Reggiano are produced,  to enjoy tastings in wine cellars in the area and delight in the cooking of local chefs in villas in the countryside.”

Draghi's announcement to nominate Rome to host Expo 2030 comes at the most delicate moment for the events and congress sector, which is struggling to restart after the long period of inactivity due to the pandemic - said Alessandra Albarelli, President of Federcongressi & Eventi. 

An event like Expo is an agent of economic, cultural and social growth. Italy is full of destinations that have the numbers to host major international events, and the government can enhance them by focusing on events as a driver to restart strategic sectors. To win candidacies you need resources, organizational skills and international relations as well as collaboration between the public and private sectors. The nomination for the Expo 2030 candidacy is the first excellent case from which to build a concrete relaunch of our industry.

Andrea Aprea returns to the Milanese scene with a new gastronomic restaurant and bar-bistro on the top floor of the Etruscan Museum commissioned by the Luigi Rovati Foundation which will open in 2022. After ten years as Executive Chef at VUN Andrea Aprea in ​​the Park Hyatt Milan, which he leaves with two Michelin stars, Aprea returns to the kitchen with this new restaurant and bar-bistro project.

Seating for 32 in the restaurant and concept food in the bar-bistro

In a splendid period building the bar-bistro will open right onto the internal secret green courtyard as an informal area with concept food. The top-floor restaurant will have an exceptional setting on over 400 square meters, of which 210 square meters of dining room seating 32, and 190 square meters of kitchen. The project designer is the architect Flaviano Capriotti.

A new destination for art and food

This new venture is an extraordinary personal and professional challenge. It is a new destination for art, culture, education is also a voyage of discovery with exciting new gastronomic itineraries - said Aprea.

Photo: Giovanna Forlanelli Rovati and Andrea Aprea

Credits: Daniele Portanome for Fondazione Luigi Rovati

If there is one Italian city that is best enjoyed on foot it is Venice which is an open-air museum to be taken at a slow pace. This itinerary is in stages so you can get in all the most beautiful and tranquil corners of the city without neglecting it’s most famous attractions.

The Jewish Ghetto and a morning aperitif in a bacaro tavern

Arriving by train you find yourself in the Santa Lucia railway station in the Cannaregio district,. From here instead of heading towards the beautiful Ponte degli Scalzi, we continue straight on to one of the most beautiful areas in all of Venice: the Jewish Ghetto. We cross the Rio Cannaregio not on the Ponte delle Guglie, which is always packed with tourists, but across the Tre Archi bridge, the only one in Venice to have this unique three-arched structure. After visiting the Jewish Quarter it is a good idea to head for the Fondamenta degli Ormesini and stop in one of the many bacari taverns for a mid-morning aperitif, like any good Venetian!

The narrowest street in Venice and the famous Rialto Bridge 

Continuing along the Fondamenta Ormesini and then the Fondamenta Misericordia, we come to the Ponte Chiodo, the only bridge in the city without a parapet. We are now parallel to the always busy Strada Nova, and so we are on less crowded streets up to the Calle Varisco, the narrowest street in Venice, which is a unique attraction. If this is your first time in Venice and you want to cross the Rialto Bridge, it is easy to reach it from here. Those wishing to continue along the less touristy route should continue in the direction of Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

A good way to avoid the crowds

This is one of the most beautiful squares in the city, overlooked by two spectacular buildings: the Scuola Grande di San Marco and the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. From here continue towards the Conzafelzi Bridge from which you can enjoy a unique view of Palazzo Tetta, the only Venetian palace with three sides on the water. The Castello district is the least touristy part of ​​the city and therefore also the most authentic. So get lost in its calli and campielli (little streets and squares) to discover glimpses of everyday life.

Gardens and parks in which to relax

From here head towards the majestic Arsenale complex with two imposing entrance towers. There are many green areas and gardens around here like the Giardini della Biennale, the Giardino della Marinaressa and the Serra dei Giardini so take time to sit down and relax. Resume your itinerary towards Piazza San Marco, enjoying the fabulous view over the lagoon, until you reach the famous Riva degli Schiavoni. From here it is just a short walk to the Doge's Palace.

St. Mark’s is the most famous square in the world

Before heading into St. Mark's Square continue straight on until you reach the beautiful Royal Gardens which reopened at the end of 2019 after a long period of renovation. From here enter St. Mark’s and let yourself be carried away by the wonders of the most famous square in the world. Now its time to head towards the Accademia Bridge and cross the Grand Canal. From here you will have one of the most beautiful views of the canal. After crossing the bridge stroll through the various streets in the area until you reach the majestic Basilica della Salute and Punta della Dogana from which you can admire the entire San Marco basin.

Time for an aperitif or an ice cream

From Punta della Dogana you can now go back along the Fondamenta Zattere, the southern limit of the city, for about one kilometre. Along this Fondamenta you can stop at one of the many terraces to enjoy a sweet aperitif or a tasty ice cream and take in the beautiful sunset view over the lagoon. Once at the Zattere vaporetto water bus stop, continue on to Campo San Trovaso and then to Campo Santa Margherita. You will now find yourself back at the Santa Lucia railway station and ready to return home or head towards your accommodation in the city.

City or village squares are areas that are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Physical meeting places and catalysts of energy. And this is the vocation of YellowSquare in Milan: a hybrid hospitality project that has just opened its doors in the Porta Romana district. With 98 beds in mixed dormitories (prices go from €25 to €35), and 29 private rooms (from €65 to €110) it also has common areas for the public. In the shared areas, on a total of over 1,800 square meters, there is a bar that never sleeps, a large event room for meetings and live music and a relaxing private courtyard. There is also a Smart Square co-working space, an underground Dance Club, a large kitchen for shared meals and cooking classes, the Contesta Rock Hair hair salon and a Play Area where guests can try their hand at fitness, arts and dance.

An experiential hub with common public areas

YellowSquare is a contemporary declination of the hostel concept: no longer a simple place to sleep, but an experiential hub in which to make new acquaintances, try your hand at cooking or DJ- lessons, discovering the city as a true local, doing yoga at sunset and listening to music. A physical and mental space aimed at a new type of traveler, a metropolitan explorer who wants to move out of his comfort zone and is far removed from the traditional concept of a tourist.

“See you in November at the YellowSquare in Florence.”

For the two young co-founders Fabio and Marco Coppola opening the Milan office was a big step in the growth of the YellowSquare project. "I believe that YellowSquare's open and informal approach best responds to the desire all travelers have to return to sharing after the experience of the pandemic,” said Fabio, YellowSquare's Chief Visionary Officer. Chief Navigator Officer Marco adds "We like the idea of ​​ starting from Milan, a city that has always been a place of discovery and curiosity. This is why we hope to become a point of reference not just for the immediate neighbourhood and for all Milanese.”  Luigi Boccaforno, the project’s third partner and cousin of the two co-founders, looks even further ahead and announces the next step for the YellowSquare family: "We have no intention of stopping here. In a few weeks we will inaugurate a third hostel. See you in November at the YellowSquare in Florence.”

Business travel is one of the industry sectors that suffered most during the pandemic. A study of 1,400 repeat business travellers, by market research firm Opinium for Amadeus, shows that 93% have reduced business travel by an average of 60% since the start of the pandemic (78 % for those over 55). However there are reasons for cautious optimism as 84% of business travellers confirm they would travel now if the right security measures were in place, a percentage that reaches 87% for frequent flyers.

The need for human contact

The desire to travel for work is driven by human factors such as a lack of "seeing clients and colleagues face to face," and "sharing ideas at in-person meetings," to social aspects such as "sharing a meal." 

Contactless payments are a priority

But when it comes to rebuilding trust five travel safety measures emerged from nine proposals in the survey. Travelers prioritize information on health and travel restrictions and contactless payments over vaccination tests and certificates, suggesting they seek the tools to be able to more safely manage their travel and related risks. Business travelers are also sensitive to the economic situation, and 96% confirmed they would be willing to more strictly adhere to their company's travel policy if it meant they could go on a business trip.

The annual Carnival, known as Carnevale in Italy, is a highly colourful and exciting festivity packed with surprises for young and old, families and singles, visitors and locals. Celebrated around the world, in Italy it is linked to many traditions some of which date back to ancient Roman times. 

When is Carnevale and which are the best places in Italy to enjoy it?   

Venice, Veneto

Venice’s carnival is as famous as Rio’s and in 2022 will start on 12th February and end on 1st March.  The city’s iconic St. Mark’s Square will host many events and be packed with masks and colourful costumes. The fastest and easiest way to get around is by using the City Pass which covers public transport, transfers, parking and services as well as access to some museums and churches.

Venice Carnival

Viareggio, Tuscany

Viareggio, the famous Tuscan seaside resort, is 330 kilometres from Venice and hosts Italy’s second most famous carnival with huge papier-maché floats representing famous Italian and international figures parading in the streets. The festivities last for several weeks from February to March and the whole town let’s its hair down, delighting in street markets, food festivals and concerts.   

Viareggio Carnival

Acqualagna, The Marches

If you love truffles you will have heard of Acqualagna, a small town near Pesaro and Urbino considered the nerve centre of the precious tuber. In February the town comes alive with musical events and carnival floats.  With a difference!  Because here the crowds are pelted with truffles. If you don’t manage to grab one you can always chill out at one of the many truffle tastings in local restaurants.  

Ivrea, Piedmont

Ivrea, which has one of Italy’s oldest carnivals, is just a few kilometres from Turin, the  administrative centre of the Piedmont region, an art city with a fascinating history.

The historic Carnevale d'Ivrea dates back to the Middle Ages and is very popular for its symbolic and historical roots celebrating freedom and a repudiation of tyranny. Here on three Sundays, starting on the Sunday of Mardi Gras, they re-enact the Battle of the Oranges and the popular revolt against the armed troops of the tyrant.  

Historical Ivrea Carnival

Putignano, Apulia

Putignano is fast becoming one of Italay’s most popular destiations, turning up in the holiday shots of thousands of international visitors thanks to its splendid coastline, whitewashed walls and quaint cobblestone streets. Putigliano’s carnival, which dates back to 1330 and is the oldest in Europe, starts early on 17th January and also has a summer edition      

Putignano Carnival

Acireale, Sicily

Mini parade floats laden with flowers, masks and costumes, brass bands and majorettes, colours and fireworks.  Acireale’s carnival, which is one of the oldest in Sicily, lasts for several weeks and is very popular with locals.

Acireale Carnival

The Centro Termale Il Baistrocchi and the Hotel Valentini in Salsomaggiore Terme (Emilia Romagna - Central Italy) are now part of the Allegroitalia Group. The 100-year-ol Centro Termale il Baistrocchi  has 250 rooms, meeting rooms and therapeutic spa waters extracted from 1,200-metre wells in the Appenine mountains at a temperature of 16 degrees.

A spa connected to the city’s largest outdoor thermal pool

The renovated Hotel Valentini is in a private park and has 150 rooms, meeting rooms and a spa with mud baths, massages, irrigation and inhalation treatments, as well as a fitness area.  This is the only spa directly connected, through an internal corridor, to the city’s largest indoor thermal pool. The Group’s properties  also include the Allegroitalia Fratta Terme, The Grand Spa hotels in Romagna and the Allegroitalia Terme Villa Borri in Casciana Terme near Pisa.

Major investors in the hospitality sector are showing signs of interest again following the announcement that longstanding Four Seasons shareholder Bill Gates has acquired a controlling interest of the company. In Italy Paolo Bottelli, CEO of asset management company Kryalos SGR in an interview with the national business daily Il Sole 24 Ore, spoke about future development strategies in the light of the post-pandemic recovery. 

W Rome to follow The Hoxton 

The company will soon open W Rome (following the The Hoxton opening in May) and seems intent on expanding its investments to extra-urban destinations, in particular seaside resorts and lakes. Kryalos manages real estate assets for a totalof just under €8.5 billion and is also a shareholder in Blackstone, which in turn is a shareholder of Kryalos SGR, having acquired 35% of the company three years ago.