“The most vivid memory of my childhood was watching my grandmother prepare bread. She would knead the dough twice a week using ancient flours and would personally oversee the leavening process,” Maria Grazia Di Lauro, owner of Masseria Potenti, tells me. “Once kneaded, the dough was placed under wool blankets to rise, and throughout the night, my...
READ MOREThe outsider might find Bari’s mercato di pesce (fish market) quite striking. Along the city’s Lungomare, near the historic Teatro Margherita, lies the Molo San Nicola, a pier surrounded by modest-sized, brightly colored fishing boats. There’s nothing pristine or upscale about it—which is precisely the charm—but it’s here that you can find some of...
READ MOREWhen one thinks of Italy, traditional images come to mind. Churches that are hundreds of years old, engineering and architectural wonders from centuries past, rolling hills, mountains, the sea and, of course, great food, all are thought of when talking about Italy. Northern Italy sometimes brings thoughts of a more modern, industrial, bustling envi...
READ MOREItaly is world-famous not only for its cities of art but also for its many seaside resorts. The best known are on the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas (just think of the Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast), while those on the Adriatic side are largely snubbed, which is a big mistake. In particular, the region of Puglia is home to some of the most pict...
READ MOREThe delights of Italy are universal: clinking Negronis in Rome, spinning a Riva through Venice’s Grand Canal, island-hopping off the shores of Sicily, all interlaced with hefty doses of wine, mozzarella, and art. It’s this limitless allure that has travelers from all over the world descend on the boot with near insatiable fervency, and often all at...
READ MOREWhether you're single or in a couple, fantasise about a formal or symbolic union with your soulmate, or even if marriage isn't on your mind at all, our Top 10 of the best wedding venues in Italy in 2024 is tailor-made for dreaming. Foreign couples will find the most welcoming love nest for their perfect Italian destination wedding. We've carefully...
READ MOREApulia is often referred to as the "Heel of the Boot", which metaphorically symbolizes the shape of the Italian peninsula. Situated on the eastern side of Southern Italy, here we find ourselves in a sun-kissed territory rich in history, parks, and culture, deserving of exploration for its fabulous landscapes, colors, flavors, and authentic traditio...
READ MORE“I just can’t do a lot of stairs.” My mother tells me this on our first afternoon in Puglia as we’re munching on eggplant-stuffed Panzerotti in Ostuni’s sprawling town square, the kick-off to what will be a two-week journey around Italy. Unfortunately for her, that fateful plea was the equivalent of trying to avoid sand in the Serengeti. We eventua...
READ MOREWhy wine travel? Well, that’s an easy one. Wine takes on the taste of its environment. Great wines are made from surly grapes, grapes that struggle to grow. The same grapes make living wines that taste different anywhere you go; it’s the wanderer’s drink of choice. This is in great contrast to Cola drinks, whose makers spend millions assuring ever...
READ MOREIf you’ve had the chance to spend Easter in Italy, you’ll know that settimana santa (holy week) is taken seriously. The religious holiday is marked up and down the country with street processions and devotional ceremonies in the lead-up to Easter Sunday, or Domenica della Resurrezione. Given Italy’s mania for all things food, it comes as no surpris...
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