In the heart of Rome VICO Pizza&Wine and Salotto 42 join forces to create eclectic and convivial culinary experiences. 

Tradition meets innovation at Palazzo Rondanini

Nestled within the historic Palazzo Rondanini, VICO Pizza&Wine is far more than a pizzeria. Freshly crowned with 3 Spicchi by the 2025 Gambero Rosso guide, it epitomizes excellence in both cuisine and design. The stunning venue features 16th-century frescoed ceilings, Art Nouveau furnishings, and contemporary artworks, creating an elegant yet welcoming mood where every detail enhances a multisensory dining experience.

A range of creative pizzas

The soul behind VICO’s acclaimed pizza is Ciro De Vincenzo, a talented pizzaiolo from Naples' Quartieri Spagnoli district. Ciro’s craftsmanship shines through each perfectly crafted pizza, with light, fragrant doughs and meticulously selected ingredients. The menu features 21 traditional and creative pizzas that showcase seasonal variations and top-quality products from the Campania and Lazio regions. With over 100 carefully curated wine labels selected by sommelier Simone Trombini, and a cocktail list perfectly paired with the pizza menu, each visit promises an unparalleled experience.

Salotto 42: Rome’s cocktail artistry

And what better way to start an evening than with a cocktail? Salotto 42, just a short walk from VICO Pizza&Wine and a favourite go-to for cocktail aficionados, is located on the Piazza di Pietra square and now brings its mixology mastery to VICO’s lounge. Every Thursday from 7 p.m., guests can enjoy a special evening featuring DJ sets and an exclusive drink menu of signature and classic cocktails.

An all-day experience: from lunch to after-dinner

VICO Pizza&Wine and Salotto 42 have redefined Roman dining by merging tradition with innovation. Whether you’re enjoying a leisurely lunch, a lively aperitivo, or a refined after-dinner experience, this new style of pizza-lounge is the perfect destination for an authentic and glamorous outing in the heart of Rome. 

In summer 2025 Cagliari Airport will see the arrival of SAS Scandinavian Airlines, with new flights from Copenhagen.

The flights will debut on 1 July

The debut of the new flights is scheduled for 1 July 2025 and they will operated twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Southern Sardinia thus becomes part of the SAS network and, thanks to the new direct flights, becomes a conveniently accessible tourist destination for travellers departing from Northern Europe in search of beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, excellent food and age-old cultural traditions.

Both tourist and business traffic

“Sogaer will support the initiatives to promote the new connection,- said Fabio Mereu, CEO of the Elmas airport management company, -with the hope that the Copenhagen flights will be so successful that they will continue during the shoulder periods and in winter. With the new flights, added Mereu, a window is opened on a very promising market, “it is interesting for the opportunities for exchange and growth of both tourist and commercial flows linked to the presence in Sardinia of businesses capable of activating connections that were unthinkable up to this.”

Cagliari is a great city for foodies

Many Nordic tourists, attracted by the Sardinian climate and hospitality, will choose to fly to Cagliari to visit the city and then and set off to discover the island. And, if it is true that many Danes are demanding foodies, wherever they go in or outside the city, they will not be disappointed.

Noba Hotel e Residenze is located in Rome’s Nomentano, a strategic  residential district on the city’ East Side with historical monuments and parks, close to tourist attractions and international offices.

Elegantly furnished accommodations

Noba Hotel e Residenze, a new member of ErmesHotels, offers 72 different types of accommodation. The elegantly furnished rooms, in contemporary urban style are Classic, Superior, Deluxe and Family. They are designed and equipped to offer maximum comfort to guests, and there are also Studios and two and three-room Apartments. The property has facilities for disabled guests, and all rooms have air conditioning and design bathrooms with showers and hairdryers. NOBA Hotel e Residenze has a gym with Technogym equipment and in the FIGO Restaurant guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, while there is also the added benefit of complimentary car parking.  

Easy access with public transport 

The Nomentano area is rich in history; the ancient Via Nomentana was one of the major roads of ancient Rome. It is also home to some lovely parks, including the neoclassical Villa Torlonia, which is a historic villa with gardens that is also a museum. It was built in the 19th century by the wealthy Torlonia family and it offers visitors a blend of history (it was the residence of Benito Mussolini when he was prime minister of Italy), art and nature The district is well connected by public transport with the Nomentano railway station and several urban bus routes. It can also boast a variety of cafes, restaurants, and shops and, being largely residential, is quieter than the busier tourist areas of Rome. 

Benefits for guests

Book NOBA Hotel e Residenze and get an early check in and late check out upon availability, a complimentary upgrade also upon availability, water and welcome amenities and a promotional 20% discount at the FIGO Restaurant.

For information: https://www.nobaroma.com

Ryanair will be operating four new routes to and from Puglia this winter. 

Ryanair operates 45 routes form Bari and Brindisi

With 600 flights a week on 45 routes from Bari and Brindisi, including four new services to Marseilles, Nuremberg, Tirana (from Bari) and Trieste (from Brindisi), together with increased frequencies on existing routes (Budapest, Cagliari, Madrid, Milan Malpensa, Pisa, Sofia and Turin): this is how Ryanair is relaunching in Puglia for the winter that has just begun.

Supporting over 4,600 local jobs

There will be five low-cost aircraft based in Puglia (three in Bari, and two in Brindisi) to transport over six million passengers a year, with a 7% growth “We have been operating to and from Puglia for 20 years, during which time we have carried over 50 million passengers and made significant investments in the region, including our five based aircraft ($500 million investment). We support over 4,600 local jobs, increasing inbound tourism and improving connectivity for Puglia residents,” commented Fabrizio Francioni, Ryanair's head of communications Italy.

Puglia’s international connections are growing

“The new flights are a further step forward in strengthening and expanding the international connectivity of our region, but above all they testify to the continuous commitment of Aeroporti di Puglia aimed at expanding flights,” says Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia .

Trieste Airport is aiming at 1.3 million passengers by the end of 2024 and will add four new destinations in 2025.

Ryanair and Transavia to add new flights 

One new service will be the direct route from Rotterdam with three weekly frequencies from 1 April 2025, operated for the first time by Transavia, which will become the fifth scheduled airline operating at the airport. Then, from the end of March 2025 Ryanair will operate two new flights from Prague and Lamezia Terme, while a direct connection from Stockholm will also take off in July.

A record one million passengers handled

 On 7 October the Friuli Venezia Giulia region’s airport celebrated the threshold of one million passengers handled since the beginning of 2024. This is a record number for the airport which also inaugurated a direct flight from Bucharest with Wizz Air in October.

Environmentally sustainable practices

The airport is making a significant investment in environmental sustainability, with the drastic reduction of CO₂ emissions, thanks to the largest photovoltaic system in operation in an Italian airport, and the new fleet of electric vehicles for airport operations.

The Bauer in Venice, which has been taken over by Mohari and Omnam, will be a Rosewood hotel.

A Cypriot and an Israeli group

Following the collapse of the Austrian colossus Signa at the end of 2023, the rumours that Mohari Hospitality was in the front row for the acquisition of the trophy asset on the lagoon has been officially confirmed The Cypriot company specializing in luxury real estate investments has been awarded the hotel in partnership with the Israeli group Omnam Investment, for some €300 million.

Some €150 million is to go on the restlying

Once the restyling is completed for a further commitment of €150 million, the property will be branded Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Mohari and Omnam were assisted in the acquisition by Kryalos sgr, Dla Piper, Deloitte, Eastdil Secured, Cbre and Cushman & Wakefield.

Mohari Hospitality has many luxury properties

Mohari Hospitality's investments include a selection of luxury properties operating under various brands, including the Four Seasons Madrid and the Peninsula Papagayo, as well as the future Baccarat Florence Villa Camerata, l’Hotel Toronto and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. In addition, the company owns the Tao Hospitality Group, which specializes in catering, nightlife and entertainment.

Italo is counting on intermodality, international traffic and the 2025 Jubilee.

An intermodal train+bus group

 “Over the past year we have sboosted and consolidated our synergies with travel agencies,- says commercial director, Fabrizio Bona. -We are an intermodal group capable of covering the entire national territory and we have also made our debut abroad. By combining trains with buses we are now exploring these new markets. It will certainly be a first step, and we will soon extend our presence to other European countries.”

Moving into international markets

Italo’s network counts 118 daily services, 54 connected cities and 62 railway stations served, plus train+bus services thanks to the 100 Itabuses in the fleet. Thirty intermodal services (with the convenience of a single ticket) serve all of Italy 24 hours a day (there are also night services to optimize travel times) and now Italo is moving into international markets, serving locations such as Ljubljana and Zagreb. Foreign destinations connected to the main Italian cities can be reached by a combination of Italo trains to Mestre and then with dedicated buses.

The challenge of the 2025 Jubilee year

Italo is currently operating six services a day (3 outbound and 3 return) from cities such as Naples, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Ferrara, Padua, Venice, Trieste, Verona, Milan and Turin. A first step, preparatory to expanding the European network of the company, which today makes intermodality a pillar of the its growth strategy. There are also connections with regional trains that can be purchased directly on Italo’s sales channel. With regards to leisure the positive performance of the international segment commands attention: with the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands confirming their leadership. These are encouraging signs in view of the next challenge, which is the 2025 Jubilee when 35 million tourist arrivals are expected, generating 105 million overnights, i.e. an expected doubling of flows for a tourist expenditure of €16.7 billion.

“We are flexible and growing continuously”

“Today, our strength lies in being able to meet and satisfy the needs of the business as well as the leisure sector. We are flexible, and this has allowed us to grow continuously on several fronts. For 2025 the Jubilee represents a great opportunity that we already know how to seize, intercepting the strong demand coming from abroad,” says sales director Marco De Angelis.

New benefits for Italo Più card holders

Increasing attention is also being paid to the corporate world through agreements with large companies and SMEs (for which a special triangulation system has been designed with the support of travel agencies). For business travellers the company has launched the restyling of the Italo Club Lounges, exclusive spaces in stations with wi-fi, newspapers and fresh food always available. Following Rome and Milan, the new lounge in Bologna will be soon inaugurated and in the first half of 2025 the lounge in Florence Santa Maria Novella will get a new look. The increased benefits for Italo Più Corporate Card holders include dedicated discounts, access to Italo Club lounges, the possibility of accumulating more loyalty points and unlimited use of the Fast Track to avoid queues when entering stations. And thanks to the new loyalty programme there are also more benefits for Italo Più members.

Wizz Air is launching five new routes to Venice in summer 2025. 

Two aircraft positioned in Venice for summer 2025

From March next year, the lagoon city will be connected to Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Sharm-El-Sheikh and Budapest, an expansion made possible thanks to the introduction of an additional Airbus A321neo, bringing to two the number of Wizz Air aircraft positioned in Venice for summer 2025. 

Over 500,000 seats from Venice in 2025

From Venice's Marco Polo the Hungarian low-cost carrier will be offering over 500,000 seats in 2025, a growth of almost 80% over 2024. With this expansion, Wizz Air will reach a 10% market share in Venice, consolidating its position as the airport's second low-cost carrier. The Airbus A321neo will be operational in the Venice fleet from the 2025 summer season, with daily flights to Madrid and Barcelona and three weekly flights to Sharm-El-Sheikh, Athens and Budapest. 

200 routes in Italy from 25 airports

In addition, the increase in capacity will allow the existing connection to Chisinau to be upgraded from three to four weekly flights.  The Wizz Air network in Italy currently has 200 routes from 25 airports, the low-cost carrier carries passengers to more than 80 destinations in 35 countries from its five operating bases in Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples and Catania.

Over 90 million passengers to and from Italy since 2004

“The new summer routes from Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Sharm-El-Sheikh and Budapest represent an extraordinary addition to our already vast portfolio of cities connected to Venice, and respond to the growing demand for direct, convenient travel that is perfect for holidays or city breaks,- says Mauro Peneda, managing director of Wizz Air Malta. -Today's announcement confirms our commitment to the Italian market as we continue to work towards our goal of WIZZ 500.” Since the first flight from Milan to Katowice in 2004, Wizz Air has carried over 90 million passengers to and from Italy.

New Zealand’s Dunedin Airport recently turned heads with an unexpected appeal to travellers, asking them to limit their public displays of affection. A sign now greets flyers, their friends and family with the directive to "observe a maximum hug time of three minutes."

For those who crave a more lingering farewell, the sign suggests relocating to the airport car park. Daniela De Bono, the airport's director, explains that the quirky suggestion is meant to be a lighthearted way of keeping the airport's foot traffic flowing smoothly, but it does raise an intriguing question. 

Isn’t three minutes a rather generous hug allowance? After all, that’s ample time to boil an egg or deliver a pitch for a new startup. And in this era of high-speed everything, how many people really indulge in a full 180-second embrace?
 

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

A new Bike Corner, the first innovative space dedicated to cycling and bikepacking enthusiasts, has made its debut in Terminal 2 of Milan Malpensa Airport.

The new Bike Corner has all the necessary equipment

The corner - accessible 24/7 and completely free of charge - allows passengers to assemble their bike comfortably and safely immediately after their arrival at Malpensa. Equipped with professional tools and all the necessary equipment, the Bike Corner is a concrete response to the needs of those travelling with disassembled bicycles.

Encouraging active and ecological lifestyles

The new service is part of SEA Aeroporti di Milano's strategy to promote green solutions, encouraging active and ecological lifestyles. Thanks to its strategic location, the Bike Corner makes it possible to set off directly from the airport to discover the many cycle paths and unique landscapes surrounding the Malpensa area, with the support, as a technical partner, of #VareseDoYouBike, a cycle tourism development project promoted by the Varese Chamber of Commerce.

Routes with all levels of difficulty

There are 45 itineraries mapped so far and available for download on the Komoot platform, over 2,000 kilometres of routes mapped out by cycling guides and enjoyable by all, according to the different levels of difficulty. From routes for families to others for all-round cycling enthusiasts, and still others for those seeking a competitive adrenaline rush. Thanks to #VareseDoYouBike, the Varese Chamber of Commerce is acting in synergy with local authorities, operators and trade associations with the aim of building a cycle tourism system as a new element in the promotion of the Land of Lakes.