The Salento-based Relais San Martino is the debut Italian property for Accor's new soft brand, Handwritten Collection. 

Rooms, suites and apartments in a 1700s building

Located in the town of Taviano, about five kilometres from Gallipoli, Relais San Martino is a historic building dating back to the 1700s that has been renovated in keeping with the local architectural tradition. It has 31 rooms, including five suites, a junior suite and two apartment residences (superior and deluxe).

The restaurant has a complete menu using seawater 

A wellness area with an outdoor pool, whirlpool, fitness boutique and a meditation citrus grove is also part of the Accor facility. There is also an additional fitness area located on the terrace. The F&B features Chiara Murra's restaurant A Casa Tu Martinu, which specializes in authentic Apulian cuisine. As of 2021, an interesting experiment was introduced, involving the use of seawater in the kitchen with a complete menu including desserts. This has made it possible, among other things, to eliminate salt from the preparation of dishes.

Bluetour’s sailing ship Jancris has arrived at Porto di Traiano in Lazio, on the second leg of its blue heritage tour.

The sailing boat brings a message of sustainability

The boat Jancris, which is sailing along the Tyrrhenian coast carrying a message of attention to cultural heritage and sustainability, docked at the Port of Traiano. It was greeted by the municipality of Montalto di Castro and the other municipalities participating in Italian Blue Route. 

The mayors of the Lazio towns were present

Welcoming the arrival of Blue Tour at the ceremony to hand over the Italian Blue flag to the mayors present, the mayor of Montalto di Castro Emanuela Socciarelli said:

"We joined the Blue Route because we see it as an extension of our DMO Etruskey project. It is a beautiful initiative because it encompasses the entire Etruscan world. This itinerary that travels through the world of the Etruscans is a truly wonderful thing". 

 

Italian BlueRoute promotes blue heritage 

Bluetour 2023 is a Blue Heritage promotional project organized by Italian BlueRoute, Lega Navale Delegazione Universitaria di Tor Vergata, and the Jancris Sailing Association, with the coordination of FEISC, the European Federation of Historical, Cultural and Tourist Routes, under the patronage of Lega Navale Italiana and the support of local and national partners.

Leading Italian car rental firm Italy Car Rent inaugurated its new headquarters in Carini, close to Palermo, with a colourful ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A family business with a focus on customer service

Founder and owner Alfonso Caravello and his family hosted the ceremony at the company’s new headquarters together with many of the car rental’s 250-strong staff and Italian and international partners and customers. 

"Our company sets itself apart for our craftsmanship.  Our efforts and our unwavering focus is first and foremost on the client and on customer service," stated Caravello. 

 

New airport and railway station offices

"Our current position on the market is the culmination of 11 years of hard work. It hasn't been easy but now we have a fleet of 6,000 cars, one of the largest in Italy. We have already established a presence in nearly all of Italy’s airports, and now we are expanding our offices to major train stations. We are already present in Milano Centrale and Roma Termini, and we will soon open branches in Napoli Centrale, Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Bologna, as well as others. These significant investments are aimed at reaching out to a customer base of at least one billion people," explained Caravello.

Alfonso Caravello

“In June our turnover was already up 50% on last year” 

Italy Car for Rent’s founder and chairman expressed his satisfaction not just with the company's territorial expansion but also with the results achieved in the first half of 2023.

"During the first six months of this year, we achieved a 50% increase in turnover compared to last year, primarily driven by leisure tourism, although our collaboration with business travel is also growing," he added.

 

La Gemma Hotel, a new 39-room 5-star which has just opened in Florence, has a Michelin chef and is the Cecchi family's first hotellerie project.

A two-starred Italian-Argentinian Michelin chef

The property, the result of the conversion of the 19th-century Palazzo Paoletti in Via Calimala, has 23 rooms and 16 suites, a lounge bar, a panoramic rooftop and the Allure spa, as well as Luca’s, the gourmet restaurant led by two-time Michelin-starred Italian-Argentinian chef Paolo Airaudo.

Private visits to wineries and ateliers, and cooking classes

The design combines a warm and embracing colour palette inspired by the hues of Florence’s cathedral with bold geometric patterns, exotic details, precious fabrics, ceramics and fine marble. The concierge team is on hand to organize customized activities throughout Tuscany: from private visits to perfumeries, artisan workshops and ateliers, to cooking classes in a farmhouse in the countryside, and from helicopter tours to admire the city from on high to fine wine tastings in some of the region's most renowned wineries.

Recanati, which is known as the balcony city of the Marche, is strategically located in the centre of the Marche region, between the coast and the hinterland. 

Wonderful scenery and delicious local dishes 

Nestled between the sea and the mountains Recanati, which is less than an hour from Ancona’s Marche Airport, is known as the Balcony City for the splendid views if affords. On clear days, in fact, the spectacular panorama is dominated by Mount Conero, the Adriatic Sea and the Sibillini Mountains. Recanati is home to famous personalities, including the illustrious poet Giacomo Leopardi and the famous tenor Beniamino Gigli. 

A city of culture and fine food

The city is permeated by an aura of culture and art in its monuments and churches, art galleries and museums. Not to be underestimated is the local food and wine, with many dishes of peasant origins. These simple but succulent specialties preserve ancient flavours like the Vincisgrassi, which is the Marche's version of lasagne, to the sweet and cheese pizzas typical of the Easter period. Thanks to the Adriatic Sea there is a wide choice of delicious fish and visitors should not miss a dish of the local fragrant Brodetto di Pesce fish soup. 

Leopardi’s house and Loreto, one of Italy’s most popular religious shrines

Among the places of memory of Leopardi in Recanati we find The Tower of the Lonely Sparrow inside the cloister of the Gothic Church of Sant'Agostino, made famous by his poem The Lonely Sparrow. Other fascinating and evocative Leopardi sites are the Colle dell'Infinito and Palazzo Leopardi, where he was born and lived, and which was opened to the public in March 2020. Not far from Recanati, the Balcony City, we find a place that has always had a magnetic appeal for visitors: the Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto. This symbolic shrine of Christianity has within it the Holy House of Nazareth in which Mary was born and is a very popular destination with pilgrims and art lovers from all over the world.

A new wellness experience in collaboration with Dior has Belmond’s Grand Hotel Timeo’s gardens as a backdrop. 

Sea views and a specially designed upholstery fabric

As part of its 150th anniversary celebrations, the Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina (Sicily), announces unprecedented wellness treatments in partnership with Dior. Until next October two Dior cabins will have their own terrace with a sea view at the property.  Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative director of Dior, has reinterpreted the brand fabric that adorns the cabins in a vibrant leaf green to recreate the feeling of fusion in harmony with the surrounding garden.

ph Credits: Pierre Mouton

Holistic facials and relaxing massages

Treatments, using Dior techniques that combine traditional Eastern and Western rituals, include the Dior Prestige Haute Précision, a holistic facial massage that combines the regenerative power of the Rose de Granville with massage techniques that pamper the skin and visibly correct the signs of ageing. The Constellation is another holistic massage, for the body and for relaxation.  

ph Credits: Pierre Mouton

Terme Merano is the first spa in the world to receive the renowned EarthCheck sustainabile certification. 

"Sustainable alternatives in all areas of the company"

Terme Merano confirms its leading role in the sector, with an increasingly exclusive offer for its guests. With the certification process, Terme Merano has implemented the tools to align its management in terms of environmental impact, resource conservation and investment awareness. 

Bio Nature Pool Terme Merano

 
"Sustainability criteria have been in place at Terme Merano for several years now," explains Terme Merano’s director Adelheid Stifter, "It's not just about avoiding plastic, but rather sustainable alternatives in all areas of the company.  It is this continuous surpassing ourselves that allows us to always offer the best to our guests.” 

EarthCheck, a world leader for the travel and tourism industry 

Maximising the guest experience and minimising their environmental footprint: this is the goal of EarthCheck, the world's leading environmental certification and benchmarking programme for the travel and tourism industry.  The EarthCheck Company standard encourages best environmental, social and cultural practices.

A natural swimming lake and solar panels

Pools, saunas, health park, fitness, food, shop, events: at Terme Merano everything has to fit in with a green style. The most visible of all is certainly the new Bio Nature Pool, a natural swimming lake that does not require any chemicals.  But there are many green innovations that touch on different areas from the new cogenerators to the solar panels on the roof for savings on electricity and heating.”  

The expansion project for Salerno's Costa d'Amalfi airport features a new terminal and a longer runway. 

The airport is 20 kilometres from Salerno

Situated approximately 20 kilometres from Salerno, the airport will undergo three key developments: the construction of a new terminal spanning approximately 16,000 square meters across two above-ground floors with completion planned in stages; lengthening the runway to 2,200 meters; and the creation of a parking area and airport access.

Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport rendering Alfonso Femia studio

Environmental sustainability is a primary focus

The new terminal is designed to accommodate 3.3 million passengers, thanks to the addition of five new gates. The interior design seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor environments with natural light and greenery. Environmental sustainability is a primary focus of the project, with the implementation of state-of-the-art systems expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 390 tonnes per year. Alfonso Femia of the architectural firm behind the project commented, “The terminal should be an integral part of  the passengers' journey and exploration of the region, the beginning and end of their experience.”

Lake Garda is a glamorous choice for summer holidays with its eco-lodges, bubbles, and geodesic domes.  

Sustainable and glamorous outdoor choices

Thanks to the mild climate, which can make it feel like a corner of the Mediterranean in certain areas, the surrounding mountains, the rich historical and cultural heritage, as well as its diverse natural environments and resources, Lake Garda is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Moreover, it offers all the joys that camping can provide - a connection with nature, freedom, and a break from the routines of everyday life - all interpreted with creativity, versatility, elegance, and an increasing focus on sustainability. Another important aspect that sets certain glamping experiences apart is the exclusivity of the spaces and facilities available, from eco-lodges to bubbles, and geodesic domes, as well as personalised services.

Bubble Suite - La Rocca Camping Village

Glamping at its most appealing and glamorous 

Among the new glamping offerings at lagodigardacamping.com for summer 2023 on Lake Garda there are eco-lodges. Spacious and elegantly designed, they are equipped with excellent amenities, and were built based on a new concept dedicated to eco-sustainability. The futuristic bubbles are also quite unique: at night, they create the sensation of touching the stars, thanks to their three interconnected bubble volumes with panoramic domes. The accommodation includes a living area, a bedroom with a four-poster bed, and a wooden patio with a wellness area and a heated whirlpool tub.

Park delle Rose Safari Tent

The tented lodges have equipped kitchens 

Lake Garda’s luxurious geodesic domes are another elegant innovation. They stand out not only for their shape but also for the harmonious arrangement of the spaces, including a bedroom with a window overlooking the lake and a bathroom with a shower. Those seeking a touch of exoticism can opt for the two-story pyramid-shaped tented lodges, made of fabric and wood. These lodges come with crockery, air conditioning, heating, a colour TV, refrigerator, kitchenette, and a private bathroom.

La Rocca Geosuite

The deluxe tents can accommodate up to six people

For carefree family trips, with a hint of glamorous open-air living, the best choice are the deluxe tents, which can accommodate up to six people. They also have a spacious and shaded veranda for outdoor relaxation.

For information: www.lagodigardacamping.com.

Riva Blu glamping Lake Sunshine