Urbino, in the Marches region, is a walled city surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes, and lends itself to outdoor activities. In recent years a growing number of bicycle and motorbike enthusiasts have been discovering the historic city of Urbino and its surrounding area.

Along The Marches region’s country bike trails and roads there are not only captivating views but also many places to stop for a taste of the typical local gastronomy.

Country biking trails for all levels 

But that's not all: trekking and orienteering are also popular, either on your own or through companies that will tailor tours and excursions to your requirements. The itineraries in and around Urbino are designed for all kinds of travellers, from individuals to small groups and families and of course they are suitable for all ages and fitness levels, and for racing bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, and pedal-assisted bikes.

Pedalling around the historic centre

The routes departing and arriving in Urbino allow you to discover some of the area’s most beautiful natural and architectural attractions. There is even a trail within the city walls, along narrow alleyways and up and down hilly inclines with amazing panoramic views. The best way to get around the historical centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is of course with a pedal-assisted bike, but if you're one who likes to push the pedals, you'll be fine on a traditional bike.

Urbino has a majestic Ducal Palace 

The Palazzo Ducale is an architectural marvel that well represents the concept of the mathematical renaissance that developed in Urbino under Duke Federico da Montefeltro in the second half of the 1400s. This majestic building gives concrete form to an ideal of harmony that brings together mathematics, geometry, astronomy, astrology and the decorative art. This palace differs from any other in Europe as it is not a defensive structure, it is the place of encounter, with the two Torricini towers soaring towards the sky in a dialogue with the Divine.

The house and workshop of the great painter Raphael

Raphael’s house was a large wealthy family home with a workshop opening directly onto the street. This is where Raphael learned the first rudiments of drawing and painting and among the works on display there is a Madonna with Child considered the first example of Raphael’s art. Also on display in the Museum of the House of Raphael there are copies, fakes, paintings with erroneous attributions and majolicas, that give a measure of the greatness of this exemplary painter.  

Bookings for GNV departures up to September 2022 opened in October, and they put Italy centre stage. Alessio Macri, GNV’s Italy & Albania Sales Coordinator said: "We have invested in further improving our service and increasing the number of ferries for next summer, especially towards Sardinia. We have confirmed the Civitavecchia-Olbia, and we have added four ships on the routes from Genoa to Olbia and Porto Torres. In Sicily we have services all year between Palermo and the ports of Genoa and Naples, and we will also have departures from Civitavecchia to Palermo and Termini Imerese, as well as from Naples to Termini Imerese.”

New routes linking the Spanish islands 

GNV is also stepping up its routes in Spain “In 2022 it will be possible to book a ferry from Valencia and Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza respectively, as well as to Palma de Mallorca and Ciutadella, and there will be direct services between the islands of Ibiza and Palma, and Palma and Menorca,” adds Macrì.

A loyalty programme aimed at agencies

On the agency front Macrì says that despite the difficulties arising from the pandemic GNV has maintained its partership with travel companies and that it recently renewed its sales structure. “For 2022 we are working on a new reward loyalty programme called Find the route which is aimed at agencies and operators. It will be a way to strengthen our bond, as well as improving the sales process and service.”

Falkensteiner Family Resort Lido, a landmark of the same name brand, has reopened its doors for the winter season. Not only is this property, which is just an hour north of the city of Bolzano, the birthplace of industrialists Erich and Andreas Falkensteiener, but also the first family-run hotel of the well-known group. The South Tyrol hotel, which was entirely refurbished, extended, modernised to the sum of €20 million, was later repositioned in the Premium Collection. 

A perfect holiday for families

The variety of activities for the family and especially for children is undoubtedly what sets the new Falkensteiner Family Resort Lido apart. Young guests may engage in a variety of activities such as ice skating and skiing at the interactive Rooftop Sky Adventure Park. A football pitch and a Valo Jump area round out the package, which includes a trampoline on which kids can bounce and interact with a touch wall.

Fun water activities for all ages 

Summer is a great time for children to jump off the largest covered water slide in South Tyrol (120 metres and open all the way to the top.) And frolicking in the waves at the Acquapura Spa & Water World will delight all ages. This Dolomite resort also provides day-care for children of all ages seven days a week in Falky Land and Teen Land, where they are divided by age group.

An adventure concierge to help with activities

There's also good news in the 126 rooms, which have been completely redesigned, and the apartments are especially noteworthy. The resort provides guests with the invaluable assistance of an adventure concierge who advises on excursions and activities that are personalised for each family.

This winter the Obereggen and Carezza ski areas in the Val d'Ega in the South Tyrol, Italy’s northernmost province, are ready with 90 kilometres of downhill slopes, 100 kilometres of cross-country tracks, sledding and countless hiking trails.  At the foot of the imposing massifs of the Catinaccio and Latemar in the heart of the Dolomites, these two ski areas offer exceptional experiences for skiers of all levels including families and children.

Skiing, sledding and snowboarding, restaurants and lodges

In addition to being one of the 12 ski areas of the Dolomiti Superski, these Val d’Ega facilities are also part of the Obereggen-Val di Fiemme consortium, whose ski pass allows you to ski in the Obereggen, Pampeago and Predazzo area and in the Cermis-Cavalese, Alpe Lusia and Bellamonte areas in Val di Fiemme. In Obereggen as well as the skiing, sledding and snowboarding there are many food outlets and 12 splendid lodges with large panoramic terraces.

Val Di Fiemme

Special facilities for children 

Carezza is considered the most popular ski area for families and children who can enjoy ski schools, leisure areas, a themed run and various other activities. It has also upgraded its artificial snow, offering experienced winter sports lovers and novices alike captivating slopes on which to practice snowboarding, sledding, skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Special offers for exciting days on the slopes

The Dolomiti Super Première package is valid up to 22nd December 2021 and offers one free day for every four-day stay. The offer covers accommodation, ski passes, ski schools and equipment from €307 per person in half board.  From 9 to 29 January and from 20 March to 18 April 2022, Obereggen for Families offers young skiers the opportunity to take their first steps on skis in two snow-covered parks at  €1400 for 7 nights including many benefits. 

Discounts for young skiers

In Carezza the All Family Pass is valid from 2 to 9 January, 29 January to 2 February and from the 5 to 19 March 2022.  The 7-night package includes accommodation and free ski passes for all children under 8 years, a 30% discount for children up to 16 years and a 6-day ski pass for Fassa/Carezza.

The Blu Hotels properties ready for the winter season are the Linta Hotel Wellness & Spa in Asiago which has splendid views of the surrounding mountains, and the Blu Hotel Natura & Spa in Folgaria, a few steps from the centre of the ski resort and close to the slopes and ski lifts, while the Hotel Rezia in Bormio, a flagship of Valtellina hospitality, joins for the first time. 

Grand Hotel Misurina to open on 23 December

Opening from 18 December are the Golf Hotel in Folgaria which is directly on the ski slopes, and the Blu Hotel Acquaseria in Ponte di Legno, in the splendid setting of Mount Adamello. The last to open, on Thursday 23 December will be the Grand Hotel Misurina, overlooking the shores of charming Lake Misurina, the Sporthotel Kurzras in Maso Corto in Val Senales, and the Grand Hotel del Parco in Pescasseroli in the Abruzzo National Park, while the Blu Hotel Senales Zirm-Cristal opened a few weeks ago. 

Guaranteeing comfort and safety

All the hotels’ restaurants and wellness centers will be in operation in compliance with the measures to combat Covid. "We have hotels in some of Italy’s most famous ski resorts, and we are committed to guaranteeing the comfort and safety of our guests,” underlines Manuela Miraudo, the Group’s Events & Communications Manager.

Molise, Umbria and Emilia Romagna serve up the most gourmet of autumns, thanks to the king of the woods: the delicious truffle. Being first hunted and then tasted it entertains in the woods and delights on the plate. The prized truffle is the undisputed king of autumn, the protagonist of both flavours and adventures. At the Il Tartufo Restaurant in Borgotufi, the underground treasure is the key ingredient in several dishes such as the Autumn Beef Tartare and the Tortello of lamb, saffron, caciocavallo and truffle. 

San Pietro Avellana’s  Museum of Truffles

Across the beautiful lands of the Molise-Abruzzese Apennines, you can take part in guided tours to learn about the king of the woods, participating in delicious tastings with the official restaurant supplier Le Tartufaie di Ateleta. You can even visit the Museum of Truffles in San Pietro Avellana with its multimedia and multisensory exhibitions.

Truffle hunting up for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

At the Relais Borgo Campello in Umbria winter is the ideal time to taste the precious Umbrian black truffle, harvested between December and January. This hidden gem, suspended in time, explores the slow journey between nature, history and art and the property organises exclusive truffle hunts with experts and their trusty truffle dogs. Any fragrant treasure found in the woods will then be the ingredient of honour for the delicious dinner prepared by the Relais’ chef. Among other things, the truffle hunting process is a candidate for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021.

Dining on truffles in the EXÉ restaurant in Fiorano Modenese

In Emilia Romagna in the Modena area up in the Apennines you can find the delicious black truffle. Chef Paolo Balboni of the EXÉ restaurant in Fiorano Modenese re-invents Italian traditions, enhancing their traditional characteristics with a flourish of imagination applied to top-quality ingredients, including the excellent local truffles. For those who like to cook the experience at EXÉ is perfect. First you learn how to make and roll out the egg pasta, then the chef teaches you to prepare some truffle dishes which you eventually eat all together. 

Experience a day as a truffle hunter at Il Cielo di Strela

Finally, in the woods of Valtaro, in the province of Parma, from November to March you can take part in an unforgettable excursion aptly named A day as a truffle hunter. Visitors are accompanied by an environmental hiking guide, with the help of a truffle hunting dog, on the stunning grounds of chef Mario Marini’s Il Cielo di Strela farmhouse. Here they learn to identify, collect and then clean and cook black truffles. The excursion lasts about 3 hours and costs €200, and the truffle lunch that follows costs €40 per person, all inclusive.

The new spa Laqua by the Lake, which has adopted the Longevity Suite Method, is on Lake Orta, west of Lake Maggiore. Extending over 200 square metres it is accessible to guests without having to leave the central area of the resort. The innovative anti-ageing procedure is the result of years of scientific research into the most advanced technologies of wellness and advanced cosmeceutical products. The techniques developed are aimed at beauty, physical fitness and mental wellness programmes.

Ground-breaking methods using cold and detox

At the heart of the anti-ageing programmes is a slowing of the ageing process through the use of cold and detoxification. The new spa, located just a few kilometres from Relais Villa Crespi, has two single treatment rooms, a couple's room, a sensory room and a cryotherapy room, and it also offers guests fitness programmes in the Matrix gym.

After almost two years of lockdown people can’t wait to put their skies on again, and Cortina’s Faloria Mountain Spa Resort is preparing for this long-awaited winter season with many new wellness and gourmet treats. Expanded and renovated in 2018, this 5-star property is a blend of modernity and tradition with rooms where traditional furnishings blend with the highest international standards of hospitality.   

Innovative menus using local ingredients 

The newly renovated restaurant is in the skilled hands of Chef Giovanni Gagliardo, formerly with Pagani in Salerno, the Capri Palace, and Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole. At Faloria Giovanni has the opportunity to fully express his gastronomic philosophy with a menu where tradition meets innovation.  Using local ingredients, sourced from small producers in Cortina, the menu features such delights as speck and Crudo di Sauris traditional cured meats, Fodom, Bastardo del Grappa and Imperatore delle Dolomiti cheeses and a selection of Mediterranean ingredients. 

Views over Alpine landscapes  

The restaurant, which seats 70, is inside a spectacular glass pavilion with breathtaking views of the Alpine landscape, having Mount Croda da Lago on one side, and the 1956 Olympic Ski Jump on the other.   Guests will also discover Faloria’s spa area which is a real gem: over 1,000 square meters with a semi-Olympic pool, sauna, ice fountain, caldarium, vitality pool, relaxation areas and rooms for private treatments.  

Two special festive packages 

For the festive season the Ampezzo hotel has created two special packages: Christmas and New Year's Eve at the Faloria Mountain Spa Resort which include, in addition to the stay, a festive dinner (on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve), spa entrance and dedicated treatments.  The packages also include a super Alpine breakfast and transfers from the hotel to the main ski resorts and the city 

Christmas cheer and free spa entrance

Christmas at Faloria: including 5 nights for two guests in a double room, a welcome drink at check-in, a welcome drink in the room on arrival, a fantastic buffet breakfast, an aperitif and a Christmas Eve dinner in the restaurant - drinks not included, and free entrance to the spa including two massages to choose between: Orange and Cinnamon Aromatherapy Ritual or Candle Massage From €2,856 including VAT.

Ring in the New Year with a 7-night stay

New Year's Eve at Faloria: including a 7-night stay for two guests in a double room, a welcome drink at check-in, a welcome drink in the room on arrival, a fantastic buffet breakfast, an aperitif, a dinner and New Year's Eve Party - drinks dinner not included, and free entrance to the Spa including two massages to choose between: Orange and Cinnamon Aromatherapy Ritual or Candle Massage. From €11,873 including VAT.