Autumn

Among historic villas and 18th-century palaces The town of Bagheria is not only a popular holiday destination, but also a place rich in lavish architecture. It is no coincidence that it was chosen as the set for many successful Italian films, including Baaria and Cinema Paradiso, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. Between the Gulf of Palermo and the Gulf of Termini Imerese, Bagheria is the birthplace of painter Renato Guttuso and houses a museum of modern art dedicated to him in the splendid Villa Cattolica. The yellow tuff stone of the houses and the sandy beach coastline alternate with the rocky shoreline, featuring secluded coves and rocks of all sorts of shapes. Then there are the magnificent villas, residences of the Palermo nobility between the 18th and 19th centuries. Among them is Villa Palagonia, nicknamed the Villa of Monsters because of the statues of animal-like creatures inside the residence and in the grounds. Be sure to visit Villa Valguarnera, an 18th-century complex with esoteric overtones, set in a beautiful garden. Palazzo Butera, with its neoclassical forms, colonnaded portico and frescoes by Velasquez, also deserves a special mention. Finally, to enjoy shopping or an aperitif, Corso Umberto I is the perfect place for a quiet stroll.

The jazz centre of Sardinia On the slopes of the Limbara, in the mountainous heart of Gallura, lies the small town of Berchidda. A place rich in history and cultural events, set in the rugged landscapes of the Sardinian hinterland. The village’s Art Nouveau houses and buildings wind up its steep streets in a crescent shape. The town is home to numerous buildings of religious interest, such as the 17th-century Church of the Rosary and the bucolic churches of St Catherine and St Andrew. Near the village, 500 metres above sea level, stands the Montacuto Castle, built in the 11th century. Those who prefer to wander through the Mediterranean scrubland will be amazed by the beauty of the Monte Limbara State Forest, with its paths through beech forests and its “Stazzu”, ancient shelters for shepherds and animals during transhumance. Breathe in the pure air rich with scent of myrtle and juniper and admire the characteristic cork oaks up close. Berchidda remains a reference point for music lovers. Every year, the international jazz music festival, Time in Jazz, is held. Created by trumpeter Paolo Fresu, the event welcomes musicians, artists and fans from all over the world. During the Christmas festivities, on the other hand, do not miss the Notte de Chelu (“celestial night” in Sardinian), during which each of the town’s eight districts creates and displays its own nativity scene.

Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club Throughout its history, and because of its strategic position, Premilcuore has often been forced to repel attacks and offensives: it was Florentine from the end of the 14th century but was exposed to the aims of the Po Valley potentates, so even today, despite the years that have passed, the building fabric is studded with stretches of walled curtain walls, high towers, gates, battlements and brackets. In the historic centre, close to the perimeter of the castle and located on a bend in the Rabbi river, you should see the Briccolani Buildings, now home to an antiques shop, andGiannelli of wealthy local aristocrats, as well as the parish church of S. Martino all'Oppio in late Renaissance style. The village is the gateway to the Casentino Forests, Mount Falterona and Campigna National Park, with a visitor centre that is very well organised in which the Crinale Romagnolo Fauna Museum is found. The evocative natural setting lends itself to hikes and walks, such as the one leading to the Mengozzi and Biondi water mills, which are active and can be visited, and the one at Castel dell 'Alpe, a very small, fortified rural village, permanently inhabited by a few people.

The small municipality of Talamello, an ancient property of the Malatesta lords of Rimini, has an ancient tradition linked to local food and wine, in particular cheese-making: in fact, its name derives from thalamos, meaning caves. According to custom, the cheese is ditched once a year, in the month of August, to be brought back to light in November: this event is celebrated with the fair called, by the poet Tonino Guerra, the Amber of Talamello, which takes place on the first two Sundays of this month and fills the streets of the village with unique aromas and flavours.

The village of Mondaino, where the Malatesta family left a castle and several fortifications as traces of their domination, is a town that has not forgotten its history. Not to be missed, in fact, is the Palio del Daino, held every year in August, which commemorates the peace agreement signed in Mondaino in 1459 between Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta and Federico da Montefeltro: the agreement brought a period of quiet to the area and every year is commemorated with re-enactments and historical reconstructions, ancient crafts, music and jugglers, shows and challenges between districts (neighbourhoods).

If you are looking for an example of functioning integration, Mazara is what you need. A place that has always been inhabited by Italians and foreigners, it has maintained an Arab quarter, the Casba, where the style is that of yesteryear and the architecture and scents are typical of North Africa. Strolling through the village, one is enchanted by the beauty of the seafront, where one finds oneself looking at the waves and watching the boats leave for who knows where. Art is also linked to the sea and this intertwining is recounted in the Dancing Satyr Museum. The famous statue, which gives its name to the museum, was found by a fishing boat in 1998, in the same area where one of its legs had been caught a year earlier. After a long restoration, it is now on display in the museum, telling visitors about its long journey from the sea to their eyes. Finally, Mazara is one of the most important fishing ports in the Mediterranean and fishing is at the heart of its cuisine: its famous Red Prawns are not to be missed.

The South Tyrolean territory is rich in natural areas, precious landscapes whose delicate environmental balance must be preserved. Therefore, the region has established numerous parks. There are seven in all, in addition to the Stelvio National Park. The task of each of them is to protect the invaluable ecosystem and make it accessible to all.

If you are looking for an eco-friendly experience and all-round immersion in nature, you are in the right place. In fact, 25% of the Campania region is occupied by protected areas, which go well with environmental and sustainable tourism. We propose a tour of the four Parks of Campania. An evocative route that will know how to enchant you, giving you landscapes that are always different and full of charm.

The Pollino National Park extends from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Ionian Sea, covering an area of almost 200,000 hectares and is one of the GeoParks protected by UNESCO. It is located between Basilicata and Calabria. It is a heterogeneous structure, from the Piani di Campolongo, Novacco, and Lanzo, to Piani del Pollino, home to the Argentino and Abatemarco rivers, the Lao and Raganello gorges, and the streams of Peschiera and Frido. The whole area of Pollino is formed by the Massifs of Pollino and Orsomarso. The mountain range, which is part of thesouthern Apennines, can boast the highest peaks in southern Italy, covered with snow for a long period of the year, starting in November and ending in May, when the snow melts. The peaks of the Park reach an altitude of 2,200 metres above sea level. The natural area consists of dolomitic rocks, limestone ramparts, fault walls, cliffs, very deep gorges, and also plateaus, meadows and high altitude pastures. One of the "green" symbols of the Park is certainly the Loricato Pine, called "living fossil" or "dinosaur of the trees" by many, due to the ability of this type of conifer to resist and thrive in difficult environments, at altitudes above 1000 metres, and in isolated areas, where other types of trees cannot survive.

The territory defined in December 1922 as the Gran Paradiso National Park extends around the homonymous massif (whose peak exceeds 4000 meters) and in the past was a densely populated area. The architecture of the villages is based on the idea of the alpine house, on the Piedmontese side with constructions entirely made of wood, while on the Aosta Valley side wood is flanked by stone. The maximum splendor of this area was reached in the middle of the 1800s, when members of the House of Savoy came up to these parts to reach the hunting posts. The decision to prohibit hunting when the Park first opened was fundamental to saving the ibexes - which are its symbol - from extinction. Today, this mountain Eden, divided into five valleys where rocky environments, prairies, woods and their borders alternate, is truly within everyone's reach: thanks to the project “an Accessible Paradise”, the tourist offering of the entire protected area is able to satisfy the needs, interests and expectations of a wider range of users.

Thanks to its 70,000 hectares, the Sibillini Mountains National Park (between Umbria and the Marche regions) is a true treasure trove of biodiversity due to the alternating presence of wetlands in the valleys, and thick forests and wonderful plateaus such as that of Castelluccio di Norcia, famous for the flowering of lentils. There are many charming villages nestled in a unique landscape that changes according to the seasons at the various altitudes. In fact, there are many peaks in this area that are beyond 2000 meters of altitude above sea level and among them there are Mount Sibilla Mountain, Mount Bove Mountain and the Redentore Peak.

Bathed by two seas, the Tyrrhenian to the west and the Ionian to the east, very different in terms of landscape, beaches and coastal colours, Basilicata enchants with its small, picturesque villages over 1,000 metres above sea level, woods and forests covering the mountains, a landscape characterised by unspoilt nature that goes hand in hand with a prestigious history: all in one, small region with attractions for all tastes.

Every Sunday from October 27th until December 1, Piazza Cisterna comes alive with Autunno Ragalnese: markets featuring typical products, local crafts, and delicious specialties. Don’t miss: Sausage, Caliceddi and Wine Fair Finale with the Nocellara dell’Etna Olive Oil Fair Fun for the whole family: every Sunday, kids’ entertainment and themed workshops from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Come and enjoy the colors and flavors of Etna!

Sogliano al Rubicone is ready to welcome travellers, food and wine tourists and simple lovers of good food for the 50th Sogliano PDO Fossa Cheese Fair. The Fair will be on the Sundays of 23, 30 November and 7 December 2025 and has now become a renowned event at a national level because over time it has been able to promote and renew the fascinating history of Fossa Cheese. In addition to the renowned cheese, considered a small treasure since the eighteenth century, the Fair will be the perfect opportunity to taste and buy other typical Sogliano products such as Savòr, Saba, Montetiffi clay baking trays (ideal for cooking piadina), honey, cured meats, etc. But there will also be other food and wine excellences, such as wines and cheeses, from different regions of Italy. In particular, we would like to point out: “5 Ristoranti in Piazza”: five Sogliano restaurateurs offer 5 menus based on Fossa Cheese (and more), to be enjoyed in a large heated and covered area “E Zir dal Fosi”: Tasting itinerary based on fossa cheese and pairing with wines at the 5 "Fosse" present in the historic center of Sogliano al Rubicone, in collaboration with the “Consorzio dei Vini di Romagna”. As usual, the traditional lunch/refreshment will not be missed in the premises of the Pro Loco of Sogliano. Many side events will accompany the gastronomic content of the fair: theatrical, musical and recreational shows, conferences, concerts, workshops, an area dedicated to children and entertainment with shows and ancient games.

In June, the weekends in Breme become tastier to celebrate the “Dolcissima”, a red onion which has been produced in Breme for generations and now bears the De.Co mark (municipal denomination of origin). This gastronomic event started out as a small local event and over the years has become a real reference point for gastronauts and chefs from Italy and beyond, in search of new inspiration. Each year, the festival aims to promote a small but precious product from the area's short supply chain. It does so by embracing the culinary tradition of the Lomellina Valley, with its generous recipes: the “dolcissima” is the queen of the menus prepared for the occasion and is paired with tripe, typical stews, grilled meats and the ever-present omelette, the true must of the festival!

It is 'the learned', because in 1088 it saw the birth of the first university in the western world, which still today attracts students from around the world. It is 'the red' because of the characteristic colour of its roofs, visible from the top of its medieval towers. And it is 'the fat' – you just try to resist the temptation of a sandwich stuffed with fresh mortadella or a dish of piping hot lasagna!

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 chestnut finds its ideal habitat here thanks to the temperate climatic conditions, exposure to the sun and the chemical and physical composition of the soil: Marroni del Monfenera PGI chestnuts are the tastiest. We’re here on the slopes of Monfenera, in the foothills of Grappa and Montello in the province of Treviso, where miracles happen.

A sort of an uncharted territory in regards to mass tourism, Molise, which lies between the regions of Abruzzo and Apulia, is a region that hosts numerous art treasures, breathtaking natural sceneries, and thousand-year-old traditions. A very characteristic aspect of Molise is its network of tratturi, the ancient grassy paths of transhumance from the pre-Roman Era up to only a few centuries ago, our ancestors traveled these trails, driving their animal herds from season to season. Livestock transhumance, the principal mainstay of the Southern peasant, was (and is still, in some cases) based on a very rigorous journey from the cool mountain pastures of Abruzzo in autumn, to the hot and humid Apulian Plateaus (where they reverse direction in summer).

These are the magnificent scenery of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato, where the great Italian wines of Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco, are produced. This jewel of Piedmont with its seductive landscapes has become part of the World Heritage List of Unesco.

Ancona is made up of sea and hills. It seems that in ancient Greek "ankón" meant "elbow", and here the landscape of the coast is really like an elbow drawn from the hill of the Cathedral and the hilly parks of Cardeto and Passetto. In the middle is the city, with the sea horizon facing Dalmatia, ships and cranes along the docks, grandiose historical buildings, mysterious sculptural reliefs, imposing signs of the ancient Roman civilization, and beaches on the slopes of the parks. Spending a day of leisure in the large port city of the central Adriatic means making discoveries. Choosing two wheels is advisable, but not with a push bike: we are in a city of unevenness, not all of us have the strength of a cycling champion in our legs. There is no shortage of places to rent a scooter. You can get to Ancona by motorway, by the very long Adriatic road 16 or by rail. If you want, there is also an airport. The ideal thing would be to arrive in the most natural way: by ship, because you would get the taste of the place in the most panoramic and naturally slow way. Follow the manoeuvres, watch the tyres throw, get in line to disembark and finally begin to discover.

The Tuscan countryside around Siena takes in spas as well as excellent food and wine with these five delightful cycling routes through picture postcard nature. The spectacular countryside around Siena, in Tuscany, offers slow rides immersed in nature with the bouquet of wines and truffles, natural spas and very old villages still pervaded by the presence of the ancient Etruscans. Here are five essential itineraries for a truly complete sensory experience. These enchanting landscapes will also welcome stages of the Giro d'Italia 2023.

A farmer on his way back from the fields, an ancient Roman on a road heading North, a never-forgotten champion holding the handlebar with all his might. What about you? Who are you dreaming to be? The hinterland in Le Marche plays the main role in the second to last stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, the coast-to-coast race in which the cycling top contenders face off. The itinerary we are describing in these lines, however, lends itself to the (perhaps down-scaled) effort of the cycling enthusiasts. The merit goes to its mild slopes, immersed in the woods or surrounded by sunflower fields, its artistic richness and its wide culinary offer. Who among you, once off the bike, can say ‘no’ to a dish of cold cuts paired with some Vernaccia?

If in doubt, we certainly recommend a visit here, with its patchwork of small vineyards that carpet the hillsides and valleys of the area, dotted with the precious vines that have been cultivated for centuries with hard work and passion, which can even make teetotallers jump out of their skin with enthusiasm.