The 29th edition of Frutti del Castello (The Fruits of the Castle) will take place on 5 and 6 October, near Piacenza in Emilia Romagna.

Creating awareness for environmental issues

Since its first edition, this exhibition of ancient fruits, flowers, plants, and products of agriculture and craftsmanship has been committed to creating awareness for environmental issues and the culture of greenery.

Featuring floriculture with over 160 exhibitors

This is one of the longest-running events dedicated to floriculture on the Italian scene and will be back on 5 and 6 October 2024, from 9 am. to 6.30 pm., at Paderna Castle in Pontenure, in the province of Piacenza, with more than 160 exhibitors from all over Italy.

Focusing on ancient varieties of fruit plants

The best nursery gardeners will present their collections and, as always, the focus will be on ancient varieties of fruit plants, while farmers will propose their autumn harvest. Selected craftsmen will also be present with the best of their creations, and there will be a rich programme of meetings, events, and workshops for all ages. 

The new partnership between Decathlon and Bwh Hotels Italia is dedicated to the promotion of cycling tourism. 

A 10% discount for Decathlon customers

This novelty is the result of a commercial agreement signed by SiSupply, the hotel group's central purchasing office. Thanks to this collaboration Decathlon customers will be able to benefit from a 10% discount for stays in Bwh's bike hotels, starting from the end of July 2024.

Bike and e-bike rentals and hotel parking 

Bwh’s bike hotels offer numerous services dedicated to two-wheel enthusiasts, including bike and e-bike rental, dedicated spaces within the hotel in which to park the bikes, contacts with bike shops or repair kits with tools, breakfasts with natural and healthy products, and maps of cycling routes. 

Bike rentals also in Decathlon shops

Each bike hotel also offers a customized package with ad hoc extra services, including late check-out, pocket breakfast, pocket lunch, organized bike tours, bike washing services, laundry, wellness treatments and fresh fruit or snacks delivered directly in the room. Thanks to the new partnership bike rentals can now also be made at the nearest Decathlon shops, where it will also be possible to get assistance for repairs.

Livigno, in the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, not far from the border with Switzerland, has been confirmed as the most popular ski resort for its customer care.

The third edition of Italy’s “Best Customer Service 2024/2025”

The validation comes from the third edition of the research Italy's “Best Customer Service 2024/2025” carried out by the Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera and Statista. The joint survey aims to show how customer service is an area of great importance in Italy, representing the direct point of contact between a company and its customers, and a tool for building and confirming consumer loyalty, as well as improving corporate reputation. 

A total of 4,600 competitors in 155 categories

The independent survey conducted by Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, involved more than 15,000 Italians to assess various aspects of the customer service of numerous companies, which were divided into 155 categories for a total of 4,600 main competitors. The opinions of the Italians were based on five key criteria: availability of service, customer orientation, professional competence, quality of communication and variety of solutions offered. 

Photo Credits S.Confortola

Livigno got the highest score of 9.02

The processing of the results of this research then led to the awarding of 473 prizes to the companies, suppliers and institutions offering the best customer service in Italy. Livigno took first place among the Ski Resorts – which were part of the Leisure, Culture and Education macro-category - with a score of 9.02. This is a great satisfaction for Livigno which offers its guests the best customer service and is among the only 20 companies that scored higher than 9. 

Livigno is known as the Little Tibet of Italy

Livigno, known as the Little Tibet of Italy, due to its altitude of 5,958 feet, making it one of Italy's highest towns, is one of the most popular mountain destinations for Italians and tourists from all over the world, and in two years' time will be the home of the freestyle and snowboarding competitions at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics. 

An ideal choice for summer and winter holidays

With a breathtaking naturalistic landscape, embraced by the Rhaetian Alps, Livigno is a tourist and lifestyle destination loved by Italians and international visitors, who choose it every year to experience summer and winter holidays while discovering its different souls: sport, relaxation, traditions, shopping, typical and gourmet food and wine.

For information: https://www.livigno.eu
 

Collinarea Festival del Suono, the festival of sound will run to 3 August in the town of Lari in the hills that surround Pisa. 

27 different cultural and musical events

With music, theatre, dance, immersive experiences for families, and an extensive programme of meetings with sound luminaries as well as dusk concerts Lari, in the Pisan hills, has kicked off the 26th edition of Collinarea, Festival del Suono. This return to the Pisan hills will provide visitors with 27 shows up to 3 August including four productions, one co-production, ten premieres and national previews. In addition there will be workshops ranging from dramaturgy to dance, and from tailoring to the human voice, with a multidisciplinarity programme and involving local residents.

“Investing in culture, in all its forms, is a valid choice”

This year ‘s Collinarea, Festival del Suono will invade not only the splendid village of Lari, but also the evocative Torre Aquisana of Casciana Terme and the beautiful river park of La Rotta, a hamlet of the municipality of Pontedera. "Collinarea an invaluable opportunity to make our territories known. We are convinced that investing in culture, in all its forms, is a valid choice, and we are happy and proud that virtuous synergies have been developed in our territory, giving rise to this Festival," said Regional Councillor Alessandra Nardini

The new five-star Capitolo Riviera hotel has officially soft-opened its doors. 

All 37 rooms have balconies and panoramic views

Located in Nervi, which is just 12 miles from Portofino on Liguria’s Riviera di Levante, the property is the result of the renovation of the former 4-star Astor Hotel, which was closed in 2020 during the pandemic. The hotel now has 37 rooms, all with balconies and panoramic views, a spa with a sauna and steam bath, two treatment rooms and indoor and outdoor pools. A restaurant with a terrace overlooking the surrounding park and a lounge bar complete the offer.



“An unforgettable experience featuring the best of Liguria”

"It is with great pride and enthusiasm that we announce the official opening of Capitolo Riviera," said the hotel's managing director, Paolo Doragrossa, former general manager of the Meliá Genova. "We are delighted to welcome guests into a world of harmony and privacy and to offer them an unforgettable experience featuring the best of Liguria. We are committed to taking care of every detail and catering to our guests' every need because customer care and attention is the primary goal of our commitment.”  

The Calici di Stelle, Montepulciano’s summer festival of wine, from 27 July to 25 August, is organized by the Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano e dei Sapori della Valdichiana Senese.

Sustainability features strongly in the event

In collaboration with the Municipality of Montepulciano, the festival in this small town in Tuscany which is  a couple of hours south of Florence is part of the Calici di Stelle 2024 programme promoted by the Movimento Turismo del Vino Italia and the National Association of Wine Cities. For this new edition there is great attention to sustainability, and Montepulciano has been recognized as a “Sustainable Tourist Destination” by the Gstc - Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Montepulciano is one of the first small and medium-sized municipalities to have obtained this qualification, while the area’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG wine, is the first denomination in Italy to boast the Equalitas sustainability certification.

An artisan exhibition and local gastronomic products

But sustainability also means involving the local community, hence the support for the Valdichiana Senese artisans with an exhibition in Piazza delle Erbe, while local restaurants open their kitchens for the event, making the tastings even more diversified. "Organizing an event that manages to bring together so many elements of Montepulciano and the Valdichiana Senese territory fills us with pride, - says the president of the Strada. - The social and environmental sustainability of the evening are the polar stars that guide us step by step in the organization of this important event.”

A tour of Montepulciano’s monumental wine cellars

The festival will end in the Piazza Grande square where an info point will be set up to provide visitors with ideas for eco-sustainable tours and tourist experiences to be enjoyed in the area. Also organized by Valdichiana Living, the special tour on the afternoon before the start of the summer Calici di Stelle wine festival, will allos visitors to discover the monumental wine cellars of Montepulciano and can be reserved in advance.  

Milan’s National Science and Technology Museum is offering Summer Top Stop, a summer activity programme that will run to 8 September.

Exciting activities for children of all ages

Visiting hours will be extended until 6 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday and until 7 p. m. on Saturdays and holidays, and every week children between the ages of six and nine will be able to embark on a journey into science. They will be able to experiment with different activities in the interactive laboratories where the Leonardo, Genetics, Biotechnology, Food and Chemistry i.labs and the Tinkering Zone will alternate. 

Virtual reality experiences 

In the Base Marte laboratory girls and boys from 11 years old will be able to dress up as members of a crew on a mission to Mars, while younger children, aged three to six, will delight in the interactive activities offered in the i.lab Soap Bubbles and i.lab Sea Voyages. In the Virtual Zone some activities will be offered for adults and children from 12 years old, with others for adults and children from 16 years old, allowing them to immerse themselves in various virtual reality experiences.

The world’s largest Leonardo exhibition

All visitors will be able to access the Leonardo Galleries, the largest exhibition in the world dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, which can be visited freely or accompanied by a guide even during the week.  The permanent exhibitions will also be open, from the Space Area with the fragment of the Moon, to the Technological Mosaic exhibition to the Aeronavale pavilion with the great sailing ships and aircraft pioneers of flight.  Rail transport from the second half of the 19th century to 1920 is the theme in the Ferroviario Pavilion, where a late 19th century station has been reconstructed, and which has a range of fascinating exhibits.   

Tourism is an invaluable asset for Italy, benefiting the economy and generating significant employment opportunities. In 2023 foreign visitors contributed €51.7 billion in direct tourism spending. Additionally, tourism sustains one of the nation's largest business sectors, providing local communities with a stable and prosperous future.

It is imperative, however, to prioritize the preservation of these resources, starting with the territories, and acknowledging both their strengths and vulnerabilities. Italy's extraordinary geographical position, from its coastal vistas to its majestic mountains, is a huge advantage which, paradoxically exposes it to inherent risks.

Consequently, the stewardship of our social heritage is necessary, as is the well-being of residents, workers, and the economic sustainability of our tourist havens. It is paramount to avoid compromising the integrity of our unique destinations while fostering sustainable growth in the sector.

Italy’s heritage encompasses inland regions that produce world-class agri-foods, coastal and inland areas that are appreciated by visitors from all over the world, and our artistic and cultural heritage that put us at the top of the list of UNESCO sites. It also encompasses our Alpine and Apennine habitats teeming with distinctive flora and fauna that distinguish us from our neighbours across the Alps. Equally significant are the individuals, and often entire families, who invest their lives in this sector, shaping their futures.

The escalating threats posed by global warming and climate change, which sooner or later will shape our territory, tourism and society, necessitate swift, inclusive actions involving all stakeholders—destinations, operators, and tourists alike—to mitigate its impacts on our land, tourism, and society.

ENIT’s strategic initiatives focus on promoting year-round tourism, particularly in the shoulder seasons, diversifying offerings across lesser-known destinations, and bolstering ongoing seasonal planning. These efforts have proven effective, as is evident in the surge of long-haul markets like Canada (+46.5%), the United States (+40%), and Australia (+150%).

Furthermore, in Italy the symbiotic relationship between culture and tourism is closely entwined, with the country’s cultural riches and they draw tourists, while tourism enriches our local culture. The 59 UNESCO sites epitomize this interplay with both of these sectors putting people and their desires, aspirations and emotions centre stage, thereby influencing our territories, our heritage and our traditions.

Cultural tourism emerged as the leading choice by tourists in 2023, attracting 105.2 million international overnight stays in the great art cities and for cultural holidays, and generating €17.9 billion in expenditure. This sector accounts for 27% of foreign stays and 34.6% of related tourist spending, highlighting its pivotal role in Italy’s tourism landscape (Source: ENIT Studies Office - Bank of Italy).

Moving forward, Italy seeks to transcend seasonal limitations and climatic difficulties to become inclusive all year round, specializing in those tourism products that are not rooted in (and do not promise) cool summers or natural snow in winter. What they do is to make the local lifestyle and the habits of the community, nature’s diversity, and the distinctive cultural material and immaterial fabric of each region, central to the product.

Today’s tourism discourse pivots away from the model of solidarity co-marketing towards a new model of wellbeing for tourists who can handle the authenticity of their experiences with the help of cutting-edge technology and scientific advancements. This new model champions responsible governance, sustainability, and regenerative practices, ensuring the impact of local narratives enhanced by tools of artificial and generative intelligence.