Messina is the “true port of Sicily” says mayor Federico Basile. 

A city to experience, explore and enjoy 

All too often dismissed as “a city of passage,” and long overshadowed by Palermo and Catania, Messina is now positioning itself as the true port of Sicily, a place that blends history, gastronomy, culture, and sea in a uniquely authentic way.  “For too long Messina has been the Cinderella of Sicily. Today, thanks to the work we have done, we are the port of Sicily in every sense, not just a place you cross to reach the island, but a place to experience and enjoy,” says Federico Basile, the city’s mayor.

National Geographic named Capo Peloro Italy’s most beautiful beach

Messina recently became the first Italian metropolitan city to receive the coveted Blue Flag for the quality of its waters. Positioned 90 and 60 minutes from the airports of Reggio Calabria and Catania, and with 53 kilometres of beaches, it is the longest city in Italy. Two years ago National Geographic named Capo Peloro, the iconic point where the Ionic and Tyrrhenian seas meet, Italy’s most beautiful beach. The mayor highlights Messina’s strong cultural revival. “We’ve reopened the crypt under the cathedral, restored 20 historic villas and many parks, and we have the largest and world’s most complex astronomical clock.”

New pedestrian areas and cycle paths  

But Messina’s rebirth extends beyond heritage. With over €220 million invested in new pedestrian areas, cycle paths, electric transport, concerts and sporting events, the city is fast becoming a dynamic, livable hub. “Messina is no longer a city you pass through - says the mayor - it’s a place where you want to stay.” 

This year Gorizia in Italy and its Slovenian twin, Nova Gorica, share the unique honour of being the first-ever cross-border European Capital of Culture. 

A year-end gastronomic festival

Under the slogan “GO! Borderless,” the two cities celebrate cultural unity with more than 400 events, from concerts and art installations to culinary festivals and open-air performances, with the focus on connection, coexistence, and creativity. The year-long celebrations began with the spectacular “From Station to Station” procession of music, theatre and dance that symbolically erased the border. And to year-end “Taste Without Borders” brings together the region’s finest wines and local dishes in a gastronomic festival that perfectly captures the spirit of Gorizia’s cuisine, with Italian flair meeting Central European traditions.

Historic sites like the Parco della Rimembranza

Gorizia is a place where history, art, and gastronomy truly know no borders. The nearest airport is Trieste–Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport, just 30 kilometres away and the new high-speed rail link brings the city closer than ever to Venice, Bologna, Florence and Rome. The medieval Castle of Gorizia dominates the skyline and has panoramic views across the Isonzo Valley. The nearby Parco della Rimembranza park commemorates the fallen of the First World War while, across the invisible border, the peaceful Kostanjevica Monastery and its ancient library will appeal to lovers of culture.

Local delicacies include the ruby-red radicchio

Gorizia’s architecture reflects its Austro-Hungarian past and can be admired in elegant palaces such as the Palazzo del Tribunale, while the local gastronomy echoes that crossroads of influences present throughout the city. Don’t miss the celebrated “Rosa di Gorizia,” a ruby-red radicchio unique to the area, or traditional dishes like “frico,” a cake of cheese, potatoes and onions pan-fried until crispy,“jota,” a bean and sauerkraut soup, and “presnitz” a pastry with nuts, chocolate and spices. 

Casa Naman is a new chapter of Roman elegance on the Spanish Steps in the heart of the Eternal City.

Three private residences on the Spanish Steps

Casa Naman, the newest property of Naman Hotellerie, redefines the Roman residence experience through art, design, and timeless beauty. Designed by the Milanese studio 13.1 Architecture & Decor, founded by Filippo Fiora and Federico Sigali, Casa Naman has transformed an 18th-century palazzo overlooking world-famous Spanish Steps into three private residences of contemporary luxury and quiet splendour.  

The three apartments of Casa Naman, Janus, Aeneas, and Vesta, each inspired by classical mythology and with a distinctive architectural identity, use natural woods, linen, Italian marbles, and handcrafted furnishings for a refined, sensual, and deeply Roman aesthetic. Janus, a 93sqm apartment for two, blends mirrored surfaces and warm red tones reminiscent of a cardinal’s robes with majestic porphyry columns and antique details, and the small private terrace has an intimate view of the Spanish Steps. 

Art collections and views of Trinità dei Monti

Aeneas, at 129sqm, is the grandest of the three. With two sumptuous bedrooms, a luminous living area with mirrored doors, a dining room with a precious 19th-century tapestry, and a curated art collection, it reflects the grandeur of ancient Rome wih modern elegance.  Vesta, the smallest at 89sqm is named after the goddess of welcome, and has sloping ceilings, ivory-toned fabrics and marble finishes. It has two bedrooms and an airy living area and views of Trinità dei Monti.

A rooftop loggia with a sauna and Turkish bath

The Otium area, crowned by a panoramic altana rooftop loggia has a 360-degree view over Piazza di Spagna, Trinità dei Monti, and the rooftops of Rome. The sauna and Turkish bath invite quiet reflection and are ideal for yoga at dawn, a leisurely breakfast on the terrace, or simply drinking in the Eternal City from this privileged viewpoint.

Experiencing Rome from its beating heart

Every detail at Casa Naman has been thoughtfully styled to achieve perfect harmony, uniting artistic expression and refined comfort. Custom-designed pieces by Italian artisans, sculptural accents and a palette of cream, ochre, and deep green create living spaces that feel both timeless and intimate and are an invitation to experience Rome to its fullest.   For information: www.casanaman.it\com

First came the staycation, then the workcation and the daycation. But 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the whycation, which means travel with a purpose. It means no longer asking where to go, but looking for experiences that feel personal and authentic, quiet escapes to recharge, nostalgic family journeys or places to pursue a passion.

One of the key trends is Hushpitality which is the search for sweet silence and simplicity and nowhere fits this new mindset better than Italy. Beyond the big art cities and tourist hubs, it offers endless possibilities for the whycationer, from the gentle hills of the Marche to the medieval calm of Umbria’s villages, the culinary prowess of Emilia-Romagna, and the quiet coastlines of Calabria and Basilicata, Places where it is possible to slow down, savour local life, and reconnect with oneself and with others.

Many Italian travel professionals have already put this type of experience in their programmes, so 2026 is going to be the year not of getting away, but of coming back to what matters. The whycation is here, and Italy is already leading the way.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

ITA Airways will return to London Heathrow in the summer of 2026.

Two daily flights from London to Rome

The new flights from London Heathrow to Rome Fiumicino will operate twice a day and, as per tradition, during the high summer season, direct flights will be offered from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate to the most popular tourist destinations in Greece, Spain and the Italian islands.

Meeting the changing needs of travellers around the world

In a note Lufthansa states that “ITA Airways” detailed summer schedule will be published at a later date (...). Throughout the summer season ITA Airways will continue to work hard to expand connections to and from the Rome Fiumicino hub, while offering Italian hospitality, style, innovation and connectivity to meet the changing needs of travellers around the world.”

Lufthansa Group's summer 2026

The Lufthansa Group's Summer 2026 flights are already available for booking, with new intercontinental and European destinations and numerous frequency increases for Lufthansa Airlines, Discover Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Brussels Airlines, Edelweiss and ITA Airways. Next year, more than 14,000 weekly flights will be operated to and from 330 destinations in some 100 countries via hubs in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy.

Free water for travellers before boarding their flight: by the end of 2025, this will be possible in 22 airports in Italy.  

Water dispensers past security checks

The airports are associated with Assaeroporti, and departing passengers will be able to refill their water bottles and flasks free of charge once they have passed the security barriers. In addition to the airports of Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa and Linate, Naples, Venice, Bologna, Verona, Cagliari, Turin, Olbia, Alghero and Treviso - where the special dispensers are already active – “numerous others have been added to the list of airports that have implemented or are perfecting the installation of the dispensers,” says a note from the association.

Benefitting the environment and the community

“Refill points have been activated in the airports of Bergamo, Palermo and Cuneo, while by the end of the year they will also be present in Catania, Pisa, Florence, Trieste, Trapani, Pescara, Rimini, Comiso and Salerno, further extending national coverage. With different modalities but always at no cost to travellers, the airports of Genoa and Grosseto will also guarantee access to drinking water airside.”  The initiative, Assaeroporti concludes, aims to improve the travel experience for passengers and contribute to the reduction of single-use plastic; a concrete action with benefits for the environment and the community, for increasingly sustainable and traveller-friendly airports.