Cesca Rampley

Culture vulture from London with a passion for all things foodie. I’ve lived abroad for almost 10 years, floating from one magical place to another. I studied literature at university in the eclectic city of Brighton, and since then, I’ve been hooked on keeping up with what to do, see, and, of course, eat. I’m a firm believer in appreciating and learning from local cultures, travelling responsibly, and giving new things a go with an open mind and a healthy dose of curiosity. I try to share useful tips, local insights and a bit of honest know-how, so you can make the most of wherever you find yourself.

Siena wins EU Green Award 2027: sustainability and urban innovation

Siena has been named the winner of the EU Green Leaf Award 2027.

October 4th to become public holiday in Italy

There’s a quiet shift in Italy’s autumn calendar on the horizon that’ll nudge how early October looks for travellers and residents.October 4 is now a national public holiday in Italy4th October has been formally restored to Italy’s national public holiday list, and it will be observed nationwide fro

FAI Autumn Days 2025: dates, tickets and best places to visit

Italy’s most relaxed culture weekend is around the corner, when Fondo Ambiente Italiano quietly unlocks over 700 places you’d normally walk past. Picture lakeside villas, tucked‑away palazzi and little borghi with volunteers bringing the stories to life.What are FAI Autumn Days 2025?

Italy’s truffle season 2025: best fairs for trying truffles

Autumn brings truffle season in Italy, meaning weekend markets with licensed hunters selling truffles, chef demos and tasting “labs,”. Undoubtedly a highlight on the foodie calendar in Italy, you can expect truffle‑dog displays and occasional auctions.

Italy in October 2025: festivals, harvests and autumn traditions

October in Italy brings open days that unlock hidden palazzi, vineyard harvest weekends, and chestnut and truffle sagre in hill towns. Across the country, you’ll find plenty of October events in 2025.

Barcolana 2025: the world’s largest regatta

Each October, Barcolana turns northern Italy into a sea of sails across the Gulf of Trieste. It’s officially the world’s largest sailing race by fleet size, a Guinness‑recognised mass start that has drawn 2,689 boats.

10 best day trips from Rome

Rome doesn’t end at the city walls. Within an hour, you’ve got imperial showpieces, quiet lakeside towns, medieval hilltops and a stretch of Tyrrhenian coast.

Top Italian regional cheeses that make the cut

Italy does cheese the way nonna does Sunday lunch: with pride and deep regional roots. Across the Alpine pastures, the Po Valley dairies and the sunny farms of Sicily, each area champions its own cheese styles. These are shaped by milk type, ageing traditions and DOP/IGP rules.

Italy’s Roman ruins outside Rome: top ancient sites by region

Rome is the headline act, but Italy’s Roman ruins outside Rome deliver ancient drama with fewer crowds and gentler prices. Think evocative ports, theatres and mosaics, with straightforward trains and buses to keep things simple.

Living in Latronico: affordable homes and peaceful life in Basilicata

Latronico is a small mountain town in Basilicata, tucked into the Lucanian Apennines. It’s been getting fresh attention lately, with interest in homes here having spiked hard, helped by word spreading about good-value property and a local push to match empty houses with buyers.