September 05, 2026
It’s been a record-breaking summer to remember for the Rome Airports group, with Fiumicino handling 15 million passengers.
185,000 passengers on Sunday 16 August
Sunday 16 August saw a record day for passenger numbers, with the threshold of 185,000 passengers in a single day being exceeded for the first time at Rome’s intercontinental Fiumicino airport. This impressive volume of traffic reflects the true scale of the recovery and the capital’s appeal, whilst also successfully testing the resilience of the system managed by Aeroporti di Roma, a Mundys group company.
International connectivity has expanded
Driving these passenger flows has been the expansion of international connectivity and, in particular, the launch of new long-haul routes from and to Rome’s principal airport. ITA Airways has launched a service from Houston, whilst the US carriers Alaska Airlines and Delta have inaugurated flights from Seattle, and Air Arabia has opened a direct link from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, effectively transforming Fiumicino into an even more strategic hub for intercontinental traffic.
Records rose to new highs this summer
This pressure on the terminals has resulted in an unprecedented operational challenge, vividly illustrated by the all-time record set at the security checks in Terminal 1, where 2,000 passengers were processed in just thirty minutes, a number that attests to the efficiency of passenger flow management in one of the typical bottlenecks at airports. Yet another record was set on Friday 21 August, when the airport’s operational machinery exceeded 1,100 flight movements, including both landings and take-offs, in just 24 hours, confirming an operational vitality that extends beyond the passenger sector alone: August 2026 also marks a significant acceleration in the cargo sector, with a 14% increase in volumes compared with the same month last year.
Published in Transportation
Milan Malpensa now has 7 direct flights from the US with the addition of United’s new Washington route.
Three weekly flights from Washington Dulles
Now it is even easier to reach Milan from the United States, thanks to the recent announcement by United Airlines that it will launch a new seasonal service, operating three times weekly from Washington Dulles. The route will commence on 29 May 2027 and will make United the only airline to offer a direct connection between Milan and the Washington D.C. area.
“From Dulles passengers can reach over 110 destinations in the Americas”
“The announcement of the new direct service between Milan Malpensa and Washington Dulles is a further step in strengthening the airport’s intercontinental connectivity, with the addition of a seventh destination served directly in the United States,” said Aldo Schmid, head of aviation business development at SEA Milan Airports. “United is returning to this route after more than 24 years, re-establishing the link with the US capital and one of the airline’s main hubs. From Dulles, passengers can reach over 110 destinations in the Americas, including almost 90 in the United States. We are therefore particularly pleased to continue our collaboration with United Airlines, a long-standing partner which, over the years, has contributed significantly to the development of connections between Milan and the United States, through its established service to New York (Newark) and the more recent link to Chicago.”
The Washington Dulles-Malpensa flights are on sale
The new service from Washington Dulles to Malpensa is already on sale and will complement United’s existing schedule between the US and Italy which includes the year-round daily service from Milan Malpensa to Newark/New York, flights from Milan to Chicago O’Hare operating for most of the year, seasonal services from Rome to Denver and San Francisco, and from Naples, Venice, Palermo and Bari to Newark/New York.“We are delighted to announce this significant expansion of our network of services to Italy for 2027 and to introduce the only direct service between Milan and the Washington D.C. area. With the new service from Milan, United will operate 24 weekly flights between Italy and Washington Dulles, more than any other airline,” said Walter Cianciusi, country sales manager Italy at United Airlines.
New Olbia and Catania flights from May 2027
From May 2027, new services from Olbia and Catania to Newark/New York will also be added. United will operate up to 16 direct flights a day from the United States to Italy connecting eight Italian destinations directly with the US, more than any other airline.
Published in Transportation
New villas are coming soon at the Rocco Forte Verdura Resort in Sicily.
New branded residences for Sicily
Branded residences are coming to Sicily. The Rocco Forte Verdura Resort is bringing these highly successful branded residences to the region so beloved by UK visitors. A project for villas had already been launched in 2021, with construction completed in 2024, linked to the five-star hotel that has been open for many years on the island’s south-western coast, between the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the town of Sciacca.
On a hilltop with Mediterranean views
The buildings were constructed using traditional local materials - local stone, sand, wood and a palette of natural colours, including terracotta and ochre. Their location on a hilltop above the resort, guarantees views of the Mediterranean. The villas were previously available to rent but are now being offered for sale at prices starting from €3 million.
47 off-plan villas: two levcls and 7 bedrooms
This initial project is now being complemented by a new phase, designed for those seeking larger, customizable homes. There are in fact 47 off-plan villas available, built on two levels and offering up to seven bedrooms. The villas will be built near the golf courses and will have a starting price of €5.2 million. The project is the work of Aba Studio Albanese and Olga Polizzi, design director at Rocco Forte Hotels. Villa owners will have access to all the resort’s facilities, including ten restaurants, a private beach stretching for one and a half kilometres, a spa, tennis and basketball courts, riding stables and two 18-hole golf courses. Those wishing to generate rental income can join the Rocco Forte Rental Management programme, which allows them to let their villa during periods when it is unoccupied.
Published in Business
Simon Calder, the travel correspondent of The Telegraph, recently complied his list of "Natural Wonders in Europe you must see in your Lifetime" and of the 15 localities he chose, there is just one Italian entry: the Dunas di Piscinas.
Calder started by stating that “Not every beach in Sardinia has a reputation for glitz and glamour. Far from the billionaire yachts of Porto Cervo, the remote Dunas di Piscinas on the western Costa Verde shines with a different kind of precious metal. Iron residues from an abandoned mining industry have stained streams rust-red and other remnants can be found scattered across the sand.”
And how right he is to put Dunas di Piscinas (as Sardinians call it) on everyone's bucket list. This beautiful stretch of Sardinia’s Costa Verde has vast golden dunes rising dramatically from the coastline, reaching heights of up to 100 metres, and continually reshaped by the wind. But what makes Piscinas really special is how it mixes nature and history. The Costa Verde was once an important mining region, and traces of that industrial past give it a particular character, with rust-coloured streams, old mining buildings and remains of abandoned machinery contrasting with the colours of the dunes and the sea.
The area is also an important refuge for wildlife. The vast beaches provide nesting grounds for loggerhead turtles, and the forests are home to the Sardinian red deer which is found nowhere else in the world. But perhaps most importantly, Piscinas offers something increasingly rare for nature-focused travellers: a true sense of remoteness. There are no rows of sun loungers or busy resort promenades. Instead, visitors will marvel at this living landscape with its huge skies, powerful winds, shifting sands and the sound of the Mediterranean. And for those who want to linger, the 5-star Hotel Le Dune Piscinas offers guided e-bike and quad tours to explore the windswept coast.
Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor
Published in Editorial
Italy's huge new hiking trail crosses six regions, making The Way of St Francis one epic pilgrimage route leading to the hilltop town of Assisi.
1,500 kilometres of trails across six regions
Dust off your walking boots, because Italy has just unveiled one of its biggest hiking projects in years. The newly unified Way of St Francis stitches together 1,500km of trails across six regions: Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Marche, Tuscany and Umbria. Linked together through an official pilgrimage network, all roads eventually converge on Assisi, the hilltop town where St Francis was born and is buried.
"Uniting places, institutions and people"
The project brings together trails that already existed in various forms, including the 110 kilometre stretch from Rimini to the mountain sanctuary of La Verna, where St Francis is said to have received the stigmata. Handily, the routes have been mapped and sorted out by Italy’s national anniversary committee, meaning they are all listed together on the official tourism platform, Italia.it complete with maps and stage-by-stage itineraries. Franco Boarelli, president of the association that coordinated the project alongside the government said the project required years of cross-regional cooperation. Italy’s undersecretary of culture, Pietro Cannella said the project was about "uniting places, institutions and people around a shared heritage, making culture a tool for national cohesion and international dialogue."
Even dogs get a passport
The launch is part of celebrations marking the eighth centenary of St Francis’s death and coincided with Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Assisi on August 6. If you fancy tackling it yourself, here's how it works. Walkers can request a credenziale, or pilgrim’s passport, online before setting off, which gets stamped and dated at various points along the route. Different routes have their own separate passports, and there’s even one for your dog too! Complete the final 100 kilometres on foot, or 200 kilometres by bike, and you'll be issued with a document proving you made it all the way to St Francis's tomb.
Published in On the road
United Airlines will introduce new flights from Newark to Olbia and Catania in summer 2027.
Olbia and Catania to join the United Airlines’ network
There’s even more of Italy in United Airlines’ network for summer 2027: starting with direct flights to the islands, which will see the launch of two new destinations, Olbia and Catania, served from Newark. Alongside these two new additions will be the further introduction of a service from Washington to Milan Malpensa, marking a return to this route after many years. The flight to Olbia will commence on 27 May three times weekly, and the service to Catania (which will therefore join Palermo airport, already served by United) will take off from 28 May, operating four times weekly
Expanding the international network
This investment in Italy forms part of United’s wider plan to expand its international network, with the launch of services to 10 new cities by 2027 (eight of which are not served by other US carriers) and three new routes in Europe and Asia. The airline also unveiled the latest international aircraft in its fleet, the A321XLR “Born to Explore”, during an event held at Newark Liberty International Airport.
“We offer the most flights across the Atlantic”
“The creative and strategic way in which we have expanded our international network since the start of the pandemic has made all the difference, not only for our passengers and employees, but also as a means of differentiating United and building a customer-centric brand. We offer the most flights across the Atlantic and the Pacific, and Newark is the best Atlantic hub in the country. So far this year, it has been the most punctual airport in the New York City area. We will continue to build on this momentum as we welcome the new A321XLR into our fleet and continue to improve the travel experience for every customer who chooses United,” said the airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby.
The new “Born to Explore” Airbus A321Xlr
In addition to the 10 new cities, the airline is adding new flights from Los Angeles to Osaka; from Washington, D.C. to Milan; from Denver to Paris; and will resume service from San Francisco to Tel Aviv. The airline will serve more destinations in Japan, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France than any other US carrier. The addition of the “Born to Explore” Airbus A321Xlr to the fleet will support the airline’s international growth in the summer of 2027 with routes to new destinations such as Ibiza, Luxembourg, Marseille, Toulouse and Valencia.
Tickets are now on sale
The configuration of the new aircraft features 32 premium class seats, including 20 United Polaris suites and 12 United Premium Plus seats: 16 more premium class seats than the Boeing 757-200.The A321Xlr is expected to begin operating on selected domestic routes this coming September and will transition to international service on 1 December, with flights from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport to Amsterdam and Dublin. Tickets for the first international flights went on sale on Thursday 27 August.
Published in Transportation
Cyprus Airways is to launch of a new route tfrom Larnaca to Rome Fiumicino, commencing on 11 December.
Expansion plans for Europe
The flights will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays throughout the year. The route further strengthens Cyprus Airways’ presence in Italy, where the airline already operates year-round flights to Milan Malpensa, supplemented by seasonal summer services to Venice. The Rome flight is part of the airline’s wider expansion plan in Europe, which also includes the launch of a new route to Munich and the addition of an extra weekly frequency to Heraklion.
“Building…a year-round network from Cyprus”
“The launch of Rome and Munich as new year-round destinations marks another important step in the ongoing expansion of our network. Both cities are extremely attractive for both leisure and business travel, and their addition offers our passengers even greater choice and flexibility throughout the year. Together with the additional service to Heraklion, these new routes strengthen our European connections and reinforce our commitment to building a sustainable, year-round network from Cyprus,” said Thanos Pascalis, CEO of Cyprus Airways.
European and Middle Eastern routes
The Cypriot carrier’s network also includes year-round scheduled flights to Paris, Milan, Athens and Heraklion, as well as seasonal destinations such as Barcelona, Venice and the Greek islands, and other routes operated as charter flights. In the Middle East, the airline operates key year-round scheduled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai, offering convenient connections for leisure and business travellers throughout the year.
Published in Transportation
For opera lovers these are Italy’s best cities, seasons and festivals.
Italy is the ultimate opera pilgrimage. This is where Verdi, Puccini, Rossini and Donizetti created some of the world’s most enduring music, and where historic theatres, Roman arenas and open-air stages still provide some of the most unforgettable settings in which to hear it. From glamorous Milan and its La Scala Opera House to the Roman Baths of Caracalla under the stars, here is where to experience opera at its most Italian.
Milan. A night at La Scala
No opera itinerary would be complete without Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, one of the most famous opera houses in the world. Seeing a performance here is as much about the experience as the music: the red velvet auditorium, glittering tiers of boxes and sense of history make La Scala a bucket-list destination. The main season generally runs through the autumn, winter and spring, with a programme of opera, ballet and concerts. And even if there is no performance during your visit, the theatre’s museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of Italian opera and some of its greatest names.
Verona and Venice. Beauty and spectacle
For sheer spectacle, nothing quite compares with the Arena di Verona. Every summer, this ancient Roman amphitheatre becomes one of the world’s most dramatic opera stages, with thousands of spectators gathering beneath the stars. The 2026 Arena Opera Festival runs to 12 September, with major productions including Aida, La Traviata, Nabucco and Turandot. The Teatro La Fenice in Venice is one of Italy’s great opera venues, with performances throughout much of the year. It is particularly appealing for travellers who want to combine opera with one of the world’s most extraordinary and beautiful cities.
Naples and Rome. Europe’s oldest opera house and ancient ruins
The Teatro di San Carlo opened in 1737, and is widely recognized as the oldest continuously active opera house in the world. The season typically runs across the autumn, winter and spring, with opera, ballet and concerts. A visit is also a perfect excuse to explore Naples itself – from the historic centre and archaeological treasures to pizza, pastries and the Bay of Naples. Rome offers the best of both worlds: a traditional opera season at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and spectacular summer productions staged at the Baths of Caracalla. The main theatre season generally runs through the cooler months in the Rome Opera House, while the summer programme transforms Caracalla into one of Europe’s most atmospheric open-air venues.
Tuscany, Pesaro and Macerata
For fans of Giacomo Puccini Torre del Lago is a must. This is where the composer lived and worked, and every summer the Puccini Festival (with only operas by Piccini) celebrates his music beside Lake Massaciuccoli, close to his former home. If Rossini is your composer, head for Pesaro, his birthplace on the Adriatic coast. Every summer, the Rossini Opera Festival attracts opera enthusiasts from around the world with productions ranging from famous works to rarely performed masterpieces. Another summer highlight is the Macerata Opera Festival, staged in the extraordinary Sferisterio, an open-air arena with an exceptionally wide stage and dramatic architecture.
Published in MICE & Events
The historic Hotel Danieli on Riva degli Schiavoni, a stone’s throw from St Mark’s in Venice, reopens as a Four Seasons.
"Venice in a completely new way"
“With the reopening of the iconic Danieli, Venice, a Four Seasons Hotel, and our fourth property in this spectacular collection in Italy, we are ushering in a new chapter in the history of this famous Palazzo,- said Rainer Stampfer, Four Seasons president of global operations. -In collaboration with our long-standing partner, the Statuto Group, we are offering guests the unique opportunity to experience the splendour of Venice in a completely new way.”
After restoration there will be 168 guest rooms
The hotel, whose history dates back to 1822, consists of three buildings: Palazzo Dandolo, built in 1471 as the residence of the noble Dandolo family, Palazzo Casa Nuova, once the seat of the Treasury of the Republic of Venice and Palazzo Danieli Excelsior. The hotel reopens with 120 rooms and suites, but the total number of guest rooms will rise to 168 once the restoration of Palazzo Danieli Excelsior is completed in 2027. “The reopening of the Danieli as a Four Seasons experience marks a milestone following months of restoration,” said Christian Zandonella, general manager of the Danieli Four Seasons Hotel. - We are delighted to welcome guests once again to one of Venice’s most iconic addresses, where the hotel’s extraordinary heritage is reimagined through Four Seasons’ legendary hospitality,
The rooftop Danieli Terrace and a new spa
The restoration has resulted in more spacious rooms and an expanded collection of Junior Suites and One-Bedroom Suites. Technology is discreetly integrated into the interiors to enhance comfort. Automated blinds, customizable lighting and an intuitive climate control system further personalize the guest experience. The refurbishment has also transformed the Danieli Terrace, the famous rooftop restaurant overlooking the lagoon. While respecting the restaurant’s historic setting, the atmosphere has been transformed without altering its architectural identity. The transformation of the Hotel Danieli will continue in the second half of 2026 with the opening of the new spa with three treatment rooms, one of which will be for couples, a sauna and a hammam.
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Published in Hospitality
There is a lot of uncertainty around what exactly is happening with the ETIAS system in Italy and in Europe.
Not currently operational in Italy
ETIAS is not currently operational in Italy. Italy is one of the 30 countries that will use the system, and this includes Italian airports, ports and other external Schengen borders, but for now the Italian ETIAS application system in not in operation. And neither is it operational in Europe.
The countries that will be involved
If someone is travelling to Italy today from a visa-exempt country such as the UK, US, Canada or Australia, they do not need ETIAS yet. If, for example, you are a British citizen flying from London to Rome, you don't need ETIAS today. But once ETIAS launches, you will need an approved ETIAS before travelling to Italy. The same situation applies across Europe. ETIAS is a single EU-wide system, rather than a national scheme, and will cover 30 European countries, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Greece and the other Schengen countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. At present, therefore, ETIAS is not actually working for travellers in any of these countries. Eligible visa-exempt travellers do not yet need to apply.
There will be a transitional and a grace period
The system is intended for citizens of countries whose nationals can currently enter the Schengen area without a visa, including the UK, United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. Once operational, travellers will have to obtain an electronic travel authorization before travelling to Europe. ETIAS is expected to cost €20 and normally remain valid for up to three years, or until the passport expires. ETIAS will also not become fully compulsory on its first day. After launch there will be a transitional period, followed by a grace period, allowing travellers and border authorities time to adapt. Consequently, if the current timetable is maintained, ETIAS is likely to become a normal and routinely enforced requirement during 2027 rather than immediately at the end of 2026.
Regular enforcement is expected in 2027
For Italy, therefore, the current position is clear: preparations are underway, but ETIAS is not yet functioning for travellers. This does not mean that Italy is behind the rest of Europe as the system's implementation is coordinated at EU level. The crucial dates for travellers are therefore the European launch in late 2026, and the expected move to regular enforcement in 2027.
Published in Transportation
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