Business travel is one of the industry sectors that suffered most during the pandemic. A study of 1,400 repeat business travellers, by market research firm Opinium for Amadeus, shows that 93% have reduced business travel by an average of 60% since the start of the pandemic (78 % for those over 55). However there are reasons for cautious optimism as 84% of business travellers confirm they would travel now if the right security measures were in place, a percentage that reaches 87% for frequent flyers.

The need for human contact

The desire to travel for work is driven by human factors such as a lack of "seeing clients and colleagues face to face," and "sharing ideas at in-person meetings," to social aspects such as "sharing a meal." 

Contactless payments are a priority

But when it comes to rebuilding trust five travel safety measures emerged from nine proposals in the survey. Travelers prioritize information on health and travel restrictions and contactless payments over vaccination tests and certificates, suggesting they seek the tools to be able to more safely manage their travel and related risks. Business travelers are also sensitive to the economic situation, and 96% confirmed they would be willing to more strictly adhere to their company's travel policy if it meant they could go on a business trip.

The annual Carnival, known as Carnevale in Italy, is a highly colourful and exciting festivity packed with surprises for young and old, families and singles, visitors and locals. Celebrated around the world, in Italy it is linked to many traditions some of which date back to ancient Roman times. 

When is Carnevale and which are the best places in Italy to enjoy it?   

Venice, Veneto

Venice’s carnival is as famous as Rio’s and in 2022 will start on 12th February and end on 1st March.  The city’s iconic St. Mark’s Square will host many events and be packed with masks and colourful costumes. The fastest and easiest way to get around is by using the City Pass which covers public transport, transfers, parking and services as well as access to some museums and churches.

Venice Carnival

Viareggio, Tuscany

Viareggio, the famous Tuscan seaside resort, is 330 kilometres from Venice and hosts Italy’s second most famous carnival with huge papier-maché floats representing famous Italian and international figures parading in the streets. The festivities last for several weeks from February to March and the whole town let’s its hair down, delighting in street markets, food festivals and concerts.   

Viareggio Carnival

Acqualagna, The Marches

If you love truffles you will have heard of Acqualagna, a small town near Pesaro and Urbino considered the nerve centre of the precious tuber. In February the town comes alive with musical events and carnival floats.  With a difference!  Because here the crowds are pelted with truffles. If you don’t manage to grab one you can always chill out at one of the many truffle tastings in local restaurants.  

Ivrea, Piedmont

Ivrea, which has one of Italy’s oldest carnivals, is just a few kilometres from Turin, the  administrative centre of the Piedmont region, an art city with a fascinating history.

The historic Carnevale d'Ivrea dates back to the Middle Ages and is very popular for its symbolic and historical roots celebrating freedom and a repudiation of tyranny. Here on three Sundays, starting on the Sunday of Mardi Gras, they re-enact the Battle of the Oranges and the popular revolt against the armed troops of the tyrant.  

Historical Ivrea Carnival

Putignano, Apulia

Putignano is fast becoming one of Italay’s most popular destiations, turning up in the holiday shots of thousands of international visitors thanks to its splendid coastline, whitewashed walls and quaint cobblestone streets. Putigliano’s carnival, which dates back to 1330 and is the oldest in Europe, starts early on 17th January and also has a summer edition      

Putignano Carnival

Acireale, Sicily

Mini parade floats laden with flowers, masks and costumes, brass bands and majorettes, colours and fireworks.  Acireale’s carnival, which is one of the oldest in Sicily, lasts for several weeks and is very popular with locals.

Acireale Carnival

The Centro Termale Il Baistrocchi and the Hotel Valentini in Salsomaggiore Terme (Emilia Romagna - Central Italy) are now part of the Allegroitalia Group. The 100-year-ol Centro Termale il Baistrocchi  has 250 rooms, meeting rooms and therapeutic spa waters extracted from 1,200-metre wells in the Appenine mountains at a temperature of 16 degrees.

A spa connected to the city’s largest outdoor thermal pool

The renovated Hotel Valentini is in a private park and has 150 rooms, meeting rooms and a spa with mud baths, massages, irrigation and inhalation treatments, as well as a fitness area.  This is the only spa directly connected, through an internal corridor, to the city’s largest indoor thermal pool. The Group’s properties  also include the Allegroitalia Fratta Terme, The Grand Spa hotels in Romagna and the Allegroitalia Terme Villa Borri in Casciana Terme near Pisa.

Major investors in the hospitality sector are showing signs of interest again following the announcement that longstanding Four Seasons shareholder Bill Gates has acquired a controlling interest of the company. In Italy Paolo Bottelli, CEO of asset management company Kryalos SGR in an interview with the national business daily Il Sole 24 Ore, spoke about future development strategies in the light of the post-pandemic recovery. 

W Rome to follow The Hoxton 

The company will soon open W Rome (following the The Hoxton opening in May) and seems intent on expanding its investments to extra-urban destinations, in particular seaside resorts and lakes. Kryalos manages real estate assets for a totalof just under €8.5 billion and is also a shareholder in Blackstone, which in turn is a shareholder of Kryalos SGR, having acquired 35% of the company three years ago.

From a selfie to a postcard in one click with the Pemcards App which allows you to send postcards just like the classic ones your grandparents used to send when they travelled.  The postcard is a vintage product but it is right back in vogue again thanks to a Tuscan startup which, according to its founders, has not invented anything new but simply (and incredibly) improved on it. Today with Pemcards you are the photo in the postcard, and you don’t have to buy stamps or search for a mailbox.

Just download the free Pemcards App, take a picture, customize it if you want, write your message, choose an address and that's it. Pemcards will take care of everything, delivering a real postcard to the recipient. Pemcards is also a powerful marketing tool for companies, bringing people back to the center and with a very high redemption in terms of call to action. Find out more at https://pemcards.com/?lang=en

1st Day - CATANIA / MILAZZO / LIPARI

Arrival in Catania, meet the driver and depart for Milazzo. Take the ferry to Lipari in the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago off the Sicilian coast, where we will spend the next five nights. Arrival in Lipari and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon free time to explore Lipari or swim in the hotel’s pool. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

2nd Day - LIPARI AND VULCANO EXCURSION

After breakfast at the hotel we meet in Marina Corta. Starting from the small port we discover the south-east coast of Lipari admiring its natural beauty and the imposing Petra Longa and Petra Menalda rocky formations before heading to Vulcano, and island of sulphur and mud which has a dormant volcano.  

On Vulcano we will make a prolonged stop with time to visit the village, try the thermal muds, discover charming beaches, have lunch and even climb the crater. Back on board we will make a panoramic tour of the island to admire breathtaking locations visible only from the sea, such as the Venus Pool, and the Grotta del Cavallo, Grotta Abate and Baia del Gelso coves. We will make stops for swimming and snorkelling and the captain will offer guests a tasting of the local Malvasia wine. Return to Lipari around 19.00. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 3 - PANAREA AND STROMBOLI EXCURSION

After breakfast at the hotel we meet in Marina Corta and head for Panarea, the Pearl of the Aeolian Archipelago. We will discover the beautiful bays of Cala Junco, Caletta Zimmari and Capo Millazzese which has a prehistoric village, and then stop for a relaxing swim, to visit the Lovers’ Cave, stroll through the town’s little streets and have lunch at the port

We will then make a panoramic tour of the islets stopping for a swim and to admire the phenomenon of the sea that seems to boil. We then continue towards Stromboli and its port tol visit a characteristic village and have dinner.  We will visit Strombolicchio, a volcanic nek in the shape of a medieval castle, and the Sciara del Fuoco to witness the suggestive spectacle of the eruption of this magnificent volcano from the sea, as we enjoy a glass of Malvasia and some typical local biscuits offered by the captain. The day starts at 12.00 and ends around 22:00/22:30. Dinner not included, return to the hotel and overnight stay.

4th Day - LIPARI AND SALINA EXCURSION

After breakfast we will head to the port of Marina Corta for boarding. We will pass Monte Rosa and the village of Canneto coming to white beaches where we can admire the old pumice quarry complex and take a relaxing swim in crystal clear waters. In the village of Acquacalda we can admire the obsidian flow,before heading to Salina where we can cool off with a swim in the refreshing waters of Capofaro. We continue to the picturesque Arco del Perciato and the enchanting and characteristic Bay of Pollara, made famous by the film Il Postino with Massimo Troisi, stopping again for a swim. Lunch in Lingua where we will stop for two hours to visit the salt lake and enjoy some of the island's gastronomic specialties such as u pani cunzatu, a famous local bread roll with tomatoes, anchovy fillets and cheese and the famous local graniet (not included) granita water ice.

In the afternoon we discover Lipari’s west coast with cliffs overlooking the sea, coves and caves and the imposing Petra Longa and Petra Menalda rock formations, and end the day with a last swim and a tasting of the local Malvasia wine offered by the captain. Departure 10.00 and return to Lipari around 17.00. Transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

5th Day - LIPARI FREE

Breakfast at the hotel, free day. You can spend a lazy day on the beach or set up a boat trip with a private driver or by yourselves - the max 40 horsepower engines do not require a boat license. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

6th day - LIPARI - FERRY TO MILAZZO - CATANIA

After breakfast transfer to the port and travel by ferry from Lipari to Milazzo, where we will board our private vehicle and continue to Catania airport. End of our services.

Net rates:

Price per person in double room min. 2 people € 1485.00

Price per person in double room min. 4 people € 1375.00

Price per person in double room min. 6 people € 1265.00

Single room supplement for 5 nights € 275.00

THE PRICE INCLUDES:

• Private transfers to / from Catania / Port of Milazzo
• Transfer Port of Milazzo / Hotel / Port of Milazzo
• 5 Nights hotel in Lipari (3 or 4 stars according to availability)  Hotel Rocce Blue or similar
• 5 breakfasts
• 4 dinners
• Hydrofoil Milazzo / Lipari/ Milazo
• Excursion by private boat to the islands from the 2nd to the 4th day
• Medical cancellation insurance (includes lost or delayed baggage, trip cancellation due to epidemic illness or quarantine),

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Entrance fees, tips and extras in general, drinks with meals Anything not expressly indicated in "the price includes".

Piedmont is a real mine of ideas for outdoor activities and enjoying nature, good food and the region’s cultural heritage and traditions. From Mount Rosa to the Ossola and Biellese peaks, from Turin’s Alps to those of Cuneo with Mount Monviso and up to the hills of the Alta Langa and the Apennines (where you can already get the scent of the sea) there is no shortage of easy and more demanding bicycle trails.

Challenging trekking and cycle paths

On the Via Francigena in the Susa Valley, on foot or on two wheels, you can identify with the pilgrims who in Medieval days travelled along this route to Rome or Santiago de Compostela. A more challenging but equally fascinating trail is that which takes in the five refuges in the Orsiera-Rocciavrè Park, touching on three valleys on the outskirts of Turin. Between the provinces of Turin and Vercelli, the Trail of the White Stones consists of interconnecting ring circuits through eleven towns. 

In the footsteps of the ancient anchovy traders

The Giro di Viso trekking trail with the ascent to the Buco di Viso tunnel is very challenging and therefore for expert hikers and has various shelters around the highest peak in the Cottian Alps. The Via del Sale trail, also in the Cuneo area, is a classic for expert bikers and has spectacular views, and from Limone to Ventimiglia you walk in the footsteps of the anchovy traders who once plied their trade between Liguria and Piedmont.

Discovering local specialties

The Tour del Gusto in the Alta Langa is a beautiful enogastronomic route suitable for everyone, especially on an e-bike, although it can also be enjoyed as a trekking trail. A few kilometers from Alba, through the Langhe district, you come to places famous for cheeses, hazelnuts, castles and old villages that seem suspended in time.

Autumn in Italy is a delightful month with beautiful days, leaves that change color from green to a thousand shades of red, orange and yellow and with forest fruits like chestnuts ripening on the trees. It is also the season of grape harvesting, wine tasting and visits to wine cellars. The Valtellina, with its long winemaking tradition, is an ideal place in which to spend a weekend relaxing and enjoying fine wines, visiting historic winemakers and strolling through terraced vineyards against the backdrop of the majestic Alps. 

Following the Wine Route

The Wine Route is a 67-kilometre trail through the province of Sondrio that connects the towns of Ardenno and Tirano. Along this itinerary visitors will discover villages with historic buildings and sanctuaries, enjoy sleeping in old farmhouses surrounded by vineyards. They will also enjoy the typical products of the area in restaurants with menus based on traditional recipes and stop in historic shops to buy local delicacies. To book your Valtellina experiences either on foot or on two wheels go to the site https://www.stradadelvinovaltellina.it/ 

Learn about grape harvesting

Along this trail in the historic center of Sondrio, Alberto Marsetti’s farm has become a place of worship for all grape lovers thanks to the educational tours, accompanied by an oenologist, that allow participants to learn about grape harvesting and then enjoy tasting the wines. For more information visit the website https://www.marsetti.it/it/11-pacchetti

On two wheels through ancient vineyards

The Wine Bike Tours - six circular itineraries through vineyards starting and ending in Sondrio - are the perfect mix for those who love both good wine and sport. The routes are of different lengths, with some perfect for families as they are flat and not excessively long, others that pass through ancient villages and sites of cultural interest, while still others bring cyclists through the Alpine beauties of the Valtellina. Discovering these paths at a slow pace you awaken all your senses, and the day ends with a good glass of Valtellina wine. Many of the bike tours intersect with the Strada del Vino with visits to wineries, restaurants and shops. For more information visit the website: https://www.valtellina.it/it/wine-bike-tour

The Via dei Terrazzamenti through terraced vineyards

Another wonderful pedestrian itinerary that crosses the lower and middle Valtellina valleys, and is especially appealing in autumn, is the Via dei Terrazzamenti. This route is 70 kilometres long and connects two important towns: Morbegno which is one of the most important villages at the start of the Valtellina valley and Tirano, with a rich artistic and cultural heritage, which is the crossroads between the Lower and Upper Valtellina valleys. This trail is dotted with 40 rest stops and crosses scenic terraced vineyards as well as many historic and artistic buildings, churches, wine cellars, farmhouses and ancient villages. For more info visit the website https://www.valtellina.it/it/via-dei-terrazzamenti

In the first months of 2021 the area of the Po Delta and Venice was designated to represent Italy at the European Commission for inclusion in the prestigious European Heritage Label. The European Commission selects only one site for each member state. “Lands of water, lands in the water, Po Delta and Venice" and Ventotene were two of the six Italian candidates put forward and the Venetian candidate is now waiting for the outcome of the European selection.