The charm of Pisticci, a Basilicata gem, was revealed to international buyers on a recent ItaliAbsolutely fam trip.

"Safe, sustainable, family beaches" 

“This fam trip was a strategic opportunity to showcase our territory to key international buyers. We wanedt to highlight not only the beauty of our coastline and historic villages, but also the quality of our agri-food production and the strong identity that defines Basilicata,- says Pisticci’s tourism councillor Francesca Colacicco.  -Our coast can boast three Bandiere flags which are recognitions of excellence: the Blue Flag means our beaches are safe and sustainable while the Green Flag means they are family beaches, perfect for children and the Lilac Flag that they are accessible for people with disabilities.” 

Summer festivals and truffle hunting

With accommodation of all levels, from hotels to farmhouses and holidays homes, in the summer months Pisticci organizes festivals like the Lucania Film Festival and outdoor theatre performances. “Visitors also greatly appreciate our local olive oil and we are also a truffle-hunting area." And the international buyers on the fam trip certainly had  the chance to try firsthand many of the gastronomic specialties of the Pisticci area.

An emerging wedding location destination

Another field in which Pisticci is making a name for itself, added Councillor Colacicco, is as a destination wedding location both for the domestic and international markets, and "we are a prime attraction on Basilicata itineraries which, of course, also feature Matera.” 

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ITA Airways has resumed flights from Rome Fiumicino to London Heathrow, with two daily flights.

Lufthansa made the slots available

This return to the UK’s main hub has been made possible thanks to the collaboration with Lufthansa, which has made the necessary airport slots available to ITA. Flights between the British capital and Milan Linate will continue to operate from London City Airport.  “This is a major milestone: our airline is returning to Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport and one of the most important in the world. It is further proof of the importance of synergies with the Lufthansa Group, which has enabled us to secure the necessary slots to operate. Returning to Heathrow will bring many benefits: thanks to the airport’s facilities, we will be able to operate flights with larger aircraft and greater capacity, increasing passenger numbers and revenue," said said Joerg Eberhart, ITA's CEO and managing director.

This summer ITA is operating on 72 destinations

The return to Heathrow is one of the most significant developments for summer 2026, during which ITA will operate 72 destinations: 19 domestic, 36 international and 17 intercontinental routes, including 12 seasonal destinations (three domestic and nine international) to the Italian, Greek and Spanish islands. From 1 May 2026, a new intercontinental flight to Houston in the United States will also debut. This will be the first-ever direct flight between Rome Fiumicino and the Texan city, operating three flights a week, rising to five from June.

New seasonal international and domestic flights

The summer package of new services also includes new direct flights from Rome Fiumicino to Malaga, Valencia and Marseille, and an increase to seven flights a week from Rome Fiumicino to Tunis between June and September. Other seasonal connections for the summer will include Olbia-Turin and Olbia-Genoa, operating in August, both with a weekly frequency on Saturdays. “This milestone reflects the spirit of collaboration that has helped make Heathrow the world’s best-connected airport and supports us in continuing to expand our network. Our partnership with ITA Airways will offer passengers and businesses even more choice and convenience when travelling to Europe, and we look forward to further developing this collaboration in the coming months,” said Ben Crowley, head of aviation. airline partnerships & engagement.

For years traveling alone has meant long nights scrolling through booking sites comparing flights, reading hotel reviews and juggling insurance options. Now many solo travelers are choosing a smarter route: organized trips and curated group tours.

The shift is happening fast says speedvacanze, the singles’ organized group travel and vacations operator, with solo travel booming globally: worth about $482 billion in 2024 and expected to pass $1 trillion by 2030.  The day of do-it-yourself planning is fading fast, with over 60% of travelers saying they feel stressed during the planning phase, while 41% lament having to spend up to ten hours online to plan a single holiday. 

Organized travel, on the other hand, arranges flights, hotels, transfers, and activities in advance. and 64% of single travelers now join organized tours at least occasionally, while nearly a quarter say they are their preferred way to travel.

For the industry, the message is clear. The modern solo traveler recognizes that organized trips offer the autonomy of traveling alone, married to the efficiency, reassurance, and social dimension that only professionally curated itineraries can provide.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Air India’s new direct Delhi-Rome service: four weekly flights marks the Indian carrier’s return to Fiumicino after an absence of almost six years.

"The cultural bond between Italians and Indians"

“Demand for travel between India and Europe continues to rise in both the leisure and business sectors, thanks to the many cultural affinities between our two countries and the ever-growing ties that strengthen not only commercial and economic links but also the cultural bond between Italians and Indians,- said Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial officer Air India. -We are delighted to re-establish the air link between Delhi and Rome, two great capitals and historic cities, offering convenient connections to and from destinations across the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia via our Delhi hub.”

B787-8 aircraft configured in a two-class layout

The service to Rome, which thus becomes Air India’s eighth gateway in Europe, operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using B787-8 aircraft configured in a two-class layout: 18 seats in Business Class with fully reclining seats, and 241 spacious seats in Economy Class. "The new direct Delhi flight enhances our offering for the Indian capital and meets the growing demand for travel between Italy and India. This new route further strengthens Rome Fiumicino’s role as a leading international hub in the Mediterranean, making it increasingly central for air links with Asia.”

Over 200,000 people of Indian origin live in Italy

Italy is an important partner for India in trade, tourism and culture. In 2025 bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $14 billion, thanks to close collaboration in sectors such as engineering, the automotive industry, fashion and design. Furthermore, Italy is home to one of the largest Indian communities on the European continent, with over 200,000 people of Indian origin contributing to the steady growth in demand for connections between the two countries. The flight schedule has been designed to connect via Delhi with numerous destinations in India and South-East Asia, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. The structure of the schedule allows travellers from Italy to easily access the carrier’s international and domestic network.

KM Malta Airlines has announced Malta to Palermo flights three tines weekly, starting on 20 May.

Palermo is a new destination for Malta

These flights further strengthen connections between Malta and Sicily as part of the airline’s 2026 summer schedule, and they will operate three times weekly.  “We are delighted to introduce Palermo as a new destination in our 2026 summer schedule.  Palermo is currently not served by direct flights from and to Malta, and this new route expands the range of destinations available to the Maltese public, whilst creating further opportunities to attract visitors to Malta. Sicily and Malta share strong cultural, economic and tourism ties, and we are confident that this service will further strengthen connectivity between our two islands,” said David Curmi, chairman of KM Malta Airlines.

“Encouraging new tourist and commercial traffic”

“We welcome the launch of the new connection between Malta and Palermo announced by KM Malta Airlines, - said Gianfranco Battisti, CEO of GESAP. - This is a strategic route that further strengthens Palermo Airport’s role as a hub in the Mediterranean and expands travel opportunities between two territories that are historically and culturally very close. These flights help to support the growth of the airport’s international traffic and to encourage new tourist and commercial  traffic between Sicily and Malta, in line with the path of development and progressive opening up to international markets that we at GESAP are pursuing.”

Today, 1 April, ITA Airways officially joins Star Alliance, marking a key step in consolidating its international position whilst strengthening the network of the world’s largest airline alliance. 

ITA is the 26th member of Star Alliance 

The event was celebrated yesterday in Terminal 3 at Rome Fiumicino Airport, in the presence of representatives from ITA, the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance. From tomorrow, fully integrated into the Star Alliance ecosystem, ITA Airways will connect its hubs at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate directly to a global network comprising over 1,150 destinations served by 26 airlines.  The move, supported by the Lufthansa Group, is the result of intensive integration work involving teams from both airlines over recent months. “We welcome ITA Airways as our 26th member airline, expanding our network and enhancing the passenger experience,” said Theo Panagiotoulias, CEO of Star Alliance.

“We bring our distinctive Italian touch to Star Alliance"

Joerg Eberhart, CEO and general manager of ITA Airways echoed this sentiment, describing the entry as a historic milestone. “We bring our distinctive Italian touch to Star Alliance, enriching the alliance and strengthening ITA Airways’ role in connecting Italy to the world, combining global standards of excellence with the warmth and elegance that define the Italian way of flying.” Dieter Vranckx, chief commercial officer of the Lufthansa Group, added: “Joining Star Alliance has only been made possible thanks to the commitment and close collaboration of the dedicated teams at ITA Airways, the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance."

ITA flies over 16 million passengers annually

With over 16 million passengers a year and more than 350 daily flights, ITA Airways strengthens the alliance’s presence, particularly in Southern Europe, improving connections between Italy and key global markets. The strategic move helps make Star Alliance even more extensive, bringing the total to over 17,500 daily flights across more than 190 countries.

It is finally time for profits at ITA Airways, which posted €209 million in profits in 2025.

2025 was a positive financial year

The board of directors of the airline – in which Lufthansa holds a 41% stake – has approved the draft consolidated financial statements for the 2025 financial year, showing a net profit of €209 million. Revenue reached €3.2 billion (of which €2.8 million from passenger revenue), EBITDA €404 million and EBIT €25 million (this marks the second consecutive year in the black, representing an improvement of €22 million compared to the 2024 figure).

The aim is to achieve full profitability

In an official statement, the carrier notes that, unlike in 2024, the results were influenced by the positive effects of the accounting adjustment of debts and receivables denominated in foreign currencies (primarily US dollars) to year-end exchange rates. "The impact of financial charges associated with leasing contracts relating to the fleet modernization and expansion plan remains high, meaning that the operating result is not yet fully sustainable; the company will continue to work on this to achieve true profitability."

In 2025 ITA Airways operated over 123,000 flights

On the operational front, ITA Airways operated over 123,000 scheduled flights during the year (-11% compared to 2024) and carried 16.2 million passengers (-8% compared to 2024), with a load factor of 83.4%, up 2.1 percentage points year-on-year. Also in 2025, 10 new aircraft joined the fleet, bringing the total to 106 aircraft by the end of the year (24 wide-body and 82 narrow-body), with the simultaneous withdrawal of three older-generation aircraft. Of these, 70% are new-generation aircraft, with an overall average age of 6.5 years.

CEO Eberhart: "We are on the right track"

 “2025 marked a turning point for ITA Airways: we are closing the year in profit for the first time, confirming that we are on the right track,- commented Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways. -This is the result of the commitment of the entire company and the first tangible effects of our industrial partnership with the Lufthansa Group. However, we know that to achieve fully sustainable profitability, we must reduce the burden of fleet leasing costs; we are already working resolutely on this.”

A winning strategy for success

“We are celebrating another historic achievement for the company. The approved results confirm the soundness of ITA Airways’ trajectory and the value of the collaboration between its shareholders. The company continues to play a central role in the country’s connectivity, with a strategy based on quality, sustainability and innovation. This cooperation is crucial for building a modern and competitive carrier, to the benefit of the country’s economy,” said ITA's chairman Sandro Pappalardo.

Mantua, in northern Italy is uncrowded and packed with things to discover and enjoy.

Three lakes and the Mincio river

Mantua feels quietly suspended between land and water and, unlike many of Italy’s more crowded destinations, it is a city of extraordinary art and history that is intimate and wonderfully undiscovered. Historically it rises from three lakes, Lago Superiore, Lago di Mezzo, and Lago Inferiore, formed centuries ago when t the Mincio River was redirected to protect the city. Today the waters create a natural moat while canals surround the city.

Palazzo Ducale has almost a thousand rooms

Despite its artistic importance, Mantua rarely feels crowded. Wandering through arcaded squares, along cobbled streets, and into leafy gardens there is none of the bustle that invades larger Italian cities. The historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, is remarkably intact with elegant porticoes, intimate piazzas, Renaissance palaces, and shaded courtyards where cafés spill out onto stone pavements. At the heart of Mantua’s cultural legacy stands the immense Palazzo Ducale, once the seat of the powerful Gonzaga family. This vast complex contains nearly a thousand rooms connected by corridors, gardens, and galleries. Within it lies one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance: the “Camera degli Sposi” painted by Andrea Mantegna. 

Frescoes wrap around walls and ceilings

Equally extraordinary, but entirely different in spirit, is the nearby Palazzo Te, built as a pleasure palace for the Gonzaga court, and a masterpiece of Mannerist architecture. Inside rooms explode with frescoes with the famous Sala dei Giganti (Room of the giants) immersing visitors in a swirling mythological scene with painted giants tumbling from the heavens in a theatrical illusion that wraps around every wall and ceiling.

Concerts, food fairs and local wines

Mantua is deeply tied to culture and tradition; music and theatre fill the city throughout the year, echoing the legacy of Claudio Monteverdi, who worked here in the early 17th century. Outdoor concerts are organized in historic courtyards and along the lakeside promenades. Seasonal food fairs celebrate the rich cuisine of Lombardy, with such delights as pumpkin-filled tortelli, aged cheeses, and local wines. Mantua’s location also makes it an ideal base for exploring northern Italy. Within easy reach are the romantic streets of Verona, the gastronomic traditions of Parma, and the culinary excellence and Formula One racing cars of Modena. Yet many travelers find that Mantua itself is the place they linger longest. For information: www.italia.it/en/lombardy/mantua

CNN Traveller 's pick for Italy in "The Best Places to Go in Europe in 2026" is Milan. The Lombard capital, it says "has long been misunderstood and underestimated" going on to add that it delivers "nuanced culture, rich heritage...and a bursting dynamism only set to grow in 2026."

Having opened the year with the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, next up in April is the 64th edition of Design Week, or Salone del Mobile, the world’s largest furniture fair. The offshoot Fuorisalone, in hundreds of courtyards, galleries, and showrooms features the chosen theme in many different guises, and this year focuses on sustainability and social impact.

Adding to the city's rich offering of five-star hotels, four more are set to open in the famous fashion golden triangle: the Rosewood Milan, the Six Senses with 68 guest rooms, suites with plunge pools and a sky pool, the Mett Milan, a 26-story 1950s skyscraper, and Soho House with 50 rooms, a rooftop terrace and a pool.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor