The classic tourist routine - breakfast followed by a full day of sightseeing and an early dinner - is no longer the smartest way to experience Italy. Because, with summer temperatures in cities like Rome, Milan and Florence regularly topping 40C, the relentless heat can mean an exhausting holiday.

So why not do as the locals do, and embrace Italy's natural rhythm? Instead of baking under the sun, spend the hottest hours enjoying a leisurely lunch, visiting an air-conditioned museum or simply slowing down.  Then, as dusk falls, from the traditional evening passeggiata, when families gather in squares and restaurants spill onto the streets, Italy comes alive. Monuments glow under dramatic lighting and evening e-bike tours, food walks and after-dark visits mean exploring in cooler temperatures and with fewer crowds.

There is no doubt that climate change is reshaping travel, but it also offers an opportunity to travel better. Those who insist on sightseeing through the hottest part of the day will remember the heat. Those who swap midday queues for moonlit streets will never forget their Italy holiday. And want to return.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Royal Air Maroc has just launched its new Casablanca to Verona route, with three weekly flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Royal Air Maroc flies to eight Italian airports

The airline is thus scaling up its presence in the Italian market, its second most important in Europe, and consolidating the role of north-eastern Italy within Royal Air Maroc’s development strategy in Italy. With the addition of Catullo Airport, the number of airports served by the airline in Italy rises to eight: Naples, Catania, Rome, Milan, Bologna, Turin, Venice and Verona.

"Easier and quicker to fly between Casablanca and Verona"

“The launch of the Casablanca-Verona route brings us even closer to passengers in north-eastern Italy, a dynamic region with a strong international focus and growing demand for connections to Morocco and beyond,- said Walid El Khassal, Regional Director of Royal Air Maroc Italy. -With this new route we are making it easier and quicker to fly between Casablanca and Verona, offering passengers seamless access to the main destinations served by our international network. Casablanca is now a modern, efficient and reliable hub, from which travellers can journey safely and with peace of mind to Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and the rest of the world.”

A gateway to Morocco and to Africa

“The launch of the direct Verona–Casablanca service marks a significant step in Catullo Airport’s international development. The new route not only serves as a gateway to Morocco but also substantially expands access to a wide range of African destinations. In this context, the 290,000 passengers who travelled between Verona and Africa in 2025, a 22% increase on the previous year, confirms the strong growth potential of this market and the region’s growing centrality in intercontinental connections,- said Camillo Bozzolo, director of aviation development SAVE Group. -The new route is also a strategic flight for the region, ranging from its industrial and commercial sectors, which are increasingly focused on markets outside Europe, to its tourism potential, fostering new incoming and outgoing passenger flows and effectively meeting the mobility needs of the ethnic communities in the area.”

"Italy is a market with extraordinary potential"

“Italy is a market with extraordinary potential that is responding enthusiastically to our services, added El Khassal. -We are delighted with the excellent performance of the new flight to Verona, which is in line with our expectations. This launch coincides with the start of the high season, the peak period for traffic to Morocco and the rest of the African continent.”

easyJet is expanding its presence in Sardinia, this time by introducing new flights from Bordeaux and Nice to Cagliari.

eastJet now operates 8 routes to Cagliari

The airline has launched routes from Bordeaux and Nice, each with two weekly flights. With these two new destinations, the number of direct routes operated by easyJet to Cagliari Airport rises to eight. “The launch of the routes to Bordeaux and Nice is a further step forward in Cagliari Airport’s international growth,- said SOGAER’s chief commercial officer, David Crognaletti. -We are extremely pleased that easyJet is continuing to invest in our airport with these two important summer destinations, following the recent launch of the year-round route to Basel.”

"Over 1.3 million seats to the island this summer"

“With the launch of the new routes from Cagliari to Bordeaux and Nice, we are further strengthening Sardinia’s international connectivity, offering over 1.3 million seats to and from the island this summer,- said Lorenzo Lagorio, the airline’s country manager for Italy. -These additions confirm our commitment to connecting Italy and France ever more extensively, whilst continuing to invest in high-potential areas such as Sardinia, with the aim of supporting mobility, promoting tourist flows and contributing to the region’s development.”

Cagliari-Elmas Airport is Sardinia’s largest airport 

For the current summer season, easyJet has increased its capacity between France and Sardinia by 52.8%, operating from the airports of Cagliari and Olbia. With the launch of the new routes to Bordeaux and Nice, the airline - already the market leader in travel between France and Italy - is further strengthening its services between the two countries, providing over 4.2 million seats across 48 routes in the 2026 financial year, which is an overall capacity increase of 7%. Cagliari-Elmas Airport is Sardinia’s largest airport in terms of both passenger volume and size. In 2025, passenger traffic totalled 5,245,912, whilst aircraft movements reached 35,948. Cagliari is currently connected by direct scheduled flights to major European and domestic destinations.

Yet another record for Rome Fiumicino, and for Venice's Marco Polo Airport.

Rome Fiumicino is the Best European Airport

For the eighth time since 2018 and the fifth time in a row Rome Fiumicino has been named the best European airport in the category for airports handling over 40 million passengers, winning the ACI Europe Best Airport Award 2026. The award was presented during the Annual Congress held in Prague, where European airports were recognized for their excellence in staff performance, digital transformation and the sustainability of airport infrastructure. The winners were selected based on the assessment of an independent jury comprising eight institutional representatives from the aviation sector, including the European Commission, Eurocontrol, EASA, ECAC and the SESAR Joint Undertaking.

In 2025 Fiumicino topped 51 million passengers

This accolade follows on from the Best European Airport award won in February as part of ACI World’s Airport Service Quality programme, based on feedback provided directly by passengers, and confirms the strength of the "Fiumicino model," which, in 2025, topped the 51 million passenger mark for the first time. The Leonardo da Vinci is now looking to the future with a €9 billion Sustainable Development Plan, designed to meet an estimated traffic demand of up to 100 million passengers by 2046 and to further strengthen Italy’s connectivity. 

Venice's Marco Polo also got a Best Airport Award

It’s not just Rome, as Venice Marco Polo Airpors received the Best Airport Award in the 10–25 million passengers category. The award was presented to Monica Scarpa, chief xxecutive of the the airport’s operator SAVE Group. The airport was particularly commended for using the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a catalyst for lasting improvements in terms of operational performance, service quality and ESG impact. The judges noted how the airport not only delivered an exceptional service and experience during the Games, but also used them to integrate many new practices into its day-to-day and future operations, creating a long-term legacy of high performance and inclusive design.

A new interline agreement between ITA Airways and DAT makes Ancona and the Marche region more accessible.  

Connecting to numerous destinations within the ITA network

This Special Prorate Agreement will improve connectivity between Ancona and flights operated by DAT to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate, with the option to connect to numerous destinations within the ITA network. At the same time, the partnership will boost passenger numbers to Ancona and help promote the Marche region, particularly to foreign passengers arriving in Italy with ITA via the Fiumicino and Milan Linate hubs.

"Making our network increasingly accessible"

“The agreement with DAT forms part of ITA Airways’ strategy of partnerships, built with reliable operators deeply rooted in their local areas, expanding travel opportunities for our customers and making our network increasingly accessible,- said Joerg Eberhart, ITA's CEO and managing director. "With this agreement we are strengthening the Marche region’s links with our main airports, Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate, facilitating access to the airline’s domestic and international destinations and contributing to the development of transport links and the region’s appeal.

Destinations worldwide on a single ticket

“Since 3 November, when our mandate began, we have worked with great determination to restore the credibility of flights from Ancona to Rome and Milan, which had been lost in recent years,- said Luigi Vallero, general manager DAT. -Our service is reliable and competitive and the results, which are improving day by day, confirm that we are on the right track for further development. “The interline agreement with ITA Airways enables passengers to reach a large number of destinations in Italy, Europe and, within a few weeks, worldwide, via Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate. By purchasing a single ticket at particularly attractive fares, passengers can once again reach their final destination with their luggage checked through directly from Ancona International Airport.” Among the available destinations are numerous Italian cities – including Bari, Bologna, Brindisi, Catania, Florence, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Turin, Trieste and Venice – as well as international connections such as Amsterdam, London, Nice, Geneva and Paris, and the entire ITA intercontinental network, which includes highly sought-after destinations such as New York, Miami, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

ITA Airways operates 72 destinations this summer

The connections in partnership with DAT are in addition to the current summer schedule, during which ITA Airways operates 72 destinations – 19 domestic, 36 international and 17 intercontinental – with 12 seasonal routes (3 domestic and 9 international) to Italian, Greek and Spanish islands. The summer schedule also includes new direct flights from Rome Fiumicino to Málaga, Valencia and Marseille, as well as an increase to seven weekly flights to Tunis between June and September, in addition to seasonal services between Olbia and Turin and between Olbia and Genoa, both operating in August with one flight per week on Saturdays.

The historic rooms of Palazzo Cavallerini Lazzaroni in Rome will host the solo exhibition “Intuitive Force” by the renowned Romanian painter Ioan Sbârciu up to 12 July 2026. 

Sbârciu's painting engages with literature and philosophical thought

On display a selection of medium- and large-scale works, conceived as a visual journey in which the practice of painting engages with the traditions of literature and philosophical thought. These are not merely scholarly references, but active, integral components of his artistic practice. The choice of venue is no coincidence: the thematic connection between art and written thought fits perfectly within the palace’s spaces, which also house a historic bookshop on the ground floor. On a subconscious level, Ioan Sbârciu works through archetypal intuitions and symbolic figurations that emerge as deep-seated layers of literary and philosophical imagery, introspection and analysis of reality. On a rational level, his artistic exploration unfolds in constant dialogue with the theories of Umberto Eco and Giorgio Agamben, with the poetic philosophy of Lucian Blaga, as well as through direct engagement with the philosopher Aurel Codoban and the poet Ion Mureșan.

On the borderline between figuration and abstraction

On the tenth anniversary of Umberto Eco’s death, the exhibition takes on an even deeper significance, highlighting the extraordinary affinities between the thought of the great Italian intellectual (and author of "In the Name of the Rose") and the figure of Sbârciu. On a formal level, Sbârciu’s painting lies on the borderline between figuration and abstraction and from this perspective, the work engages in a dialogue with Eco’s thinking, according to which meaning arises from the interpretation of signs within open systems. 

Open daily in Via dei Barbieri 7, Rome

Sbârciu’s painting thus becomes a visual expression of the concept of the "open work" coined by Eco, in which meaning is never definitive but unfolds as an expanding possibility. Within this process, the viewer is called upon to engage in an activity that Eco terms "creative abduction:" starting from the visual signs, they formulate interpretative hypotheses, gradually constructing the meaning of the work. “Intuitive Force” celebrates painting as a space where matter and thought meet. Intuitive Force Ioan Sbârciu 11 June – 12 July 2026.  Open daily 10.30 am – 8.00 pm.  Palazzo Cavallerini Lazzaroni, Via dei Barbieri 7, Rome.

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Remote wilderness environments are becoming travel’s ultimate wellness trend according to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2026 Wellness Tourism Initiative Trends report. Travellers, it says, are increasingly seeking “low-density environments, limited-access settings, and experiences that don’t feel crowded or overexposed.” In other words, the new luxury is not exclusivity but space, authenticity and silence.

Specialized operators are creating itineraries around wild, untouched landscapes. From remote yoga sessions at sunrise and wild swimming in crystal-clear lakes and fjords, to natural hot springs hidden in the mountains and wolf-tracking excursions through vast forests.

Italy offers many sanctuaries for those seeking true disconnection, and few places are better than Alicudi, the westernmost and least populated of the Aeolian Islands. Visitors must first travel to Sicily and then board a ferry or hydrofoil; the quickest taking three hours from Milazzo.

Once there, the sense of remoteness is immediate. There are no cars, few roads, just steep volcanic slopes, ancient stone paths, mule tracks and eye-wateringly beautiful seascapes. The little port has just one bar and one shop - which of course closes for a long lunch - but Alicudi reminds us that more and more the greatest luxury is simply being far away from everything.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

ITA Airways continues to invest in the NDC channel, and has signed a new distribution agreement with Sabre Corporation. 

Aligned with the Lufthansa Group’s distribution 

The agreement also includes the renewal of their current agreement on traditional content and will enable the company to offer more personalized content to travel agencies and tour operators. It will also help to align with the Lufthansa Group’s distribution strategy. Travel agencies connected to Sabre can now request activation for shopping, booking and managing ITA’s NDC offers. These will be complemented by traditional content within the Sabre ecosystem, enabling agents to search, compare, sell and manage offers efficiently within a single workflow.

Available to travel agencies connected to Sabre

The partnership expands ITA Airways’ distribution via the Sabre Mosaic™ Marketplace, making the airline’s NDC offers available to travel agencies connected to Sabre. The airline’s NDC content has been distributed to agencies since 12 May 2026. Through Sabre Mosaic™ NDC, ITA will be able to offer richer and more personalized deals, in line with its commercial and distribution priorities, while reaching a vast number of travellers via the agency channel.

For travel search, booking and management

Sabre has emphasized its support for ITA Airways’ air distribution modernization programme: the integration of NDC content into the Sabre Mosaic™ Marketplace enabling agencies to access more comprehensive offers through a scalable, multi-source system while facilitating the search, booking and management of travel services.