The itinerary starts in Maratea, the only part of ancient Lucania on the Tyrrhenian Sea in the southern region of Basilicata.

This beautiful town overlooks the Gulf of Policastro between the Campania and Calabria regions and has 32 kilometres of coastline with enchanting coves, fantastic beaches and the backdrop of imposing mountains.

Lucania

Ancient towns and natural areas

Moving inland we find Tramutola. Walking through the narrow streets of this old town you can admire the portals of the ancient noble palaces, many with small stone sculptures depicting women, a symbol of fertility. A few kilometers away Viggiano is in the natural area of the Lucanian Apennine Park, a delightful area of woodlands with a rich and varied fauna. Known as the City of Harps and Music Viggiano is the fulcrum of the ancient musical tradition of harp making.

Aliano

The town of the writer Carlo Levi

The next stop is Aliano, surrounded by the harsh and suggestive landscape of the calanchi gullies. Perched on a clay spur from which it dominates the Agri Valley and the Sauro torrent, Aliano is the place where the great writer Carlo Levi spent his period of confinement from 1935 to 1936. It is also famous for having inspired the most beautiful pages of his book Christ stopped at Eboli.

Craco

A ghost town to visit with a guide

Before reaching the Ionian coast, standing on a hill a few kilometers from Matera we come to Craco, which is immersed in the silence of the gullies and surrounded by an evocative landscape. Called the Ghost Town as it is uninhabited, it can only be visited on foot accompanied by a guide, and using the Craco Card, an entrance card issued by the local municipality.

The Ionian Sea’s golden beaches 

On the fertile and sunny Metapontine plain which is washed by the Ionian Sea, we fine Policoro whose name in ancient Greek means "spacious".  Today Policoro one of the largest and most important cities in the province of Matera. The National Sirtide Archaeological Museum, the Sanctuary of Demeter, the Temple of Dionysius and the golden beaches of the Ionian coast are just some of the must-does in this part of the region.

Citrus plantations and sea turtles

The last stop on our itinerary is Scanzano Ionico, the youngest municipality in the province of Matera. With its mild climate and fertile soil Scanzano Ionico is famous for its plantations of citrus fruits, kiwis and vegetables, and has been nicknamed Little Southern California. Along the coast the sand dunes with their Mediterranean scrub are a nesting place for the sea turtles that every year choose the pristine Ionian beaches to lay their eggs. 

Taking a Sealife Charter cruise is the best possible way to explore Italy’s beautiful southern Tyrrhenian islands. Sicily, the largest of them all, and the delightful smaller Ionian and Egadi islands lie in startlingly blue seas. They offer unique opportunities for diving, sailing and kayaking, as well as enjoying golden beaches and secluded bays, enchanting landscapes and picturesque villages.

The season goes from June to October

Sealife Charter has four gulets (typical two-mast wooden Turkish sailing boats) that can take up to 12 passengers, and they cruise to many of the southern coast’s most beautiful locations. With visits to marine reserves, protected areas and hidden scuba diving spots, there is also time to enjoy walking and cycling around stunning Mediterranean islands where time seems to have stood still. “Typical cruises last a week and on board there is a captain, a cook, a sailor and a hostess. Each cruise can be personalized according to what guests want to see and do. The season goes from June to as late as mid-October, and we also do one and two-day cruises,” said owner Maurizio Brandaleone.    

Air conditioning and private bathrooms in double cabins

“We get a lot of repeat visitors,  beause the coastal parts we sail to have so much to offer it is impossible to see it all on just one cruise.” The four gulets have six, five, four and two double cabins with private bathrooms, and all have air conditioning, showers and TV as well as outdoor areas for relaxation and recreation.
For further information: www.sealifecharter.it

This is the most talk-about news of Gardaland's 2022 season: a new and exciting dark ride for adventure lovers right in the heart of the park. Work continues unhindered on the construction site of Jumanji The Adventure, the world's first attraction based on the popular Sony Pictures film franchise.

Five exciting animatronic features

Visitors can expect a jeep ride along a dark path through the jungle: encountering dangerous animals and obstacles of all kinds, with the guests' mission being to save the world of Jumanji from a powerful curse by bringing the precious gem back to the legendary temple. Of particular interest will be the attraction’s five animatronics, from a desk that opens up to become to an immense hippo and a scary spider, to the hand and head of the fearsome stone Giant.

Transporting the Giant from Genoa’s docks to Gardaland

The Giant, the most surprising of the various animatronics and the great antagonist of the adventure, is currently on board a cargo ship powering across the Mediterranean towards Italy. Given the huge bulk of the Giant, three 6-meter long trucks await him at the port of Genoa ready to transport him to Gardaland, where the final painting will be carried out and the final details added.

A massive stone giant almost four times human height

The dimensions of the stone Giant are truly amazing as the head measures 6.45 meters in height, almost four times a human being, and about 6 meters in width, while the hand stands 4 meters high with a palm 3 meters wide! Its creation was long and complex and the initial design phase was managed by the Gardaland creative team. The actual construction took place in Turkey over the course of two months at the headquarters of the Futuraform company that creates scenography and animatronics for amusement parks, cinemas and hotel chains all over the world.

Architects, designers and gardeners are hard at work

At the moment, over 100 operators are hard at work on the Jumanji construction site, with employees of 20 companies specialized in many diverse fields: from architectural and light design, through to 3D printing, metalworking and gardening operations.

The new gastronomic look of the boutique Hotel Exclesior in Pesaro, a place where true luxury is synonymous with style and elegance, debuts with a menu by Michelin-starred chef Stefano Ciotti, patron of the Nostrano Restaurant which has held the coveted Michelin recognition since 2017. 

An exclusive, colonial chic atmosphere  

The setting, on the promenade of the Adriatic seaside town of Pesaro in The Marches region, is one of the most exclusive: a colonial chic salon with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. Soft lighing, upholstered sofas and hanging lamps all combine with the sophisticated and discreet service, and Stefano Ciotti’s cuisine has a strong identity, expressing techniques and procedures inherited from tradition.

Vouchers for exclusive spa treatments 

Then there's the chance to give a unique gift, as the hotel has prepared a series of vouchers varying in price, type, and duration of experience. By purchasing one of the Excelsior Spa gift cards you could pay homage to the Spa with a face or body treatment, a bespoke ritual, or with exclusive and private access to the Hydro Suite or the Hammam.

Pampering and sweetness on the go!

You could also give a Ligne St. Barth beauty product as a gift, extending the feeling of wellbeing you get at the spa to your own or to a friend’s home. For only €39 the Spa Cocktail package consists of two hours of relaxation, a cocktail from the barman, a savoury starter, and the chef's finger food in an intimate environment. And for €45 the Spa and Breakfast package completes your stay in the spa with an authentic breakfast of wonders. It's all about pampering and sweetness on the go!

Emilia is a land of charming landscapes and historic cities and gives visitors the chance to experience firsthand the works of great Italian movie directors like Bernardo Bertolucci. And to relive moments from great classics, like the films about Don Camillo and Peppone, the visual intuitions of Marco Bellocchio and the story of the painter Ligabue in the screen classic Volevo Nascondermi. 

Fellini was inspired by the town of Novellara 

Your journey through the Emilia region as projected onto the silver screen by some of Italy’s great movie directors, can start in the little town of Brescello, where the streets and squares were the setting for the famous Don Camillo and Peppone film directed by Mario Camerini in 1972.  Then there is Campegine, about 70 kilometres from Bologna, where the film Il Cammino della speranza by Pietro Germi is set, and Novellara, just half an hour from Reggio Emilia, which was reconstructed in Rome’s Cinecittà film studios by Federico Fellini for La Voce della Luna. 

Don Camillo e Peppone movie

Volevo nascondermi Movie - credit Enrico De Luigi

The city of Parma has featured in many movies

Ligabue is the village of the painter Antonio Ligabue, played by Elio Germano in the movie Volevo Nascondermi (I Wanted to Hide), shot in the region’s poplar woods and on the banks of the river Po, and the little town of Gualtieri has the interesting Antonio Ligabue House Museum. Parma, Italian Capital of Culture 2020-2021, has been the set of many cinematographic works and Bernardo Bertolucci dedicated several films to his hometown including Before the Revolution  which was set at Parma’s Cathedral and in the Villetta district.

Bertolucci shot his films in small villages and large towns

The castles and historical villages surrounding Parma also feature in many famous Italian movies.  Bertolucci chose the village of Roncole Verdi, not far from Busseto where the great Giuseppe Verdi was born, for his Novecento while in the elegant Moorish Hall of the Palazzo dei Congressi in Salsomaggiore Terme, Bertolucci shot some scenes for his The Last Emperor.

Novellara (Reggio Emilia - Emilia Romagna)

Evoteca, a project promoting Italy’s extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), in collaboration with the Italian Sommelier Foundation Bibenda (a Worldwide Sommelier Association partner) organizes olive oil and wine courses and experiences in destinations around the Emilia Romagna region. Extra virgin olive oil, wine and the philosophy of food has become an essential part of Italy’s culture and lore, and is a very attractive and effective lever for the Italian inbound leisure industry.

Courses with expert oil and wine sommeliers

The courses in the Evoteca headquarters in Rimini are led by expert oil and wine sommeliers and focus on promoting Italian extra virgin olive oil as well as on winemaking methods and traditions. “Each EVOO and each wine expresses itself through its own language which is its taste-olfactory characteristics, and our sommeliers are ambassadors of the culture of Italian quality,” said Eva Panitteri, Vice President, Foundation Italiana Sommelier Emilia-Romagna. 

Experiential storytelling to engage guests

“With the increasing demand for wine and EVOO tourism we organize on-demand tours to local vineyards and centuries-old olive groves. We enhance these experiences by connecting with the area and with local products and traditions, inspiring and engaging our guests with the destination through experiential storytelling, and during the right season guests can also take part in the harvesting.”

Oil and wine tastings in vineyards and olive groves

Evoteca’s experiences in destinations around the Emilia Romagna region include visits to wineries, oil mills and their surroundings with wine and olive oil tastings also in vineyards and olive groves. “The tours start with an introduction to the property we are visiting, they include some walking around the property and give an overview of its wine or oil-making facilities,” said Panitteri.  

“Making our participants feel part of the destination”

“Generally they also include a short overview of the history of the farm and of its products to get a better understanding of the overall process of the journey of the grape or the olive... to the bottle! Visits also include a tasting menu of foods that are deeply connected to their origins, which is a great way to make our participants feel part of each destination through its unique flavours.”

EVOO and wine experiences for travel packages

“Our 2022 calendar is not yet ready, but next year we will once again be organizing visits and tours through the fabulous region of Emilia Romagna. We can customize these transformative experiences centered on EVOO and wine, and involving all five senses, to fit into travel packages and offers.”

The Apennine area between the cities of Parma, Piacenza and Reggio Emilia, has a wealth of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to be discovered in many different ways and in all seasons. This mountain range has been a UNESCO MaB (Man and Biosphere) Reserve since June 8, 2015 and is an elusive dimension of villages, castles, religious sites, colours and flavours to be enjoyed wearing boots or snowshoes, on skis or on a bicycle. 

For hiking and climbing enthusiasts

One highlight is the mighty Pietra di Bismantova plateau in the Reggio Emilia Apennines, a must for climbing and hiking enthusiasts, but the true monument of northern Italy is the Po. Italy’s largest river crosses the three provinces of Piacenza, Parma and Reggio Emilia, through a fairy-tale landscape of forests and waterways, alternating with charming towns and villages. 

Italy’s first UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy

Then there are the delights of the table. The Emilia region produces many excellent products such as the famous Grana Padano and Provolone Val Padana cheeses and world famous charcuterie like Piacenza’s Coppa, Pancetta and Salame. In 2015 Parma – famous also for its Parmesan cheese and traditional balsamic vinegar - became the first UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy in Italy and has endless fascinating itineraries, events, museums and festivals featuring its famous foods and wines.  

Medieval monuments and art

Parma’s Baptistery is one of the most interesting medieval monuments in Europe and, together with the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace makes up the amazing choreography of the Piazza Duomo cathedral square. The Baptistery’s famous Cycle of the Months, a high relief designed by Benedetto Antelami with astrological signs and people at work in the various seasons, dates back to the 11th century. 

Experiential journeys to suit all tastes

As the Land of the Slow Mix, with three cities and three provinces where food, nature and culture meet, the Visit Emilia (www.visitemilia.com) site concentrates the region’s attractions into networks, suggesting experiential wellness, nature, food and wine, and culture trails throughout the region.

Smy Hotels, the Logitravel Group’s hotel management chain has added a new hotel in Ostia, the seaside town near Rome, to its Italian properties. 

Acquired under a rental contract, the Smy Aran Blu Roma Mare is a 4-star hotel on the seafront 300 meters from Ostia’s little port. On five floors it has 68 rooms, a restaurant on the beachfront which is open to the public, an events space and a car park. It is just 10 minutes by car from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.

The Group also has the 4-star Smy Area Roma

Previously the hotel was managed by the Barceló Hotel Group under the Occidental brand. To adapt the property to Smy Hotels’ standards the management will carry out some light adaptations. The Smy Aran Blu Roma Mare joins the Smy Area Roma, another 4-star hotel in the capital, bringing the Group’s Italian properties to eight.  The Ostia hotel is the second acquisition in a week, following the Wyndham Mediterranean White in Santorini, which will be managed under a joint venture between Smy Hotels and the Ok Group (OkLogi Hotels).