July 27, 2026
Val Senales is enhancing transport links with free transport and integrated passes for visitors.
Combining transport and exploration
Part of a strategy to promote accessible, integrated and sustainable tourism, the aim is to provide visitors with a more cost-effective alternative through integrated passes and free transport, and to offer a more authentic experience with combined packages, where transport and exploration become an integral part of the holiday.
Vernago Lake Photo by Hubert Gruner
Unlimited ski-lift use for two days
Among the new features, the Alpin Arena Senales - which reopens on 27 June - is introducing the Alpin Arena Pass 2-in-7. This pass guarantees unlimited use of the ski lifts for two days of your choice within a week. It is a flexible solution ideal for those who wish to alternate between hikes, outdoor activities and relaxation, without being tied to a rigid schedule. The price is €51.00 for adults and €26.00 for children born between 2008 and 2020.The Alpin Arena Senales offers combined options that bring together sport and wellness, such as the Alpin Arena & Naturno Thermal Baths Combi-Ticket. Priced at €39.00, this ticket – valid for use on the same day – grants access to the glacier lifts and allows you to spend 3 hours at the Naturno Thermal Baths.
Formerly the Highest Grain Farm in Europe Finailhof Photo by Thomas Gruner
Discounts for cultural sites and museums
The South Tyrol Guest Pass Val Venosta is an initiative that allows you to use all public transport in South Tyrol free of charge, designed to promote sustainable, accessible and widespread mobility. The Guest Pass also includes access to benefits and discounts on numerous experiences to explore the region, such as bike hire, reduced-rate use of the ski lifts, and visits to cultural sites and museums.
Published in Cities & Regions
Across Emilia and the surrounding area, summer at the Castelli del Ducato offers a series of alternative experiences.
A network promoting castles and art venues
From night-time castle tours, including viewing the Perseids, to medieval towers and terraces, family-friendly activities and treasure hunts, weekends in castles with swimming pools, excursions, tastings and historical dinners. Castelli del Ducato is the network that brings together, coordinates and promotes 38 castles open to visitors, as well as over 50 art venues, historic residences, strongholds, fortresses and villages, all open to the public.
Sunset picnics, evocative guided tours
Evening and night-time tours blending history and folklore stand out; the most evocative events including evening experiences with Ghost Hunters at the Fortress of Bardi (in the province of Parma) and the tours dedicated to legends and ghosts at Bianello Castle, in the Reggio Emilia area. The castles are also prime vantage points for enjoying the Perseid meteor shower. Scipione dei Marchesi Pallavicino Castle (Parma, PR), in particular, hosts "The Magical Night of the Stars" every year, with sunset picnics, evocative guided tours and the special opening of the 17th-century loggia and gardens, which remain open until late at night so visitors can gaze at the starry August sky. From Compiano Castle (PR), one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages in the Parma Apennines, to Tabiano Castle (PR) with its historic Relais in the spa-rich hills, to the exclusive wellness experiences at Rivalta Castle in the province of Piacenza, holidays strike a balance between culture, hospitality, landscape and self-care, set against the backdrop of swimming pools set in exceptional scenery.
Historical heritage with local culinary excellence
Also returning throughout the summer is “Il Gusto del Tempo - La Cultura del Gusto,” a project that weaves together historical and landscape heritage with local culinary excellence. It includes sunset tastings, picnics in historic gardens, aperitifs with panoramic views, Renaissance-themed dinners and meetings with producers and tours through vineyards, castles and hills. Among the most eagerly awaited events are “Calici al Tramonto” and “Escape Castle - The Magic and Mysteries of the Castle," with tastings, lunches and dinners at Contignaco Castle (PR); historic dinners at Gropparello Castle (PR) and its "Starry Night" event with glasses of Champagne. Then there are the "Experience Days" combining tours, culinary delights and wellness at Rivalta Castle (PC), and numerous other events taking place at manors and villages across the entire circuit. For information and bookings: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in Experiences & Tips
The Made in Sicily Foundation has inaugurated “Rosa canta e cunta,” the first permanent open-air ceramics exhibition.
Works by artists from Palermo
The exhibition, in collaboration with the Rosa Balistreri Foundation and on the initiative of the 5th District of the City of Palermo is in the pedestrianized area of Via dei Cipressi, in Palermo. Comprising 13 works created by artists from Palermo and dedicated to Rosa Balistreri, the artist who symbolizes Sicily, it celebrates the centenary of the artist’s birth, next year, and serves as an urban model for cultural and social engagement.
Rosa canta e cunta. Palermo's first open-air art park
"Rosa canta e cunta" is the title of one of the singer’s most famous songs and served as the starting point for the participating artists, who have created their own personal interpretation of the singer’s symbol. “This project, which involves some of Palermo’s leading artists and ceramicists in the creation of the city’s first open-air art park, also aims to demonstrate just how alive this tradition still is and how powerful its potential can be in processes of urban and social regeneration,” say Maria Reginella and Vito Ferrantelli, curators of the exhibition “Rosa Canta e Cunta."
"The stave becomes pink as it sings the soul of Rosa Balistreri"
Artisan workshops, themed exhibitions and dedicated museums
The installation on Via dei Cipressi also marks the fifth stop on the “Itinerary of Roots,” the artistic and cultural journey launched by the Foundation, which already includes “The Tree of Roots” at Palermo International Airport, the mural “The Roots of the Future” in Piana degli Albanesi, "Le Radici del Mare" on the seafront at Isola delle Femmine, and the mural dedicated to Totò Schillaci in Palermo. With its official recognition as a “City of Established Ceramic Tradition,” Palermo blends the island’s tradition with majolica techniques, promoting this art form through artisan workshops, themed exhibitions and dedicated museums.
Published in MICE & Events
With its six wineries scattered across the Italian peninsula, Oniwines promotes wine tourism as a means of exploring Italy’s wine-growing regions.
Indigenous wines and contemporary hospitality
Oniwines’ aim is to highlight the distinctive characteristics of Italy’s various regions through the production of indigenous wines, capturing the essence of these territories in a way that combines a passion for wine with an innovative approach and contemporary hospitality. Wine, territory and people are thus brought to life by the six estates, each with its own environmental and cultural characteristics and situated in some of the country’s most important wine-growing areas.
Guided tours and wine tastings
Each estate offers distinct guided tours, focusing on the history and traditions of the local area and the unique production methods of each estate, whilst wine tastings are accompanied by a selection of typical local produce. At some estates, the experience can be complemented by in-depth activities dedicated to culinary and wine excellence and, in some cases, the opportunity to stay amongst the vineyards.
From Trentino-Alto Adige to Veneto
Pico Maccario ph credits Mario Morandi
ERT1050
In Trentino-Alto Adige, ERT1050 is the winery that epitomizes mountain viticulture. A wine produced under complex and unconventional climatic conditions characterised by cold exposures, marked daily temperature variations and wind. A few kilometres north of Verona, La Giuva celebrates the history and local winemaking tradition. In the Valpolicella Hills, the winery offers tours with tastings that showcase its wines paired with local specialties. Pico Maccario, in the province of Asti, is situated in one of the most prestigious regions of Italian winemaking, offering immersive experiences that combine viticulture and contemporary art, representing one of the most modern expressions of the Piedmontese wine scene.
Tenimenti Leone Lanuvio
Sardinia and close to Rome
Podere Guardia Grande is a Sardinian estate where the influence of the sea reigns supreme. Overlooking the Alghero coast, the winery organizes tours where the wine interacts with the surrounding Mediterranean scrub, bringing out the flavours of Sardinian tradition. In central Italy, Tenimenti Leone is situated in Lanuvio, just a few kilometres from Rome. Here, wine tourism offers an opportunity to rediscover a heritage rich in indigenous grape varieties, with tours and wine tastings paired with typical produce from the Lazio countryside. Tenimenti Leone also offers the chance to stay close to vineyards, volcanic lakes and the ruins of ancient Rome.
Villa Bucci
In the Marche region
In the heart of the Marche region Villa Bucci stands out for the great care it takes to protect the surrounding area, both in the production of its traditional wines and of its extra virgin olive oil. This business weaves together family history, the local area and the promotion of native grape varieties, set against a backdrop of rolling hills and the Adriatic coast.
Published in Food&Wine
The Carmagnola National Peperone Fair returns to the province of Turin for ten days of flavor from 28 August to 6 September.
Five different types of bell pepper
Every year the Peperone Fair transforms this small Piedmontese town into a centre of agri-food excellence, thanks to the bell pepper that has made it famous throughout Italy, and into a hub of cultural activity dedicated to discovery and fun. The Carmagnola bell pepper comes in five varieties: the "quadrato," the "trottola," with a (heart-shaped with a slightly flared or truncated tip), the "lungo" or "corno di bue" (with a very elongated cone shape), the "tumaticot2 (roundish and flattened at both ends, similar to a tomato) and the "quadrato allungato.2 The harvesting of the peppers is carried out by hand from the end of July.
Italy's largest agricultural product trade fair
With the inauguration of the 77th edition of the festival scheduled for Friday 28 August at 8.00 pm and the subsequent opening ceremony featuring Carmagnola’s dance schools, Italy’s largest trade fair dedicated to an agricultural product will get underway. It will continue until 6 September with a varied programme of events: in the evenings, from Monday to Friday, from 6.00 pm to midnight, and from 10.00 am to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors will be entertained by numerous musical, food and wine, recreational and cultural events designed to encourage the discovery of the local area and its traditions, both at the Fair and at the accompanying Foro Festival.
"Prestige without compromising on artistic quality"
"Once again we have put together a programme that combines accessibility and prestige without compromising on artistic quality,- says Paolo Di Nita, artistic director of the Foro Festival. -The choices made this year confirm and reinforce the identity of the Foro Festival, with a diverse programme that brings together different genres, styles and sensibilities, whilst consistently maintaining a high standard of quality.” Various DJ sets will liven up the dance floor, the food and wine events will range from cookery demonstrations and culinary challenges to tastings of peppers and the finest produce from the Piedmont region, as well as celebrations of culinary fusions from around the world. Rounding off the packed programme of events will be engaging games, shows and parades, sporting events, comedy shows, as well as in-depth talks and interesting readings. For information: https://fieradelpeperone.it/programma/
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Carmagnola Peperone Fair 2026?
The 77th edition of the Carmagnola Peperone Fair will take place from 28 August to 6 September 2026 in Carmagnola, in the province of Turin, Piedmont.
Where is the Carmagnola Peperone Fair held?
The festival is held in Carmagnola, a town in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, renowned for producing its famous bell peppers.
What is the Carmagnola Peperone Fair?
The Carmagnola Peperone Fair is Italy's largest trade fair dedicated to a single agricultural product. It celebrates the local bell pepper with food and wine experiences, live entertainment, cultural events and activities for visitors of all ages.
What can visitors do at the Carmagnola Peperone Fair?
Visitors can enjoy cooking demonstrations, pepper tastings, regional food and wine experiences, live music, DJ sets, comedy shows, sporting events, parades, cultural talks and the accompanying Foro Festival.
What makes the Carmagnola bell pepper unique?
The Carmagnola bell pepper is grown in five traditional varieties and harvested by hand from the end of July, making it one of Piedmont's best-known agricultural products.
Is the Carmagnola Peperone Fair suitable for families?
Yes. The festival offers a varied programme of entertainment, cultural activities, food experiences, live performances and shows designed for visitors of all ages.
Published in MICE & Events
Every year, on 15 August, Porto Santo Stefano revives one of the events most emblematic of its seafaring identity: the Palio Marinaro dell’Argentario regatta.
The town's four districts compete
This historic Tuscan regatta, which brings the stretch of water in front of the town to life, sees the town’s four districts, Croce, Fortezza, Pilarella and Valle, compete against one another in a contest that combines sport, history and tradition. The earliest documented evidence of rowing races dates back to the 18th century, but the event’s origins are deeply rooted in the local seafaring culture and are linked to a legend recounting the escape of a "tartarone" which is the typical Porto Santo Stefano fishing boat that was pursued by pirates who once plied the Tyrrhenian coast.
ph credits Livia Gerecitano
A week of celebrations
The rowing regatta takes place over a total distance of 4,000 metres. Each crew consists of four rowers and a coxswain, who must complete ten laps of the 400-metre stretch between two buoys), making five turns out to sea and four towards the shore. The boats used are traditional and are known as "guzzi" with each named after a wind: Maestrale, Grecale, Libeccio and Scirocco. The Palio is the highlight of a programme of events involving the whole town. The celebrations begin as early as the previous week with neighbourhood dinners and the historical procession. On 13 August, the oars are measured and the boats are handed, over while on the eve of the event the crews and the procession are blessed.
An island that is not an island
The Argentario can be described as "an island that is not an island." The diamond shaped mountain rises from the waters of the Mediterranean Sea while remaining connected to the coast by two narrow strips of sand, which enclose a lagoon. The area has two main towns: Porto Santo Stefano to the north and Porto Ercole to the south. As part of the Tuscan Maremma, the Argentario also boasts Orbetello, Talamone, Capalbio and Magliano among its main towns, along with the two islands of Giglio and Giannutri. The area is in a strategic location: in the centre of Italy and close to Rome, Florence and Pisa.
Published in Experiences & Tips
After seven years Val Senales is preparing to welcome back the Schnolser Summerfest.
The festival will be on 11 and 12 July
The Schnolser Summerfest is one of the most iconic events of the South Tyrolean summer. On 11 and 12 July, Madonna di Senales will host the 13th edition of the festival that promotes the valley’s authentic identity with a programme of live music, local traditions, gastronomy and social gatherings. For two days the little town will be the focal point for residents and tourists alike, offering an immersive experience of Alpine culture and the destination’s unique character through a programme that combines nature, culture, entertainment and authenticity.
A performance at 3,212 metres asl
Saturday 11 July will kick off with traditional dances, folk music groups, singers and hunting horn ensembles from Val Venosta. The following day will feature performances of folk music and Alpine folk tunes, culminating in the final performance by the Original Tiroler Kaiserjägermusik in front of the Hotel Grawand, at an altitude of 3,212 metres asl on the Val Senales glacier - one of the event’s main highlights.
Grafik Gruner Schnalstal
A special offer for return-ticket purchases
This event combines the spectacular mountain landscape with Alpine musical tradition, undrescoring the valley’s position as a destination offering distinctive cultural experiences, promoting the local area and encouraging visitors to explore it. To mark the event the Alpin Arena Senales will be offering a special deal for visitors: anyone who purchases a return ticket for the Grawand cable car by midday on Sunday 12 July will gain free entry to the Schnolser Summerfest.
Exploring history, archaeology and rural traditions
On Sunday there will be guided tours of the archeoParc and the Campus Transhumanza museum, allowing participants to explore the history, archaeology and rural traditions of Val Senales in greater depth. Admission costs €18.00 on Saturday and €20.00 on Sunday. A two-day pass costs €30.00. For the full programme, visit the website www.schnolser-summerfest.com
Published in MICE & Events
Unexpected Italy promotes the concept of Less is more, saying no to overtourism and yes to promoting local culture.
The app connects travellers with local providers
Truly switching off in an age of constant connectivity is the luxury of reclaiming one’s own space and time. Unexpected Italy focuses on taking things slowly to promote mental and physical wellbeing and to highlight ethical destinations that reject the compromises of overtourism. The start-up uses its app to map authentic places that resist standardization and allow travellers to connect with local artisans, hosts, producers and small-scale hoteliers. The app is geolocated and targeted, and can suggest tailor-made itineraries, with the aim of making travellers feel part of the local community, whilst promoting responsible and inclusive tourism.
"True luxury is having the courage to strip away the superfluous"
Elisabetta Faggiana e Savio Losito Unexpected Italy
"True luxury today does not lie in adding services, but in having the courage to strip away the superfluous,- explains Elisabetta Faggiana, founder of the award-winning tech company. -With Unexpected Italy we also select places we call “inconvenient” because they refuse the compromises of standardization to protect something immensely rarer: silence, time and presence. These are not merely accommodation facilities, but bastions of cultural resistance that choose not to please everyone, preferring consistency over algorithms. In a world saturated with digital stimuli, slowing down is not a sacrifice, but an act of freedom.”
Farmhouse retreats and seaside hamlets
Unexpected Italy operates on the premise that, to be sustainable, tourism must return to being about connection and transformation. Their "relational algorithm" is not based on trends, but on passions and affinities, facilitating each person’s encounter with the places that best resonate with them. Some examples are Piedmont, and the Parco del Grep agritourism retreat, near Turin, is an old farmhouse offering treehouses without Wi-Fi, where food is served in gourmet picnic baskets. In Liguria, La Sosta di Ottone III, in the province of La Spezia, requires guests to leave their cars just below the village and cover the final stretch on foot or by a small electric monorail. With six rooms, each one different, and à la carte breakfasts that showcase small-scale producers, this seaside hamlet offers experiences to discover the Cinque Terre from above, surrounded by nature, whilst avoiding the crowds along the seafront.
Projects safeguarding heritage and local traditions
In Siena, Tuscany, Follonico is a stone farmhouse in the Val d’Orcia with four suites and two rooms featuring exposed beams, restored furniture, handcrafted ceramics and natural fabrics. Sextantio, in Abruzzo, is a scattered hotel with a carefully curated medieval aesthetic and period furnishings, where the atmosphere of days gone by can be savoured also at the breakfast featuring local produce and traditional recipes. Sextantio is a cultural conservation project created to safeguard the heritage linked to smaller villages, supporting the local area and its inhabitants. In Veneto there are two notable establishments. Cargador de Ron in Valdobbiadene is a mountain hut in the woods: once a refuge for shepherds and their animals, today it offers four spacious, light-filled rooms furnished in a rustic style. The Scuola Guesthouse on the Asiago Plateau, in the province of Vicenza, is a former school dating from the 1920s that has retained its original character, with rooms named after school subjects and an artisan ice-cream workshop, and is an invitation to rediscover the joys of childhood.
Published in Digital
With the arrival of summer, Dolomiti Bus is enhancing its summer services and unveiling new developments.
An alternative to using private vehicles
Throughout the summer, until 9 September, special Dolomiti Bus services to the Dolomite mountain passes and the region’s main natural attractions will resume. A brand-new addition is the Cortina–Passo Giau–Pescul route and the new Cortina Scuole terminus that ensure mobility for residents and offer tourists a convenient, low-environmental-impact alternative to using private vehicles.
Consult the Dolomiti Bus app
They also aim to ease traffic congestion on the mountain passes, boost the local economy and alleviate the problem of parking availability at the summit areas of the passes, which is critical during peak periods. Tickets are available at the company’s ticket offices, authorized retailers across the region and via the official Dolomiti Bus app, where detailed timetables can be consulted.
"The most comfortable way to enjoy the mountains”
“The expansion of summer services is a key element in our strategy to promote and protect the Alpine region. Travelling by bus between the mountain passes and the major attractions of the Marmolada area is not only a choice that demonstrates a deep sense of environmental responsibility, but also the most accessible and comfortable way to enjoy the mountains,” says Dolomiti Bus Chairwoman Martina Moritsch.
Services also to the Adriatic Coast
The Linea Mare service is also resuming; this summer service, operated by Dolomiti Bus, connects Belluno with Jesolo and the Adriatic coast. The service will run until 9 September, with daily departures seven days a week; bookings are compulsory. Tickets can be purchased from authorised outlets and, from this year, online via the official Cortina Express website.
Published in Transportation
In South Tyrol, Bressanone appeals through its Alpine food and wines.
Dining in vineyards and mountain chalets
Bressanone stands out as one of the most interesting destinations in the Alps in which to discover the region’s food and wines which are increasingly becoming a means of discovering the destination. The city offers numerous options for getting to know the area through its cuisine: from breakfast in the vineyards to lunch in a mountain refuge with views of the Dolomites, and from visits to wineries to Michelin-starred dinners at the Apostelstube in the Hotel Elephant, or at the Kircherhof in Albes, which has been awarded a Michelin Green Star.
ph credits: Brixen Tourismus Fabian Leitner
Summer Emotions evenings in July and August
Food and wine as a means of experiencing the local area and as a key factor in choosing a travel destination is a trend also highlighted by the recent Report on Italian Food and Wine Tourism 2025, which underscores how food and wine, authenticity, local produce and encounters with local producers have become increasingly decisive in choosing a destination. In line with this trend, Bressanone hosts numerous events during the summer months to celebrate the area’s food, wine and agricultural traditions. In July and August, the Summer Emotions evenings return, bringing the city centre to life with music, alfresco dining and culinary specialties as well as a celebration of the traditional handmade" krapfen "in both sweet and savoury varieties.
Dinner under the stars on 5 August
From 3 to 5 July the Brixen Food Festival takes over the town’s squares, courtyards and arcades for three days, turning them into a stage for food and wine tastings, show cooking and meetings with producers. Then on 5 August the Piazza Duomo square hosts "Dine, Wine & Music," a long dinner under the stars that brings together restaurateurs, winegrowers and musicians for an evening of convivial discovery.
Local winegrowers present their wines
Bressanone is surrounded by vineyards that produce some of the most characteristic white wines of South Tyrol and the entire Alpine region, including Sylvaner, Kerner, Grüner Veltliner and Gewürztraminer. The area’s numerous wineries open their doors to visitors with tastings and guided tours, and on 31 July "Incontro con il Vino" is one of the most eagerly awaited events with 22 winegrowers from the Isarco Valley presenting their wines and offering guests the opportunity to taste them.
Published in Food&Wine
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