Matera is arguably the most remarkable town in Southern Italy. Its famous “sassi”, troglodyte cave dwellings, have been inhabited since the 8th century BC, and the caves were home to over half the town’s population right up until the 1950s. It is the final stop on our Southern Italy hike and is a true highlight of the tour.
Sitting to the northeast of Bologna in the Emilia Romagna region, Ferrara is often overlooked by visitors to northern Italy, despite being one of its most charming small cities. Awarded UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status for being a ‘superb example of a Renaissance...
Following the announcement of new tourist rules for Venice this year, the platform for day-trippers to purchase the €5 fee to enter the city launched on January 17th, allowing visitors to make their payment before arriving in the city. The fee does not apply...
One of the highlights of our Etruscan Trails in Central Italy tour in May is our hotel stay immersed in the Tuscan landscape that surrounds Montepulciano. But the town’s midway location right in the heart of Italy makes it an ideal top or tail to any central...
Explore Portoferraio - Elba's Capital City About Portoferraio Portoferraio is the capital city of the island of Elba, in the Tuscan archipelago. Elba is the third largest Italian island after Sicily and Sardinia. It has rich mineral deposits and...
2020 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of the Renaissance master Raphael, and major exhibitions in both Rome and London had been planned to celebrate his life and work. Coronavirus caused a delay to the exhibition in Rome's Scuderie del Quirinale Gallery and...
Unspoilt, intriguing and perched atop a cliff of dark volcanic rock, Orvieto is one of central Italy’s most striking towns. Its position as one of the most important cities in the region during Etruscan times means there are plenty of the traditional...
Volterra is one of the oldest towns in Tuscany having a history which can date its earliest settlements to the 8th century BC. Founded by the Etruscans, who named it Velathri, the town lies on the top of steep hill in the centre of the...
The European Capital of Culture scheme was first introduced in 1985 and the idea behind it was to unite the continent of Europe and celebrate the richness and diversity of different European cultures. The first city to win the title was Athens, followed by...
Anyone joining our new tour next year in Northern Tuscany and Ravenna will have the chance to visit this extraordinary city. Ravenna is a treasure trove of exquisite art and culture and has ancient origins and a glorious history. It was a capital three...
Finding ourselves with a couple of days between tours in the north of Italy we decided to spend 24 hours in the small town of Cremona, which lies south east of Milan between Piacenza and Mantua. The name may not immediately ring any bells but the town has a unique...
Wining and Dining in Naples Our newest tour in Southern Italy starts and finishes in the exotic city of Naples and our hope is for Hedonistic Hikers to take a couple of days either at the start or end of the tour to explore this chaotic but...
The region of Basilicata in the southern part of the Italian peninsula is wild, dramatic and sparsely populated. Its geography has something "other worldly" about it, with majestic mountains, bare clay hills and dark forested valleys. But it is the...
Perhaps less well-known to the many visitors who come to see Florence, Pisa and Siena, Lucca is a cosy and civilised Tuscan city totally encircled by its historic walls. The walls were orginially built in the 1500s as fortifications for the city defenses...
Whilst much of Italian life centres around the local bar, in Turin it is the city's café culture which keeps the population going. The city has a wonderful selection of places to eat, from focaccerias to pasticcerias, gelaterias to osterias but it is perhaps the most...
Clinging to the steep slopes of the Monte Ingino, Gubbio appears an imposing and aloof city. Its Gothic stone buildings rise up the windy hillside and the waters of the Camignano gorge run down through its centre. The surrounding countryside is...
Parma: City of Popes, Partisans, Prosciutto & Parmesan Situated on the Western side of the region Emilia-Romagna, Parma is a prosperous and picturesque city which has given the world two of its greatest culinary inventions: Parma...