EasyJet will add a new Italian airport with the debut of flights from London Gatwick, and also Basel in Switzerland, to Rimini from 16 April 2025. 

easyJet operates on 19 Italian airports

These new routes further expand the company's network, which counts more than 220  routes to and from 19 Italian airports. The new collaboration is an opportunity to develop local tourism and enhance the beauty of the Romagna region and its hinterland, which is famous for its beaches, rich culinary traditions – it is home to Italy’s much sought-after Food Valley, and close to the home of the iconic Ferrari cars  -  lively nightlife and the beauty of its hilly landscapes. 

Access to the Romagna region

Rimini officially joins our network, adding to easyJet's more than 150 destinations in Europe, - comments Lorenzo Lagorio, easyJet Italy country manager. - On 19 November two new international routes went on sale, connecting London Gatwick and Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airports to Rimini. These connections will allow our customers living in the catchment areas of these important airports to have access to the beauties of the Romagna region, as early as next spring. 

Rimini Airport is developing fast

The new flights are the start of a collaboration that we hope will grow further over the next few years,- said Leonardo Corbucci, CEO of Rimini Airport. -Thanks to what we have achieved in this first phase of the airport's Development Plan, we are proud to confirm that the results so far give us reason to believe that we have taken the right road and should continue to follow it. Jamil Sadegholvaad, the mayor of Rimini said, “In a still complex stage for the domestic market, it is increasingly important to invest in international markets to boost our competitiveness and the local economy. The Fellini Airport is a cornerstone of these ambitions and can lead to concrete results thanks to strong teamwork. 

The (adults only)  Cape of Senses spa hideaway has exclusive offers for New Year's Eve on Lake Garda.

Measured luxury with sunny lake-view suites

The property, which opened just over a year ago in Albisano, above Torri del Benaco, stands on a hillside overlooking the lake, in a dominant position with a unique panoramic view from the southern to the northern shores of Lake Garda. This hideaway is the epitome of measured luxury, with all the sunny and comfortable suites facing the lake. As suggested by the hotel's name, the services offered are designed to satisfy all the senses and achieve holistic wellness for the mind and the body, in two words: recovery and regeneration.

The New Year’s Eve Golden Night celebrations

New Year's Eve at the Cape of Senses will be a Golden Night, starting with an aperitif with live piano musical accompaniment followed by dinner and a party with music and fireworks. For a minimum 3-night stay in a suite for two adults, access to the Senses Spa, New Year's Eve, brunch on New Year's Eve and the Wine & Tales experience, the cost is from €2,550.

ph credits: Florian Andergassen

A spa with seven treatment cabins and a health food corner

Also available to all guests is the Senses Spa on over 2,000 sqm, with a large Spa Library where guests can relax.  There are seven treatment cabins, a private spa, a wide selection of facial and body treatments, and a HealthFood corner, curated directly by the Chef of the Cape of Senses. The Senses SPA is right in front of a 10,000 sqm sensory park, overlooking Lake Garda.

Outdoor pools and a Technogym fitness centre

The garden has infinity pools overlooking the lake: the Infinity Pool surrounded by greenery and the sports pool, for swimming in the open air. There is also a 130 sqm gym with panoramic views, personal trainers and the latest Technogym equipment.
For information: www.capeofsenses.com

The Peloritani Museum of Popular Music in Gesso, displays musical instruments and tells the story of the little town’s link to chalk.

The history of chalk and of agricultural instruments.

Gesso’s Popular Music Museum, in the little town of Gesso just nine miles from Messina in Sicily, is named for the nearby Peloritani mountain range. Divided into four rooms, in addition to displaying a varied collection of musical and sound instruments, the museum highlights the characteristics of each instrument, the occasions of its use and the ceremonial functions it fulfilled. The itinerary begins with a section devoted to the history of the little town of Gesso (chalk in Italian), its architectural and artistic heritage and the production of chalk, on which the town’s economy was based and which also gave it its name. In addition to different types of sound and popular musical instruments, the museum also has agricultural and pastoral artefacts linked to the cycles of wine, oil, wheat, cheese and snow. This active and interdisciplinary museum also serves as a meeting and exhibition space for events. 

Flutes, bagpipes and shell trumpets

The more than 450 instruments on display highlight the central role they played in agricultural and pastoral society, from reed flutes to bagpipes. Of particular interest are the shell trumpets archaic instruments best known for their signal function in fishing and farming activities. Other special objects are the scacciapensieri and triangles while a conspicuous collection of drums, guitars, mandolins, violins, diatonic accordions testifies to the great vitality of Sicily’s traditional musical culture.

Agricultural, pastoral, ceremonial and festive objects

In addition to sound and musical instruments, ample exhibition space is dedicated to the objects used by the Peloritani, from working tools and costumes to ceremonial and carnivalesque objects. Visitors can admire the costumes of the Shrove Tuesday carnival parade in Saponara, as well as work and everyday objects. A musical entertainment room displays, among other things, some curious pyrotechnic masks, and a collection of Sicilian puppets. 

A multimedia room and an outdoor wind harp

The Museum has a multimedia room with the history of sound reproduction, from the cylinder piano to Edison's phonograph, to gramophones and the record player, a bookshop and a computer station, and in the officinal garden visitors can also admire a rarity: the wind harp played by the wind. Opening hours: Sundays from 10.30 to 12.30 or on reservation For information: https://visitme.comune.messina.it/it/luoghi/museo-cultura-e-musica-popolare-dei-peloritani-villaggio-gesso

1576 is the first real adventure featuring Florence, presented in the form of a role-playing game. 

Interacting with locals to solve the mysteries

Players will visit the main attractions of the Tuscan city, but also the less touristy and more authentic landmarks and sights, bringing their discovery of Florence to a new level compared with the usual guided tours and day trips.  They will interact directly with locals who will give them the clues to solve the mysteries, and merely by using logical challenges and puzzles they will test their cunning and observation skills. There is no need to use an app, as they will be provided with a diary that will allow them to immerse themselves in a real and exciting adventure. This is a new and fun way to discover Florence, the authentic Florentine spirit and the history of the Florentine Renaissance. 

The game can be played over several days

Browsing the pages of a real diary, participants will discover a totally new and original way to interact with the Tuscan capital cit. The overall duration of the game varies from 2 to 3 hours, and the participants can also play the adventure over several days. It is up to each one of them to decide whether to insert breaks in their game, or to play it from start to finish. 1576 can be played by solo travellers, couples or groups of up to four people.

The game can be picked up in downtown Florence

Once they have obtained their ticket online, all participants have to do to collect a copy of the game is to go to the collection point, the Paperback Exchange in Via dell'Oche, 4-red close to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which is open from Monday to Saturday between 10am and 7pm. The activity ends back at this collection point. For information: https://untrackeditaly.com/1576-game-florence/

Aeroitalia debuts in the Czech Republic with a new route twice weekly from Brno to Rome Fiumicino on Thursdays and Sundays.

Sardinia and Sicily closer to Czech Republic

The new flights from March 2025 will be operated with a Boeing 737-800 Next Generation. “The introduction of Brno into our expanding international network to and from Rome Fiumicino,- says Krassimir Tanev, commercial director Aeroitalia, -will not only offer a direct connection between these two hitherto unserved markets, but will also create new travel possibilities for Czech tourists wishing to discover the most popular destinations in Sardinia and Sicily.

Discovering the Moravian region

“At the same time, our passengers in Rome will have a new, excellent weekend travel option, allowing them to explore Brno with its rich cultural and historical heritage, as well as a wide range of gastronomic, sporting and tourist offerings in the Moravian region.”

Flights from Lublin in Poland from March 2025 

Recently Aeroitalia announced another international route to Rome Fiumicino from Lublin, the first airport served by the airline in Poland. This new service will debut on 22 March 2025, initially with two frequencies per week, operated by Boeing 737-800, and from June a significant increase in capacity is planned on the route, to which three aircraft will be dedicated. “In addition to the Italian capital, we will offer our passengers smooth and convenient connectivity to top destinations in Sardinia and Sicily, which are very popular markets in Poland,” added Tanev.

London Luton is Jet2.com's new base, the company's 13th in the UK will debut on 1 April 2025. 

A network of 17 routes from Luton Airport

The new service comes just a couple of months after the launch of the Bournemouth base Jet2.com 

will initially place two aircraft at its new Luton hub, serving a network of 17 routes to mainland Spain and its islands, Portugal, the islands in Greece, Turkey and Italy. Up to 36 flights will be operated each week, with 430,000 seats on sale.

One weekly service from Luton to Verona

The chosen destination in Italy is once again Verona, a city already selected for connections from the new Bournemouth base: the route from Luton will take off in July 2025 and will be operated once a week, on Wednesdays. “Customers and independent travel agents have been asking us to open at London Luton Airport for many years now, so we know how much this news will be appreciated,” said Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.

The new Numa Sempione has opened in Milan, the fourth property under the management of the German operator in the Lombardy city. 

36 apartments in central Milan

Already announced in October 2023, the property owned by the PRS fund is the result of a partnership with Partners Group and the asset and investment management company Investire sgr. Designed for short-term stays, it offers 36 units for a total of 72 beds just 700 metres from the CityLife Shopping District and a 15-minute walk from the Arena Civica.

“Milan has potential in the short-term rental sector”

The building, formerly used as offices and housing, has undergone an interior refurbishment project designed and implemented by Investire sgr to create boutique apartments that are comfortable and high-tech, as well as compliant with esg standards.

“Milan is a dynamic market with immense growth potential in the short-term rental sector,- says Numa Group's general manager Italy, Umberto Ottaviani. -The new property is the fourth in the city and demonstrates our commitment to bringing flexible and sustainable accommodation to this key market.” 



Openings planned for other Italian cities

“The partnership with Investire has allowed us to further boost our presence here. We look forward to continuing this partnership as we expand throughout Italy in cities such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, Verona and Turin.” 

VisiTuscia 2024, the Tourism and Food & Wine Exchange of the Tuscia Viterbo area, will be held from 21 to 23 November as part of Expo Tuscia.

A complete picture of the Viterbo area

Organized by the CAT Technical Assistance Centre in Viterbo, the event will focus on religious tourism with a view to the 2025 Jubilee Year. It will be held in the Viterbo area with an itinerant programme featuring the municipalities and businesses in the area, which are also located along the Via Francigena route. The aim is to present the excellence of the Viterbo area with the involvement of local companies to enhance awareness of everything the territory has to offer, not only with regard to hospitality, but also to wine and food, culture, the environment, and the area’s thermal and religious attractions

Aimed at agents, start-ups and the media

VisiTuscia is a promotional marketing event aimed at tour operators, travel agents, start-ups, bloggers and trade media journalists from the tourism and food and wine sectors. The DMO Expo Tuscia project, financed by the Lazio Region, will generate a showcase rich in content for a vast public, also thanks to the aid of new technologies that will make it possible to reduce distances and generate broader interests.  

“Our focus will be directed toward the future”

“During VisiTuscia there will be visits to wineries and also tastings of some of the most appreciated local culinary specialities. But our focus will be directed toward the future. and in particular to next year, when Italy and the entire world will celebrate the Jubilee Year. This is why we wanted to include two special visits in the events programme: to the Church of Santa Cristina in Bolsena, where the Eucharistic Miracle took place in 1263, and to the Palace of the Popes in Viterbo,  a Papal seat from 1257 to 1281. 

Tourists interested in the Via Francigena

The Via Francigena route, which crosses the entire province, from Proceno to Rome, will catalyse the attention of tourists next year. “The presence of numerous organised tourism operators at VisiTuscia, will be the beginning of a communicative and community-focused bridge, anticipating the reception visitors will find waiting for them next year,” concluded Peparello.

The Residence Hotel Costa Serena will be the latest 2025 addition from the Felix Group, which will then have nine locations in Sardinia. 

“An excellent balance between direct and indirect sales”

The property, previously known as Ahr Costa Serena Village, will be open from 1 May to 31 October 2025 and is already on sale. “With the Residence Hotel Costa Serena Village in Palau,- says managing director, Paolo Manca, -we are expanding our range in Sardinia, providing an even more comprehensive service for our customers. We are receiving very positive feedback for the services and quality standards we offer in all our hotels. In these first four years of operations we have achieved an excellent balance between direct and indirect sales, and we are confident that the entry of the Costa Serena will be appreciated by our business partners.”

Consolidating the German and French-speaking markets

Felix Hotels recorded a steadily growing flow of bookings this year, closing the season with a 15% increase in arrivals over 2023, and a 21% increase in sales. “We managed to intercept Italian and international flows, particularly in the already consolidated German and French-speaking markets and with a significant increase in the UK market. We look forward to 2025 with confidence and aim to further develop collaboration with the trade, consolidate our sales team, increase promotional and advertising investments, and constantly improve the performance of our website and booking engine.” 

“Our founding values are hospitality, reliability, authenticity and transparency”

“All our economic indicators show a positive sign,- added Agostino Cicalò, president and CEO of Felix Hotels. - Our two hotels in Olbia and Nuoro, which are open all year round, also allow us to offer employment continuity to some of our staff. We continue to invest with enthusiasm, consolidating our founding values: hospitality, reliability, authenticity and transparency.”