For the past five years Japan and Singapore have tied for the top spot on the Henley Passport Index for the number of destinations their passport holders can access without obtaining a visa before arrival. 

They have now been joined by four European countries: France, Germany Italy and Spain, with citizens of these six nations now also having visa-free or visa-upon-arrival access to 194 destinations. So now six countries can claim to have the most powerful in the world. 

The London-based Henly & Partners survey ranks the passports of 193 United Nations member countries plus six other nonmembers  - ROC Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Palestinian Territory, and the Vatican,- in its ranking of the 227 possible travel destinations worldwide that passport holders can travel to.

In second place on the most powerful list we find Finland, South Korea, and Sweden tying with visa-free access to 193 destinations. In third place there is another tie between Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands which are now accessing 192 destinations each. The last name on the list is Afghanistan at 104th place with access to only 28 destinations. 

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

A Sardinian new entry for the Virtuoso network: the Abi d'Oru hotel in Porto Rotondo brings to six the Sardinian hotels in the luxury agency network’s portfolio of 154 properties in Italy.  

The hotel has 130 rooms and a new pool

The Abi d'Oru - Sardinian for the Golden Bee - opened its doors in 1963, just four kilometres from Porto Rotondo and directly overlooking the Gulf of Marinella. In 2023, it launched new rooms and suites (and the new swimming pool with a pool bar) for a total of 130 different rooms designed by Sardinian architect Antonio Simon Mossa.  

Many of the suites are named after local celebrities

The mainstay of Abi d'Oru's hospitality is its strong link with the territory, which is why many of the suites are named for local celebrities: from the Nobel Prize winner for literature Grazia Deledda to politician Antonio Gramsci and from the great artist Maria Lai to Eva Mameli, Italo Calvino's mother and the first woman in Italy to a university lecturer in botany. And with its three different restaurants, the Abi d'Oru is offering a new range of menus. 

“The Virtuoso affiliation is right for a destination like Sardinia”

“I am delighted to announce the entry of the Abi d'Oru into the Virtuoso network, which is thanks to our sales team headed by Nicola Monello, and all the hotel staff,- said the general manager Diana Zuncheddu. -With the investments and the restyling undertaken in recent years, the hotel has reached the level of hospitality we set ourselves, and it is now at a true international level thanks to Virtuoso. I believe the Virtuoso affiliation is right for a destination like Sardinia as well as for a pioneering hotel and icon of quality hospitality like ours.” 

The Minor Hotels Tivoli brand will officially open in Florence this June with the former Nh Collection Palazzo Gaddi, the brand's second property in Italy after Portopiccolo Sistiana. 

A historic building with 86 rooms and a Michelin chef

Formerly Nh Collection, the building, located in the city's historic centre, dating back to the 16th century and recently restored, has 86 rooms, including four suites. In addition, there is a fine dining restaurant with a winter garden helmed by Michelin-starred chef Iside de Cesare.

A rooftop bar and five meeting rooms

The hotel also has a rooftop and a lobby bar. There are also five meeting rooms with a maximum capacity of 200 delegates. “We are delighted to become part of the Tivoli brand,-  says Pierluca Chiavetta, general manager of Palazzo Gaddi. “This historic property will be a perfect addition to the portfolio, representing a hotel where the brand's hospitality will blend with Florentine history, in terms of service, experiences and cuisine.”

Sea Prime is investing in Milan Linate Airport where it will expand both the terminal and the parking areas in view of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

Enlarging the lounges and passenger service areas

Sea Prime, which is part of the Sea group that manages all the airport infrastructures dedicated to business and general aviation at both Linate and Malpensa airports, is to enlarge the lounges and passenger service areas. This will be done by incorporating the adjacent hangar, increasing the overall surface area of the Linate Prime terminal by about 2,000 square metres. At the same time, a functional overhaul and extension is planned, as well as a restyling of both the landside and airside facades.

Materials that enhance the terminal's essential and elegant design

This extension is an opportunity to give the area a new identity that reflects the service offered which is iconic and respectful of the surrounding landscape. A reflective, undulating metal exterior was designed adding brightness and integrating with the environment thanks to its reflective properties. Inside a dynamic layout has been designed to accommodate the flow of passenger movement, together with material selections that enhance the terminal's essential and elegant design. 

The first Saf incentive programme

Sea Prime has also launched the first Saf incentive programme aimed at business aviation operators refuelling at Linate and Malpensa Prime airports, with the Saf “drop in” programme. This will be launched in 2024 and will provide a contribution of €1,000 per tonne of certified pure Saf, with a proportional adjustment mechanism in case demand exceeds the available funds of €50,000 for the current programme.

Creating a modern and sustainable terminal”

“Sea Prime is constantly striving to meet the growing demand for business aviation services and infrastructures in Milan,-says Chiara Dorigotti, CEO of Sea Prime. -The main objective of the terminal expansion is to create a modern and sustainable terminal while respecting the surrounding environment, embodying principles of environmental responsibility and innovation. The new Saf contribution programme, the first of its kind in Europe, is a tangible support to the sector's decarbonization commitment”.

SAS has inaugurated a new summer route between Copenhagen and Genoa, which will operate every Saturday until 19 October.

Facilitating travel to Scandinavian cities

Between 2 July and 8 August the route, using a 90-seat CRJ900 aircraft, is already scheduled to be upgraded with the introduction of two additional frequencies on Tuesdays and Thursdays to meet the demand of the Scandinavian market at the peak of the summer season. This will facilitate travel to Scandinavian cities such as Oslo, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Aalborg, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim, and Hamburg will be also be easily reachable, with a stopover on the flight from Copenhagen to Genoa’s Cristoforo Colombo airport. 

“Boosting connections for the benefit of the local economy”

"Northern Europe is the market we look at with the greatest interest for traffic development,- says Francesco D'Amico, general manager of Genoa Airport,  -and the return of SAS, which we thank for deciding to invest in our region again with a direct flight from Copenhagen, gives us hope. Our goal is to boost direct connections for the benefit of the local economy, and to do this we count on the cooperation of all stakeholders interested in increasing tourist flows. The other strategic objective is the recovery of connections with the main intercontinental hubs, which are of particular interest to Ligurian companies that need to travel to and from Europe and the rest of the world.”

Located in rolling hills, high above Torri del Benaco at the edge of Lake Garda, Borgo Tre is a peaceful holiday hideaway.

Six suites and more set to open in 2025

Now welcoming guests, this elegant 18th century farmhouse restored by local artisans is surrounded by olives groves, cypresses, lemon trees and pine woods as far as the eye can see.  On 400sqm it offers complete privacy with six luxury apartment-style suites. With each suite measuring over 80sqm, guests have their own private garden or terrace with both lake and country views, complete with a master bedroom, living and dining area, kitchen, open fireplace and with designer bathrooms with free-standing marble baths. Some suites can host up to six people.

ph credits: Georg Roske

Self-catering with complimentary breakfast boxes

The farmhouse retreat is immersed in nature and has a heated outdoor pool made from local granite. A mini nature spa which is due to open soon, will have a relaxation area, yoga terrace, outdoor cabanas, cold plunge pool and a Finnish sauna. Although self-catered, breakfast is served in the comfort of the guest’s own suite with a complimentary breakfast box. Borgo Tre recommends many nearby restaurants to enjoy some of the region’s best dishes for daytime and evening dining. 

ph credits: Georg Roske

Wine tastings, Vespa trips and hiking

Borgo Tre encourages guests to switch off and explore the surroundings on foot or with the hotel’s e-bikes.  It is ideal for dedicatng time to health and wellbeing, with upcoming yoga retreats to be held in the grounds. With wine tasting, Vespa road trips along the shores, hikes up to the 360-degree viewpoint of Monte Baldo and boat trips on the lake - there is no better way to experience Lake Garda than by staying at Borgo Tre.

For information: www.borgotre.com   

Starhotels has created a tailor-made itinerary inspired by the legendary late-19th century Grand Tour.

Celebrating the excellence of Italian hospitality

Starhotels is delighted to present its Grand Tour, a new tailor-made itinerary centered on the prestigious Starhotels Collezione properties in Florence, Milan, Rome, Siena, Trieste, Venice, Vicenza, London and Paris. These emblematic stops on the itinerary celebrate the history of these cities and the excellence of Starhotels’ Italian hospitality. 

An itinerary reminiscent of the 19th-century Grand Tour 

The Grand Tour reached its peak in the 19th century, when young travellers set off to discover the art and culture of the main Italian and European cities, satisfying their aesthetic taste also by choosing to stay in elegant grand hotels. It was on the occasion of these memorable journeys that in the early 20th century many of the hotels that are now part of Starhotels Collezione, such as the Helvetia & Bristol in Florence and the Hotel d'Inghilterra in Rome, became favourite meeting places for artists and men of letters, some of whom also stayed for long periods, leaving their mark on history. 

Visits to artisan workshops and guided private tours

Starhotels has now reinterpreted the Grand Tour in a contemporary key, with stays of at least two nights in two Starhotels Collezione destinations, choosing from fascinating historic residences. And to make the itinerary even more unforgettable, guests can enjoy Craft Experiences immersive visits to artisan workshops.  A Venetian mask workshop for those staying at the Splendid Venice, to the ancient Cappelli Factory for guests at the Hotel d'Inghilterra in Rome, to the art of the Florentine commesso for those choosing the Helvetia & Bristol in Florence. These are just some of the guided private tours in the Group's Italian destinations, to which are added brand new Craft Experiences in the cities of Trieste, Vicenza and Siena and others created ad hoc in London and Paris. There is also a tour dedicated to the history of fashion in Place Vendôme in Paris, and there are also the handwriting courses held by Pineider's skilled calligraphers in the London boutique. 

Starhotels Helvetia Bristol Florence

A new Spritz-inspired cocktail  

Also inspired by the 19th century journey, there is a brand new cocktail, Viaggio in Italia, created by Cibréo which is available in all Starhotels Collezione hotels and is a revisitation of the Spritz, the great aperitif classic made with rhubarb and Italian sparkling wine.  The Grand Tour package includes: a non-consecutive stay in at least two Starhotels Collezione hotels of the guest's choice in Italy, Paris and London, a  20% discount including breakfast, a bottle of Italian sparkling wine on arrival, a welcome souvenir by Florentine leather goods brand Pineider, and on request and according to the guest's choice, experiences in artisan workshops. 

For information: https://grandtour.starhotels.com

Gulf Air is reintroducing seasonal connections from Milan Malpensa, operated on a fifth-freedom basis, to Nice and Geneva.

Connecting the French Riviera and Milan 

The Kingdom of Bahrain airline will therefore connect the French Riviera to Milan with two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays (from 21 May to 28 May) and Thursdays and Sundays (from 2 June to 29 September). The route will be served by Airbus A321neo aircraft, with comfortable seats and a modern and advanced entertainment system. From Bahrain International Airport, passengers can reach numerous other destinations in Asia, India, the UAE and Saudi Arabia through the airline's global network. Flights to Geneva will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 June to 27 September.

Gulf Air is represented  by Rephouse Gsa in Italy

“We are confident that this new route operated by Gulf Air on a fifth-freedom basis to Milan will be a popular option for business and leisure travellers, offering a direct connection between two important European hubs,” says the Bahraini airline, represented in Italy by Rephouse Gsa. Gulf Air flies directly from Bahrain to Milan Malpensa, operating seven weekly flights to which three new evening frequencies will be added from 2 July.