Lake Orta, surely Piedmont’s most romantic lake, is close to the Swiss border, among the green forests and rocky foothills of the Italian Alps. 

The lake is just an hour from Milan

Yes, the Piedmont region has the great lakes of Como and Maggiore, and the Veneto has Lake Garda, and Lake Orta is lesser known, which is what makes it more intimate and laidback.  Just 40 kilometres from Milan’s Malpensa airport, the town of Orta San Giulio is on the lake and is considered one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy. Strolling through its characteristic streets past old palaces, elegant arcades and villas, shops and local taverns, you will discover all its old-world charm.

Frescoes of St. Francis of Assisi and Pella

Located in the hilly area above Orta San Giulio, the Sacro Monte d'Orta is dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. Here starts the route to the 20 chapels that are frescoed with episodes from the saint’s life, and of course there are breathtaking views over the lake and Orta San Giulio. Pella, situated on the opposite shore to Orta San Giulio, is a small village with a magnificent perspective across this romantic lake and to the island of San Giulio.  

An island for meditation

The mysterious island of San Giulio in Lake Orta’s center is located opposite Orta San Giulio. This is a small and enchanting island with an abbey of cloistered nuns, and the Basilica of San Giulio. On arrival visitors are greeted by a flight of steps and the Path of Meditation, a place of spirituality and a peaceful corner with dwellings, courtyards and splendid views.

A cliff-hanging sanctuary, beaches and little restaurants

The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sasso, located on a cliff overlooks the lake in the Borgo di Boleto area. The sanctuary has a dome frescoed by Lorenzo Peracino, as well as a Deposition of Christ by Fermo Stella da Caravaggio, and at the top there is a belvedere called the Cusio Balcony with views over the entire lake. A series of little beaches ring Lake Orta, some of which are public while others have lidos with bars and restrooms.  There are also many little restaurants specializing in local delicacies.  

Umbria’s International San Francesco d'Assisi Airport ranks second in Europe for passenger traffic growth in the category of airports with traffic under ten million passengers per year.

Umbria’s airport posted +137% in the first semester

The figure for the first half of 2023 published by Airports Council International (ACI), puts the airport right after another Italian airport, Trapani. The report highlights how regional and minor airports completely recovered their pre-pandemic passenger volumes in the first half of the year, closing the month of June with an average +2.2% compared to 2019. Perugia, with an increase of +137%, recorded the second-best performance in the first half of the year. 

“There are still further margins for growth”

Umberto Solimeno, General Director of Umbria Airport, commented: 'We are proud to once again be ranked among the airports in our category with the best growth rate in Europe.   Umbria is increasingly considered a relevant and desired destination on the Italian and European scene, and we are convinced that there are still further margins for growth."

Ravello is on the Amalfi Coast and is often referred to as Italy’s Machu Picchu for its position on a high cliff some 60 kilometres south of Naples.  

A UNESCO site with a rich cultural scene

On the beautiful Amalfi coast, Ravello is unique as from on high it overlooks many of the other world-famous little towns along the Gulf of Salerno like Positano and Sorrento. In 1997 its scenic sweep gained it World Heritage status. Ravello is  not just called Italy’s Machu Picchu, but also the City of Music as it is home to the striking Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium and a vibrant cultural scene with the Ravello Festival and Ravello Concert Society among others. 

Ravello’s famous terraced gardens and 5-star Villa Cimbrone

The steepness of the terrain has led the inhabitants to model the land into terraces on which they cultivate gardens, citrus groves and vineyards with staircases connecting the different levels. The road up to the town gets very congested with the constant traffic, especially in the summer months, and when Richard Wagner visited in 1880 he had to be persuaded to take a donkey up the mule track which was the only access road in those days. The famous Terrace of Infinity of Villa Cimbrone with its 18th-century marble busts is in a beautiful English garden that had fallen into disrepair. Today the villa is one of the Mediterranean’s most luxurious 5-star hotels, with suites and rooms that have original vaulted ceilings and tiled floors, as well as a renowned restaurant. 

Statue at Villa Cimbrone

In nearby Castiglione there are free beaches and lidos 

Ravello’s second thing of beauty is Villa Rufolo where visitors can admire the modern staircase - inspired by Maurits Cornelis Escher who passed through Ravello in 1922 - and visit the three floors and the Tower. The villa was built in the 13th century by the Rufolo banking family as a symbol of their power, while the splendid gardens were created by Sir Francis Neville Reid, the Scottish industrialist who bought it in 1851. In the town's old centre there are the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and the Cathedral where there is an ampulla with the blood of San Pantaleone, the patron saint. For those who want to spend time at the beach, Castiglione is just four kilometres away and has both a free beach and an equipped lido that rents sunbeds and beach umbrellas. It is better to go in the morning as, being surrounded by rocky outcroppings, the beach is shaded from the early afternoon hours.

From 16 to 24 September, on the occasion of the European Heritage Days, Italy’s Aosta Valley kicks off the 11th edition of Plaisirs de Culture.

Ancient trades explained 

This year’s theme for the event, Living Heritage, is an invitation to experience the Valle d’Aosta region’s cultural heritage first hand.

For example in Jovençan, potions and natural remedies based on officinal plants are on the bill, and the surroundings cam be explored on a guided cycle tour that ends with a show. In Champorcher hemp is woven according to ancient techniques, in Fénis children can build wooden musical instruments in the carpentry workshop, while in Sarriod de la Tour Castle fantastic characters are modelled in clay.

Cultural visits and exhibitions

There are many themed walks that allow visitors to appreciate lesser-known aspects of the Aosta Valley where,  even under the mountains, there are treasures to be discovered. As in Cogne where the highest mines in Europe are located, and where you can walk through the tunnels to discover the experience of generations of miners and then visit the mining museum. For one week, it will be possible to visit the following castles and museums free of charge: Sarriod de la Tour Castle, Saint Pierre Castle - E. Noussan Regional Museum of Natural Sciences, Aymavilles Castle - Museum of the 19th century, Sarre Royal Castle, Fénis Castle, Gamba Castle in Châtillon - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Verrès Castle, Issogne Castle and Savoy Castle in Gressoney-Saint-Jean. Doors are also open to the archaeological sites of Aosta  to the MAR - Regional Archaeological Museum and the aqueduct of Pont-d'Aël in the municipality of Aymavilles.

Guided tours, and free or reduced admission

There is no shortage of guided tours of places preserved by time such as rural houses, seats of institutions and churches from Aosta Cathedral to chapels in small villages.  All cultural venues - castles, museums, archaeological sites, churches, house museums and monuments - in Aosta and the surrounding villages have free or reduced admission.

For information: https://valledaostaheritage.com/events/plaisirs-culture-2023

Aeroitalia's new routes from Barcelona, Vienna and Bucharest (Baneasa) to Ancona airport, are due to start on 15 September. 

Connecting to Europe and other continents

Then, from 28 October it will be the turn of Aeroitalia’s new Amsterdam-Ancona flights. All routes will be operated with 68-seater Atr-72/600 aircraft.  "The new routes starting from 15 September are another milestone in the expansion of our network," says Gaetano Intrieri, the carrier's CEO. -Our aim is to increasingly extend the range of destinations available to better connect Italy with the rest of Europe and soon with other continents.”

Ancona to Milan Linate, Naples and Rome to start in October 

"The cooperation with Aeroitalia opens up markets of great interest for Ancona airport and its catchment area,- said Alexander D'Orsogna, managing director of Ancona International Airport. -These important new routes will satisfy different types of customers: starting with leisure, both incoming and outgoing, moving on to business passengers and ending with ethnic travellers.” Aeroitalia recently won the tender to operate flights from Ancona airport to Milan Linate, Naples and Rome which are due to start operations in October 2023.

Trenitalia has introduced a new Frecciarossa train between Rome Fiumicino Airport and Naples, further enhancing the integration of air and rail travel. This service, operated by a Frecciarossa 1000 train, departs from Fiumicino Airport station at 21:53 and arrives at Naples Central Station at 23:56, with a stop at Roma Termini along the way and greatly minimizes travel time while simplifying the journey.

Catering to morning flight schedules

Complementing the new Trenitalia Fiumicino-Naples connection, and ideal for morning flight schedules, there is already a direct Frecciarossa service that departs from Fiumicino Airport at 9:38 and reaches Naples at 11:33. A counterpart service departs from Naples at 5:45, arriving at Fiumicino Airport at 7:52. This network of Frecciarossa trains extends not only to Naples but also connects Fiumicino Airport to city centres in Florence, Bologna, Padua, and Venice.

Checking-in at the trail station

This seamless travel experience, bridging air and rail transport, aligns well with FCO Connect—an initiative jointly launched by Trenitalia, Aeroporti di Roma, and ITA Airways. FCO Connect allows passengers to check.in at designated counters in Fiumicino Airport’s railway station. The service also facilitates the convenient transfer of baggage, which can be deposited at the station and collected at the final destination serviced by ITA Airways. 

Minimising travel time and simplifying the journey

For travellers arriving at the airport by train, there has been an uptick in bookings for summer 2023. Leading the list of foreign travellers opting for the a train + plane combined ticket are Argentina and the United States, followed by Brazil. Among the top five cities for departures and arrivals by train are Florence, Naples, Milan, Bologna, and Venice. 

Gusmay Beach & Spa is the new entry for Life Resorts Private Collection in Apulia.

Three hotels with a total of 180 rooms and the highest levels of service

Located on the Gargano coast, a few kilometres from Peschici and Vieste, the Gusmay Beach & Spa is the latest Apulian property in the Private Collection of Life Resorts.

"The complex is made up of three hotels with a total of 180 rooms,- says Enzo Carella, CEO & founder of Life Resorts. "It is in a large Mediterranean park directly overlooking a private bay, and we offer the highest levels of service in an Apulia now devoted to high-end tourism. The all-suite units close to the sea, and the gourmet restaurants with panoramic terraces provide guests with extraordinary experiences. This is a very positive summer for our brands, and so we are adding three new premium resorts to our Italian collection."

Three restaurants, a spa, pools and tennis courts

Within the Life Resort Gusmay Beach & Spa, the 4-star Cala del Turco has 92 rooms and suites spread over two floors, while the 5-star Gusmay and the Suites le Dune have 56 and 32 keys respectively. There are also three restaurants, as well as bars and swimming pools, a gym, two tennis courts, a private beach and a spa with sauna and a Turkish bath. The Life Resort Gusmay Beach & Spa will be run on a full management basis and marketed through the company's select network of international partners.

Travel Group will be the media partner of Green Weddings 2023, showcasing Italy as the quintessential wedding venue.

The event will be chaired by Italy’s minister for foreign affairs 

The Green Wedding 2023 event, which the Palazzo del Congressi in Rome’s EUR district will host on 4 November 2023, will be dedicated to the wedding industry in Italy. Promoted by the Green Weddings Foundation it will feature three main events. The first conference, Destination Weddings in the promotion of Made in Italy, will be opened and chaired by Italy’s minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation, Antonio Tajani.  

“Everything must speak of Italy’s excellence”

"When we talk about the wedding system in Italy, we mean the provision of services of the highest professional level," says Green Weddings Foundation president Armando Soldaini. "Everything from the dresses and flowers to the dozens of related services, must speak of Italy’s excellence in a green logic, meaning a return to authenticity and in contact with local communities."

An opportunity to discuss the issues facing the wedding industry

The second conference, Wedding tourism: regions, villages and territories will see the participation of regional authorities, administrators, operators and travel and wedding companies, and the first European Congress of Wedding Planners, also to be held on 4 November.

"Weddings are an industry,- says Fabio Ridolfi, vice-president of the Green Weddings Foundation, "- and this event is an opportunity to discuss the issues facing the sector, as well as a chance to formulate ideas for the future.”

Italiabsolutely and Travel Quotidiano will be the media partners 

Travel Group, with its publications Travel Quotidiano and ItaliAbsolutely, will be media partner of the event.

"Weddings bring considerable benefits to the entire incoming sector," says Daniela Battaglioni, managing director of Travel Quotidiano and ItaliAbsolutely. "Today the average cost of a wedding is €55,000, representing a great potential for operators. It also has potential for destinations off the mass-tourism beaten track that can attract visitors wanting to discover the most authentic Italy, the Italy we present to the world every day with our B2B portal Italiabsolutely.”

The fortress of Rocca Calascio, considered the Abruzzo region’s most popular and stunning movie set, is located at 1460 metres asl in the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. 

The majestic military fortress has four towers

Rocca Calascio, which is about two hours from Rome, is one of the highest fortifications in Italy, and dominates the Tirino valley and the Navelli plain in the province of l'Aquila. On a military layout it is unique for the way it blends in with the impervious surrounding territory, a position chosen as it was formidable from a defensive point of view. The fortress, made of very white limestone is on a square plan. It has four cylindrical towers at the corners and a square keep in the centre which is the castle's innermost military defense structure.

The fortress and village were destroyed by an earthquake in 1703

The fortress was accessed through an entrance on the east side at a height of about five metres, reached by means of a retractable wooden staircase resting on two stone brackets that are still visible today. An effective military observation point, it allowed communication with other castles, as far as the Adriatic coast, with the aid of torches at night and mirrors during the day. At the foot of the fortress there are also the ruins of the ancient village, to which it is connected by a wooden bridge. In 1703, a disastrous earthquake damaged both the fortress and the village. Conservative restoration work was carried out between 1986 and 1989, and this has allowed the entire area to be discreetly preserved, and it is open to visitors today.

A popular movie set in the Gran Sasso-Monti della Laga National Park

Rocca Calascio is a magical place, and is famous for having been the film set for Lady Hawke, Padre Pio and The Name of the Rose. For the beauty of the surroundings, the global film industry has elected the entire area, from Rocca Calascio to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, an ideal movie set. A visit to the castle is included in many of the itineraries and tours of the Gran Sasso-Monti della Laga National Park. On the road leading to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, one of the Most Beautiful Small Towns in Italy you will pass the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà, which can also be admired from the fortress.