Castel Badia in San Lorenzo di Sebato, near Brunico at the foot of the Plan de Corones ski area is to join the San Domenico Hotels group. The company founded and led by Aldo Melpignano is working together with Kronplatz Touristik, a branch of Kronplatz Holding dedicated to the development and management of hotels in South Tyrol.

The agreement makes provisions for the redevelopment and enhancement of Castel Badia,  an historic 10th-century castle in the Val Pusteria. The opening is scheduled for 2024.

Strengthening and promoting Italy’s hotel heritage

"Our goal is to enhance the authenticity of the destination, giving our guests unique and unforgettable experiences - says Aldo Melpignano, owner and managing director of the San Domenico Hotels group -. We want to provide our partners with operational management models and services that can strengthen Italy’s hotel heritage, protecting and promoting its uniqueness."

A new 68-key 5-star for Milan

At present there are six hotels in the Sd Hotels portfolio, with a total of 316 rooms, almost all located in leisure seaside destinations with the exception of the 24-key Hotel De Len in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The group also has a 68-key 5-star facility in Milan in the pipeline for 2023.

Why not spend a glamping Christmas and New Year on the shores of Lake Idro, in the province of Brescia in Lombardy? The Vacanze col Cuore group’s Lago Idro Glamping Boutique has both mobile homes and open-air solutions that are among the most innovative in Italy. And they are in a privileged and tranquil location set in the mountains and on the shores of Lake Idro. 

Getting away from it all for a winter break

From 1 December to 8 January 2023, which is to say for the entire Christmas and New Year period, in this fairy-tale location glampers can enjoy long walks in nearby villages and along the lake shore. They can also take a dip in the hot tub, try the sauna, and for lunch or dinner dine in the Bistrot, which is one of the most popular restaurants in the area for its great food and wines.

The Suite has a large terrace with lake views

Of all the accommodations available the cube-shaped Suite is definitely the one that will make your stay even more intimate. On twenty sqm of interior space with a double bed and an ensuite bathroom, it has a living area with a kitchen and a large terrace, and is completely immersed in the glamping forest with a lake view.

Fun for young and old

For the Christmas Glamping period there is an exciting calendar of events including Christmas lunch and New Year's Eve dinner. There will also be the Father Christmas House, and an entertainment team will be on hand for smaller guests, making sure there is lots of relaxing time for the adults. 

For information: www.lagoidroglampingboutique.com

Discover other eco-friendly glampings

Mirko Marchi is the new managing director of Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco. Marchi joined Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco as F&B operations manager in February 2019 and quickly demonstrated his talent and leadership, being promoted to director of operations in June 2021.

With a demonstrated expertise in the food & beverage sector of luxury hotel brands including Hyatt and Marriott, he now leads the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco team also as interim managing director.

Raising the bar of tailor-made experiences

“I am deeply grateful for this appointment. Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is experiencing a particularly dynamic phase. So I am ready and motivated to continue this important journey together with the exceptional team I have had the pleasure of working with for four years. I will strive to further raise the bar of our tailor-made experiences for each guest and further improve the warm and sincere service for which our property has become famous.”

A winery and a golf club

“The Castiglion del Bosco estate includes a Brunello di Montalcino winery and a golf club which are in harmony with the hotel and offer our customers a one-of-a-kind experience."

Rosewood in Milan
Rosewwod in Venice

TravelMeetHub is a unique, creative and original digital meeting place that connects tourism players.

Thanks to its innovative technology it is the perfect solution for remote meetings, providing participants with exclusive and unique interactive experiences. 
 

Access to a permanent interactive hub

Presenting the start-up at TTG Experience in Rimini CEO and product manager Patrizia Allara said the app’s virtual environments can promote destinations, tour operators, accommodation facilities, classrooms for e-learning and more.

“What we have is a semicircular open area where a company, paying a monthly fee, rents a space and will have a stand, a permanent interactive hub, on which to present his company or products to visiting clients.”

 

The app works with Oculus and other devices 

“Each company creates its own environment, for example if you want to promote Prosecco wine, as a backdrop you can have an attractive backdrop of vineyards. The app can also be downloaded in 3D on an oculus and well as on mobile phones, ipads and other devices.”

“There will be 500 billion devices connected to the Metaverse in 2030”

“Today more and more people are investing in their virtual identity, and brands will be doing so too,” says Francesco Redi CEO and founder of the Tiramisù World Cup and partner of TravelMeetHub. “According to Euromonitor by 2030 there will be 500 billion devices connected to the Metaverse with a very significant business and data turnover. The high navigation performance and guaranteed connection stability of TravelMeetHub allow the use of numerous remote engagement tools for stimulating and innovative face-to-face events.”

The annual Tiramisù World Cup in Treviso

The Tiramisù World Cup, which was held in Treviso in October for professional chefs from all over the world, is one of the highlights of the Veneto region. This year it attracted 200,000 visitors, and the 2023 edition is planned for next autumn again in Treviso.

Norwegian will make its debut in Puglia with the launch of Oslo-Bari flights next 22 June, operating two frequencies a week on Thursdays and Sundays.

“Air transport is driving the regional economy."

"The new route between Bari and Oslo is also the launch of a new inbound market, - says the president of Aeroporti di Puglia, Antonio Maria Vasile, -  with these direct flights we are sure to repeat the success recorded this summer with Sweden and Denmark. Moreover, this new flight, like all novelties, will be of interest to the local market which will appreciate being able to fly direct to a new and fascinating destination. This is a great new opportunity for air transport in Pulia, which, through exponential growth - as recorded by the Bankitalia report presented a few days ago in Bari - is driving the regional economy."

Tickets are already on sale online

The flight, which is already on sale through all the low-cost airline's distribution channels, departs Oslo at 5.55am and arrives in Bari at 7.05pm. It then takes off from Puglia at 7.45pm, landing back home in Norway at 11pm.

A new airline for Puglia’s Karol Wojtyla Airport 

"The new direct connection with Norway allows us to continue the expansion of the Scandinavian market. With this new flight not only do we welcome an important new airline to the Karol Wojtyla Aiport, we also expand the number of carriers that consider Aeroporti di Puglia a prestigious business partner for the quality and efficiency of our services.

Portrait Milano, a new Lungarno Collection destination combining tailor-made hospitality with gourmand experiences, shopping, and more, will open on 1 December after a long conservative renovation.

Housed in the former Archbishop’s Seminary on Corso Venezia in the heart of Milan's famous fashion district, the majestic Quadrilatero square of over 2,800 sqm will have restaurants, bars and boutiques as well as access to a 17th-century colonnade.

An oasis of privacy and peace

On the first floor 73 rooms and suites will welcome guests to an oasis of privacy and tranquility designed by Michele Bönan, who has curated all the Lungarno Collection properties. The classic style is reminiscent of a Milanese residence, but with contemporary details inspired by Tuscan craftsmanship, such as leather handles and rattan panelling, as a tribute to the Ferragamo family's historic locations.

Adding a new chapter to history

"My family and I are honoured to have had the opportunity to add a new chapter to the long history of this extraordinary place," says Leonardo Ferragamo, president of Lungarno Collection. Our Portraits (which are already in Rome and Florence. Ed) were created with a strong desire to improve the quality, history, and values of their locations.”

Casual and fine dining restaurants 

Portrait will also directly manage the bars and restaurants on the north side - which will have a garden and a loggia - thanks to Identità Golose's twenty years of experience in haute cuisine and the skill of chef Andrea Ribaldone.  While Alberto Quadrio is in charge of managing these outlets and the fine dining and casual dining restaurants.

Looking for fashion, design and lifestyle partners

The square of the Quadrilatero will be the common denominator of the project.

“We will evaluate all projects presented to us by fashion, design, and lifestyle brands in general,” concludes Valeriano Antonioli, CEO of Lungarno Collection.

 

Lachea, a tiny island off the coast of Sicily is for travellers who like to collect unusual experiences.

Whether for their own enjoyment, or to post on Instagram that they have been somewhere others have not, this tiny speck of land in the Archipelago of the Cyclops off the coast of Sicily fits the bill.
 

Eight volcanic stacks make up the archipelago

The Cyclops Archipelago owes its name to the legend according to which the Faraglioni are the rocks that Homer in his Odyssey says were thrown by the one-eyed giant Polyphemus at Ulysses and his companions as they fled on board their boat. Lachea, which is only 250 metres long by 150 wide is the largest of the eight volcanic rocky stacks that make up the archipelago. 

A nature reserve with a small museum

They lie just off the coast of Aci Trezza, the coastline of which is known as the Riviera of the Cyclops, some 30 kilometres from Catania. At the end of the 19th century the family that owned them gave the right to use the stacks to the University of Catania. The Nature Reserve the university created has allowed the preservation of the ancient rocks, flora and fauna of the area, making the island a true natural paradise.

The landing area is rocky

At the port of Aci Trezza visitors will find no shortage of little boats for hire to take them across to the island. The crossing only takes a few minutes and visitors are left on Lachea’s rocky shoreline. This cannot really be called a beach as there is no sand, just rather uncomfortable rocks and slippery boulders, and anyone looking for a convenient spot to sunbathe is advised to go early in the morning as the area around the landing fills up.  

Bring lots of water! 

The water is transparent and the sea is rich in fish, so it is a great choice for snorkelers. The few building that can be seen belong to the study station of the Museum of the Sea which houses archaeological finds discovered in the area. There are no facilities, and no shade, so visitors should bring provisions and lots of water.  

Do a tour of the archipelago

Better alternatives are to hire a boat to do a tour of the little archipelago, or to rent a pedalo pedal boat or a canoe at the bathing establishment on Aci Trezza’s beach which is in front of the island. It is certainly the best way to spend time enjoying the beautiful views and seas in this very beautiful area.

For information: https://pti.regione.sicilia.it.

Enit, the Italian national tourist board, says that wellness travel is growing as travellers are hunting for more experiences that make them feel good, and that in the wake of the pandemic, the wellness sector is becoming increasingly important. 

Spas lead the demand this winter 

“In the 2021-2022 winter season 46% of travellers are combining sport with other activities in contact with nature. And some 22% practice an activity related to wellness, with spas in the lead (34%) followed by massages and spa and beauty treatments," says Enit’s managing director Roberta Garibaldi. "Half of Italian operators see this segment, together with nature, slow and sports tourism, as of growing importance.” 

Contact with nature is important

New scenarios and opportunities are thus opening up under the banner of sustainability. Natural resources are among the main reasons for travellers' satisfaction, with contact with nature (37%) indicated by tourists as the aspect that is most influencing their psychophysical wellbeing during their holidays this winter. 

Italy has the highest number of spas in Europe

For the accommodation industry nature tourism (46.6%) comes right after family tourism (49.2%) and some 47% of players see nature tourism as their best bet for the future. Italy can take advantage of this growing trend, as it is the European country with the highest number of spas, mainly due to its particular geological conformation and many volcanic areas.