Just pronounce names such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Culatello, to give voice to the phantasmagorical culinary world of Emilia-Romagna; if you then add tagliatelle and tortellini, the rest of the planet joins in the call. You are in the culinary temple of the Bel Paese made of cured meats and egg pasta, stuffed and not, pork, piadina, balsamic vinegar, Lambrusco and Sangiovese. Masterpieces of the creativity of a land where food is culture. Among the appetisers, study the crescentine (in other areas they call them gnocco fritto) made with flour, milk and brewer's yeast, fried in lard; among the first courses, learn about cappelletti, similar to tortellini, but with a low-fat filling with soft cheese, lemon zest and nutmeg, then move on to tortellini filled with pork loin, ham, mortadella, to lasagne, an egg pasta timbale with Bolognese sauce, and then to cappellacci di zucca and passatelli in brodo, with parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs, ox marrow, and spices. Castrato, sausage and pancetta are your next flavour books, without neglecting cotechino, zampone and galantine, made with duck meat to be served cold, cut into slices. If you prefer fish, on the coast you will find tasty brodettos and fried blue fish, but if you want a quick street food, here is squacquerone, a creamy cheese to fill your piadina. If you are in the area for Christmas, try the Carthusian cheese of Bologna, with flour, honey, candied fruit, almonds, pine nuts, dark chocolate, sultanas, butter, aniseed and cinnamon.

The origins of gelato hark back to the mists of time, when man (on at least two continents) stored the stuff of milk, fruit and honey in blocks or piles of ice. Today, however, just think the word gelato, and most likely only Italy comes to mind. As with the words pizza and pasta, gelato transcends any linguistic barriers, having become a universally-recognized term specifying a specific type of ice cream.

With over 8,000 kilometres of coastline, Italy is a favourite destination for surfers from all over the world. From the coasts of Sardinia to the varied shoreline of Liguria via the Tyrrhenian ridge, there are many incredible places that provide waves and dream locations, and are more or less suitable depending on the time of year. If you're planning a surfing holiday in Italy, here are the unmissable surf spots in summer and winter, home to the most famous surf schools in Italy. Are you ready to go?

A necklace of precious pearls surrounds the entire peninsula of Italy, linked by transparent, astonishingly colourful water lapping dream-like beaches, sunshine and vivid traditions to be enjoyed to the full. If you are looking for complete detox and sheer beauty, then Italy's smaller islands are the perfect choice.

The largest in Italy and one of the largest in Europe, it spans 17 kilometres between characteristic UNESCO World Heritage districts such as the elegant Via Chiaia area and the magnificent panoramas of the Vomero and Posillipo. Every district of the historic centre of Naples has a unique soul, from the very central district of Montecalvario to that of San Giuseppe near the port of Naples, without forgetting the Avvocata district and the Pendino district, among the areas of Naples with the most churches. Further north, but still within the Neapolitan historical centre, you can find the San Carlo all'Arena district with the royal residence of Capodimonte now home to a wonderful national art museum, one of the most important in southern Italy.

There is a beautiful place in the heart of Trentino that promises all who visit an unforgettable adventure: the Valle del Chiese, a paradise for canyoning enthusiasts, where you can go canyoning in spectacular gorges, tackling daring routes along streams, right into the heart of the mountain. Between natural pools, gorges, heart-stopping dives and daring climbs, an adrenaline rush is guaranteed!

Pizzerias, trattorias, farmhouses, taverns and wine bars: Italian cuisine satisfies every palate, even the most difficult.

Come to the multi-ethnic cradle of the Mediterranean diet, an intangible heritage of all mankind, to discover an encyclopaedia of flavours, an admirable interweaving of civilisations and peoples, including Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards. You will immediately be overwhelmed by the endless variety, including blood oranges, Pachino tomatoes, Bronte pistachios (or Bronte's green gold), Avola almonds, saffron, mushrooms, truffles, and honey. Start with pasta with sardines, with its sweet-and-sour flavour hovering between sultanas, pine nuts, saffron, wild fennel and toasted breadcrumbs; or pasta alla Norma cwith tomato sauce, fried aubergines, basil and a sprinkling of salted ricotta; try the caponata but don't forget the aubergine parmigiana. Take a trip to the Arab world by savouring Trapani cous cous, the well-known raw wheat semolina that arrived in Sicilian dishes from North Africa, combined with tasty fish soups, spices, vegetables and various meats. Try the local meats, such as the Nebrodi black pig, or a seafood dish, such as stockfish "a ghiotta", sarde a beccafico, and not forgetting tuna, swordfish and other varieties of fish caught off the Sicilian coast; move on to arancini (or arancine, depending on where you go) of rice and then fried: panelle, chickpea flour pancakes with which rolls sprinkled with sesame seeds are stuffed. And if you want to feel like a local, taste the "ca meusa" bread, that is, with the boiled milza. Take note of the desserts: the cannolo and the cassata, which enhance the local ricotta cheese; the granita, to be served with a hot brioche with "tuppo" (brioscia cu'tuppu), reminiscent of the chignon of Sicilian women; the Martoran fruit, made of marzipan (of Arab tradition) shaped in mock fruit and vegetables; the ice cream, of ancient traditions, which offers you an unlimited number of flavours; and the chocolate of Modica. Accompany this endless landscape with a drop of Marsala, of Malvasia di Lipari, of Moscato di Pantelleria or di Zibibbo, without overlooking the island's other wonderful wines, such as the bianco d’Alcamo, the Rapitalà, the Corvo di Salaparuta, the Regareali, the Capo Bianco, for seafood dishes; the Nero d’Avola, the Donna Fugata, the Nerello Mascalese, and many others, to have with meat.

Not merely mountains, hills and valleys, but also a network of sheep-tracks, paths and tracks that, like veins and arteries, infuse the region with vibrancy and traditions: these are the marks left by ancient peoples and pastoral communities, who still inhabit the villages and hamlets dotted across the land with their heritage. A living postcard to be discovered, experienced and tasted to the rhythm of nature, which feeds the fruits of the earth and the specialities of the sea. There really is plenty for all tastes, starting with bread, such as that of Venafro, and pasta, such as cavatelli or fusilli (which originated in Molise). Moving on to the world of cured meats: such as capofreddo (coppa molisana), partly similar to the Calabrian soppressata, made with pork scraps, particularly the head and feet; guanciale, or vrucculare, with a more distinctive flavour than bacon; liver sausage from Rionero Sannitico, with salt, pepper, garlic, orange peel, and sometimes chilli pepper; Signora di Conca Casale, a pork sausage irregularly shaped to resemble a rugby ball. Another cosmos is that of cheeses: ranging from caciocavallo di Agnone, with its hard rind and straw-yellow colour, to the Pietracatella cheese, seasoned in the town's caves, and stracciata, a soft and stringy cheese, to Caprino di Montefalcone del Sannio, Capracotta pecorino, manteca, or burrino, made from a heart of ricotta or butter, and scamorza molisana, made from milk of the Bruna alpina breed of cow. Among other excellences, include Molise Dop extra virgin olive oil, truffles, white truffles in particular, and fish-based cuisine, such as “u vredette”, the brodetto or fish soup, from Termoli. Not to forget the dessert planet with the curly sugared almonds of Agnone, the “cancelle” (or “ferratelle”) or the “piccillati” (oil and wine pastry filled with grape jam). All accompanied by glasses of Tintilia, Biferno, Molise and Pentro, the region's four DOC wines.

Of all the types of journey, opting for a route that follows the tasting stops has its reasons. Savouring the typical dishes of an area will accomplish a twofold mission: to satisfy the palate and get to know the traditions of the area. A food and wine itinerary in the Aosta Valley is this and much more. Mountain flavours, treasured traditions, the finest ingredients: the typical products of the Aosta Valley are worth the journey, and at the first taste you will understand why.

The origins of gelato hark back to the mists of time, when man (on at least two continents) stored the stuff of milk, fruit and honey in blocks or piles of ice. Today, however, just think the word gelato, and most likely only Italy comes to mind. As with the words pizza and pasta, gelato transcends any linguistic barriers, having become a universally-recognized term specifying a specific type of ice cream.

Lake Garda is a real pearl of northern Italy. In particular, wine lovers, this trip to discover the wines of Lake Garda is designed just for you! The position of this water basin enjoys a mild climate and ideal conditions for the cultivation of quality vineyards. Right here are produced some of the best wines in Italy and worldwide. Rows of vines trace the territory like brushstrokes of an impressionist painting that follow the profile of the hills in the most disparate directions. The heterogeneity of the soils allows for cultivation of conspicuous grape varieties. It is impossible not to find a type of wine that suits your taste! In this article we will discover the main wines of Lake Garda, the territory, and their perfect pairing with local dishes.