ExpertoItaly

29/12/2025

Borgo Campidoglio, Turin — a different side of the city
Today’s walk took me through Borgo Campidoglio, a small residential area within Turin that feels very far from the city’s grand piazzas.

Built in the late 19th century for everyday life — workers, artisans, families — it’s modest, human in scale, and still very lived in. What stands out today is how street art has naturally found its place here, slipping into old window recesses and blank walls without turning the area into a tourist showpiece.

For me, the interest here is more anthropological than touristic. It helps you understand how Turin grew and how people still shape their neighbourhood quietly.
A place to notice, not to tick off.

📍 Borgo Campidoglio
🚶‍♂️ Seen on today’s walk

29/12/2025

This afternoon walk took me into Cit Turin, one of those neighbourhoods that explains Turin without ever trying to impress.

Developed at the turn of the 20th century, Cit Turin marks a pivotal moment in the city’s history. Turin was moving beyond its role as a former royal capital — defined by order, symmetry and restraint — and learning how to house a modern, urban middle class. The result was a district designed for living well: wider streets, greenery, light-filled apartments and a gentler architectural language.

This is where Liberty style (Italy’s take on Art Nouveau) found its most coherent expression in Turin. Floral ironwork, bow windows, ceramic details and playful façades soften the city’s traditionally austere character, without ever losing its sense of discipline and balance.

What I love about Cit Turin is its scale. It isn’t monumental, and it doesn’t ask for attention. It’s a neighbourhood you discover slowly — best on foot — where architecture serves daily life rather than spectacle.

A reminder that some of Turin’s most revealing stories are told not in its grand piazzas, but in its residential streets.

26/12/2025

After three solid days of Turin rain, the sun finally showed up today ☀️

So I did what any sensible person does after Christmas eating: I went for a long walk in my beautiful town.

And I stumbled (again) on one of Turin’s best little “wait… what?!” moments: the Fetta di Polenta.

If you’ve never seen it, it’s basically a building shaped like a slice of polenta — super narrow, tall, and squeezed into a corner so tightly it looks like it shouldn’t exist. From one angle it’s almost comical… and then you realise: it’s a real house.

Did you know?
At its narrowest point it’s only about 54 cm wide. Yes — half a metre.

The best part: it was designed by Alessandro Antonelli… the very same architect behind Turin’s icon, the Mole Antonelliana.

So before he went big and dramatic with the Mole, he was already doing clever things around the city — and this is one of the most fun to spot.

If you ever come to Turin, add it to your “small detour list”. It takes two minutes… and you’ll absolutely stop for a photo.

Turin is full of these little surprises — you just need a bit of sunshine and the right street corner. 🇮🇹📍

10/12/2025

Italian cuisine is now officially UNESCO heritage.

Not just pizza, pasta and pretty plates – but the way Italians shop, cook, sit down together and keep local ingredients alive.

This matters if you love travelling in Italy. Where you stay shapes what ends up on your plate, which markets you wander through and which small farmers your holiday quietly supports.

In our latest piece we unpack what UNESCO has recognised, why Italy is seen as a model for sustainability and “biocultural diversity”, and how to turn that into a very good holiday.

Read the article and start planning which flavours you’d like to build your next trip around:

Italian cuisine UNESCO heritage: discover what this new recognition means for your next Italy trip, from regional food journeys to market visits.

25/11/2025

Lucca has quietly climbed into my top tier of Italian cities – not because of any single “wow” moment, but for the way it lives, day in, day out.

Renaissance walls used as a park rather than a postcard, a tower with trees on top, Puccini arias drifting from a church in the evening, baroque gardens, bookstalls and those very Lucchese bakeries that still feel genuinely local rather than curated.

I’ve tried to put all of that into a new piece on ExpertoItaly: not just a list of things to tick off, but a calm guide to using Lucca as a base – walls, gardens, Puccini, markets, villas and easy day trips to Pisa, the Versilia coast and the hills.

If you’re curious about where to go in Tuscany that isn’t Florence/Siena on repeat, have a read – and tell me if you’ve already “lived” Lucca rather than just passed through.

Discover Lucca’s walls, Puccini concerts, gardens, villas and easy day trips in a curated guide for thoughtful, mostly car-free travellers.

17/11/2025

Discover Montepulciano — Tuscany for travellers who choose well.
Perched along a long ridge between the Val d’Orcia and the Val di Chiana, Montepulciano offers the kind of Tuscany that rewards those who slow down: sunsets over rolling hills, Renaissance façades glowing in the late light, quiet lanes, and the unmistakable character of Nobile di Montepulciano.

It’s a place where the experience changes completely depending on where you stay.
That’s why I’ve handpicked three bases that truly embody its spirit:

🌿 Fattoria Svetoni – vineyards in every direction, wine made a few footsteps from your room.

🌄 Lupaia – hillside calm, beautiful details, and views that feel almost unreal.

🏛 Locanda San Francesco – Montepulciano right beneath your window, spacious views and timeless atmosphere.

If Tuscany is calling you for the year ahead, send me your dates.
I’ll help you shape a journey with the right rhythm — and the right place to begin.

15/11/2025

A noble 12th-century castle between Florence and Siena — perfectly placed for a scenic self-drive holiday in Tuscany.

Castello del Nero offers everything we love in a countryside stay: vineyard views, Michelin-star dining, an ESPA spa for quiet afternoons, and panoramic roads leading to Chianti’s most beautiful villages.

It’s your “aristocratic chapter” in Tuscany — a few indulgent days between scenic drives, winery stops, medieval towns, and a shuttle that lets you enjoy Florence without navigating ZTL zones.

ExpertoItaly curates road-friendly routes, winery appointments, and multi-centre journeys that balance culture, nature and comfort.

Thinking of Tuscany for 2026?
Tell us your dates and we’ll tailor the perfect itinerary.

14/11/2025

Chianti Classico is Tuscany exactly as you imagine it — vineyards curling around hilltop villages, cypress avenues, farmhouses warmed by late-afternoon light.

I’ve just published a full ExpertoItaly guide to this beautiful region, written to help you choose the right villages, the best season, and the experiences that make Chianti unforgettable.

Inside the guide:
• The essential villages (Greve, Radda, Montefioralle, Panzano…)
• Scenic drives & white gravel roads
• Walking and cycling ideas for active travellers
• Wine & olive oil experiences worth planning for
• What to expect in spring, summer, autumn and winter

If Chianti is on your list — or if you’re dreaming of a return — this guide is a lovely place to start.

👇 Link in the first comment

30/10/2025

🕍 Monks, Faith & Hidden Valleys — Discover the Quiet Heart of Cilento

Beyond the famous Cilento coast lies another world — of monks, orchids, and stone-built silence.

Wander the Certosa di Padula, one of Italy’s largest monasteries. Follow the wildflower paths of the Valle delle Orchidee in Sassano, where 180 orchid species bloom each spring. And step into Teggiano, a medieval hill town where faith and craftsmanship still shape daily life.

This is inland Cilento — contemplative, authentic, and profoundly Italian.

📅 Best time to visit: late April to late May (for the orchids in bloom)
🧭 Easily combined with: Paestum, the Cilento coast, or the Amalfi hinterland

👉 Read the full story and plan your visit with ExpertoItaly:
🔗 https://expertoitaly.com/cilento-monks-faith-hidden-valleys/

Explore the spiritual heart of Cilento — the Certosa di Padula, Valle delle Orchidee in Sassano, and Teggiano’s timeless medieval charm.

14/10/2025

🌿 Discover Lake Orta: Italy’s Best-Kept Secret 🌿

Imagine a place where time slows, water shimmers untroubled, and every corner whispers tranquillity. That place is Lake Orta — tucked away in Piemonte, just west of Lake Maggiore.

From April to October, this hidden gem invites you to:

✨ Stay at Casa Fantini, a lakeside haven blending modern design with serene elegance

✨ Wander through the cobbled lanes of Orta San Giulio and journey by boat to the mystical Isola San Giulio

✨ Hike the frescoed chapels of Sacro Monte di Orta (a UNESCO site)

✨ Cycle along the CicloVia del Lago, stopping in charming villages

✨ Savour the local flavours — risotto with perch, wild mushrooms, creamy toma cheese, and fine Piedmont wines

✨ Dine in style at Villa Crespi (2 Michelin stars) or Locanda di Orta (1 star)

✨ Marvel at autumnal colours aboard the Foliage Train through Valle Vigezzo

✨ Ascend Monte Mottarone for sweeping views of both Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore

All of this is just ~90 minutes from Milan Malpensa. Arrive by train, by car, or let us organise private transfers, scenic rail routes and bespoke experiences.

📆 Stay for 3–4 nights to fully absorb the peace, or linger longer and you might never be quite the same again.

👉 Ready to make it yours? Let us tailor your Lake Orta escape to your tastes.

💬 Message us or visit our page to begin planning your private luxury retreat.

Explore Lake Orta 🌿 A serene luxury destination with historical towns, Michelin-starred dining, and outdoor adventures

30/09/2025

🇮🇹 24 Hours in Parma – Colours, Flavours & Cobblestones 🇮🇹

I only had a day in Parma, but wow — what a place.

I wandered through cobbled streets with pastel houses, balconies full of flowers and little lanterns lighting up as the evening came in. Every turn gave me a view of a church tower or a square buzzing with life. Parma feels small and welcoming, but at the same time incredibly grand.

The city’s squares really stayed with me: Piazza Garibaldi with its quirky sundial clock, Piazza Duomo with the cathedral and the pink Baptistery side by side. Then there’s the Teatro Regio — a reminder that this is Verdi’s city, where opera and music are part of everyday life.

And of course… the food. You can’t walk far without bumping into a deli piled high with Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano. Even the pavements have mosaics celebrating cheese! It’s impossible not to stop, taste, and smile.

What I didn’t expect were the little surprises: colourful street art, secret courtyards, even a rooftop garden perched on an old tower. Parma may be famous for its food and opera, but for me it’s the everyday beauty that makes it unforgettable.

One day was definitely not enough — next time, I’ll linger longer.

📍 Would you?

04/09/2025

A perfect Naples day on foot (and maybe by kayak). Start at Megaride, wander the Lungomare, peek at Palazzo Donn’Anna, then climb to Parco Virgiliano for a golden-hour panorama. Finish with your feet almost in the water at Marechiaro.

Full route, time estimates, and family notes here →

https://expertoitaly.com/greek-naples-posillipo-guide/

Sunset at Virgiliano or lunch at Marechiaro—what’s your move?



photos Vittorio Sciosia