Winter in the Dolomites is an experience that goes beyond the slopes, with sports and culture for all ages.

Skiing marathons and skating competitions

January and February 2025 will again host various sporting and cultural events that attract tourists of all ages, and enthusiasts from all over the world. Among the events dedicated to cross-country skiing, the 3 Zinnen Ski-Marathon, the oldest and longest cross-country skiing marathon in South Tyrol, stands out. On 11 and 12 January over a hundred athletes will cross the municipalities of Dobbiaco, San Candido, Sesto, Villabassa and Braies, competing in the classic and skating styles. Then, on 1 and 2 February the Gran Fondo Dobbiaco-Cortina will take place, a 42 km race in classic style, or 35 km in freestyle.

Events for runners and a hot air balloon festival

Running-related events are also on the programme. On 18 January, the Winter Night Run in Dobbiaco offers two night runs from 5 ppm. to 8 p.m.: a competitive 12 km run and a non-competitive 7 km run. Also in Dobbiaco, the FIS Para Nordic Worldcup will take place from 11 to 14 February. There is no shortage of attractions for the whole family. From 5 to 12 January, the hot-air balloons of the Dolomiti Balloonfestival will fly over Dobbiaco, while in San Candido, from 20 to 22 January, visitors can watch the construction of works of art carved from snow blocks at the Dolomiti Snow Festival, the international festival of snow sculptures.

A spa resort next to the mountain ski lifts

Strategically located to fully enjoy the events, the Bad Moos Aqua Spa Resort in Sesto offers two types of packages from 5 January to 23 February: the White Weeks - Dolomites Ski Paradise for ski lovers and the Wellness for Body & Soul for those who just want to relax. The resort enjoys a privileged position at the base of the Croda Rossa mountain ski lifts, allowing guests to leave the resort with their skis on. The Soma & Anima Spa is equipped with every comfort from an indoor pool and a sauna to a sulfur grotto, and much more. For imformation: www.badmoos.it

The Numa group's expansion in Italy continues with four new properties in the pipeline for Rome, Venice and Florence, bringing the Berlin-based company’s Italy offer to over 455 keys. 

Two new hotels are planned for Florence

The new entry in Rome will be in Via Luigi Turchi 9 in the historic Trastevere district. With 72 rooms and 291 beds, this development will open in the second quarter of 2025. Palazzo Haggis, in the heart of Florence, is a 6-key building scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2024 and is strategically located within walking distance of the Duomo, the Accademia, Sant'Ambrogio and Santa Croce.  In Venice Numa is renovating Palazzo Orseolo, a historic building with 34 beds, located in the San Marco district, and yet another new development is in the pipeline in Florence, in the San Niccolò district. 

“Our properties blend charm with modern conveniences”

“Each property reflects our vision of blending historical charm with modern, digital conveniences-’ says Numa Group's general manager Italy, Umberto Ottaviani. -Looking ahead, we are actively seeking new opportunities in key markets such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, Verona and Turin to further expand our presence in Italy.”

Mielemente, the first and only Christmas market dedicated to the world of honey, returns for its second edition to the Marche village of Montelupone from 6 to 8 December.

Honey-based foods, products and cosmetics

The event is aimed at tasting and discovering honey and all the products derived from it in the areas of food, beverage, cosmetics and publishing, from northern to southern Italy. From Sicilian Sanfurrichi, the “world's oldest honey candies” to Melitites, the first honey wine in the Marche region, and from anti-ageing masks to hair products and publishing. 

Honey events for all the family 

During the event numerous events and activities are planned for the whole family, with workshops and happenings to discover the world of beekeeping. Such as the exhibition Beekeeping in the Marche region, an all-Italian story and the presentation of the book “Beekeeping in Italy - history and biodiversity” and there will also be a cocktail contest for young bartenders. While on Saturday and Sunday Mielemente Degustando will feature guided tastings of honey and cheeses and cured meats from the Marche region.  For information:  www.cittadelmiele.it

Borgo La Chiaracia Resort & SPA, at the crossroads of Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio, is the perfect choice for a stay in Italy’s Green Heart.

A typically traditional Umbrian farmhouse

The modern 5-star property, immersed in the countryside of ancient Etruria, combines innovative materials with the typical architecture of old Umbrian farmhouses, in a blend of modernity, tradition and extreme comfort.

Close to many charming towns like Orvieto 

Located in Castel Giorgio, in the province of Terni, the Borgo La Chiaracia Resort & SPA is close to the area's main tourist treasures. These include not only Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its precious historical and artistic heritage, medieval architecture and famous Palio horse race. Many other interesting destinations can be easily reached from Borgo La Chiaracia including Orvieto, one of the oldest towns in Italy, of Etruscan origin and with underground caves and the unique St Patrick's Well with its double spiral staircase. 

Trekking, biking and horse riding

Pitigliano, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Civita di Bagnoregio, the fascinating “dying city” also perched on fragile lava rock, and Medieval towns such as Todi and Spoleto, the latter home to the Festival of Two Worlds, an internationally important cultural event of art, music, dance and theatre, are just some of the nearby towns waiting to be discovered.  Borgo La Chiaracia Resort & SPA organizes guided tours to discover the many gems in the area, like nearby Lake Bolsena with its beautiful landscape of volcanic origin, an ideal destination for anyone wishing to practice water sports such as sailing and windsurfing. The area in which the Resort is located is also perfect all year round for trekking enthusiasts and those wishing to explore the area by bicycle or on horseback.

 

A spa, outdoor pool and award-winning restaurant

Borgo La Chiaracia boasts 26 spacious rooms and suites in three interconnected farmhouses, the Livinna SPA with the latest wellness technology, an outdoor pool and bar, and spacious rooms for special events and meetings. The hotel's pride and joy is the award-winning Radici Restaurant, offering traditional Umbrian farm-to-fork cuisine revisited in a modern key, while there are also the modern Pagoda and the Etrusco Bar. This year Borgo La Chiaracia Resort & SPA won TripAdvisor “Travelers’ ChoiceAward.” 

The ItaliAbsolutely by Travel Quotidiano fam trip to Emilia-Romagna and Marche allowed buyers from all over the world to discover the beauty of some of Italy's lesser-known attractions and to meet directly with local operators. 

An opportunity to discover some Italian gems

From 8 to 13 October, 19 buyers from America, Asia and Europe were able to get a close-up view of the history and culture of the Emilia-Romagna and Marche regions. "I am very grateful to ItaliAbsolutely for inviting me on this great fam trip. These two regions are perfect to be combined as pre or  post-tours with a more touristy city like Florence. I found the Frasassi Caves amazing and the Hotel Le Grotte in Genga was quiet, clean and cozy,” said Jun Jessica Yingh of China Travel Service Artic AB, Stockholm.

The buyers met leading Italian professionals

The international buyers got a chance to lay the foundation for future collaborations with leading Italian professionals including Alberto Maffizzoli, international sales manager Gardaland, Simona Pampaloni, sales & marketing manager Hard Rock, Marco Benazzi, secretary of DMO Castelli Romani, Silvio Bertero, president Consorzio Valli del Canavese, BluSerena’s corporate director of sales Marco Masserini, I Grandi Viaggi’s Andrea Ragusa who is Baia Samuele village’s director and product coordinator, and Francesco Muciaccia, head of promotion non-EU markets for the Metropolitan City of Messina.

Promoting lesser-known areas

“The fam programme was perfect for anyone who has already been to Italy and wants to discover new places rich in history, culture, good food, and atmosphere.  I found the presentation of the Marche Region particularly useful. I spoke with several tour operators: it is very important for me as they can show me the best way to promote the destination,” said Letitia Raducea of Edelweiss Tours, Romania.  For Filomena Lofranco of LDV&CO, Toronto “the tour was perfect for exploring destinations beyond the more touristy cities.  I would also like to develop roots tourism to introduce the country to those with Italian origins.”

Interesting destinations for business trips

Fabrice Noyelle of SFX Groupe, Paris said the hotel inspections were particularly useful, “I discovered many things that I think are perfect to include on business trips, such as the accommodation, the food and wines and the activities.” After Rimini and the Romagna hinterland, with a bicycle excursion provided by Decathlon, the group moved on to Pesaro, the capital of the Marche region and Italian Capital of Culture 2024.

A gala dinner offered by Inside Marche Live

The tour organized by Inside Marche Live, ended with a gala dinner offered by President Federico Scaramucci and local municipalities. It then continued with the discovery of the Savio Valley starting from Cesena, organized in collaboration with Giratlantide, Percorsi del Savio and the Municipality of Cesena, concluding in Sarsina with an exclusive wine-tasting experience in the Mercato Saracena. The buyers were welcomed to Genga by Grotte di Frasassi srl, followed by a visit to the famous caves.

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Assisi, the birthplace of Saint Francis, with its itineraries and religious sites says Yes to art, culture, nature and fun.

Outdoor experiences, culture and spirituality

The Umbrian city is located in the Mount Subasio Park, where it is possible to engage in numerous activities such as paragliding, with one of the most beautiful launching stations in central Italy.

“We are investing a lot in routes, trails and biking to propose ourselves as an alternative destination to the Dolomites,-  says councillor for tourism Fabrizio Leggio. - We are focusing on experiences that combine the outdoors with a cultural and spiritual dimension. Last season we organized dawn yoga sessions at the top of the mountain and sunset concerts in the woods with a packed programme of evening shows in historical places such as the Rocca Maggiore.”

The best of Umbria’s foods and wines

"Food and wine is another fundamental step in our growth strategy - continues Leggio. -In 2025, Assisi will host the Umbriamoci food and wine event , inviting Umbrian towns and cities to come to Assisi for a week to present their food and wine excellence.” 

Assisi is promoting Christmas 2024 with the AsSìsi campaign 

This Christmas Assisi will host over 200 events from 7 December to 6 January 2025 with trekking, living nativity scenes, theatre, street bands and itinerant pipers, as well as the DeMusicAssisi Winter Edition festival of medieval music. On 2 January, the Benedict Gospel Choir from South Carolina, USA, will be the star attraction, and Christmas in Assisi will also be full of fun for families, with shows for children, the Christmas train, and Father Christmas's house with games and workshops. 

Casa Costa’s new Alpine Hotel Gran Fodá will open on 6 December next.

Surrounded by stunning Dolomite mountain ranges

Located in the South Tyrolean resort of San Viglio di Marebbe at the Furcia Pass, it is at the foot of the Piz da Peres with a view of the Sas de Pütia and the Marmolada ranges and is directly on the ski slopes of the Plan de Corones ski area. This ski-in ski-out resort has 18 rooms and is certified Climate House A. The restaurant is run by Stüa de Michil's star chef, Simone Cantafio.

“It is an invitation to slow down”

“Once upon a time, there was a vast pasture called the Gran Fodà where the sheep ruminated on the dreams they had lived among the grasslands. We discovered that place and, like them, began to dream,” says Michil Costa, owner of the Casa Costa 1956 Group. “It is a peaceful corner where imagination comes to life. At Gran Fodà under a starry sky, infinity seems within reach: it is an invitation to slow down and rediscover the wonder in the small things.”

A new spa area with five treatment rooms

News from the Corvara-based group does not end here as there is a new spa in the La Perla Hotel, The central nucleus remains the swimming pool, around which the sauna area (Finnish, biosauna, Turkish Bath) and the relaxation stube have been developed. The area dedicated to massage and beauty has five treatment rooms, each one different from the next. 

From 12 October to 8 December, the city of Alba, in Piedmont, will once again host the International Fair of the White Truffle of Alba, this year at its 94th edition.

The most prized of all truffles

The Fair is the stage for the white truffle, a star product of haute gastronomy and Italian excellence. Always considered a succulent foodstuff and the most prized of all truffles, the white truffle of Alba, from the woods of Langhe Roero and Monferrato, acquired worldwide fame in 1933, thanks to hotelier and restaurateur Giacomo Morra, the Truffle King. The International Fair of the White Truffle of Alba is the perfect occasion to discover firsthand the ancient customs of the territory, relive its history and traditions, and enjoy the enthralling historical re-enactments in which the whole town takes part.

Ph credits: Lavezzo Studio

Unique truffle tastings, workshops, lunches and dinners

To learn the secrets of the Tuber magnatum Pico, the Fair organizes sensory experiences to learn how to decipher the characteristics of the precious tuber. In the Castle of Roddi theoretical-practical courses and traditional Piedmontese cuisine are held two days a week. New for this edition are the guided tours of the castle in combination with a typical traditional lunch, and every weekend at 11.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. visitors can watch the preparation of dishes in which the truffle plays the starring role.

Ph credits: Lavezzo Studio

Daily events and appointments not to be missed

Every first Sunday in October, in Piazza Risorgimento, in the historic centre of Alba, the Palio degli Asini (Donkey Palio) is run.  On the eve of the Palio, on the evening of Saturday 5 October, the historical re-enactment is also held in the centre with hundreds of people in costume re-enacting historical medieval legends in a real theatrical performance.  At the Alba White Truffle World Market you can buy the precious tubers directly from the trifulau truffle hunters as well as many other local food products, including the wines of the Langhe Roero and Monferrato, Located in the historic centre, the Market is open from 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. every weekend and on 1 November. For families Alba Truffle Bimbi is the perfect place to entertain children with workshops and free playtime.

For information: https://www.fieradeltartufo.org/