With the addition of the Sentiero dei Ducati trail the Emilia-Romagna region brings the number of itineraries included in its Regional Circuit Pilgrimage Routes to 20. A slow tourism project unique in Europe, in its ability to offer complete tourist packages with guided experiences (also to be enjoyed independently), lasting either one or several days.

Discovering ancient pathways

The Sentiero dei Ducati from Quattro Castella to Sarzana, and to Luni in Liguria, consists of 11 stages on foot that cover the beautiful area once divided between the dukedoms of Modena and Reggio Emilia on the one hand, and Parma and Piacenza on the other. The route crosses the Mab UNESCO Tuscan-Emilian Apennines Reserve, which recently saw the addition of even more new land, and is one of the 70 projects included in the Reserve's Action Plan. 

Emilia Romagna holds the European record with 20 trails

Regional Tourism Councillor Andrea Corsini emphasizes: “Emilia’s walking and pilgrimage trails continue to grow, and now we have a new gem, the Sentiero dei Ducati, straddling Emilia and Liguria. This is an uninterrupted swathe of vineyards, castles, woods, ancient churches and villages, populated by a rich variety of plants, from beeches to holm oaks and from chestnuts to olive trees. There are now 20 Emilia Romagna Trails, a European record that makes our region one of the most competitive in the field of international slow tourism.”

Crossing mountain passes

The entire route is outlined by trail markers and signposts and is almost 160 km long, with an ascent of 7 km and a 7.3 km descent, from just over 150 metres asl in the Matildic village of Quattro Castella, to the over 1,200 metres of the Lagastrello Pass. Mountain biking routes are intertwined across the six trekking stages, passing from the plain to the sea and featuring some of the most impressive mountain ranges of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines up to the Apuan Alps

Through charming villages and past brooding castles 

There are other hidden gems along the route such as the Via Matildica del Volto Santo, the Via di Linari, the Alta Via dei Parchi, the Sentiero Italia Cai and the Via Francigena all of which are well-known ancient trails. The Sentiero dei Ducati also meets the Matildic Castles of Reggio (Bianello and Canossa) and the fascinating valleys of Tassobbio and Tassaro, continuing on to the top of the Tuscan-Emilian ridge at Passo del Lagastrello before descending into the upper Lunigiana, all the while flanked by charming villages and brooding castles. 

The exhibition Medioevo in Pistoia (Tuscany), open up to 8 Mat 2022, puts on display Romanesque and Gothic artists, illustrating for the first time the extraordinary panorama of the arts in Pistoia from the 12th to the beginning of the 15th century. Revealing the city’s leading role in the field of figurative arts in the Middle Ages, it is organized by Pistoia Musei. Between the Palazzo dei Vescovi and the Civic Museum of Pistoia there are over sixty paintings, sculptures, goldsmiths works and illuminated manuscripts on display.

Famous artists flocked to Pistoia

Divided into six sections, the presentation starts from the arrival of the relic of San Jacopo to the city, moving to the 13th century when Pistoia played a leading role in the field of international figurative arts, then to the 14th century with the arrival of many illustrious artists of the day. In the late-Gothic period, despite the loss of political autonomy and the definitive submission to Florence, the city maintained its position of pre-eminence in the panorama of Tuscan painting.

“Covering even the most remote parts of the region”

During the Middle Ages Pistoia vied with the other major Tuscan cities for the importance of its monuments, their furnishings and the art of its goldsmiths and miniaturists.  "We are convinced that what makes Italy, and Tuscany in particular, truly unique and envied around the world is the scattered museum which goes beyond its own borders, reaching out to even the most remote parts of the region”, said Alessandro Tomasi, Mayor of Pistoia For information: www.pistoiamusei.it

Cross-country skiing just a stone's throw from the sea will become reality on the occasion of Caorle Wonderland 2021-2022, the Christmas events in the coastal city an hour from Venice. The 400-metre course, aptly named Skii-country, runs along the city’s coastline, and there is also a special ski rental service and a careful checking process that ensures the safety of all participants.

Skiing on an ecological synthetic surface 

The starting point of the route is located close to the iconic Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Angelo, nestled against the cliffs of Caorle. The entire track then runs along the coast with the sea on one side and the Christmas lights of the city above. Made of synthetic material the course is an ecological choice made by the organizers so you find yourself gliding along on a synthetic surface, which feels just like snow and ice. And it provides huge energy savings as it does not have to be kept at sub-zero temperatures.

A roller coaster and Santa’s Grotto

The 2021/2022 edition of Caorle Wonderland is an extraordinary marathon of non-stop events running up to 9 January.  In ​​via Salita dei Fiori Music Land will delight younger visitors who can enjoy music from famous DJs as well as the enchanted castle, the roller coaster and the Star Wars carousel rides. Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII will host the fairy-tale carousel and a 3D cinema. Piazza Mercato will be transformed into Santa’s Grotto which will then give way to the Befana on 6 January. 

Between Largo Francesconi and Piazza Pio X a high-altitude panoramic carousel and a 15-meter Christmas tree will stand out, and in Campo degli Oriondi, the artificial ice-skating rink is in the same material as the cross-country ski track. And, last but not least, Piazza Matteotti has a children's village with merry-go-rounds, a climbing adventure trail, a train ride and a giant Ferris wheel overlooking the historic centre.

GeCo, the hotel consultancy company with over 30 years of experience in the industry, continues to develop key properties and is prepared for the market restart. One recent partnership that helped tackle this period of uncertainty is with a small 5-star lodge with a discreet and relaxed elegance nestled in the mountains of the Val D'Aosta region bordering with France and Switzerland.

A skilful fusion of traditional style and effervescent modernity

Montana Lodge & Spa in La Thuile combines contemporary design with innovative materials, featuring Aosta Valley traditions in its furnishings and fittings that reflect and enhance the beauty of the surrounding landscape. A true treasure trove with 55 rooms and communal areas that are a skilful fusion of traditional style and effervescent modernity.

An innovative menu and a spa with views of Mount Rosa

The cuisine is designed to be an extraordinary experience with Chef Giuseppe Falcone skilfully pairing local produce and seasonal flavours to create unique and innovative dishes. The Spa boasts Gemology beauty rituals and a swimming pool with incredible views of Mount Rutor.

A partnership with competent professionals

Claudio Coriasco, GM of Montana Lodge & Spa explains: "These are the differences that make a hotel a truly impeccable example of welcoming, aesthetically perfect hospitality. The Montana’s team and GeCo are serious and competent professionals upon whom I rely.” Marco Fabbroni, CEO of GeCo who said the lodge had a good summer thanks in particular to upscale domestic arrivals, added: “Claudio’s challenges are also ours, we are honoured to support him as consultants”.

A marvel for the senses Dimora Palanca, Florence’s new 5-star hotel, is an incredible restoration project of a late-1800s villa built at the time the Tuscan capital was the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and it is a particularly  magical place to spend Christmas. Welcoming and luxurious, there is a passionate attention to detail and you cannot miss the delicious creations of Giovanni Cerroni, one of Italy’s most promising young talents, and head chef of Dimora Palanca’s Mimesi Restaurant.

Chef Cerroni’s party within a party

Cerroni's cuisine is an exploration, the result of meticulous research into the best local ingredients along with a desire to bring flavours of yesteryear into a new dimension. His exquisite creations for Christmas and New Year will be the party within the party! All while enjoying Florence from the extraordinarily beautiful setting of Dimora Palanca.

The spirit of Christmas and New Year

Break the monotony of everyday life with a luxury stay modelled on this special time of year. During your three days at the Dimora Palanca you are welcomed by artisanal champagne and chocolates and a gourmet breakfast, followed by afternoon tea in the frescoed living rooms of the villa, a 6-course Christmas lunch and, last but not least, a surprise Christmas gift. For the Gourmet New Year's Eve package prices start at €684 per person for a 2-night stay in a double room, from 29 December 2021 to 2 January 2022 and for the Gourmet Escape in the pre-Christmas period prices start from €266 per person for a 1-night stay in a double room. For information and bookings: www.dimorapalanca.com

Relais Borgo Campello, the spacious hotel in Campello sul Clitunno, just 25 minutes from Perugia, offers unforgettable holidays packed with experiences, traditions and relaxation from 27 December 2021 to 10 January 2022. The sprawling property will offer guests a truffle-scented New Year and a way to escape from mass tourism. The setting, combining the pleasure of endless panoramas with the refined minimalist reinterpretation of the original mediaeval ambiences, is one of timeless sophistication.

 

The best of Umbrian cuisine, also for food-intolerant guests

Between the 30 December and 1 January the package of Relais Borgo Campello includes two nights with breakfast as well as a New Year's Eve supper that includes traditional Umbrian foods and wines recreated by chef Rosy. A master of low-temperature slow cooking Rosy produces a synthesis of quality and flavours by starting with pure and seasonal high-quality raw ingredients, while respecting intolerances and personal tastes.

Truffle hunting and New Year’s Eve celebrations

Guests will also have the option – going out with a hunter and his dog - of participating in the one-of-a-kind and special experience of hunting for the priceless Umbrian black truffle, which is harvested between December and January. 

The New Year's Eve package, which includes two nights, supper, and breakfast on 30 and 31 December or on 31 December and 1 January, starts at €285 for single rooms and €430 for doubles.

Relaxing treatments in the Spa 

The Private Spa, protected by the castle's walls as a haven of intimate and personal well-being, may be reserved for 1 hour and 30 minutes at a cost of €30 per person.

Nobu Hospitality is coming to Italy. The brand founded by the Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper will open its first Italian property in the capital next summer. The Nobu Hotel and Restaurant Rome is in partnership with Carlo Acampora, Chairman and CEO of the Grand Hotel Via Veneto.

A Nobu Restaurant and a 500-square-metre Nobu Suite 

Strategically located in the heart of the Eternal City, the hotel in two 19th-century buildings will have 122 rooms and suites, including a Nobu suite on 500 square meters. The rebranding will also include a green rooftop and large areas for private and corporate events, a spa and a fitness center, a club lounge and of course a Nobu restaurant, the first in Rome, and with 24-hour room service.  

“We are honoured to he part of the Eternal City”

"I love Japan and its extraordinary culture of hospitality - comments Acampora - and I am therefore delighted to have opened the doors of the Eternal City to the first Nobu Hotel in Italy.”  Matsuhisa, De Niro and Teper add that Rome is the world capital of gastronomy and so the perfect location for their brand. “We are very happy to work with Carlo Acampora on this extraordinary project and to bring Nobu’s famous cuisine and hospitality to Rome. Rome is an extraordinary mix of culture, arts, fashion and historic architecture, and we are honoured to be part of the Eternal City with this exciting opening!".

This is the ideal starting point for a full experience of the Val d’Ega, in the South Tyrol’s Dolomites,  including sport and relaxation in the wellness center. Thanks to the Hotel Skipass Service, your pass is waiting in your room upon your arrival in this ski paradise. In addition to the 1,200 kilometres of slopes and 450 Dolomiti Superski ski lifts, it also has 16 kilometres of cross-country trails, panoramic views, tobogganing circuits and snowshoe tracks. All set among snowy forests and idyllic valleys.

A magical playground for little ones

The area of Carezza is also renowned as a family-friendly ski area, a magical playground for little ones suddenly lost in the wonder of their first snowy excursion to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Carezza offers both fun and learning, and has been designed by a highly experienced team who will have both adults and children joyfully heading down the valley in no time.

Special packages from 17 December to 20 March
From 17 December 2021 prices start from €140 per person (from 1 to 3 nights) in the Romantik Hotel Post with half board, or starting from €130 per day per person for weekly stays, all in a double room.  The Carezza All Inclusive package is available from 8 to 23 January 2022, from 29 January to 13 February 2022 or from 12 to 20 March 2022 (from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday) with 7 nights half board, 5 days of the Carezza skipass, 6 meals, homemade cakes and afternoon snacks, all soft drinks and ski equipment. 

Pampering for couples in the spa  

The Two Hearts and a Spa package includes a rose petal bath for him and her in the Emperor's tub, a Vitalstone body massage and a Cavallinospa Rasul for the couple. It costs €111 per person, excluding the stay. Children up to 14 years of age on vacation with only one parent get a 50% discount up to 25 December 2021 and again from 10 January 2022.

For those struggling to surrender to the changing season with its cold and fog, there is only one way to overcome the seasonal trauma. And it is to dive into the waters of Acquaworld and relive the summer’s warmth. Acquaworld is Italy’s only indoor amusement and wellness park and helps to break up the long winter months. It is also an ideal place to celebrate a birthday or an anniversary.

In Acquaworld it is always summer

Opened in 2011, Acquaworld is a unique 20,000-square-metre water and wellness park with indoor and outdoor areas, nine water slides, swimming pools and whirlpools with constant hot water and, in summer, a large garden with deck chairs, sunbeds and umbrellas. However, at Acquaworld it is always summer: all the pools, even those that go from the inside to the outside area, are heated to 33 degrees, while the indoor air temperature never falls below 30 degrees. Acquaworld is truly a paradise of fun and relaxation for the whole family.

A baby club at weekends and family changing rooms

For parents who want a moment to themselves the Baby Club is available on weekends where children, under the watchful eye of an educator, are engaged in games and attractions. Every Saturday and Sunday, a cast and crew of professional entertainers puts on dances, quizzes and shows for both young and old. Furthermore, in addition to the women's and men's changing rooms, the park has just opened the family changing room, to offer families the opportunity to change and share a common space.

Entry with green passes or an exemption certificate

The park welcomes visitors in total safety and compliance with all Covid regulations: reduced daily entries, temperature checks at the entrance, regular sanitation points and frequent sanitation of all areas. These are just some of the many measures introduced to guarantee the utmost safety for visitors. Furthermore, in accordance with Law Decree No. 105 of 23/07/2021, a Green Pass or an exemption certificate is required to access the park.