Rete Destinazione Sud presents the Campania Destination - Salerno. 
Video produced by Latvdeiviaggi

The skiing Thöni family has launched the Stelvio Hotels brand, a distinct new brand that brings together the four properties owned by the family. 

Four hotels and a new website

The new Stelvio Hotels brand includes the historic Hotel Bella Vista, the very recent Ortles B&B-Hotel as well as The Stelvio and the Gustav Thöni Residence apartments. The group also has a new website in three languages

“With this step we decided to put our family's long experience in hospitality into a single brand, writing a new page in the history of all-South Tyrolean excellence,” says Stephan Gander, marketing director of Stelvio Hotels.

Stelvio Hotels Hotel Bella Vista - Trafoi

 

Five generations as hoteliers 

The family of the famous ski champion Gustav Thöni has managed the Bella Vista Hotel for five generations. Founded as a boarding house by Gustav's great-grandfather in 1875, the Bella Vista is now a 4-star hotel. Also in Trafoi is the Ortles B&B-Hotel, a new property with 20 rooms and a minimalist and welcoming design. The Stelvio Residence, with its 15 apartments, is just a short walk from the Bella Vista, and the Gustav Thöni Residence, which has six units, is in Prato allo Stelvio. The Bella Vista Hotel and the Ortles B&B Hotel reopen on May 18, whereas the two properties in Trafoi and Prato allo Stelvio are open 365 days a year. 

Stelvio Hotels Ortles B&B Hotel - Ph credits: Ugo Visciani

After the reopening of the Piccola Gardiola concept village in San Felice del Benaco, all Baia Holiday’s other villages have reopened. 

Four Sardinian villages have reopened

Since the beginning of the month four Baia Holiday Sardinian villages have resumed operations: the Centro Vacanze Isuledda, with a new ice cream parlour and a new wooden beach kiosk, and the Laguna Blu camping village, on the Corallo Riviera, a few kilometres from Alghero. Also open are the Baia Blu La Tortuga camping village in Gallura, and the Camping Village Capo d'Orso, a few kilometres from Palau and the Maddalena archipelago.

New facilities in Ostia Antica and Cavallino Treporti

In Puglia the San Nicola tourist centre is a new entry for Baia Holiday. The Camping Village Roma Capitol in Ostia Antica has also reopened, featuring a brand new 11,500 sqm water park, with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a lagoon pool for children, a spa and a solarium, and the Cavallino Treporti Village has a brand-new addition: the Panta Rei spa. 

Three of the four Mira Hotels & Resorts in Sicily, Tuscany and Puglia are dream destinations for golfers.  

Three courses, three unforgettable experiences

The Maremma hinterland frames the golf courses of the Riva Toscana Golf Resort & Spa in Follonica, while the sun of Puglia’s Salento shines on the greens at the Acaya Golf Resort & Spa, and the scents and silence of the Syracusan countryside accompany every step between the holes of the Borgo di Luce I Monasteri Golf Resort & Spa.

Mira Hotels Riva Toscana Golf Resort Spa Golf, Follonica (Tuscany)

Tuscany. Riva Toscana Golf Resort & Spa in Follonica 

This 18-hole course was designed by Giulio Cavalsani and combines the natural uniqueness of the area with elements of a compelling challenge. An agreement with the Maremma Consortium's Stay & Play around Tuscany project also allows resort guests to play on all the courses in the area. The package, which starts at €322 per person per night, includes accommodation, green fees on some of Maremma's most beautiful golf courses - Punta Ala, Il Pelagone, Argentario, and Terme di Saturnia - as well as the luxury of a wellness programme at the Naturae Sps. https://www.rivatoscana.it/

Mira Hotels Acaya Golf Resort Spa, Lecce (Apulia)

Puglia. Acaya Golf Resort & Spa in Lecce

The Acaya Golf Resort & Spa in Lecce, designed by the renowned American firm Hurdzan&Fry, is the first 5-star Superior BVGA golf course in Southern Italy, and is suitable for both professional and novice golfers. The 18-hole course has also played host to a number of high-level competitions. Stay & Play offers breakfast, daily beach service, access to swimming pools and the Spa, driving range access, and unlimited 18-hole green fees for each person at the Acaya Golf Club, starting at €303 per person. https://www.acayagolfresort.com/

Mira Hotels Borgo di Luce I Monasteri Golf Resort Spa Golf Club, Syracuse Sicily 

Sicily. Borgo Di Luce The Monasteries in Syracuse

Golf, wellness, and Sicilian traditions share space and time in a former Benedictine monastery 18 kilometres from Syracuse and 20 kilometres from the sea. The 18-hole par-71 golf course, which winds for 6,520 metres and includes 200 hectares of parkland, is a captivating playing experience that benefits from the brilliant design of architects David and Vincenzo Mezzacane.

Golf No Limits for a full immersion of golf

Golf No Limits is your ticket to a full immersion in the greenest and most sophisticated sport on the planet. The package includes unlimited green fees, access to the driving range, a pull trolley (depending on availability), a special golf gift, the facility of booking a tee time, a golf cart and Mira Academy lessons, 60-minute access to the Zagara Spa, use of the outdoor swimming pools and the solarium, and late check-out (upon availability). Prices start at €1,683 per person. www.imonasterigolfresort.com   

Genoa is the Italian Capital of the Book 2023; a unique opportunity for the city to become a benchmark in the Italian cultural landscape.

A cultural event with domestic and international reach

Promoting the reading and distribution of books also provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the city’s cultural heritage, with high-level exhibitions and events that will also be a major attraction for visitors.

“A fantastic job has been done not only in Italy but also internationally, - say regional president Giovanni Toti and Genoa’s mayor Marco Bucci, - and we are confident that this great achievement will bring even more prestige to the Ligurian capital on a cultural level, and also impact on tourism.”

Festivals, exhibitions and book fairs in Genoa

Many well-established initiatives will also be featured, ranging from the La Storia in Piazza Festival to the Science Festival, as well as publishing exhibitions and book fairs aimed at turning books into instruments of civil growth and social integration. Other activities to be organized throughout the year include public readings and structural interventions for city libraries, as well as educational initiatives and exhibitions.

Bergamo and Brescia, the Capital of Culture 2023, are Italy’s hidden treasures.

“A new awareness for Bergamo and Brescia” 

“Both Brescia and Bergamo had to overcome many recent difficulties including the pandemic, but we have now been able to build up new awareness for our destination. This took concrete form in the choice of Brescia and Bergamo as Capital of Culture 2023," said Manuel Gabriele, director of Visit Brescia, speaking at the ITB in Berlin. 

Brescia

Unique cultural and artistic hidden treasures

"The project does not end in 2023 but will progress over time on four levels. The first promotes a city of unique artistic and cultural hidden treasures. Then there is the new way of thinking about the two cities, thanks to the green landscaping trail between Bergamo and Brescia. And we have the Inventing City and the Cultural City. In the first case we are talking about innovation, and when it comes to culture the city is no longer designed for the tourist, but for its citizens which of course makes it attractive also for tourists.”

Discover the World Europa! The MSC’s newest trailblazing World Class of ships has arrived in the Mediterranean. World Europa, the newest and greenest vessel in the MSC fleet set sail from its homeport of Genoa on 12 April offering seven-night cruises with ports of call in Genoa, Naples, and Messina in Italy, Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain, and Marseille in France. At 1,093 ft long and 22 decks high, there is accommodation for 6,762 guests in 2,626 staterooms of 19 different categories, many with balconies. 

Spring is the perfect time to explore Lignano Sabbiadoro’s nature and foods. 

The Adriatic seaside town is called The Florida of Italy

Lignano Sabbiadoro and its lagoon, kissed by the Adriatic Sea, the brackish waters of the Marano lagoon, and the estuary of the Tagliamento river, are not called the Florida of Italy for nothing. For the upcoming spring holidays, various initiatives are proposed in the area, ranging from trekking, even with small children, to biking itineraries, and from artistic outings surrounded by greenery to the many mouth-watering stops to enjoy the rich and authentic cuisine.

Marano Lagoon Ph credits: Francesco Marongiu

Family-format nature excursions

In Lignano Sabbiadoro, an ideal destination for children of all ages – and for people with limited mobility – you can choose a trek suitable for everyone, along the cycle and pedestrian path on the seafront, which runs along the sand dunes on one side and the lush green of the Lignano pine forest on the other. Younger visitors can participate in the Spring in the Lagoon tour, a family-friendly excursion to discover the wonders and secrets of the Valle Canal Novo Nature Reserve. The itinerary takes in the lagoon aquarium and various nature trails on wooden walkways along the brackish waters, during a particularly good time of year for birdwatching.

Stella River

Emotions on two wheels and architectural gems 

Those who can't get enough of two wheels while on holiday can try their hand at a bike excursion that includes ascents of the Stella and Tagliamento rivers. In about 5 hours you can cycle for some 45 kilometres through suggestive and picturesque rural landscapes within protected natural areas and authentic biodiversity oases. There are also pleasant surprises in store for art and culture enthusiasts. Architecture buffs will discover the experimental urban structure of Lignano Pineta on a cultural walk through the streets of the town where some of the futuristic villas designed by the architect Marcello D' Olive can be admired.

Marano Lagunare

Sea (and lagoon) flavours

Those who love good food can enjoy menus of traditional dishes and food and wine products; the predominant flavour of this area is the sea, which includes clams and eels. In the village of Marano Lagunare you can sample a traditional aperitif made from sparkling Ribolla or other local wines, while on boat trips they can try a variety of fresh fish from the Upper Adriatic. The tour starting from Libra di Bepi, a stilt house on the Stella river with a large libra net used by the traditional fishmen, is a must-do. And from here they can set out by canoe to explore the Foci dello Stella Nature Reserve, with a stop at the casoni, or ancient fishermen's houses on the lagoon's waters.

Tarquinia, the Lazio region’s ancient Etruscan city and just 50 minutes from Rome, is also a charming medieval town. 

Palazzo Vitelleschi is a national museum

As well as its Etruscan art and interesting old centre, it has popular beaches and is only 50 minutes from Rome’s Fiumicino international airport, and 15 minutes from Civitavecchia, the port of call for cruise ships visiting the Eternal City. To get an idea of the magnitude and artistic refinement of the Etruscan period, visits must include the ancient Necropolis and Tarquinia’s National Archaeological Museum in the Renaissance Palazzo Vitelleschi.  The museum on three floors, contains the largest collection of Etruscan art in the world and also has many remarkable finds from other eras.

The Winged Horses of Tarquinia

The piece de resistance is the group of two Winged Horses dating back to the 4th century B.C., found near the remains of the Etruscan Altar of the Queen Temple. The horses are drawing a chariot (alas this was not found) and when brought to light in 1938 by the archaeologist Pietro Romanelli, it was fragmented into one hundred shards, before being magnificently restored.  

The Etruscans lived between Lazio and Tuscany

The 200 depicted tombs and frescoes in the Monterozzi Necropolis are the only example of major pre-Roman artwork in the Mediterranean basin. They also open a window on the Etruscan people who created the western Mediterrean’s first urban culture, between Lazio and Tuscany, between the 8th to the 1st century B.C. The necropolis has been known for centuries and Michelangelo visited it, as can be seen in his sketch in the Buonarroti Archives. The Barriera di San Giusto gate, the ancient entrance to the town, leads to Piazza Cavour with Palazzo Vitelleschi and to the Piazza del Duomo where you can admire the Cathedral with its majestic bell tower. 

Lazio’s only salt pans attract flamingoes

Not far from the town the Natural Salt Pans Reserve is an extremely important natural site. These are the only salt pans in the Lazio region and one of the few left on the Italian coast, and this lagoon welcomes a large number of migratory birds including pink flamingoes, egrets and herons, making it a must for nature lovers, birdwatchers and photographers. 

Beautiful sandy beaches and water sports 

Tarquinia has some charming beaches like Lido di Tarquinia, which is just 10 minutes away from the city center and is popular for surfing, windsurfing and sailing. Marina Velca is a small beach some four kilometers to the north of the Lido, and Riva dei Tarquini is a beautiful stretch of coast just north of Marina Velca. One special favourite is the soft golden-sand beach of Bagni di Sant'Agostino which is famous for its dunes and pine forests. 

For information: https://tarquiniaturismo.com

Terme Chianciano’s new thermal season has many novelties, including a new wellness and thermal health facility.

Treatments with serotonin, the happiness hormone

The new thermal facility combines the beneficial and therapeutic effects of Chianciano’s waters (the Acqua Santa and the Acqua Santissima) in the form of drinking water, baths in hot thermal pools, or mud macerated in thermal water. 

The therapists at the medical centre combine metabolic check-ups and customized diet and exercise plans. There are also wellness treatments for a general sense of relaxation that produce serotonin, the happiness hormone, which has astonishing anti-anxiety qualities.

Four new signature packages 

Weight loss, physical activities, and the ability to maintain healthy and lasting lifestyles: these are also part of Terme di Chianciano’s treatments. There are also some almost free thermal cures and therapies, and access to the Terme Sensoriali spa, as well as the health gym. Among the novelties are the four signature packages lasting three or six nights: Serotonine Boost, Acqua Santa Detox, Naturally Fit and More Beautiful, Longer.