The iconic landmark is struggling amid the chaos of mounting crowds and the resulting wear and tear. Now, the city of Rome wants to take action.

Starting in February, nonresidents of Rome will be required to pay a fee for an up-close viewing and coin tossing at the Trevi fountain in an effort to manage crowds and congestion.

Toss that coin and make a wish – will no longer be free. In an effort to protect one of the city’s most beloved monuments and to ease the relentless crush of visitors, Rome is introducing a paid ticket system aimed at managing crowds and preserving the site’s integrity. Starting February 1, 2026, nonresidents of Rome will be required to pay 2 Euro (approximately US$2.35) to descend the steps leading directly to the fountain.

It’s no secret that visiting the Trevi Fountain in recent years has become difficult as everyone is fighting to get that great picture or selfie. The congestion has also made the area a hot spot for pickpockets. City officials say the new fee is intended to create a calmer, more dignified experience, restoring a sense of wonder to a site increasingly overwhelmed by its own popularity. However, the view of the fountain will not be obstructed in any way.

Paid access will be in effect daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. There will be 10 stations within the piazza where you can purchase your ticket, which will also be for sale online at fontanaditreve.roma.it, at tourist info points, ticket offices within the museum system, and authorized sales outlets. All tickets will be open ended, meaning you won’t have to worry about a reservation for a timed entrance. Access will remain free at night.

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The small region on the lower Adriatic coast is still one of the insider tips of the Apennine Peninsula: over just 90 km / 56 miles from the mountains to the sea. The impressions of mountain panoramas, lush landscapes with vineyards and olive groves and the long sandy beaches of the Mediterranean merge into a colorful overall picture.

Bathing fun on the coast, art monuments, charming little villages and hiking opportunities on traditional paths such as the Tratturi – ancient cattle paths for grazing – make the Molise region a varied vacation destination.

Molise, the region of sheep tracks and magnificent landscapes

This small but generous region of pristine nature boasts a long history, a rich artistic heritage, ancient traditions and delicious gastronomy. 

Molise is still a little-known destination, which only serves to make it all the more interesting! For sure you will enjoy exploring its ski resorts, hills, coastline with sandy beaches, historic transhumance routes and countless nature reserves that protect the plant and animal species that live in the area.

Molise is embedded by neighboring regions Abruzzo, Lazio, Campania and Puglia. Although it doesn’t have any famous and spectacular beach towns, it is located on the Adriatic Coast. Molise is the second smallest region of Italy, in terms of area and population after the Aosta Valley.

The main cities of Molise

Termoli is an ancient town with fortified walls, dominated by the imposing Swabian Castle and awarded Europe’s Blue Flag on numerous occasions thanks to the marvelous clarity of its sea. At this popular destination, you can find sports facilities, state-of-the-art hotel services and well-equipped beaches.

Campobasso, the capital of the region, offers truly unique views. Among its iconic symbols are the Castle Monforte, a national monument and the city’s highest point perched on top of a hill; the Church of San Giorgio, dating back to the 12th century and boasting a Gothic style; and the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, with its beautiful late-Renaissance façade and lavish Baroque interior.

The province is home to countless archaeological finds, such as the village of Campomarino, which dates back to prehistoric times, and numerous necropolises.

Isernia, the capital of the Samnite peoples, has a very ancient history, told today through its narrow, traditional alleyways.

The Fontana Fraterna (“Fraternal Fountain”) is one of its best-known monuments in the area: it has six water jets and a fascinating loggia shape made of limestone blocks, most likely from ancient Roman monuments. Finally, Ferrazzano is a village known for its houses that all seem to embrace one another: they are built very close together to protect from the cold weather. Located in a strategic position on the ancient Molise communication routes, it offers wonderful views

What to see in Molise

During a vacation in Molise, it is well worth taking the time to visit Campitello Matese, a ski resort with 40 kilometers / 25 miles of slopes, rich in lakes, forests, caves and grottos, and meadows, as well as unique paths ideal for walking, horse riding, mountain biking or quad biking, and even paragliding.

A trip to the province of Isernia gives you the opportunity to admire the Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno. This ancient monastic building where time seems to stand still brings together history, spirituality and pristine surrounding nature.

While in the area, be sure not to miss out on a visit to the well-kept Lake of Castel San Vincenzo in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, where you can see the peaks of the Mainarde Mountains reflected in the sparkling turquoise water, surrounded by forests. Though it does not look artificial, it was built in the late 1950s as a means of generating hydroelectric power.

Fornelli, one of the most beautiful villages in Molise, definitely deserves a stop. Known as the Land of Towers from the Norman and Angevin periods, but also as the City of Oil, thanks to the excellent quality of the oil produced in its countryside, it boasts a historical center and urban structure that have remained unchanged over the centuries.

Unusual places in Molise: 3 destinations for curious visitors

Intrigued by destinations off the beaten tourist track?

Try searching for the tratturi, ancient beaten-grass sheep tracks along which shepherds, from pre-Roman times until a couple of centuries ago, would move their flocks each season. This well-known phenomenon of the transhumance of livestock has marked the rural South by following strict routes and ensuring an economic livelihood even in the most isolated areas.

Or you can keep an eye out for the Sanctuary of Castelpetroso in the province of Isernia. Looking like a medieval castle, it stands in the middle of the woods and has a history of alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary, dating back to 1888, when the Virgin is said to have appeared with the bleeding Jesus in her arms as an offering to humanity.

Finally, it is also worth visiting Sant’Angelo Limosano, a village sat on a hill 900 meters / one mile above sea level that dominates the Biferno valley, offering panoramic views that even reach as far as the Tremiti Islands, weather permitting. 

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A night to go back in time, and feel like you’re in ancient Rome, surrounded by a special setting: it’s possible with Roma On Fire, the new evening live show that will be staged inside the Roma World theme park.

One can take a trip back in time 2,000 years by traveling only 25 kilometers / 15 miles. This is the distance that separates the center of the capital city – or rather the Colosseum – from the Roma World theme park.

Since June 1st and throughout the summer, the Roma World theme park, dedicated to ancient Rome, will feature a show that will transport guests back in time, into the atmospheres of films such as “Gladiator” and other historical films.

Immersed in the majestic setting of the film set of Ben Hur, a multi-awarded blockbuster with 11 Oscars, a faithful reproduction of the Circus Maximus, spectators will be able to witness a challenge full of passion and action that celebrates the Empire, through the exploits of its protagonists.

This is the plot of the show: General Massimo, the protagonist of the show, having just returned to Rome from the victorious campaigns in the provinces, discovers that his beloved has been captured and enslaved. He begs the Emperor for grace, who is willing to grant it in the face of the harshest trials. Massimo will fight, risking his life, against dangerous gladiators, just for love.

The Roma On Fire evening is an experience that begins with a visit to the Legionaries’ village, surrounded by nature, inside the Roma World park, and continues with the typical dinner in Taberna, and its Gladiator’s Menu, the show live and, for those who want to experience it to the full, the possibility of spending the night in a tent in the Castrum, or the legionaries’ camp.

Roma On Fire is included in the Roma World theme park, the second park created and opened by Cinecittà World. Roma World is the experience park where guests experience a day like Ancient Romans, including gladiator shows, falconry shows, nature trails, alone or with the botanical tour, shopping in the Ancient Market, games for children and contact with farm animals.

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On Sunday April 21st, the Roma Appia Run, one of the most fascinating races in Capitoline running, awaits you at the starting line at 9 am from Viale delle Terme di Caracalla to finish at the Stadio Nando Martellini.

Now in its 25th edition, the Roma Appia Run will celebrate its silver anniversary with the Italian Capital, on the very day of Rome’s birthday.

The Roma Appia Run owes its popularity not only to one of the world’s most enthralling tracks, winding its way through the most fascinating wonders of Rome. But also to the fact that it is the only race in the world to be run on five different surfaces, a unique record that no one else in the world can boast: asphalt, cobblestones, lava paving, the unpaved track of the Parco della Caffarella and, finally, the circuit of the Baths of Caracalla stadium.

The Roma Appia Run proposes a total of four races, each aimed at a specific target group:

• the Competitive 13 km (approx. 8 miles), for athletes ready to tackle the difficult race with the aim of achieving a great time and improving on their previous year’s performance – reserved for FIDAL members, CONI-recognized Sports Promotion Bodies and RUN CARD holders, provided they are in compliance with the regulations on health protection in sporting activities;
• the non-competitive 13 km, for ambitious enthusiasts who are not so concerned with chronometric results and are therefore more inclined to a day of open-air sport – open to all;
• the 5 km (approx. 3 miles), on a shorter route for those who just want an unforgettable walk through the heart of Rome’s history – open to all;
• the Fulmine dell’Appia (Lightning of the Appian Way), scheduled for Saturday 20 April and dedicated to children.

Chilometro 42

This year, the event reserves for its members the exceptional opportunity – by free invitation – to participate in the viewing of Chilometro 42, a play that recounts the milestones in the life of Kathrine Switzer, the first woman in history to ever run a marathon. The pièce is accompanied by live music by Munendo, the artist whose musical production combines electronic and classical instruments, 60s and ultra-contemporary sounds. The story of this extraordinary personage initiates a reflection on central themes such as inclusion, recognition and equal rights, and the race becomes a pretext to search for one’s own identity through cracks, crises and ruptures.

Appointment Tuesday 26 March, 9 p.m., at Teatro Cometa Off, via Luca della Robbia 47, Rome. Reservations are compulsory.

Fulmine dell’Appia

One of the moments that children look forward to all year round is the Fulmine dell’Appia, the race that invites them to prove who is the fastest. In past editions, around 1,000 young athletes have competed in the feat, confirming that the organizing committee’s intuition to devise such a small event has proved successful.

On Saturday, 20 April, the eve of the Roma Appia Run, the batteries of the Fulmine dell’Appia will start, with trials over distances from 30 to 100 meters open to all children and young people from 2 to 17 years of age.

The Roma Appia Run is organized by ACSI with the collaboration of ACSI Italia Atletica, ASD Roma Appia Run and ACSI Campidoglio, with the patronage of the Ministero dello Sport, the Regione Lazio, Roma Capitale, CONI, “Sport e Salute”, and the Parco Regionale dell’Appia Antica, Parco Archeologico dell’Appia Antica, and is held under the aegis of Fidal.

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A sunny day is enough to make us want to visit one of the most picturesque villages in the Castelli Romani. Castel Gandolfo, famous for being the summer residence of the popes and its beautiful gardens that house the remains of the Villa of Domitian and the Vatican Farm, is among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy for its elegant historic center and the beauty of the surrounding nature.

Upon entering the village, at each of the five entry points, citizens and tourists from around the world are greeted by a ceramic dove set on the wall made by local women artisans as a universal sign of peace and welcome.

Moving further inside, one arrives at the square of Castel Gandolfo, which features two works designed by Bernini: the Collegiate Church of St. Thomas of Villanova and the Fountain. It is possible to visit the Pontifical Palace, which houses inside the Pontifical Astronomical Observatory, the so-called Specola Vaticana. Here Guglielmo Marconi made the studies from which radio and modern telephony were born.

The Piazza continues to surprise with the oldest mailbox in Italy, which, is the first mailbox built in 1820 to solve the difficulties of mail delivery at the time. It was precisely through here that the ancient Via Francigena passed, in the section that descended from Rome to Brindisi to lead to Jerusalem. You can also walk the 6-mile stretch between Nemi and Castel Gandolfo alone.

Along the streets of the village, it is easy to find vantage points from which to admire Lake Albano, the surrounding forests, and to reach as far as Rome. At the volcanic lake let’s relax by walking or biking and, why not, take a ride in a canoe, sailboat or electric boat along the Water Trail. It is accessible to all.

You can also visit interesting Roman works overlooking the lake such as the Doric Nymphaeum, the Bergantino Nymphaeum, and the lake’s outlet.

Photos: Visit Lazio

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In addition to the cultural and historical importance of the places, sustainable aspects of the tourist infrastructure, an intact old town without car traffic, the preservation of the architectural fabric, living traditions as well as the promotion of the quality of life play a significant role in the award as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

14 new Villages in the “Borghi più belli d’Italia” association

Called the village of churches, Badolato is a medieval village characterized by narrow and winding alleys that intersect between the houses close to each other. Badolato is situated on a hill a few kilometers from the Ionic coast in Calabria. The hill dominates the wide valley of the torrent Gallipari, whose harsh strokes and the beauty can be admired in all their splendor. The road to the mountain and the plateau of Serre connects the ancient village with the s.s. 106 thus allowing the visitor to go in just a few minutes from the hot amenities of the ionian coast to the charm of a mountain still unspoiled. It divides in Badolato Village (or higher) and Badolato Marina. In Badolato’s ancient village you can visit 12 churches (the other 2 are located in the hamlet of Marina) that, for their position, seem almost to protect the country from all four sides.

Bagno di Romagna in Emilia-Romagna is a renowned center for thermal cares and nature tourism. It is located 56 miles southeast of Bologna. The nearby national park Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, Campigna offers woodlands, miles of paths in the woods, mountains and a major artificial lake.

Borgo Valsugana, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is situated between Levico and Primolano and not far from the idyllic Val di Sella in Trentino. It is the vibrant center of the Valsugana and features a characteristic river landscape. Not only historic buildings and portals characterise Borgo Valsugana, but also frescos and other decorative elements, which provide the village a Venetian style. Moreover the Brenta river which crosses Borgo, splits the village into two parts.  Well deserved being among the “Borghi più belli d’Italia”

Castagnole delle Lanze is a small Piedmontese village located in the province of Asti, embedded between the hills of the Langhe and Monferrato, in an area with a strong vocation for tourism and a deep-rooted winemaking tradition. Included within the World Heritage areas of southeastern Piedmont according to UNESCO, Castagnole delle Lanze is nestled among enchanting hills, long rows of vineyards and hazelnut groves typical of the area. The Piedmontese village is also an Orange Flag, an initiative that has been marking tourist excellence on Italian territory since 1998, and is a symbol of sustainable tourism, hospitality and high quality itineraries, thanks to the presence of a valuable natural, artistic and cultural heritage.

Celle Ligure is a small jewel of the Western Ligurian Riviera, overlooking the sea. The village has colorful houses lined up along the coast, sandy beaches and characteristic alleys overlooked by buildings of great artistic value, including Palazzo Ferri, the current Town Hall. Its historic center still retains the charm of the ancient fishing village. To fully enjoy the beauty of the country, there is nothing better than getting lost in the alleys and squares.

Golferenzo is an ancient village in the hills of Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy, with magnetic charm and excellent food and wine. Curious tourists will find delicious and unusual panoramas in Golferenzo with vineyards nestled into the hillsides making excellent wines and Riesling and Pinot in particular.

Guarene in Piedmont, is a beautiful ancient town, perched on a hilltop with stunning views on the vineyards of the Langhe and Roero territories, recognized as a World Heritage site by Unesco. Large part of this old town is occupied by the Castle of Guarene, a finely designed baroque palace built between 1726 and 1775. Today, the palace continues to make people’s dreams come true. Preserved as it was in its heyday, with all its works of art intact, it is now also home to a top-class hotel. 

Malcesine, a picturesque village overlooking the Veronese shores of Lake Garda, dominates the lake and mountains with its castle: the ancient stronghold rises below the hills planted with olive groves; all around develops the village, rich in history and culture, while just outside the center, you can see natural beauty to be reached on foot, by boat or by cable car. The village of Malcesine actually extends over a large area, which includes coast and hill, protected behind by Mount Baldo: an area rich in natural beauty, history and culture. Malcesine definitely deserves to be on the list of “I Borghi più belli d’Italia”.

Discover the town of Ossana in Val di Sole, Trentino. Walk through the streets of the village with 1000 nativity scenes and visit Castel San Michele. Ossana lies at the mouth of the Val di Peio valley, at the foot of the peaks of the Presanella chain. The village is dominated by the Tower of the Castle of S. Michele (1191), which is nestled in a hill that has been inhabited since the Bronze Age.

Ronciglione is a ‘dual’ village: medieval, the village above, Renaissance the one added in 1500 by the Farnese family. The town in Latium, not far from Viterbo, boasts one of the 10 most beautiful Carnivals in Italy. It is also a stop on the Via Francigena North. Now, Ronciglione has been named as one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages.

Where flavors become emotions! Sammichele di Bari in Apulia is located on the Murge Plateau and is built primarily on agriculture. On the last weekend of September, there is a festival called Sagra della Zampina, to promote the local products. The town’s castle houses the “Museo della civilltà contadina” in which there are pictures, utensils, and clothes concerning farmer’s life in the 19th century.

San Donato in Poggio is located in the middle of the classical Chianti territory of Tuscany.  The town has maintained much of its classical medieval architecture and has incorporated delicious restaurants, charming B&B accommodations and hosts several fun events throughout the year. Treat yourself to exploring a piece of the Tuscany that played an important role in the rise and fall of the Florence and Siena powers and contributes to the culinary and wine cultures of today.

By now, I am sure, you have noticed that mostly medieval towns have been included in the most beautiful villages in Italy. Stroncone in Umbria is another one. The historic center has preserved intact its enchanting medieval atmosphere, with narrow winding streets, beautiful stone doorways and an ancient well, which is just inside the walls near the beautiful gate called Porta del Borgo. At the entrance to town there is a monumental 17th-century fountain with an elegant design. 

Tempio Pausania is an enchanting, large town in the heart of Gallura, in north-eastern Sardinia, a “granite temple” surrounded by water and greenery, famous for its carnival, cork and moscato. The town is famous for working granite and cork, to which the cork machinery museum is dedicated, for its wines (Vermentino, Karana and Moscato), and for lu carrasciali timpiesu, an allegorical carnival par excellence that attracts 100,000 visitors every year. 

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“A dream for Rome” said Bvlgari’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin when he announced the news of the new hotel: “We will make the most beautiful hotel in the city”. Check out the initial announcement in the video.

The Bvlgari Hotel Roma is strategically located in the central Piazza Augusto Imperatore. This is in the very heart of the Campo Marzio neighborhood, a stone’s throw from famous shopping streets Via del Corso and Via del Babuino, the iconic Spanish Steps and the signature Bvlgari flagship store on Via Condotti.

The Heart of Rome

The new Bvlgari Hotel Roma occupies a magnificent building, which was built between 1936 and 1938 to a design by architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo. The building faces two of the most iconic Roman landmarks, the Ara Pacis and the Mausoleum of Augustus, the first Roman Imperator. It reveals a monumental, modern architecture emphasized by the use of traditional Roman materials and colors, such as ochre Travertine marble and burnt red brick.

The rigorous rationalist architectural appeal of the building is counterbalanced by Antonio Barrera’s frescos, running in the Via della Frezza atrium and offering different views of the Mausoleum of Augustus, while the Southern face is decorated with a 70-square-meter mosaic by Ferruccio Ferrazzi, who offered his personal interpretation of the Roman foundation myth.

Luxury pure

The hotel is a celebration of Bvlgari’s Italian style as it is designed on a grand scale. Bvlgari Hotel Roma is home to 114 Rooms and Suites, decorated in a color palette inspired by the city, as well as Bvlgari Hotels’ signature dining and lifestyle experiences, including the prestigious “Il Ristorante” curated by Michelin-starred chef Niko Romito, and “The Bvlgari Bar,” both located on the top floor to guarantee an unparalleled view of the Eternal City, as well as the Lobby Lounge. The luxury hotel also features the high-end Bvlgari Spa with an indoor swimming pool, and a state-of-the-art gym, offering Bvlgari’s exclusive Workshop training method. The Bvlgari Hotel Roma houses Italy’s first Bvlgari Dolci chocolatier and patisserie.

As an outstanding feature, the Bvlgari Hotel Roma presents a Reading Room containing a collection of precious volumes dedicated to the history of jewelry. The library is open to guests and to the public by appointment only. Standing out on the building’s façade, on top of a splendid fountain, a Latin inscription says: “This is the place where the Emperor Augustus’ soul flies through the air.”

This unique link between the new Bvlgari Hotel Roma and Emperor Augustus’ vision is highlighted with an Interior design balancing the rigor of the stones used in Imperial Rome, concise yet powerful details, as well as rich textures contrasting with the architectural essentiality of the building. Seamlessly blending different references to the unique Roman heritage with the contemporary and timeless Bvlgari style, the new Bvlgari Hotel Roma celebrates the extraordinary magnificence of its hometown, and welcomes its guests in an outstanding and unique environment.

Bvlgari Hotel Roma – Ospitalità Italiana

In occasion of the initial announcement of the Bvlgari Hotel Roma project, and to celebrate its unparalleled constellation of unique and exclusive hotels and resorts, Bvlgari also created a special jewelry piece, reflecting the legendary house’s outstanding creativity and expertise.
In keeping with the eternal magnificence of its native city, Rome, the muse inspiring each of its original and bold creations, Bvlgari presented “The Bvlgari Ospitalità Italiana Necklace”, a white gold tubogas chocker enriched with 10 different precious stones, each of them carefully matched with one the luxury destination of the Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts collection. This work of arts, injected with joie de vivre and eternal beauty, is a one of a kind piece made to order.

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Art and cuisine – where better to enjoy than in Italy?

Putting together two cornerstones of the Italianness makes powerful tourist attractions: art and cuisine. In Italy it is possible to eating (well) in exhibition spaces – whether in public museums or private galleries. Visitors can prolong their stay and move from the exhibition rooms to the dining rooms, becoming themselves destinations, as it already happened with some architectures. Now, a new museum restaurant has opened in Rome: Molto at the Galleria Borghese.

Molto’s culinary offer at the Galleria Borghese

Molto features a double soul: bistro and café (with classics of the genre, including croissants, cakes and club sandwiches) open to the public and not only visitors. The offer is tasty and simple, yet straightforward.

The menu is made up of tried and tested dishes as well as new proposals for a tasty, fresh and modern menu. Italian raw materials take center stage here: Gerardo di Nola tomatoes, bottarga of the Spanu brothers, and most of the vegetables from the kitchen garden. They range from Sardinian fregola pasta, cacio e pepe ravioli with artichoke, saffron rice pancake, or even lasagna. The take-away box invites to picnics in the Villa Borghese Garden, while the Giotto pastry shop offers Gobino chocolate, as well as other Molto brand products. Also available is Geraci’s Nocellara del Belice extra virgin olive oil, Molto rosso (from Pinot Nero grapes) and Molto bianco (from Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi grapes) wines, as well as pasta by Verrigni.

Molto is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm
Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5, 00197 Roma

More dining in museums

Eating in museums is no longer a taboo topic, as proven by the many new openings. From city to city, from museum to gallery, projects are on the rise.

Staying in Rome, there is also the renewed Caffè Doria at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, café and bistro flanked by special events and dinners. Caffè Doria is the place where art, food and passions come together in the refined and evocative setting of Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.

A Bistro in perfect harmony between contemporaneity and classicism, where the cuisine travels in perfect balance and synthesis between tradition and innovation, always faithful to Chef Massimiliano Mazzotta’s concept of “Comfort Food”. This elegant café can be enjoyed right from breakfast. A precious and cozy living room in the historic center of Rome, where you can indulge in your passions until after dinner, when even the Mixology finds its perfect connotation thanks to the exclusive Gin Trolley.

Caffè Doria is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am to 9 pm
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Via della Gatta 1, 00186 Roma

Also new is Roland at Spazio Field, art gallery and multicultural center inside Brancaccio Palace. Roland’s elegant setting is immersed in the works of art and original decorations of the building. The rooms of Roland are adorned with stuccoes and canvases from the 1400s and house the drawings of Francesco Gai, historical artist of the Brancaccio family as well as ancient oriental embroidered silks.

Roland is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 12 am
Via Merulana, 248, 00184 Roma

In Tuscany, the synergies of Massimo Bottura & Co with Gucci, led to the opening of Gucci Osteria at the Gucci Museum in Florence, now also a cocktail bar, led by Karime Lopez. She creates her own culinary universe by interlacing the colors and flavors of Italy and beyond.

Gucci Osteria is open daily from 12.30 pm to 3 pm and 19.30 pm and 10 pm
Piazza Della Signoria 10, 50122 Firenze

Also in Florence, is the Cortese Cafè 900 at the Museo Novecento, the raw pastry shop by Vito Cortese. Chocolate, biscuits, pralines, spoon desserts and ice cream, all strictly without flour, milk, eggs, yeast and sugar. Vito Cortese, the most important raw-food pastry chef in Italy, has opened his gourmet restaurant in the heart of Florence, in the new spaces of the Museo Novecento café overlooking Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

Cortese Cafè 900 is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm
Piazza Santa Maria Novella 10, 50123 Firenze

At the Centro Pecci in Prato there is Angiolo Barni who manages the two souls of Myo, restaurant and bistro. The restaurant is inside the Pecci Museum, a center for contemporary art. The location is beautiful, the tones enhanced by works that are hosted inside the restaurant.

Myo is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 8 pm to 10.45 pm;
Sunday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Viale della Repubblica 277, 59100 Prato

After years at the Lucca Center of Contemporary Art, Cristiano Tomei moved his restaurant L’Imbuto in 2018 to Palazzo Pfanner, well known for being the set of the movie ‘Marchese del Grillo’. You could go to L’Imbuto and ask for the same dish, but each time you will find a landscape with new details. Chef Cristiano Tomei’s surprises are renewed every day, and they are unpredictable. The wine cellar in turn seeks out exciting labels, singular vintages and vintners devoted to biodynamics.

Ristorante l’Imbuto is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12.30 pm to 2 pm and 7.30 pm to 9 pm
Piazza del Collegio 7, 55100 Lucca

In Milan, we have the Fondazione Prada’s Bar Luce café, designed by director Wes Anderson, featuring its unmistakable imprint that mixes pop and retro charm. Bar Luce recreates the atmosphere of a typical Milanese cafè. As explained by Anderson, “the approach I used to design this bar is exactly the opposite I usually use for the set designs of my movies. I tried to make it a bar you’d like to go to five times a week.

The café is located at the entrance building of Fondazione Prada. The range of colors, the formica furniture, the seats, the floor, and the wood wall panels are reminiscent of Italian popular culture and aesthetics from the 1950s and 1960s, echoing artistic decisions Anderson made for his short film Castello Cavalcanti (2013).

Bar Luce is open every day except Tuesday from 8.30 am to 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 8 pm
Largo Isarco 2, 20139 Milan

Turin ranges from the contemporary art with the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo – which has entrusted Alessandro Mecca with the restaurant Spazio7 – to historical spaces such as the Reggia di Venaria, where chef Alfredo Russo is firmly at the helm of Dolce Stil Novo.

Spazio7 is a place where cuisine and art come together to create a gastronomic center with an eclectic and contemporary soul. 7 is a magical and spiritual number. 7 is synonymous with evolution. 7 is the lucky number that it was decided to associate with the name “Spazio”, inherited from the restaurant inaugurated at the same time as the birth of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, where the restaurant is located. A restaurant, a cafeteria, a location for events: Spazio7 is this and much more. In 2018, the restaurant received a Michelin star.

Spazio7 is open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 pm to 10.30 pm; Sunday from 12.30 pm to 3 pm and
7 pm to 10.30 pm
Via Modane 20, 10141 Turin

Dolce Stil Novo is a unique trip between culinary pleasure and history’s emotion. Venaria Palace – an architectural, cultural, artistic masterpiece. A highly charming place which seizes and conquers with its beauty, stateliness and grandeur. On the last floor, just above Diana’s Gallery and one step below the sky, there is Dolce Stil Novo’s restaurant. It is the only restaurant inside a royal palace, with a breathtaking view over the Gardens, the Fishpond, the Courtyard of Honor and the Deer Fountain.

Dolce Stil Novo is open Tuesday from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm; Wednesday to Saturday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm; Sunday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Piazza della Repubblica, 4 – Reggia di Venaria, 10078 Venaria Reale

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In 1997, Judith Wade, an English entrepreneur, founded the circuit. The main objective was to introduce the immense artistic and botanical heritage of Italian gardens to the general public in Italy and abroad. It is undeniable that the staggering growth in the number of visitors to the Grandi Giardini Italiani over the last twenty-five years is not the result of a “natural” phenomenon, but rather the improvement of reception policies and the creation of events and educational trails.

Since its creation, Grandi Giardini Italiani has made Horticultural tourism in Italy known, a source of funding for the maintenance of these extraordinary cultural assets, which represent the most famous Made in Italy in the world. The increase in the number of visitors is also due to the growing interest on the part of the public for themes close to nature, the environment and the landscape. Over 8 million visitors were registered in 2019. With the know-how accumulated in 25 years of work in the sector, Grandi Giardini Italiani has to its credit the organization of shows, conferences and exhibitions. And to celebrate the 25th anniversary, a rich program of events is planned.

Among the most interesting events is The Paradise of the English in the Ligurian Riviera. Stories, landscapes and people, on March 25 and 26, 2022 at Villa Marigola in Lerici, near La Spezia in Liguria. The conference focuses attention on the incredible heritage of parks and residences, created by illustrious English personalities who, between the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, found their Eden in Liguria.

There will also be events designed for families. On April 18 – Easter Monday – there is a special edition of the traditional Botanical Treasure Hunt of Grandi Giardini Italiani: children aged 6 to 10 will have fun discovering the secrets of plants and ecology and discovering the surprises along the way, to the point of conquering, clue after clue, the coveted certificate of “Little Botanist”.

Special openings are also planned in summer, such as those of the Garden of Villa Marigola, organized by the Friends of Villa Marigola Association, in collaboration with Grandi Giardini Italiani.

Villa D’este, in Tivoli, the masterpiece residence of the Italian Renaissance and Unesco World Heritage Site, will instead be the protagonist from October 13 to November 1, 2022 with the first edition of the exhibition “The botanical collections at Villa d’Este”.

2022 will also be the year of the first edition of the “Platinum Rose of the Great Italian Gardens” award, an award for the best floral designers. Every year, the best floral masters in Italy will be invited to express their talent, trying their hand at a theme identified by the organization as a leitmotif. The focus chosen for 2022 is ” Flowers and colors, from Rubens to Baroque ” and will be held at Villa Marigola in Lerici from December 7 December to December 11, 2022. In the halls of the residence the three professionals crowned Florist of the Year will exhibit their works, inspired by the baroque theme.

More info on the various gardens, and to book tickets and visits is available at Grandi Giardini Italiani

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Women of Rome. Resourceful, original, strong, independent and, above all, capable of extraordinary resilience. Since ancient Rome women have contributed to making the city more intense, fascinating and multifaceted, from an artistic and cultural point of view, but not only.

Just in time for International Women’s Day on March 8. Here are seven suggestions to discover the faces and stories of the women who linked their name to that of Rome, leaving an indelible testimony of passion, strength, genius, and talent.

#1 Livia (58 BC – 29 AD), Villa at Prima Porta, Musei Vaticani, and Roman National Museum Palazzo Massimo alle Terme – Emperor Augustus’ wife, for half a century, and mother of the future emperor Tiberius, Livia was much more than a first lady: she knew how to embody the ideal of the Roman matron, but of the Augustan principality she was also a gray eminence. Two masterpieces come from the large villa built along the ancient via Flaminia: the statue of Augustus, now in the Vatican Museums, and the paintings with a garden view, now in the National Roman Museum.

#2 Santa Francesca Romana (1384 – 1440), Monastery of the Oblates in Tor de ‘Specchi – Born in Rome in 1384, affectionately nicknamed “Ceccolella” by the Romans, Francesca married the noble Renzo de’ Ponziani at the age of twelve. Her only thought, however, was good deeds. Upon the death of her husband, she founded a congregation in the old Campitelli district, a monastery opened without the obligation of seclusion, to carry out the work of assistance and charity among the people. The splendid monastery is open to visitors on March 9 of each year, the solemnity of Santa Francesca Romana.

#3 Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 – 1654), Spada Gallery, Madonna with Child and Saint Cecilia – An artist, a wife, a mother, a lover, and a combative woman, Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the first painters to emerge in the art world, until 1600 monopolized by men. She was only 17 when she painted her first portrait, in which Caravaggio’s influence clearly emerges. She attended Cosimo II de ‘Medici and was a friend of Galileo Galilei. Her subjects are biblical and religious themes. The real innovation is that Artemisia impresses strong and budding female figures on the canvas, proud women not frightened or submissive to men. Her great talent is visible in Rome, in her two autograph works at Palazzo Spada: Madonna and Child (1610) and Santa Cecilia (1620).

#4 Cristina of Sweden (1626 – 1689), Corsini Gallery, Botanical Garden, and Museo di Roma Palazzo Braschi – A queen out of the box. Intellectual, curious, and independent, after quitting the throne and converting to Catholicism, on 23 December 1655, Christina solemnly entered the eternal city, welcomed with all honors. Anticipated by her not undeserved reputation of an extravagant and unconventional person, she settled in the Riario-Corsini Palace, gathering around her musicians, writers, poets, and important prelates. The park of the palace that Cristina enriched and cared for is today the seat of the Botanical Garden of Rome. In the Museum of Rome, Palazzo Braschi is hosted the painting by Filippo Gagliardi and Filippo Lauri, which represents the Carousel organized in Palazzo Barberini in her honor. The event is described with extraordinary attention to detail, giving each of the many characters a surprising individuality.

#5 Anita Garibaldi (1821 – 1849), Promenade of the Janiculum Hill – She was born in Brazil, Ana Maria De Jesus Riberio married Giuseppe Garibaldi, who fled to South America after being sentenced to death in Italy. With her José, as she used to call him, she shared the political ideals. She followed him in danger and battles. When she arrived in Italy, she participated in the defense of Rome against the papal army, entering by right into the pantheon of the Italian Risorgimento heroes. When the Roman Republic falls, she cut her long hair, dressed like a man, and left the city on horseback, alongside her man. Anita had a short but unique life. Her remains are kept on the Janiculum hill, inside the equestrian statue depicting her with a gun in her hand and her newborn son, Menotti, in her arms.

#6 Anna Magnani (1908 – 1973), Street Art Mercato Trionfale – “Please don’t retouch my wrinkles. It took me so long to earn them.” It was also thanks to the incredible expressive beauty she proudly wore in her life and on cinema screens, that Nannarella was considered, and still is, one of the greatest female actresses in the history of worldwide cinema and an eternal symbol of authentic Rome. Unforgettable interpreter of films such as Rome, open city, Bellissima, Mamma Roma, and The Rose Tattoo, which earned her an Oscar for best actress in 1956, Anna Magnani is portrayed with her animals, a dog, and a cat, in two beautiful Street Art works, on the steps of the Trionfale Market, in via Andrea Doria.

#7 Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) and Odile Decq (1955-), MAXXI and Macro museums – Different in origin, training, and temperament, these two archistars have revolutionized the world of architecture through their works. The contemporary face of Rome is also due to them. Awarded with the Golden Lion, Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, director of the École spéciale d’Architecture in Paris, Odile Decq conceived the Macro Museum as an intriguing structure, capable of surprising and attracting the attention of the general public. Nicknamed “Queen of the curve”, Zaha Hadid was, instead, the first woman to receive the Pritzker Prize, considered the Nobel award for architecture. The MAXXI – National Museum of the 21st Century Arts is a splendid example of her search for fluid and articulated spaces. A world, as she says, in which “to dive and let oneself drift along ever-changing paths”.

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