Italian fashion designers seem to have a soft spot for the Aeolian islands off the coast of Sicily; after Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana who spent part of their summer holidays in the archipelago, it’s now the turn of…
There is more cycling tradition in Italy than you make think and as we head to the height of the Italian summer, we take a look at the historic bicycle builder, Taurus. The company was originally established in 1908 and…
In this video Eros Ramazzotti performs his new song, Controvento, on the Miss Italy Italian television contest. The song is part of the new Ramazzotti album, Ali e radici (wings and roots). It’s a love song in true Ramazzotti style,…
We looked at the golden rules as to how to cook the perfect pasta, and today we examine what you’re not “supposed” to do with pasta. This is one for the purists, and although I’m one to experiment with pasta…
Salvatore Ferragamo created this nylon and leather duffel bag with the Mediterranean sea in mind; the same vibrant blue one enjoys when on a cruise through the Italian islands: Price: € 1,200
In Liguria, where mountains and steep cliffs drop straight into the Mediterranean, creating a unique landscape that each year attracts millions of tourists, many old monasteries have been converted into posh hotels. The most famous is Hotel Splendido in Portofino.…
We’ve already shown you how to make limoncello, with our homemade limoncello recipe, and now we look at the creamy limoncello variety, “crema di limoncello”. It has a less alcoholic taste and still served cold, can be a lovely refreshing…
Now we’re getting serious. Our Italian recipes have brought you everything from Napoletan dish “gattò” to homemade Nutella, but this is perhaps our first proper sweet. Called Canestrelli, these biscuits are made in the shape of ringed flowers and are…
The grand finale for me of the Best of Wine Tourism Awards was our Chianti wine tasting at the Villa Petriolo, Cerreto Guidi, not far from Florence. I realise that “beautiful” is in no way a technical term to describe…
Florence is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world; according to Travel & leisure no other city can be compared to it. So if you arrive in Florence and you are in a hurry, maybe this article…
The world of Fashion has found its Snow Queen in Donatella Versace ! In order to demonstrate that winter can be an enchanting season, the famous Italian designer has created an icy palette of dazzling whites and steel blues for…
Italy describes its annual trashy cinemafest at Christmas time ‘cinepanettone’ and this year’s “Christmas in….” film is being shot in South Africa, using the backdrop of this year’s 2010 Word Cup. Italian show girl (from Argentina) Belen Rodriguez has become…
You first saw Alena Seredova on DolceVita winning a prize for the hottest footballer’s wife or girlfriend for 2009. That’s some pretty tough competition for Italian footballer, Gigi Buffon’s partner, who has given birth to their second child, another son,…
When thinking of Venice festivals, carnival is what usually comes to mind, but Christmas in Venice also has a special ambience. For the month of December, Christmas in Venice will include plenty of typical and Italian artisanal products, tastings, traditional…
With this new exhibition called “Viva l’Italia. L’Arte italiana racconta le città tra nascita sviluppo. crisi. 1948-2008” (Hooray for Italy. How Italian Art has portrayed Italian cities from their birth and development to their crisis) the city takes centre stage…
Rome is a continuous surprise and this time I’m not talking about monuments but public parks! Bordering with Villa Pamphili, the Valle dei Casali is an amazing 450 hectare park where people can enjoy nature at a leisurely pace; hectares…
One arm of Lake Como turns off to the south between two unbroken chains of mountains, which cut it up into a series of bays and inlets as the hills advance into the water and retreat again.Thus begins Betrothed by…
Caterina Murino is one of the hottest Italian actresses of the day. Her most famous film is Casino Royale in which she played one of the bond girls, but actually her most interesting role was in a French movie called…
The town of Vigevano, near Pavia, will host a series of important events called “Leonardo e Vigevano” and devoted to one of the greatest geniuses in history: Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo sojourned in Vigevano, back then part of the Milan…
Aida Yespica has been snapped topless in Miami; the South American show girl seems to have fully recovered from her post-partum depression. She has put on a few pounds ( judging from the pics), but she still looks gorgeous. According…
The celebrations for the 500th anniversary of Giorgione‘s death, which started back in May, have now reached their climax with a special exhibition entirely devoted to his early works and which will run until next April. This new and fascinating…
Based on the song Abba recorded in the 1970s, the musical Mamma mia has been seen by over 42 million people, taking in more $2 billion dollars worldwide! Now the Mamma mia fever is getting higher by the minute here…