"Soon everything will return to normal in Emilia-Romagna," says Patrizia Rinaldis of Federalberghi Rimini.

Some of the most popular holiday and weekend destinations

“Things are under control," said Patrizia Rinaldis of Federalberghi Rimini, the association of hoteliers of the resort towns in the Romagna region. "The hotels did not close, and the lido operators are all working to fix the beaches."

The region was hard hit by the bad weather but it is once again ready to show that, be it for sea, art or mountain holidays, it is one of the most popular destinations in Italy for holidays or weekends. 

In 2022 seven million visitors chose the riviera’s resort towns 

The riviera towns of Rimini, Riccione, Milano Marittima, just to name the best known, totalled no fewer than 42 million overnights in 2022 (+15.5%on 2021), with more than seven million arrivals (+22.4%). This is followed by art cities and business arrivals, which, with the recovery over 2021, now account for more than a quarter of overall arrivals (26.3%) and 13.8% of total regional overnights. 

“We will bounce back quickly” 

Andrea Babbi, national vice-president of Fiavet, the association of Italian travel agents, is also optimistic:

"We will bounce back quickly, as we usually do. Within a week all our tourist facilities will be as welcoming as they were seven days ago.” 

Discover Civitavecchia on the new Green Line Tours hop on-hop off bus with an audio guide in 16 different languages.

Full-day round-trips from Civitavcchia to the Eternal City

With the new Green Line Tours hop-on-hop-off bus visitors to Civitavecchia can now discover the town on the Lazio coast south of Rome, an area rich in history. At the same time, the sightseeing company also offers the possibility of taking a one-day round-trip from Civitavecchia to the Eternal City via an integrated shuttle service with tourist services, which is an optimal solution for cruise passengers. In ancient times Civitavecchia was the naval landing place for the Roman Empire and the gateway to the Eternal City and still today it is home to numerous important archaeological sites.

Civitavecchia

“We will also strive to develop further itineraries” 

"We are excited to provide this beautiful city with tourist transport services for cruise repeaters and new visitors. We will also strive to develop further itineraries to meet the multiple demands of transit passengers," says Emanuele Orlando Desideri, managing director of Green Line Tour S.p.A. 

Civitavecchia is an ancient port and town on the Latium coast

So Green Line Tours which has always offered guided tours to museums and major places of historical interest in the city of Rome, as well as day trips by coach around the Italian capital, is now operative in Civitavecchia, the ancient port and town on the Latium coast rich in history and culture.

For information: www.greenlinetours.com/Civitavecchia

The large garden with a pool, lemon and palm trees in the luxury boutique Villa Marina, is the most spectacular on Capri.  

A heated swimming pool and rose-covered pergolas

A 1900s private home, perched on a terraced hillside just minutes above Capri’s Marina Piccola port, Villa Marina is a refined and charming 5-star boutique hotel.  It has the most beautiful hotel garden on the island, with manicured lawns, flower beds, lemon and palm trees, rose-covered pergolas, a heated swimming pool and elegant dining and leisure areas.



Three of the suites have plunge pools

The 21 rooms and junior suites, many with sea views and whimsical bathrooms, are named after personalities who have left their mark on the island, from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda to the Swedish writer Axel Munthe who built Villa San Michele in Anacapri. There are also three suites with plunge pools, and two connecting rooms that can sleep up to five. And in each room, as a welcome gift, a bottle of champagne.

“The new La Castello Suite will have a garden with a private pool”

General manager Giada Falanga says that as a boutique hotel it is in high demand and rooms tend to fly off the shelf for the summer months, while it is certainly easier to find ad-hoc availability in April or in October, adding “next year we will open the La Castello Suite on the highest level. It will have a master bedroom, a library and a garden with a private pool. 

Villa Marina Stai Spa

The entire Stai Spa can be booked privately

The Stai Spa, with a heated pool, sauna and Turkish bath is the only spa on Capri that allows guests to book the entire facility privately, and outside, overlooking the sea, there is a covered fitness area. The hotel shuttle is available for transfers to and from the island’s main towns and tourist attractions. 

The Ziqù is a very popular fine-dining venue

The Ziqù Restaurant, which is also popular with non-residents, has a shaded area as well as tables under lemon trees in the garden. Executive chef Manuele Cattaruzza, who comes from such prestigious kitchens as Le Cirque in New York and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London, uses local flavours and products with masterful flair for his fine-dining menus. The Ziqù Bar pergola can host small events and parties, and the indoor Viva Bar has comfortable seating, also in the garden. 

 

"What tourism and the Government's Strategic Plan need, in our opinion, is not the discouragement of intermediation, but rather its elevation in terms of professionalism and capacity to generate substantial volumes. It is crucial to establish a network, as emphasized in the Plan, that acts as the irreplaceable bond of trust between supply and demand," said Fiavet's legal counsel Federico Lucarelli at the Senate.

Fiavet predicts that travel agencies will enhance their services to travellers by improving communication, marketing, and digital marketing capabilities. And they will benefit from specialized training focused on specific themes.

Fiavet continues to emphasize the importance of the Tourist Digital Hub, which is regarded as essential as long as it remains aligned with the guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Tourism, encouraging operators to join the Italia.it portal. "In particular," said Federico Lucarelli, "with reference to the intermediation in the realm of 'experiential' tourist services, we need to ensure that the portal supports the tourism economy while avoiding any duplication of responsibilities between DMC/DMOs and commercial entities, as has happened in certain regions in the past.

Play continues to bet on Italian routes with the launch of new routes from Reykjavík to Venice and Verona.

New Venice and Verona flights

The flights from Reykjavík’s Keflavík airport to Venice, starting next 29 June will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, and join the flight to Bologna Marconi, operational since last summer and which will be relaunched on 6 June. The Icelandic low-cost carrier will also add a new service from Reykjavík to Verona for the next winter timetable, operated once a week, on Saturdays, starting from 20 January 2024.

“This summer we will get four new aircraft and launch 13 new destinations”

During the summer of 2023 Play will connect Iceland with 37 destinations in Europe, the United States and Canada using a fleet of Airbus A321Neo and A320Neo aircraft. “In recent months we have grown a lot, - says Birgir Jónsson, CEO of the carrier - and with the summer 2023 timetable we are welcoming around 200 new colleagues to our team, receiving four new aircraft, and launching 13 new destinations, including Venice. Our load factor is increasing significantly, as is the number of passengers carried, and bookings for the summer are doing very well."

The mayor of Ponza, the charming little island off the Lazio coast, is striving for enhanced accessibility and eco-compatibility.

Franco Ambrosini, mayor of PonzaPonza is the largest of the six little Pontine Islands

Among his priorities, says Franco Ambrosini who was elected mayor last year, is the need to boost maritime services to and from the island. “We need new ferries, those currently making the Formia-Ponza crossing are more than forty years old.”  Mayor Ambrosini is also enforcing measures to steer the Pontine islands (an archipelago of six islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, of which Ponza is the largest) towards new standards of sustainability, and taking steps to regulate the island’s traffic and waste management systems, with the aim of creating an authentic “eco-sustainable” island.  

“Tourists arriving in Ponza by car must be able to find a place to park”

Mayor Ambrosini also wants to prolong the tourist season, and ferry crossing times have already been extended to allow visitors arriving on the island, even in the low season, to spend the whole day there. He is also introducing paid parking, but there are no limits on accessibility, with unlimited numbers of cars able to access Ponza.

"There are no restrictions on cars, but there are special off-limit zones for non-residents, for example in the harbour area. And it is absolute necessary that citizens and accommodation facilities provide sufficient parking spaces for visitors. Tourists arriving in Ponza by car must be able to find a place to park.” 

 

A destination for relaxation and adventure

Ponza is a paradise for sailing, sea and nature lovers, and an ideal destination for those seeking relaxation, adventure and authentic experiences and the mayor, in collaboration with the authorities and trade associations, is stretching his limited budget for tourism promotions. “We are investing in digital technology to increase the visibility of the island, and we are organizing fam trips for the national and international media with the aim of attracting more tourists.” 

Creating an environmentally-friendly island

Based on municipal receipts from the landing tax there were 168,000 arrivals on the island in 2019 and 250,000 last year. International tourists make an important contribution to the local economy and, thanks to the efforts being made to enhance services and promote sustainability, Ponza is projecting itself towards being a more easily accessible., and ecologically responsible island. 

Cala Cuncheddi Hotel is a gem set on the Capo Ceraso promontory in Sardinia’s northern Gallura region.

A resort with an infinity pool and a private beach

Just 40 minutes from Olbia’s international airport, Capo Ceraso has beautiful panoramic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Situated in a magnificent private park with century-old olive trees, Cala Cuncheddi Hotel is a charming resort with its own enchanting infinity pool and private beach. 

Three restaurants and a private yacht

The beautiful Li Cuncheddi beach with golden sand, crystal clear shallow waters, and dramatic cliffs is a short stroll away. The Cala Cuncheddi Hotel has 85 rooms and suites overlooking the Sardinian Sea and is home to three restaurants, Asumari, Asarena and Zinnibiri, all inspired by Sardinia’s culinary culture which combines a passion for traditional recipes and local produce. The two bars, extensive wellness area, Sa Cantina wine bar and very own 16m Papik Yacht make Cala Cuncheddi Hotel an unforgettable Sardinian stay. 

Breakfast Ph Credits. Monica Spezia LivingInside

Direct summer flights from Ireland

With the much-anticipated new Little Mermaid film soon coming to screens, guests hoping to visit Sardinia will be able to spot some of the filming locations. The Gallura area is also the perfect destination for anyone travelling from Ireland, as the Irish flag-carrier Aer Lingus has added a new Olbia route to its 2023 summer schedule. 

Tiqets, the world's leading online booking platform for museums and attractions, has added three new languages, bringing the total to 17.

Navigate and purchase tickets in 17 languages

Since the start of April users can now navigate the Tiqets platform, make purchases, and use its services in Swedish, Danish, and Czech, as well as Catalan, Chinese, French, Japanese, Greek, English, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and German.

Check with Tiqets to visit Leonardo da Vinci’s Milan vineyard 

Leonardo's Vineyard is just a few feet from the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, which houses the master's great masterpiece, the Last Supper. The vineyard was one of Leonardo da Vinci's most prized possessions, and was given to him in 1498 by the former Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza who commissioned the artist to paint the Last Supper. Visitors can stroll through the house, the vineyard, the garden, and the greenhouses and admire the original vines. To round out the visit the ticket includes a downloadable tour of Milan on smartphones, to explore the city's highlights from a new perspective.

Pinacoteca Ambrosiana

Milan’s Pinacoteca Ambrosiana with a Leonardo Codex

The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, located in the heart of Milan is an ideal destination for art and history enthusiasts looking to discover the Italian Renaissance. It is the world's oldest public art gallery and houses masterpieces such as Leonardo Da Vinci's Portrait of a Musician, one of only 15 paintings attributed to him. Other masterpieces include Botticelli's Madonna del Padiglione while the museum's centrepiece is Da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus: 1119 pages replete with drawings and notes on engineering, hydraulics, optics, anatomy, architecture, mathematics, and astronomy. This is one of history's greatest treasures.

The Torba Monastery, from Roman to Byzantine days

The Monastery of Torba, hidden in the Lombard forest, about an hour from Milan, was built by the Romans and it is possible to enter the ols Roman tower that protected the monastery from the barbarian invasion. It then passed into the hands of the Goths, the Byzantines and, finally, the Lombards. The tower once housed magnificent frescoes, traces of which can still be seen today.