Giro d'Italia
Up one levelFree-time itineraries and travelogues to discover a hidden Italy.
Liguria - a land of legend and legacy
![](giroditalia/imperia/images/cervo.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex92x100.jpeg)
We journey through a mysterious land of disappearing Madonnas, self-appointed Kings and ancient languages.
3000 years in 90 minutes
![](giroditalia/romebus/images/bus.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x63.jpeg)
Help! Your holiday plans have gone terribly wrong and you've only got an hour and a half to see Rome. Don't worry - just step on the 110 and set off on your very own magical mystery tour of the Eternal City.
Pedal through Parma's parks
![](giroditalia/parma/images/parma.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex64x100.jpeg)
As Parma's Parco Ducale opens its gates once more we wheel out our bicycles and go for a springtime cycle through Parma's magnificent parks.
Hidden Isernia - from Venafro to Pietrabbondante
![](giroditalia/venafro/images/pietr.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x65.jpeg)
A journey from Rome to Potenza takes us off the beaten track to discover enchanting towns and a spectacular Samnite theatre.
Chiantishire - in and around Montevarchi
![](giroditalia/rieti/images/sb.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex99x100.jpeg)
Visit Tuscany - from forests to fossils and castles to Chianti.
Villas in Varese
![](giroditalia/varese/images/b2.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x83.jpeg)
Three stately homes, less than half an hour from Milan, where you can take some time out in some of the country's most beautiful gardens
Gorgeous Giglio
![](giroditalia/giglio/images/giglio.gif/pa_thumb/imagex100x66.gif)
One of the hidden treasures of the Mediterranean, the Isle of Giglio is just an hour from Tuscany's Porto Santo Stefano yet in many respects it could be part of a very different time scale. Join us as we discover the delights of this island in the sun . . .
Two hours in Florence
![](giroditalia/florence/images/hannibal.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex95x85.jpeg)
Two hours in Florence in the footsteps of two famous families . . . and a serial killer.
A sculpture for everyone in Possagno
![](giroditalia/gorizia/images/can.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex69x100.jpeg)
When does a copy become an original? Why are the Americans so interested in the small museum of Possagno? How did Antonio Canova safeguard his heritage? Read on to discover the answers to these questions and much, much more . . .
Scaling the peaks and island hopping on Lake Maggiore
![](giroditalia/busto_arsizio/images/san.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex60x100.jpeg)
From Mount Mottarone to the shores of Lake Maggiore.
Rieti, the central city
![](giroditalia/nettuno/images/chi.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x70.jpeg)
A journey to the centre of Italy, through archaeological remains and lakeside beauty.
Hemingway's Lagoon
![](giroditalia/jesolo/images/sold.gif/pa_thumb/imagex64x100.gif)
We discover Jesolo and Caorle through the eyes of the great American writer Ernest Hemingway.
Majestic Maiella
![](giroditalia/maiella/images/mai.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x66.jpeg)
Barren yet beautiful, harsh yet haunting, Mount Majella in Abruzzo is half invocation, half curse.
Palermo - cultural crossroads
![](giroditalia/palermo2/images/cat.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x62.jpeg)
From the Quattro Canti to the Spasimo and from the Cathedral to the Capuchin crypt. We take you through a Palermo where east meets west and old mixes with new.
Hot sands and fresh air at Angelo d'Ischia
![](giroditalia/ischia/images/1.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex83x100.jpeg)
Peace and quiet is just a boat trip from Naples in the charming little island of Ischia
Pamper yourself this Christmas!
![](giroditalia/thermal/images/ischia.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex70x100.jpeg)
When in Rome do as the (Ancient) Romans did - spoil yourself in one of Italy's many thermal baths
Gamble the holidays away
![](giroditalia/casino/images/roule.gif/pa_thumb/imagex32x100.gif)
Even when the chips were down during the war Italy's casinos kept their doors open to a public trying to escape from the harsh realities of everyday life. Italy's four casinos still draw crowds ready to risk their money in the hope that Lady Luck will look their way.
Relax in Montecatini's thermal baths
![](giroditalia/montecatini/images/fonte.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex78x100.jpeg)
Do you come home from holiday more tired than when you left? Maybe you should follow in the illustrious footsteps of Verdi, Orson Welles and Princess Grace and take some time out in the delightful spa resort of Montecatini.
Wining and dining in Franciacorta
![](giroditalia/parma-1/images/fr.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x99.jpeg)
Wine-tasting in the hills of Franciacorta and fossil-finding in the Stirone river park.
A vademecum to Venice
![](giroditalia/venice/images/gh.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x65.jpeg)
From culture to culinary delights and ghosts to ghettos, here is a Venice you have never seen before...
Holidays at home
![](giroditalia/home/images/Volo.gif/pa_thumb/imagex100x61.gif)
Some people are born travellers, others, on the other hand, spend their best holidays at home . . .
Uncharted Castiglione della Pescaia
![](giroditalia/castigl/images/cas.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex90x100.jpeg)
There's lots to do in Castiglione della Pescaia - follow us and find out more . . .
Rugby Italian style
![](giroditalia/rugby/images/irish.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex82x100.jpeg)
We visit Rome for the Six Nations and discover the one essential ingredient in Italian rugby - passion.
Strolling across snow fields
![](giroditalia/madonna/images/MAD.gif/pa_thumb/imagex54x100.gif)
We put on our show-shoes and take a leisurely stroll through the snow fields of Madonna di Campiglio. Join us . . ..
Gorizia and Gradisca with a glass of Collio
![](giroditalia/bled/images/gor.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex85x100.jpeg)
Coasts, castles and squalls - we travel through Friuli-Venezia Giulia towards the garrison towns of Gorizia and Gradisca
Hands on art
![](giroditalia/blind/images/cavazza.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex60x100.jpeg)
When we enter an art museum we take our sight for granted. Now thanks to two revolutionary museums in Ancona and Bologna the visually impaired and blind are no longer excluded from the world of art .
A rustic retreat in the Marches for the Christmas holidays
![](giroditalia/marche/images/cas2.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x77.jpeg)
Get away from it all in one of Italy's best-kept secrets - the Marches. Hyped as 'the new Tuscany' discover this area before the secret gets out . . .
Arabian Nights in the Apennines
![](giroditalia/rocchetta/images/rocchetta.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x70.jpeg)
The brief history of a building full of Eastern promise and Russian aristocrats
Modena's Duomo and the breath of God
![](giroditalia/modena/images/dom.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x71.jpeg)
A foot through the spokes, lions, rats and blasphemy. Memories blur and blend in Modena's most famous monument
Assisi, in Saint Francis' footsteps
![](giroditalia/assisi/images/assisi.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x59.jpeg)
Natural beauty, history and mysticism come together in this important centre of spiritual tourism.
Christian art in Trento
![](giroditalia/trento/images/tren.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x62.jpeg)
Fancied a holiday in the mountains but couldn't get a hotel? Head for Trento instead. Take a look around its monuments and you'll be charmed by the mediaeval atmosphere of one of Italy's most modern cities.
Splash out in Lipari
![](giroditalia/lipari/images/lip.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex81x100.jpeg)
Who can resist the crystal-clear waters of Lipari? And who can resist a mouth-watering meal after their swim. Join us as we sample the seas and specialities of one of the jewels of the Mediterranean . . .
Matera: from caves to chalets
![](giroditalia/matera/images/sas.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex75x86.jpeg)
There's nowhere in the world quite like Matera. It's Sassi - the ancient cave dwellings which are now a UNESCO heritage site - were, up until just 50 years ago, hellish slums where the people lived in poverty and disease and, in the near future, could become holiday chalets for people like me and you . . .
The Po river from Cremona to Mantua
![](giroditalia/po/images/po1.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x66.jpeg)
There's more to the Po river than mist and mosquitoes. Join us as we follow the great river from Cremona to Mantua and discover a world of hidden delights
A walk through Ferrara
![](giroditalia/ferrara/images/mu2.gif/pa_thumb/imagex67x84.gif)
Join us as we take a stroll through Ferrara's Jewish ghetto and along the city walls
The slow guide to Milan
![](giroditalia/milan/images/tram.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x57.jpeg)
In the bustling city of Milan 75 minutes are a lifetime. We suggest you spend them on the Number 4 tram and discover a new laidback side to this busy metropolis.
Dulce et decorum est: A visit to the Alpine trenches
![](giroditalia/adamello/images/guerra.gif/pa_thumb/imagex54x63.gif)
Walking in the Alps today, it's hard to imagine that these beautiful mountains were once the backdrop to some of the bloodiest battles of World War One. Lest we forget . . .
Naples' hidden city
![](giroditalia/naples/images/npl.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x63.jpeg)
We delve into the dark heart of Naples, weaving our way through a subterranean system of passageways and streets, where people lived, loved and died through its beleaguered history.
Reclaiming culture from Naples to Milan
![](giroditalia/industries/images/sci.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex80x100.jpeg)
Disused factories and abandoned warehouses are opening their doors to an eclectic series of cultural initiatives. Let's take a look . . .
Castles, forests and Turks
![](giroditalia/lucera/images/castello.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x82.jpeg)
Today's journey takes us from the ancient forests of the Gargano promontory deep into the heart of Southern Italy.
The stunning silence of the Dolomites
![](giroditalia/dolomites/images/montagne.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex94x100.jpeg)
Menacing and magnificent, a kaleidiscope of colours over 3000 metres high. The breathtaking beauty of the Dolomites will leave you speechless.
Untouched landscapes and ancient pilgrimages
![](giroditalia/potenza/images/chi.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex91x100.jpeg)
Through twisting roads on an ancient pilgrimage - a savage beauty is born.
The Copernicus of Crotone
![](giroditalia/crotone/images/kr.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex68x100.jpeg)
Discovering the town that discovered Copernicus - 2000 years before he was born . . .
Lake Garda - the poets' paradise
![](giroditalia/sirmione/images/sirmione.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex97x100.jpeg)
From Sirmione, erstwhile haunt of the Roman poet Catullus, to Salo', home of D'Annunzio's sumptuous villa.
Cervia, white strands and salt deposits
![](giroditalia/cervia/images/por.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex89x78.jpeg)
The round-Italy boat race starts in Cervia on the Adriatic coast
Palermo, please . . .
![](giroditalia/palermo/images/pa.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x96.jpeg)
A holiday in Palermo is a trip through time and culture, where Arab-Norman churches rub shoulders with the Kabul of today . . .
Stelvio and Bormio - lest we forget.
![](giroditalia/bormio/images/tenente.gif/pa_thumb/imagex77x99.gif)
We visit the Dolomites in the International Year of Mountains and remember those who laid down their lives on these peaks during the First World War.
My town is called Messina
![](giroditalia/messina-1/images/port.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex84x100.jpeg)
Half-finished houses, dormant trams and disappearing landscapes. A voice in anger against the everyday abandon and dereliction that is Messina.
Tuscany by train
![](giroditalia/siena/images/orcia.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex76x68.jpeg)
We step back in time and take an unforgettable journey by steam train through Tuscany's Val d'Orcia.
Spring is bursting out all over
![](giroditalia/gardens/images/brt.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x69.jpeg)
As the evenings begin to stretch and we shed our winter layers what better way to herald the arrival of Spring than an afternoon in one of Italy's ornamental gardens. Here are three to whet your appetite . . .
Head South for Snow
![](giroditalia/snow/images/neve1.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x75.jpeg)
If you think all skiing stops in the Alps then this is the article for you. We travel south along the Apennines and discover ski resorts a stone's throw from the sea . . .
Pescara - books, beaches and boogie
![](giroditalia/pescara/images/pescara.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x81.jpeg)
Discover Pescara, home of D'Annunzio and cradle of the Abruzzo people. We will take you to the towns and cities on route discovering new places to visit and fun facts for each one.
Belluno. Sea-deep, mountain-high
Feel like staying in town this Spring? Then go and visit the Dolomites. No, we're not joking: if you don't believe us take a trip to Belluno. Seeing is believing
Dino burgers on the Adda
![](giroditalia/dino/images/parco.gif/pa_thumb/imagex100x66.gif)
Spend a relaxing day with your family and friends at the Adda Prehistoric Park near Lodi.
From the sea to Gran Sasso
![](giroditalia/giulianova/images/sflaiano.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex93x100.jpeg)
Stroll along the seafront or climb the peaks of Gran Sasso. From culture, to history and natural beauty - there's something for everyone in Abruzzo.
Trentino - where the mountains meet the sky
![](giroditalia/trentino/images/cas.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex99x80.jpeg)
Castles, lakes, deer and the finest wine you've ever drunk. Man and nature combine to perfection in Trentino-Alto Adige.
Funiculi', funicula'
![](giroditalia/vesuvio/images/ves.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex80x100.jpeg)
At some stage in every party worth remembering someone will strike the chords of "Funiculi' Funicula'". one of Naples' most famous - and most mispronounced - songs. .
East meets west in Sicily
![](giroditalia/islam/images/islam.gif/pa_thumb/imagex100x100.gif)
A one-time Arab emirate and jewel in the Moorish crown Sicily is breathing a new wind of Islamic culture. We take a trip through modern Muslim Sicily and discover a land when past and present mix . . .
A feast of wine and truffles in Alba
![](giroditalia/alba/images/bar.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex86x59.jpeg)
We go wine and truffle tasting in the Langhe in Southern Piedmont.
Padua, the Scrovegni chapel and a boat trip
![](giroditalia/padua/images/scro.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x89.jpeg)
We go to Padua to see Giotto's restored frescoes and find time for a boat trip through the city's canals.
Vajont - a tragedy foretold
![](giroditalia/vajont/images/vj2.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x90.jpeg)
We visit the scenes of the Vajont disaster, in the heart of the Dolomites and discover a place where nothing is as it should be
A green heart in the city
![](giroditalia/botanicalgardens/images/pad.gif/pa_thumb/imagex100x65.gif)
Often neglected by the tour guides, botanical gardens offer a much needed refuge from the overload of sights and sounds of many Italian cities. Here are three to whet your appetite . . .
Post-nuclear Potenza
![](giroditalia/potenza-1/images/pot.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x75.jpeg)
We travel to Potenza - one of Italy's most unlikely tourist destinations - and find a haven for fans of functional and post-nuclear architecture.
The hidden treasures of Trastevere
![](giroditalia/rome/images/pope.gif/pa_thumb/imagex95x85.gif)
Discovering Trastevere, with its hidden mosaics, miniature bells and a little-known museum of Roman poetsDiscovering Trastevere, with its hidden mosaics, miniature bells and a little-known museum of Roman poets
Gressoney's winter wonderland
![](giroditalia/gressoney/images/cas.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x79.jpeg)
We go to Gressoney for an eclectic mix of winter sport and culture for a holiday to suit all tastes
Viareggio
![](giroditalia/viareggio/images/via.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x84.jpeg)
On the Tuscan coast, also known as the Versilian Riviera, Viareggio is well connected with direct train services to and from Pisa (Centrale), Firenze, Livorno and La Spezia.
Hanbury's hidden haven
![](giroditalia/ventimiglia/images/han.gif/pa_thumb/imagex100x74.gif)
Garden enthusiasts and budding botanists should head for Ventimiglia, just before the French Riviera for an amazingly overgrown garden teeming with tropical plants and handed down to us by a genuine English lord.
Fossacesia - from the mountains to the sea
![](giroditalia/foccacesia/images/chiesa.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex70x100.jpeg)
'We go to Fossacesia, a charming town overlooking the sea, and discover a beautiful Cistercian abbey plus an ancient method of fishing still in use today.
Skiing by moonlight
![](giroditalia/ski/images/ski.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x80.jpeg)
The festive season give skiers time to head for their belovedslopes. And what better way to celebrate a white Christmas than moonlight ski? Here are some of our suggestions for your very own midnight run.
The sights, sounds and smells of Palermo
![](giroditalia/palermo1/images/trionfo.jpg/pa_thumb/imagex100x83.jpeg)
Palermo is a cultural crossroads between east and west, north and south. Poignant, pungent and powerful, Palermo is a city of contrasts, vivid colours, strong smells and deep sounds. Let's visit the Kalsa and Vucciria market.