The Val di Taro is a region with gastronomic ambitions and, like most border lands, often mistakenly considered on the margins of conventional geography, is the beating heart of cultures and ideas.

The Alta Valtaro area - an artistic treasure chest that holds such gems as the little town of Borgo Val di Taro which is about 60 kilometres from Parma – has become a cornerstone of the food and wine sector…with an eye to innovation.

Albareto Mushroom Fair - Photo Credit: Francesca Bocchia

The annual Mushroom Fair

As well as the now legendary Mushroom Fair in Borgo Val di Taro and the National Porcini Mushroom Fair in Albareto, the valley recently witnessed the return of chef Alessandro Delnevo to inaugurate his Così è (se vi pare) restaurant in his native Borgo Val di Taro. Another innovation is the GustaBorgo guided tour with Giacomo Galli (Visit Emilia). Held on a Saturday afternoon in Borgo Val di Taro it features gastronomy and discovers old and new shops while allowing visitors to enjoy tastings of local wines and foods.

The National Porcini Mushroom Fair 

On 17,18, 24 and 25 September 2022 the mushroom fair will take over historic venues on the Via Nazionale attracting visitors for its typical local products and the latest trends in food & wine. Then from 30 September to 2 October Albareto will play its role as the beating heart of the National Porcini Mushroom Fair. This year the event focuses on a range of food and non-food products alongside the king of mushrooms.

The GustaBorgo guided tour

GustaBorgo, a Saturday afternoon guided tour with Giacomo Galli (Visit Emilia) along the Via Nazionale in Borgo Val di Taro features local gastronomy and old and new shops as well as tastings of the typical flavours of the area. These go from the herb cake of Borgo Val di Taro made with raw chard, 30-month Parmesan cheese and oil, to beer from the Turris Brewery scented with honey, blackberries or chestnuts. The tour ends at Le Bontà di Camisa, dal 1929, where the spotlight is on the Baciocca, a potato cake with a chestnut-leaf base.

For information: www.turismovaltaro.it

Magical Autumn Interweavings (Magici Intrecci Autunnali) in the Friuli, Venezia Giulia region, from 14 to16 October in the Castle of Strassoldo, half an hour's drive from the provincial capital of Udine, are a refined autumn exhibition dedicated to handicrafts and nursery gardening of excellence. 

Arts, crafts and rare plants

This year Magici Intrecci Autunnali will be held in the Strassoldo di Sopra Castle in the spacious covered and open-air spaces embellished with imaginative autumn decorations. On display will be the latest arts, crafts and plants of more than 100 master craftsmen, artists and nurserymen of excellence, personally selected by the hostess Gabriella Williams Strassoldo. 

A selection of perfect Christmas gifts

The master craftsmen will propose decorations and furnishings for the home and garden and there will also be small handicraft companies with the best of Friuli’s production. The wide range of elegant and original articles will be perfect non-trivial Christmas presents, those special gifts that are so difficult to find. Also significant will be the presence of some of Italy's leading nurserymen with rare, ancient and special plants. 

Refreshment areas and guided tours

The event - which will be held safely in compliance with Covid regulations - will also be held in the event of rain, since most of the exhibitors will be inside the castle, and those outside will be protected by large gazebos, as is customary for these country events.

Delicacies and light fare will be served in the two refreshment areas in the shade of centuries-old trees, and there will also be guided tours for small groups to visit the exteriors of the two castles.

Tickets online: https://www.vivaticket.com/it/Ticket/magici-intrecci-autunnali/186758.

For information: www.castellodistrassoldo.it

Luxury Camp is Italy's first 5-star campsite at the Union Lido Park & Resort in Cavallino-Treporti, a little town on the lagoon over an hour’s drive or half an hour by boat from Venice. 

Mirror suites and extra-luxury caravans

A personalized welcome, comfort and total privacy are the lowest common denominator for stays at Luxury Camp which is popular with Italian and international guests who pay €250 to €1200 a night in mirror suites and extra-luxury caravans. "This year we had a 15% increase in bookings compared to 2021, - says Camping Management’s director Mattia Ferro.  -At the beginning of the season 90% of all 180 days available from 8 April to 3 October had been booked.

A winning luxury formula

The real secret of Luxury Camp's innovative formula is the pine forest setting on the sea and the many leisure, health and wellness services ranging from water parks to sports centres and spas. "For Luxury Camp we did years of market research into the world’s best 5-star superior to 7-star hotels from Dubai to Las Vegas to Shanghai, to which we added our personal Italian warmth and style.”

A private fenced luxury beach

Luxury Camp offers among its privileges a private and fenced luxury beach and transport to the beach with a Golfcar Limousine, all within a half an hour's boat ride from St. Mark's Square in Venice by embarking on a private launch from the Punta Sabbioni terminal. The 18 exclusive mirror suites are luxurious mobile homes on wheels with a mirrored side equipped with all comforts, and there are also two luxury caravans. The mirror suites, in South Florida style, are available with two or three bedrooms, sleeping 4 to 6 people with ensuite bathrooms, air conditioning, fridge, TV, living room with sofa, furnished veranda, and a fully-equipped kitchen.   

5-star services and comforts 

The services are typical of luxury hotel chains, ranging from priority check-in and check-out, to 24-hour parking and taxi transfers in Venice. "Our concierge,- adds Mattia Ferro, - reaches out to all kinds of guest needs. And on the private luxury beach with its XL umbrellas and mattress beds, there is a staffed reception desk. Among the special requests we have received over the years there has been a heliport, a butler and a personal chef."

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

Italy’s southern Sannio region is the latest destination to join the network of the five-year 2023-2028 Return to Italy project from Rete Destinazione Sud, together with the province of Benevento where some 30 municipalities have formally adhered to the project. 

Promoting return tourism

Benevento’s mayors were brought together by the President of the Destinazione Sud Network, Michelangelo Lurgi, in the municipality of San Lorenzello to sign memoranda of understanding. They also discussed initiatives aimed at promoting return tourism for Italians abroad who intend searching for their roots.

“Relaunching the image of Italy” 

Also present were the President of the Province of Benevento, Nino Lombardi, the Mayor of Benevento, Clemente Mastella, and the Senator of the Italian Republic, Sandra Lonardo, who has always been active in the development of the area.  “We are relaunching the image of Italy and promoting investments, - said Michelangelo Lurgi. - The municipalities are invited to promote their cultural, productive and enogastronomic excellence, thus enhancing their potential.”

Bringing small towns together with positive results

The mayor of Benevento, Clemente Mastella, said the project is a concrete example of how it is possible to bring small towns to work together with positive results. “From the point of view of tourism, we have to improve connections with the Sannio and Benevento area. We must use the Pnrr (The Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan Ed) for mobility, making the area more accessible by road and rail connections.”

Castel Maurn in the Val Pusteria is for exclusive stays that respond to a desire for freedom and the need for security, both of which can be found in this stunning green valley in the North of Italy. Following a magnificent restoration this ancient property is now an exclusive hotel with frescoes, wooden panelling, 18th century wooden parquet flooring, contemporary furnishings and design touches. The eight large suites (ranging from 35 to 220 square metres) have night and a day areas and fully equipped hi-tech kitchens for a completely independent stay.

A home away from home and fine dining

You will feel you are quite at home though you are actually in a palace. And the concierge service plays an important role in tailoring every stay to individual preferences. From breakfast served in your room to candlelit dinners, wine tastings, and excursions on foot and by mountain bike with mountain guides to gourmet tours of Brunico's shops to exclusive tables in the best gourmet restaurants in the area such as the Michelin-starred St. Hubertus, Schöneck or Norbert Niederkofler's AlpiNN.

Miles of cycle trails and waterfalls

Nature lovers will discover a crossroads of destinations right in front of Castel Maurn's door: from the nearby woods to the trails between the

, those in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Park, the marvel of the Three Peaks of Lavaredo and Lake Braies. And for cycle enthusiasts there are over 110 kilometres of cycle paths in the Val Pusteria. The spectacular Campo Tures waterfalls can be reached by bike in half an hour from Castel Maurn, while that architectural masterpiece of Perca’s Earth Pyramids – columns sculpted by nature - are not to be missed. 

Mountainsailing (a flagship of OverAlp) offers a week of sailing combined with splendid trekking routes immersed in the magic of the Aeolian Islands, which are a UNESCO heritage site with fascinating and evocative volcanic landscapes. Brainchild of the Alpine guide Carlo Gabasio and skipper Paolo Falco, since 2016 Mountainsailing has been offering land and sea treks which are a novel approach and much appreciated by outdoor enthusiasts who also love the sea.

The first trek begins in La Fossa and from its highest point there is an exceptional view of the Aeolian archipelago. Upon returning you can relax and enjoy sailing along the coast towards Lipari, the capital of the Aeolian Islands, touching the villages of Canneto, Lama and Acquacalda amd with spectacular views of the most beautiful beaches.

Salina in the green heart of the Aeolian Islands

Another trek is to the island of Salina, the green heart of the Aeolian Islands, with Malvasia vineyards that produce the nectar of the gods, a wine appreciated and known the world over. The highest peak on Salina is the 962-metre inactive volcano Monte Fossa delle Felci. 

Stromboli has an active volcano

At dawn on the sixth day the sails are set for a longer journey to the wonderful island of Stromboli, dominated by Iddu as they call the volcano that has been active for over 2.000 years. A late afternoon trek goes up scenic trails with views of the crater, crowned by incandescent lava eruptions that blend into the colours of the night and the city lights.

Time to swim on sandy beaches

The tour continues with a stop in Panarea, the pearl of the Aeolian Islands, for a refreshing dip on one of the beautiful sandy Mediterranean beaches. This Mountainsailing tour is ideal for those who want to enjoy both the sea and the mountains: a relaxing experience but at the same time with well-planned excursions, and trekking routes suitable for everyone. A late summer dream, ideal for enjoying an active holiday without depriving yourself of the pleasures of the sea.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Dates: 2 – 8 October 2022

Fee: €1600 per person, minimum 5 people

THE PRICE INCLUDES: organization and assistance by a UIAGM mountain guide for the whole trip; accommodation on a sailing boat with a skipper; breakfast, post-trekking snacks and dinners on the boat, boat and tender fuel, any port charges, boat cleaning at the end of the trip.

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: return trip to and from the airports and ports of departure. Any dinners restaurants. Personal extras (drinks etc.). Anything not indicated in “The Price Includes”

Information and reservations OverAlp Srl

Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa is the first South Tyrol hotel to get 5 stars from Forbes Travel Guide 2022. The prestigious property, owned by the Bernardi family, is in Ortisei in the Alto Adige region’s Val Gardena valley. 

A new spa and a Michelin restaurant

The Gardena, which underwent renovations in 2001 followed by a constant and substantial restyling and the creation of a new spa area, is an elegant and refined property.  The new Gardena spa - which is the hotel's pride and joy together with the starred restaurant Anna Stuben – has been expanded to two levels with a huge swimming pool and a large and exclusive sauna area. In the Michelin-starred restaurant, the Anna Stuben gourmet restaurant, Chef Reimund Brunner delights patrons with his deceptively simple and truly elegant delicacies.

Four spacious new suites

This summer four new suites have been added to the exclusive Gardena Chalets. Right in the centre of Ortisei, with views of the old town they are perfect for travellers wanting to spend their holidays in complete  privacy and comfort. The suites, on 100 to 110 square metres, are in Alpine style with modern furnishings and have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living area and balconies with large windows overlooking the historic centre of Ortisei, the forests and the majestic mountains around the hotel. 

“The winners are the best of luxury hospitality”

"Travel is back, and while the industry faces persistent problems, the 2022 award winners have proven themselves ready for these challenges and more, demonstrating the best that luxury hospitality has to offer," said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide.

Discovering Lake Maggiore’s Terre Borromeo by train along the route that crosses the lake’s popular circuit of tourist destinations, is a journey of slow tourism. A travel experience that becomes even more convenient and comfortable when travelled by train.  Up to 1 November 2022, anyone taking a Trenitalia regional train can benefit from a 10% discount on the admission ticket to the Isola Bella. 

15% reductions from Trenitalia

There is a 15% discount to enter other destinations like the Isola Madre and the Parco Pallavicino in Stresa, and the Rocca di Angera castle on the Lombardy side of the lake. Furthermore there is a 15% reduction for visitors who choose combined tickets for multiple destinations, such as Isola Bella and Isola Madre. These Trenitalia discounts are valid for both individuals and groups and are available on the website and through all sales channels.

The Borromeo Experience

The storytelling campaign for the Borromeo Experience invites visitors to discover and experience Lake Maggiore by train, and it uses emotional images and words: Dream for the magical Isola Bella, Breathe for the botanical heritage and the regenerating setting of  the Isola Madre, Relax for relaxation in the nature of Parco Pallavicino, and Admire for the medieval charm of the Rocca di Angera Castle.

Visiting castles, parks and islands

Currently the Terre Borromeo tourist circuit includes the Isola Bella and the Isola Madre in the archipelago of the Borromean Islands, Pallavicino Park in Stresa and Mottarone Park with its 500 hectares of wooded area along the slopes of the mountain of the same name. It also includes the Rocca di Angera castle on the Lombard side of the province of Varese, and the Castelli di Cannero in the Upper Verbano area that are currently undergoing restoration and expected to open to the public over the next three years.

Twenty-one itineraries from April to November 2024. Ahead of its inaugural cruise scheduled for next August, the super-luxury cruise brand Ritz-Calton Yacht Collection is already unveiling its plans for the 2024 Mediterranean season. 

Private charters to 2024 Grand Prix races

The Evrima, the fleet's first 298-passenger ship, will visit 14 new destinations, including Seville, Sardinia, Syros and Trogir, with cruises lasting between seven and 11 nights on average. The itineraries will also include overnight stays in Casablanca, Monte Carlo, Dubrovbnik and Portofino. Private charter connections to the 2024 Grand Prix in Italy, France and Monaco will also be available for a limited time.

The fleet will comprise three ships

The plan was for the Evrima to debut as early as January 2020 but the pandemic delayed its delivery, and the Ritz-Calton Yacht Collection will soon have a fleet of three ships. This July already saw the cutting of the sheet metal for the second ship, the Ilma (Maltese for water), which will enter service in 2024.