Iglesias, on the south-west coast of Sardinia is a handsome city with diverse cultural and natural attractions. Perhaps less well known than other tourist resorts, it is perfect for many different types of holidays: seaside, cultural and trekking.  

The coast is dominated by rugged headlands and the hinterland beaten by paths along which one comes across evidence of the near and distant past like the mines that existed in the area from the early 1900s up to the 1960s.

“We have many famous industrial archaeology sites that are unique – this was the oldest mining basin in Europe - and for some years now the municipality has been focusing a lot on their experiential enhancement not only for the beauty of the area but also because they tell story of the identity of a community,” says Mauro Usai, mayor of Iglesias.  “It takes time to visit our territory, but there are many sites that are worth visiting, and so we have set out different itineraries. The best way is along the Camino Minerario di Santa Barbara mining trail, which is to say the historical and mining paths that the miners used to take to go to work.”

This 500-kilometre loop, along pathways, mule tracks and dirt and paved roads, has been divided into 30 stages, each of about 16 kilometres. Crossing towns and villages it is suitable for walkers and also for bikers, while those who prefer to admire the landscapes from the sea can do so by boat.  

The city of Iglesias itself has a fascinating story that goes back thousands of years, from Roman times through the Pisan domination and then under Spanish rule when it got the name Iglesias, the city of churches. 

“Many of our visitors are from France, England, and Europe, because Iglesias can be enjoyed at any time of year.  So even when the temperatures are lower it is still possible to experience the mountains and the coasts, drawing many visitors in the low season,” adds Mayor Usai.  Another very popular time of year is Easter and the Holy Week to see some of the most fascinating processions in Italy. When visitors arrive in Cagliari airport – there are many flights both from Milan and Rome daily as well as from other European cities – or disembark in the post of Cagliari there is a train that brings them to Iglesias.  “This service is offered free of charge, and we have a wide choice of accommodation with many bed and breakfasts nestled in the heart of the city.”

 

Montepulciano, nestled in a bucolic setting in the Valdichiana Senese in southern Tuscany, is a true oasis of peace with vineyards as far as the eye can see, and all the charm of a classic medieval Tuscan hill town. It is also the land where Nobile di Montepulciano is produced, the famous red wine with the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), esteemed by connoisseurs and wine enthusiasts the world over.   

Mayor Michele Angiolini says the town and its surrounding area draw visitors looking for tranquility and relaxation, and that they also come to stay and take the waters in its spas towns,  Montpulciano Terme, San Casciano dei Bagni and Chianciano Terme.

 

“Visitors are very attracted by our nature and also by our foods and wines. We have a wide range of accommodation in both hotels and non-hotel facilities. Post-Covid the hotels, which are mostly in Chianciano Terme, suffered somewhat while alternative facilities were in strong demand.” 

Many of the cultural events organized in the area are concentrated in the summer months,

“but our Christmas in Montepulciano draws thousands of people from November right through to the end of the holiday season,” said Mayor Angiolini. “During Covid prime foreign markets like the US and Russia dropped considerably, “but we took advantage of those months to work, plan and invest in promoting our region, and this proved to have been a good move as it led to a rise in domestic visitors and also boosted arrivals from proximity markets.” 

 

Travel is back! And we will be present at the ITB Berlin from 7 to 9 March 2023, as a Media Partner of the world’s biggest and best travel show, with a special print edition of ItaliAbsolutely. 

Meeting the world’s top travel providers

This year's ITB Berlin, which is travel industry’s leading travel and tourism meeting place, will once again be the go-to place to meet the world’s top destinations, tour operators, airlines, hotels, cruise lines and travel providers from around the globe.

Get your print copy of ItaliAbsolutely in the International Media area

You can find the Travel Quotidiano Group and ItaliAbsolutely in the International Media area. So drop by to say hello, and to pick up your copy of the special ITB 2023 print edition of www.italiabsolutely.com, Italy’s only English-language B2B  website showcasing the best of Italy. 

We speak to over 90,000 Italy travel specialists worldwide

Our website speaks online daily to travel specialists worldwide, and our weekly Newsletter reaches 90,000 global Italy sellers.  We look forward to meeting many of them, as well as old and new partners and friends in Berlin. 

“ItaliAbsolutely on Tour” in Europe, Canada and the US in 2023

And don’t miss this chance to hear  from us about the exciting ItaliAbsolutely on Tour meets planned in Copenhagen, Hamburg, Toronto, New York and Chicago later this year.  And you can also register for the ItaliAbsolutely fam trips we are organizing to showcase the best of Italy to selected global buyers.

Click here to read the Special Edition!

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Cutting-edge Hilton Rome EUR La Lama has just opened in the Eternal City’s business district, the first Hilton inside the city of Rome.

“Hilton Rome EUR La Lama has that unmistakable touch of Italianity”

“At last Rome has something different that goes beyond the hospitality offered by the large hotels in the center. This new Hilton is also a large hotel, but it has a true Italian soul, and that unmistakable touch of Italianity. By opening La Lama Hilton is adding another 439 rooms to the Eternal City, and we are the first Hilton inside Rome, as the other property is located at Fiumicino airport." says Paolo Bellè, cluster general manager of Icarus, the company that owns the new property.

Elegant design interiors and a convivial atmosphere

Hilton Rome EUR La Lama is a futuristic, slim black transparent glass “box,” 130 metres long, 30 wide and 16 floors high, designed by Roman architect Massimiliano Fuksas. It has interiors with original art works and unique details, from the white and black marble in the hall to the warm colors in the lounge and restaurant and on the floors with the guest rooms and suites. The atmosphere is colorful and convivial, and there are meeting spaces with modular rooms and state-of-the-art technology.

Two restaurants, six suites and a dual-level Presidential Suite

Panoramic glass-sided elevators glide up to the upper floors opening onto balconies with glass walls from which to admire the lobby from above, and in the guest rooms the curtains, lighting and air conditioning are actioned by the arrival and departure of guests. “All rooms have a king or two queen beds, dark parquet flooring and decorative coffered ceilings inspired by those found in old Roman homes, while the Art Deco style features in mirrors and lamps. The dual-level Presidential Suite on the top two floors is flanked by another six suites, with the second restaurant and the spa and fitness centre on the 15^th level,” says hotel manager Matteo Cappannari.

“Guests from all over the world will get Italian-style pampering”

"Our hotel is next door to the La Nuvola Congress Center. We were designed as a single complex, and our commercial-congressional vocation is strong, but La Lama also wants a life of its own," Bellè continues. "The centre of Rome is a short taxi ride away, so we can satisfy even the most demanding guest, and we are an exciting new attraction for the EUR neighbourhood.  The Hilton Honors program currently has over 140 million members and American guests always feel at home in a Hilton. Now at Hilton Rome EUR La Lama, Americans and guests from all over the world will feel at home, and they will get Italian-style pampering."

Lecce, a little town in Puglia in southern Italy, has ranked higher than many of the world’s best loved romantic hotspots according to the popular social media video-sharing app TikTok. When Discover Cars analyzed the number of TikTok views on the hashtags of popular destinations that appeal for their romance, it ranked the world’s top 23 romantic getaways. And the little Italian town placed 9th, beating out many larger and more famous tourist destinations.

With a staggering 272,202,044 combined views Lecce, which has fewer than 100,000 inhabitants, came in after favourite boltholes like Lausanne, the luxury resort town on Lake Geneva in Switerland, and Cambodia’s Siem Reap with its famous Angkor Wat temples. But the surprise was that the charming little Italian town, with its stunning Baroque architecture, scored higher than mega favourites such as Menorca in Spain, Paros in Greece and Antalya in Turkey. www.discovercars.com/blog/most-romantic-locations-tiktok 

The entrance to Eitch Borromini, an ancient residence housed in a building designed and built by the great architect Borromini between 1654 and 1659, is behind Rome’s historic Piazza Navona square.

A hotel overlooking Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers

One of the Eitch Borromini's main features is the panoramic view from both the breakfast room and many of the guestrooms that overlook Piazza Navona, and in particular Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, and the skyline of downtown Rome: from the Pantheon dome to St. Peter's Basilica.

A restaurant and a cocktail bar for private events

The same view is also shared by the Restaurant Terrazza Borromini, a unique area on the fourth floor in rooms embellished with Bernini's frescoes, where the Borromini Art Gallery is located, overlooking Piazza Navona, and which has tables also outside almost suspended over the square. The restaurant menu features modern Roman cuisine and the cocktail bar is open for private events.

The first floor of the palace provides access to the Pamphilj family's private library, which is famous for the quantity and rarity of its volumes and manuscripts, and for the fresco on the vault painted by Francesco Cozza.

Views of the square, of Roman palaces, and of a medieval tower

The rooms of different types range from the Single with a queen bed to the Classic, up to the Superior Suite, Deluxe Suite and Executive Suite with a private terrace. Some have views of Piazza Navona or the domes, bell towers and iconic palaces of Rome and others over Via di Santa Maria dell'Anima, with glimpses of Tor Millina, a medieval tower with Guelph battlements. 

The rooms are all different and have all modern comforts 

Each room is different, given the different uses the building has had down the centuries. Refined, intimate and tastefully furnished, they have extra-comfortable beds and Etro courtesy kits, minibars, courtesy water, electric kettle with tea, coffee and herbal teas, bathrobe and slippers, safe, flat-screen TV with Sky decoder and free Wifi. 

Toscana Resort Castelfalfi has a new general manager with Roberto Protezione take over all hospitality-related activities. The complex provides a variety of lodging options, including rooms, suites, and villas, for a relaxing vacation in beautiful natural surroundings with various restaurants and Tuscany's largest golf course.

20 years of experience in luxury hospitality

Protezione has nearly 20 years of experience in luxury hospitality in Italy and abroad. Prior to leading the Castelfalfi team, he was general manager of Belmond Castello di Casole for five years. Previously he worked in the UAE at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island and the Westin Golf Resort in Abu Dhabi. His career in the industry began in revenue management at Starwood, first at the St. Regis Grand and the Excelsior in Rome and then at the St. Regis in Florence.

“This is a period of significant development for the destination”

“Working in a reality like Castelfalfi is an exciting challenge,” Protezione says. “I am grateful to the owners for seeing me as a potential ally during this period of significant development for the destination. I am confident that my knowledge of the area gained over the years, as well as my previous international experience, will help to raise the standards of service and hospitality, ensuring guests get the most out of the estate's potential.”

Palmanova is a UNESCO Renaissance city and an extraordinary masterpiece of military architecture, just over an hour by car from Venice.  

The power of the number three

A fortress town preserved in extraordinary condition, built by the Republic of Venice in 1593 to counter the expansionist aims of the Habsburgs of Austria and the raids of the Turks, in 2017 Palmanova is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is enclosed within three concentric circling walls in the shape of a perfect nine-pointed star. These have three monumental entrance gates, and the city is considered a model of the ideal Renaissance city and an extraordinary example of military architecture. 

An impregnable fortress and invisible city

The Piazza Grande, or main square, has a hexagonal structure and is the heart of the historical centre and fortress, as well as being the hub of city life. Known as the Piazza d'Armi, this vast parade ground houses an interesting museum with life size reproductions of the tools and machines used to build Palmanova’s Fortress. The city’s strictly geometric structure and star shape make it a significant example of well-preserved military architecture but what makes it even more extraordinary is that it was an invisible city. Built lower than the horizon line, Palmanova was hidden from enemy eyes and, thanks to the distant hills and mountains and the outer walls that were covered by earth and vegetation, the city was totally camouflaged, making it one of the most impregnable fortresses in Europe.

A city shrouded in mystery and legend

With its nine-pointed star shape, Palmanova has always been shrouded in mystery as it is a city based on the number three and its multiples. In fact the star has nine points on its bastions and encircling walls. There are three access gates to the city, the Porta Udine, Porta Cividale and Porta Aquileia, and it has 18 radial roads and six main roads, while the main square is six-sided. So who can doubt that three is Palmanova’s lucky number? 

An annual October folk festival 

Palmanova is crisscrossed by a system of underground tunnels, some of which can be visited. Also worth visiting are the Cathedral and the Loggia dei Mercanti, as are the Palace of the Provveditore Generale, which today houses the Town Hall dating back to 1598, and the Historical Military Museum. Every year on 7 October to celebrate its patron saint Santa Justina the austere old city takes on a festive air with colourful street stalls selling local arts and crafts, street food and performances. 

Kickstart your health and wellness this year with the 4-night Chenot wellness progamme at the luxury L’Albereta  hotel and spa, in the vineyards of Franciacorta and Alpine foothills just 30 minutes from Milan, on the southern shore of Lake Iseo in Italy.

The only Chenot Espace Health Wellness SPA in Italy

This four-night Chenot Wellness detoxifying and re-energizing programme at the luxury L’Albereta hotel and spa near Milan is perfect for guests looking to dedicate time restoring their natural state of health wellness and improving well-being for the year ahead.  The Chenot Advanced Detox programme provides an integrated, science-based approach to health and well-being.   Housing the only Chenot Espace Health Wellness SPA in Italy, L’Albereta has a highly qualified team of over 30 doctors, dietitians and osteopaths, ready to help guests restore their health and regain lost vital energy. 

An exclusive 4-night lakeside wellness programme

The 4-night Chenot Wellness Programme, valid until 31st March 2023, includes four nights in a double or single room, Chenot breakfast for one person and breakfast (not Chenot) for an additional companion sharing the room, and Chenot treatments for one person. The offer is available from €3,700 per person for a minimum stay of four nights, plus a compulsory medical consultation at the start of the programme at €150. There is also a city tax supplement of €2.50 per person, per day. 

Artist Christo chose Lake Iseo for an installation 

Lake Iseo is one of the lesser-known Northern Italian lakes and boasts Monte Isola, the biggest lake island in Europe, which was selected by artist Christo for one of his spectacular landscape installations back in 2016, when he created unique orange floating piers connecting one of the villages on the shores of the lake to Monte Isola.  

L’Albereta’s two restaurants and Franciacorta wines

L’Albereta is the perfect tonic to city life, a luxury hotel with 53 rooms and suites and is surrounded by some of Italy’s most breath-taking scenery. The hotel’s main restaurant, Leonefelice Vista Lago, overlooks Lake Iseo and serves a selection of typical Italian and regional dishes. L’Albereta’s pizza restaurant, La Filiale, combines a menu entirely dedicated to pizza with outstanding wines from Franciacorta and beyond. For information:   www.albereta.it/en/luxury-spa-hotels-italy/spa-franciacorta/