Lifestyle in Italy

The award-winning director Christopher Nolan has returned with a new cinematic adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, with Matt Damon in the star role. For a story so strongly rooted in a specific geographical and cultural imagination, which locations were chosen?

An uninhabited island, flat as a table and hidden among sandbanks and canals: one of the most surprising places in the Venetian Lagoon is about to be reopened. San Giacomo in Paludo, just over a hectare between Murano and the route to Burano and Torcello, is at the center of a project that combines environmental restoration, research, and contemporary art.

Italians' travel habits are changing, along with the increasingly central role of pets. This is confirmed by research conducted by Rover.com, the world's largest online marketplace for personalized pet care services, on the travel habits of Italians with their pets. And, in collaboration with Lonely Planet, a free online guide for traveling with pets in Italy has been published.

A beach without stifling heat, set among forests and peaks, really does exist. In many cases, it’s just a few hours by car, with clear water to dive into and meadows where you can stretch out in the shade. The new “cool” summer destinations aren’t by the sea but at altitude: Alpine lakes and valleys with proper lidos, equipped or completely natural, suited to swimming, picnics and sport.

If you spend any time in Italy in summer, you’ll quickly hear one word over and over again: Ferragosto.

With the growing number of dog-friendly beaches in Italy, planning a holiday with your four-legged friend has become much easier. Your dog deserves a few days of fun and relaxation under the sun too, with sand under their paws and the sea close by. To help you organise your holiday with your dog, we’ve put together a selection of the most beautiful pet-friendly beaches in Italy, so you can enjoy the coast without stress. But that’s not all. As well as the beach, you’ll need dog-friendly accommodation. You can book your holiday home on Rentalia online, simply by using the “pets allowed” filter.

To find Italy’s most pleasant climate in 2026, you need to look east, along the Adriatic coast, which dominates the ranking. In this context, Bari confirms its place at the top for the third consecutive year. The data comes from the Sole 24 Ore Climate Index, which each year compares Italian provincial capitals based on overall climate wellbeing.

Planning a trip to Italy should be about choosing the right piazza to stay near and arguing over which gelato flavour wins, not dealing with fraud.

The southernmost tip of southeastern Sicily offers wild coves, stretches of golden sand, and waters that rival the world's most famous seas. Fortunately, within just a few kilometers of coastline, there are a wide variety of environments, from low cliffs to dunes protected by nature reserves. Pachino is located at the southern tip of the province of Syracuse, a stone's throw from Portopalo di Capo Passero and Marzamemi. Due to its strategic location, it's worth discovering the most beautiful beaches near Pachino.

Sicily has islands that still manage to surprise visitors because, despite being well known, they have not given in to the pressure of full-capacity tourism at all costs. They are Lipari, Panarea, Stromboli, Favignana and Ustica. The sea remains centre stage, there is plenty to do, and the atmosphere still follows local rhythms that have been lost elsewhere. Which islands bring together summer relaxation, sport and entertainment without going over the top? Here are five destinations that put authenticity first.

In Southern Italy, some of the most iconic cheeses in the world are produced. The stretched-curd traditions of Sicily and the creamy richness of Puglian burrata each tell their own story through milk, pastureland and the skilled hands of producers who still follow age-old methods.

Can a small cup of coffee change the fate of a borgo, a historic village? In Sardinia, three young women have turned an everyday gesture into a collective invitation to put down roots again in places many had stopped believing in.

There’s a stretch of Sardinian coastline where the sea laps at a very long beach and, even in high season, it never feels cramped.

Ready to plan your perfect summer?Here’s a look at 6 dream islands between Italy, Spain and Portugal, ideal if you’re after striking beaches, dramatic scenery, high levels of comfort and unspoilt nature.If you’re looking for peace and quiet, outdoor experiences or special moments to share with famil

Just outside Parma, tucked into the Emilian countryside, there’s a place that quietly claims a world record. The world’s largest bamboo labyrinth is far more than a novelty maze.

Italy still attracts remote workers, retirees and professionals in large numbers, and the search for the best places to live in Italy hasn’t slowed down in 2026. The reality, though, is a little less glossy than the brochure version.

Cala Violina, Fetovaia, Feniglia: Tuscany is home to some of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Italy. Sheltered coves with pale pebbles, long sweeps of golden sand and untamed bays protected by nature reserves. In the north lies Versilia, with its well-organised beach clubs, and further south the Grosseto area of Maremma, where clear waters brush against parks and untouched headlands. In between sits the treasure of the Tuscan Archipelago: the Island of Elba and the Island of Giglio, both with remarkably clear seas. Here, then, are the most beautiful beaches in Tuscany.

There is only one place in the country that can claim the title of Italy’s only car-free town. No traffic lights, no engines idling, no delivery vans edging through narrow lanes.

Discover the pleasure of a slow holiday, a different way of travelling that puts calm, time and wellbeing at the centre of the experience. We’ve selected five routes to help you explore some of Italy’s most remarkable natural wonders.

Sicily is dotted with small historic centres that sit on cliffs, hide behind medieval walls or spill gently towards the sea.

Temperatures soar, the tarmac shimmers and the buildings glare in the sun.

Across Italy, there are dozens of places suited to naturism, with settings that range across sandy dunes and dramatic cliffs above the sea.

Only 2.7% of people in employment in Italy worked mainly from home in 2025.

Italy in summer has its own rhythm. Cities empty out, beaches fill up, dinners stretch late into the evening and daily life shifts around the heat. Many of the common mistakes tourists make in Italy during peak season aren’t about rudeness.

Castles have always carried an air of mystery, guarding fascinating stories: hidden secrets, traces of distant eras, and tales of nobles, ladies and knights. Across Italy, from north to south, there are castles, fortresses and strongholds that attract thousands of visitors each year, all keen to uncover their history and soak up the atmosphere as they wander through grand halls and silent courtyards.