Grand Tour Italia near Bologna is a food and wine journey through Italy, an F&B experiment in Bologna’s former Fico area. 

Italy’s cultural and gastronomic biodiversity

Grand Tour Italia is a 50,000 sqm area celebrating the cultural and gastronomic biodiversity of Italy's 20 regions. Each of region has a dedicated space with a tourist promotion area, a typical osteria, a market with regional products and an educational area. Partners such as the Holden School, Coldiretti and Slow Food have been entrusted with the narration of each region’s history, culture, agriculture and food and wine biodiversity.

An amusement park for families

Grand Tour Italia, open from Thursdays to Sundays, will feature music, shows and events for adults and children as well as presentation by important authors from 7 p.m. onwards. The Earth Foundation exhibition space is dedicated to contemporary art and photography, with exhibitions designed to celebrate food culture through the visual arts. 
The Luna Farm is an amusement park for children and families with rides, games and areas for private parties. 

A journey through the traditions and excellence of Italy

The Tree Experience adventure park is located in the outdoor- indoor area and offers suspended courses, ziplines and climbing in a safe environment. The Grand Tour Karting will also open soon with electric karts, offering sustainable challenges for individuals and corporate groups. The daily schedule will include cooking and food lessons, workshops and events, and is designed to be an exciting journey through the traditions and excellence of Italy. Grand Tour Italia is open from Thursdays to Sundays and free shuttle service is available from the centre of Bologna on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) subject.

For information: https://www.grandtouritalia.it/it

The flagship Roma Jewelry Week event will be held at the Mercati di Traiano- Museo dei Fori Imperiali to 6 October, 2024.

Spreading the culture of the goldsmith’s art

The international event enhances and spreads the culture of contemporary, artist's and historical jewelry, and follows the success of the previous editions and the validity of this initiative, promoted by the association Incinque Open Art Monti association, in collaboration with Rome’s Municipal Department of Culture. 

Cesar Alvarez - perpetual motion

“An opportunity for Romans and tourists”  

“Rome's goldsmith tradition is great and precious, it is our duty to defend it and hand it down. Our priority is to protect this heritage and we are delighted to collaborate on the organization of  a major international event such as the Roma Jewelry Week, which will enrich the panorama of opportunities to visit Rome for both Romans and tourists alike,” said Alessandro Onorato, councillor for major events, sport, tourism and fashion of Roma Capitale.

For information: www.romajewelryweek.com

Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October sees the return of Castelli Aperti FVG, with 21 with castles open to the public in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

Castles, mansions and private parks

This eagerly awaited event is a unique occasion for visitors to discover 21 of the region’s castles, mansions and private and public parks that are normally closed to the public.

Sixteen castles in the province of Udine

Sixteen of the castles are in the province of Udine: Rocca Bernarda (Premariacco), Strassoldo di Sotto Castle (Strassoldo), Strassoldo di Sopra Castle (Strassoldo), Ahrensperg Castle (Pulfero), Flambruzzo Castle (Rivignano Teor), Colloredo di Monte Albano Castle (west wing), Torre del Gruagno (Moruzzo), San Pietro di Ragogna Castle, Steffaneo Roncato Palace (Crauglio di S. Vito al Torre), Savona Castle (Crauglio di S. Vito al Torre), Savona Castle (Moruzzo), San Pietro di Ragogna Castle (Moruzzo), Palazzo Steffaneo Roncato (Crauglio di S. Vito al Torre), and the Castle of San Pietro di Ragogna. Vito al Torre), Castello Savorgnan di Brazzà (Brazzacco), Tricesimo Castle, Susans Castle (Majano), Villalta Castle (Fagagna), Palazzo Romano (Manzano), Casaforte di Bergum, Casaforte La Brunelde (Fagagna).

Five castles in the provinces of Pordenone, Gorizia and Trieste

Three castles will open in the province of Pordenone: Castello di Spilimbergo, Palazzo Panigai Ovio (Pravisdomini) and Castello di Cordovado, while one will open in the province of Gorizia, the Fortress Rocca di Monfalcone, and one in the province of Trieste, the Castle of Muggia.

Guided tours and many side events

During the visits it will be possible to discover the history of each castle and the families who owned it. The guides are either the owners themselves or specialized tour guides who will take the public on a journey of art and architecture, together with curiosities about the residences and anecdotes that have been handed down from generation to generation. Numerous side events are organized by each individual residence from live music, art exhibitions, local craft exhibitions and book presentations to historical re-enactments, falconry, archery, food and wine tastings, and activities for children.

For information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Val d'Ega, in the setting of the Latemar and Catinaccio Dolomites, in the South Tyrol in the Alto Adige region, is the ideal destination for families with fun and games for children.

Horseback riding and cable cars

By immersing themselves in nature with walks, workshops, trekking, animal experiences and adrenalin-pumping adventures, in Carezza the Angerle Alm Riding Centre introduces children and young people from 6 to 13 years of age to the equestrian world. Every Monday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. there is the “Horseback riding adventure for children.” Also in Carezza the “Family Sundays “ on  -7 July, 22 September and 13 October allow families of up to two adults and two children to enjoy unlimited rides on all six summer lifts at reduced prices. The offer allows unrestricted travel on the Nova Levante cable cars, König Laurin 1 and König Laurin 2, the Paolina and Tschein chairlifts and the NEW 'cabrio' cable car in Tires.

The worlds of bees and astronomy

In Nova Levante, the Prennergut farm organizes hikes in the company of llamas and alpacas, while in Collepietra, the guided exploration “Forest of Bees” trail brings children closer to the world of pollinating insects on Tuesdays. Reservations at https://eggental.com/it/eventi/avventura-bosco-delle-api_21164. Also in Collepietra, the Planet Path is ideal for young astronomy enthusiasts as on  a simple loop trail, they can explore the solar system on a scale of 1:1 billion.

Themed trails that are perfect for families and children

The Latemar has been offering the Latemarium since 2014. Departing from Obereggen, Pampeago or Predazzo, you can hike through the UNESCO World Heritage landscapes on a dense network of themed trails that are perfect for families and children and are dedicated to fauna, flora, geology and agriculture. There are excursions with interactive audio games dedicated to children and young people between 6 and 14 years old, with the aim of introducing them to the mountain and its history, through three stories and the interactive audio guide combines the walk with fun through installations, game books, maps, interactive audio games and an App with analogue and digital puzzles to collect points that contribute to the reforestation of the woods.

A zipline and a climbing tree for children

In Obereggen the Adventure Forest offers adrenalin-fuelled thrills (in safety) on four courses of varying difficulty via nets, moving bridges, swings, wooden walkways, swinging logs and the Zipline, a 90-metre-long rope slide with pulley. For climbers aged three to six, there is Monkey, the climbing tree, and the 'Lila' children's course. Access is permitted from a height of 1.35 m. 
For information: www.valdega.com

The Nabi Lakes glamping in Campania has added a floating house to its tents and lodges suspended on stilts.

A large picture window on the lake 

Made entirely of wood the house features a sleeping area, bathroom, shower cabin and furnishings that have been custom-made by a local craftsman. The large glass window in front of the bed projects the view of the lake. Outside there is a patio, also floating, equipped with armchairs, a small table, and sun loungers.

 

No house directly faces another

These hexagonal-shaped floating structures serve to allow, in view of the construction of other rooms of the same type, the connection of other cottages (one on each side of the hexagon). This shape gives all guests the privacy they need, as they are all at different angles, with no one facing onto another house.
A natural oasis in the Campania region

Laghi Nabi is the first natural oasis in Campania, the environmental regeneration of over 100 acres of abandoned former sand quarries on the Domitian Coast. Guests can enjoy many activities such as yoga, meditation, horse riding, cycling on Europe's longest natural luminescence cycle path, tennis, sailing and kayaking excursions, wakeboarding, pedal boats, and picnics in the lavender fields. 

A heated infinity pool and massages 

Guests can also relax in the heated infinity wellness pool by the lake, or in the Nabi water spa and enjoy treatments and massages. The Res Restaurant specializes in Campania traditional recipes, with a mix of tradition and innovation and using local ingredients.

Club del Sole launches the new edition of its Doggy Weeks in four villages in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Lake Garda. 

Doggy Weeks from 7 to 28 September

Following the success of the first experiment at the Rimini Family Village in June, four of the group’s properties will host a new edition of the week dedicated to four-legged friends from 7 to 28 September.

Exclusive services and facilities

Inaugurating the renewed format, from 7 to 13 September, will be the Orbetello Family Camping Village, a complex set between the sea at the Argentario peninsula and the Orbetello lagoon. This will be followed from 8 to 14 September by the Spina Family Camping Village in the Po Delta park, and from 16 to 22 September at the recently renovated Romagna Family Village in Riccione. With exclusive services and facilities including a design lodge, padel area and two water parks, one with a pool bar, the group's resort on the shores of Lake Garda, the Desenzano Lake Village, will host the final stage, from 22 to 28 September.

Qualified instructors and professionals

During the Doggy Weeks the many special activities organized for four-legged friends will be supervised by qualified instructors and well-known dog professionals. These include a Rally Obedience Course, Clicker Training, a technique aimed at facilitating and speeding up learning, and various problem solving games to stimulate and enhance the dog's cognitive skills. There will also be agility dog activities, dog balance fit, dog yoga, dog sup, swimming and nosework, to teach dogs how to use their olfactory ability to find hidden objects or traces of animals and people.

The Bzar Hotel&Co has acquired the management of the Metropole Taormina, itself recently passed into the hands of a group of Milanese investors. 

Now a 5-star with 25 rooms and suites

Located on Taormina’s Corso Umberto (Sicily), in a historic building dating back to the 13th century and home to the town's first inn, the hotel has been repositioned in the five-star segment and has 25 rooms and suites.  The Mediterranean-style Bellevue Bistrot restaurant with a terrace celebrates the flavours of ancient Sicilian recipes. The bar is the Rooftop Bellevue by Damiani, thanks to a partnership with the famous Piedmontese jeweller. Completing the offer is a sea-view swimming pool with a pool bar for sunset aperitifs, as well as a spa in the oldest part of the hotel.

The Bzar Group also has hotels in Florence and Rome 

The Bzar Hotel & Co group is currently undergoing a period of strong expansion: among the latest new entries is its debut in Florence with The Galileo Hotel, a three-star with 31 rooms, in an ancient three-floor building near the San Lorenzo district. The company's current pipeline also includes the 4-star 13-room Prassede Palace Hotel in Rome, the 3-star 55-room Hotel Belvedere in Ostia, a boutique hotel near Piazza Navona in Rome, and a hotel in Milan.

Italy’s artisanal amaretti biscuits are not as bitter as their Italian name implies.

Itineraries to discover amaretti biscuits

Italy is a treasure-trove of artisan products, many of which date back centuries yet are as popular today as they day they were first produced.  What better to plan an itinerary to discover towns and regions producing Italy’s famous amaretti biscuits? They have a unique flavour and link three Italian regions: Piedmont, Liguria and Sicily.

Piedmont and Liguria compete for the original recipe

Amaretti can be hard or soft and, although basically sweet, they range from decidedly bitter (amaro means bitter in Italian) to slightly bitter, the differences in consistency and flavour depending on the regional recipe and two regions, Piedmont and Liguria, compete for the original recipe. The Piedmontese tradition dictates that the amount of bitter almonds be slightly more than half the amount of sweet almonds, and Piedmont’s best amaretti are to be found in Mombaruzzo, Acqui Terme and Sassello.

Amaretti biscuits can be found on shelves all over the world 

The story goes that the delicious Amaretti di Mombaruzzo biscuits first saw the light of day when a young man called Francesco Moriondo, who worked for the royal House of Savoy, fell in love with a young woman of Sicilian origin. She was a pastry chef in the royal household and her speciality was an almond cake. They married they settled in the Piedmontese town of Mombaruzzo where they opened a small pastry workshop. Her almond biscuits soon attracted the attention of other confectioners who began to produce them, turning them into a true local delicacy.

Mombaruzzo and Acqui Terme in Piedmont produce amaretti

Amaretti di Mombaruzzo are delicious biscuits made with simple and genuine products, using no flour just egg whites, sugar, almonds and the extract from the pits of apricots which gives them their pleasant bitter flavour. And the soft Amaretti from Acqui Terme? They are similar to those of Mombaruzzo, but use only sweet and bitter almonds and sugar. And once they are cooked and cooled they are put into candy wrappers, which retains their fragrance and softness. Moving on to Acqui, the secret of their amaretti is the careful balance of the almonds and the sugar. The  Acqui production method has not changed over the years, and it too does not use either preservatives or additives. 

Sassello in Liguria is also famous for  amaretti

Heading further down to Liguria we find the Amaretti del Sassello, the production of which only started in the 19th century, but thanks to their quality they soon joined the more established amaretti on shelves around the world.  Exclusive tours to discover the process of making amaretti and the charming little towns that produce them can be enjoyed through the Consorzio Sistema Monferrato and the ViA(E) per Viaggiare Network. For information:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Varia di Palmi is a traditional festival held in Palmi, in honour of the patron saint and protector of the city. 

This year the Varia is on 25 August

Palmi is a little coastal town which is just an hour from the Reggio Calabria Airport, and the festivities of the Varia are in honour of Maria Santissima della Sacra Lettera, the patron saint and protector of the city. This year the event will take place on 25 August. The annual Varia attracts thousands of tourists who crowd the streets of the little coastal town to participate in this unique experience which is the Calabria region's main festival.

Listed by UNESCO since 2013

In 2013 it was added to the UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage of humanity list, together with the Macchina di Santa Rosa in Viterbo, the Festa dei Gigli in Nola and the Discesa dei Candelieri in Sassari, which are united in the network of major Italian shoulder-carriage festivals.

200 bearers carry the heavy chariot

The Varia is a large sacred chariot representing the universe and the assumption into heaven of the Virgin Mary. On top of the 53-foot-tall chariot, carried on the shoulders of 200 i Mbuttaturi bearers, the figures represent the Madonna, the father, the apostles and the angels. And at the very top of the chariot there is a teenage girl, symbolizing the Virgin.

The colours of the scarves denote the town’s guilds

The sacred chariot, weighing twenty tons, is 53 feet tall and was built at the beginning of the 20th century. It is the only such structure without wheels and the 200 young bearers use heavy ropes. Dressed in white, with coloured scarves around their necks, distinguishing the five town guilds, the bearers are barefoot and maneuver the heavy machine through the crowds.  The ritual, which takes only a few minutes, has been taking place for the last 500 years.