Garibaldi Hotels are close to 2021 results, but there are still challenges to overcome. 

With Puglia and Trentino confirmed as the best performing regions for the group, destinations such as Rome and Sardinia are also doing well: "We still have a fluctuating situation but the desire for holidays is very strong, and Italy is the preferred destination for domestic and international tourism – said general manager Fabrizio Prete. - Bookings show a plus sign compared to the same period of 2021, but the goal is to achieve pre-pandemic results."

50% of rooms to foreign operators

One destination that has benefited from the return of foreign tourists is Rome: “Our city hotel, after the difficulties of the previous two years, is working well with unexpected results - continues Prete -. We have decided to focus on foreign groups.  Sardinia’s Santina Resort & Spa is also doing well with good numbers from Eastern Europe and Spain. “We have chosen to dedicate about 50% of the rooms to foreign operators with exclusive contracts - adds Prete -. This is very important for lengthening the season." Since 2021 half of the group’s facilities are open all year round

Buy Now Pay Later is popular

Garibaldi Hotels has entered Scalapay, following the emerging trend of Buy Now Pay Later. "We are convinced that holidays paid in three convenient interest-free instalments is a good way to go both for the customers and the properties.”  

Studies show that the number of women booking solo travel has doubled since the Covid pandemic.

While travelling alone can be a freeing experience for women, it can also be fraught with perils. Here are some tips from TheKnowledgeAcademy on how women can stay safe when travelling single. 

Don’t just rely on your phone to keep your accommodation details.  Phones can die, so write the address down on a card and carry it with you. And always share your movements or, even better, your GPS location, with your loved ones. 

Don’t tell strangers you are travelling alone. Don’t be over-friendly and do try to blend in with locals. Standing out makes you a target and can attract undesirable attention.  Be willing to spend a little more to keep safe, it will be money well spent. Like taking a taxi directly to your accommodation rather than public transport that drops you somewhere in a city you don’t know.  

Simple advice. But it could make the difference between a holiday you want to forget, and one you will treasure forever. https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Eco-sustainable  holidays in the Dolomites using soft mobility are a perfect choice for anyone looking to holiday in the Val d'Ega.

Not only are doing themselves a favour, they are also helping the planet by choosing a destination that has long embraced tourism and an eco-sustainable lifestyle. This destination is green from every angle, and you can practically forget that you have a car thanks to the Mobile and Guest Pass that allow you to use 18 ski lifts and public transportation, all of which goes towards minimizing the environmental impact and promoting a stay in total harmony with nature.

Photovoltaic systems to reduce C02 emissions

With five hydroelectric plants providing electricity to over 5,000 households and businesses without emitting CO2, and two district heating plants fueled by local biomass, there are annual fuel oil savings of approximately 1.2 million litres. Some 36 holiday accommodations use solar panels or systems powered by wood chips or pellets to heat the water and rooms, and 27 generate their own electricity, heating the water and their premises by using photovoltaic systems.

Geothermal energy heats a mountain refuge

At present this green corner of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site can boast four hotels that have signed up to the 2025 Climate Neutrality Pact. These properties are measuring their CO2 footprint annually in order to reduce or compensate for it as much as possible. Carezza Dolomites, the first privately managed ski area to sign the Agreement, is following suit. And this green chapter would not be complete without mentioning the Oberholz refuge at 2096 metres asl, a true marvel of eco-sustainable design that towers over the slopes from which it takes its name and is heated entirely by geothermal energy.

Unlimited rides

The Living the Dolomites with Soft Mobility programme, which is valid up to 1 November 2022, is aimed at anyone who wants to delight in the mountains of the Val d'Ega without driving, but by taking advantage of the free public transportation in the Alto Adige region, including unlimited rides on the Catinaccio, Latemar, and Sciliar ski lifts.

The package
The package includes 7 overnight stays, 7 days of Guest Pass Val d'Ega unlimited use of public transportation throughout South Tyrol, the 5-day Mountain Pass with unlimited use of 18 lifts, the Tappeiner hiking map & MTB map. And there is also a bonus for those arriving in the Val d'Ega with low-emission vehicles such as trains and buses.
Prices start from €232,50 per person in apartments.

Casa di Langa is Preferred's second Italian property under the Beyond Green brand. After Borgo Pignano, which was the launch of the eco brand in April 2021, the American Krause group, under president and CEO Kyle Krause who is well known in Italy as the owner of Parma Calcio 1913, has now brought the Piedmont hotel into the collection.

Properties that make a difference

Beyond Green are properties with a proven positive impact that produces concrete results on the three pillars of sustainable tourism: environmentally friendly practices that go beyond basic concepts, special attention and protection of historical and natural heritage, and a major contribution to the socio-economic wellbeing of local communities. The notion is based on the United Nations' 54 indicators that include global tourism standards and sustainable development goals.

Environmentally friendly energy sources

Casa di Langa, nestled in the lush hills of Piedmont, delivers zero-kilometre catering and unique cultural experiences. The property is committed to employing only environmentally friendly energy sources. Furthermore it has a rainwater recovery system, and single-use plastic is banned. Among the projects supported by the property are native tree replanting and the management of a huge vegetable garden which provides fresh, farm-to-fork food for the Fàula hotel restaurant.

An estate on 42 hectares

The 39 rooms have views over hills and valleys, the snow-capped Alps, and the towering Serralunga d'Alba Castle with its antique medieval tower. Casa di Langa has been restored along the lines of a pre-existing building and was inspired by the adjacent Unesco site. It stands on a large estate of approximately 42 hectares comprised of vineyards, woodlands, orchards and a hazelnut grove. Guests at the hotel can enjoy wine tastings, cooking classes, hunting for black and white truffles, tours to local villages, hiking and biking.

Siena, home to the annual Palio and to the mysterious magic square, is also the home of great architects and painters of the past, and has one of the most beautiful and best preserved European historical centres. The monumental and artistic heritage of the city is priceless and in 1995 UNESCO listed the historic centre as a World Heritage Site.

A beautiful trapezoid square

One of the symbols of Siena is undoubtedly the Piazza del Campo, considered one of the most beautiful squares in Italy with its characteristic trapezoidal shape. Historically financial and commercial activities were concentrated halfway along Via Francigena while Piazza del Campo was a marketplace, but the square is most famous for the Palio horse race, held heretwice a year  on 2 July and 16 August, with the  different districts of Siena competing.

Architectural masterpieces

All around the square there are monumental buildings including the soaring Torre del Mangia and the Palazzo Pubblico. This is one of the most elegant expressions of Italian Gothic civil architecture and has rooms embellished with medieval masterpieces by Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. The Cathedral is one of the most significant churches built in Italian Roman-Gothic style and is recognizable for its characteristic black and white marble bands. It is on a Latin cross shape with three naves and three portals, and three spires in pure Florentine Gothic style grace the facade.

A small stone with a cryptic message

On a small stone embedded in the external wall of the Cathedral there is an engraving. This is the so-called magic square and bears it the words SATOR, AREPO, TENET, OPERA, ROTAS. A sentence that remains identical when read from left to right or vice versa. This curious magic square is visible in many archaeological finds scattered throughout Europe, but the symbolic meaning is still unknown today.

A luxury hotel is planned for the Savoy Venaria Reale residence. The project, which echoes those for Versailles in Paris and Schönbrunn in Vienna, is still on paper but is gradually taking shape. 

Four Seasons, Starhotels and Marriott have been approached

So much so that a feasibility study has already been conducted by the specialized consultancy firm Colliers International.  €30 million is also said to be available thanks to an agreement with the Rome-based Istituto per il Credito Sportivo, and surveys have been conducted with companies such as Four Seasons, Starhotels and Marriott to identify a possible managing partner. 

The hotel could open in five years

According to the La Stampa newspaper the hotel should be completed within five years, and the feasibility study is currently being examined by the board of directors of the royal palace. The idea is to transform some rooms of the Venaria's attic into suites, as well as to use the areas that will be obtained from the redevelopment of the Gamerra barracks located near the gardens of the massive complex.

Three new off-the-beaten-track itineraries in central and northern Italy to discover landscapes, flavours, and emotions are the first fruits of a new partnership between tour operators Go World, WWF Travel, and Và Sentiero. The latter is the youth expedition that documented Italy, kilometre by kilometre, involving thousands of people from all over the world.

Promoting Italy’s inland areas

“The collaboration with WWF Travel is an opportunity to continue our mission of promoting the inland parts of Italy,- explains Yuri Basilic, President and Founder of Va 'Sentiero, - especially among young people who increasingly feel the need for genuine experiences.”

“Areas with strong natural appeal” 

“The enhancement of areas with strong natural appeal, both in Italy and the Mediterranean, is an absolute priority for us, - says Gianluca Mancini, Director of WWF Travel. - Working with the Va 'Sentiero project means working with a team of extraordinary young people who, in recent years, have made an exceptional contribution to the knowledge and promotion of off-the-beaten-track Italy.”

Itineraries from northern to central Italy

The three itineraries explore routes with the Va 'Sentiero team as a guide, and are all designed to ensure authentic and quality experiences in unusual and less frequented parts of the country. The three itineraries studied and guided by Va 'Sentiero are a spiritual journey in the Friuli Venezia Giulia’s Natisone Valleys, from Cividale del Friuli to Pulfero;  ancient villages in the Abruzzo, from the Gran Sasso to the Majella; and mythical and legendary Umbria, Marche, and Lazio, from the Sibillini to the Laga Mountains. For more information on the itineraries, visit the website www.wwftravel.it/vasentiero

The Trentino region’s spas are ideal for wellness breaks at any time of year specialized, as they are, in the treatment of specific pathologies and traditional treatments based on the properties of mountain waters.  These six spas in various parts of the region are all in stunning natural surroundings where you can delight in meadows in which to walk barefoot, or meditate surrounded by silence to awaken the body and the senses. 

Borgo Salute-Terme Val Rendena

The Borgo Salute-Terme Val Rendena spa offers guests a series of activities and guided tours that allow them to discover the beautiful landscapes of the Adamello Brenta Natural Park. This is the place to come to restore your psychophysical balance, and to rediscover the value of wellbeing in an enchanting valley that is a destination for sports lovers as well as for those who just want to chill out and delight in nature.

An Ayurvedic approach to health and wellbeing

An Ayurvedic approach is one based on the world's oldest medical science and it places man at the centre, viewing him as a whole composed of body, mind, and spirit. This programme in the Borgo Salute Wellness Centre in Caderzone Terme, which is about 60 kilometres from the city of Trento, includes a three-night full-board stay inspired by Ayurvedic cuisine. There are two Ayurvedic treatments per day in the open air in the Adamello Brenta Natural Park as well as a meditation and yoga programme. Individual thermal baths, daily Dinacharya practices, and access to the Wellness Center are also included.

The Terme di Comano 

Thermal water, pure air, and natural beauty. This is the season of freedom and wellbeing par excellence, and the Terme di Comano spa which close to the town of Stenico, and some three hours from Milan,  invites visitors to experience all this also through one-day experiences. The many paths and tails in the area lead to an ideal blend of relaxation, excursions and wellness.

The Terme di Levico

The Terme di Levico, in the Valsugana valley, has a series of completely new trails aimed at physical and mental well-being. The facility has been designed and developed by a highly qualified medical team to manage stress and transform the simple action of breathing into an effective tool for obtaining tangible benefits. And the thermal treatments are water-based here, which is something quite unique in Italy.

The Terme di Peio

The Terme di Pejo is an Alpine spa where you can relax and recharge while indulging in wellness and pampering and the waters of three natural springs. In this holistic oasis of wellbeing, silence and slow rhythms you will find your psycho-physical balance through pleasant emotional and sensorial involvement.

The Terme di Rabbi is located in the heart of the Trentino’s Stelvio National Park and has personalized experiential paths for stress reduction and healthy living.

For visitors to the Magnum Photos - Colors, Places, Faces exhibition in the Armani/ Silos fashion museum, Armani Hotel Milano is offering a welcome to its rooms and suites.

Curated by Giorgio Armani, in collaboration with Magnum Photos, the exhibition features places, travels and people through the lens of ten international photographers. A unique combination of art, journalism and storytelling.

Armani Silos - Magnum Photos - Colors, Places, Faces - Courtesy of Giorgio Armani

Aperitifs in the Armani/Bamboo Bar

This is an opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in different worlds and cultures while remaining in the city. With a special package from Armani Hotel Milano they can start the day with an American breakfast in the restaurant or in their room. They can also enjoy an aperitif for two at the Armani/Bamboo Bar on the 7th floor.

Upgraded rooms on availability

Valid until 6th November (the last day of the exhibition), the package also includes Giorgio Armani toiletries, an upgrade to a higher room category based on availability, late check out, also according to availability, and two tickets to the Armani/Silos. Starting from € 1,700 per night (based on a minimum stay of 2 nights).

For information and hotel reservations: www.armanihotels.com 

Visitors can discover the seven wonders of the Val d’Ega in Italy’s northern Alto Adige, just a stone's throw from Bolzano. This beautiful valley satisfies all those who love high altitude holidays.

From families looking for tranquillity to sportsmen who see opportunities to test their skills on walls and trails, here are seven and more reasons not to miss the opportunity to spend their holidays in the heart of this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A green valley and a walking paradise

The green Val d'Ega is among the top three destinations in South Tyrol for sustainability, based on the globally recognized criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Excursions along 500 kilometres of trails and old railway lines introduce walking enthusiasts to the area and to the beautiful Monti Pallidi mountains. 

The South Tyrol Planetarium

Starry excursions: in addition to the first Star Village in Europe, the Val d'Ega boasts a programme of activities at the South Tyrol Planetarium, with workshops for children and families and guided walks on the Path of the Planets under one of the most beautiful skies in Italy. 

Credits: Jens Staudt

Fun for all the family and for cyclists

Fun for all the family: if the Latemarium is a triumph of thematic walks, the endless attractions for children range from the Alpine Coaster and the BoscoAvventura, to educational trails and excursions. Discover the Dolomites on two wheels with bike rentals and schools, MTB guides, bike hotels, MTB tours, bike parks and bike trails. The Val d’Ega is truly a paradise for cyclists of all kinds, and no one will want to miss the Rosadira Bike Dolomite Festival.

Discovering farm life

The region has many farms that offer visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the day-to-day life of a typical South Tyrolean farm, with guided tours to find out all about milk and honey and how they are made.