Current accommodation special offers and discounted packages as proposed by the various hotels, resorts, country residences, apartments and bed & breakfasts featuring in Delicious Italy.

A few years ago we were invited by Sanremo Promotion to see the city and wider province of Imperia in Liguria. As well as the wonderul old part of Sanremo called Pigna and a trip to Taggia to see the famous olive production, we were also taken to the Olive Oil Museum of Olio Carli in Imperia. Read a full report here.

We learnt recently from Urban Italy that Olio Carli has just opened an Emporio Carli in the city. The shop is selling a huge range of olive oils as well as typical food products such as sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables under oil and, of course pesto made with their olive oil.

Here’s the original documented pesto recipe dating back at least 150 years.

Mantova is a fabulous place to visit and we go along with Torquato Tasso writing in 1586 following his visit to Lombardia: "This is a most beautiful town worthy of travelling a thousand miles to see it'". So what are you waiting for!

1. THE DUKES PALACE

Palazzo Ducale is really a town in the shape of a palace and was built to compete with the major European courts of the 13th to 14th centuries. It is 34,000 square meters of lanes, squares, courtyards, gardens and well preserved rooms housing priceless masterpieces. Not least the 'Camera dei Sposi' sumptuously frescoed by Andrea Mantegna with Emperors, Kings and crowds of people. horses and dogs. In fact, the ruling Gonzagas were great animal lovers and even built a dog's courtyard by a lakeside wing of the complex. You can still see a gravestone to their beloved 'Oriana'.

The House of Hospitality of Santa Elisabetta d'Ungheria is run by a religious fraternity member of the Institute of Piccola Fraternità Francescana di Santa Elisabetta d'Ungheria.

As well as a place to stay in the town, it is of incredible historical interest, not least as it is located in the centre of Assisi, very close to the Basilica of Santa Chiara and the Municipal Square.

More specifically it is in Piazza del Vescovado where Saint Francis famously rejected his privileged merchant upbringing by returning his fine clothes to his father to then embark on his religious calling.

The fried gnocco or gnocco fritto, is typical of Emilia Romagna and especially the area of Reggio Emilia and Modena and these little pieces of fried bread are served with Italian salumi such mortadella, prosciutto, salame felino and culatello.

It is a typical appetizer served with a glass of Lambrusco. The more the quality of the salumi and the wine, the more the snack is delicious.

It seems that the Longobards used made it too. Certainly the gnocco fritto, as well as the classic erbazzone dish, are central to Emilia Romagna food heritage.

How many wine routes are there in Piemonte or Piedmont? Well, the answer is seven and they are the following:

• Strada dei Vini dell'Alto Monferrato
• Strada del Vino Astesana
• Strade del Vino della Val Tiglione
• Strada Reale dei Vini Torinesi
• Strada del Barolo e dei Grandi vini di Langa
• Strada del Vino dei Colli Tortonesi
• Strada del Vino Monferrato ASTIgiano

We've already written an article about the first of them, the Wine Route of Alto Monferrato, and mentioned how it is not just a road linking various wine estates and cantine, but other elements which contribute to the local culture of the territory.

The others are similar, but you would be struggling to find out from the dedicated websites.

monferratostradadelvino.it no longer exists, our browser told us to avoid stradarealevinitorinesi.it for malware, while the rest are very much circa 2004 or else just pop up as a Facebook page.

So we are left with the Barolo Great Wines of Langa Trail and the Monferrato Astigiano Wine Route.

The latter is by far the best website with Google maps meticulously signposting the wine producers, where to stay, local food producers, annual events, and even castles, churches and museums.

The former is less intuitive, but the 4 itineraries are aimed at independent car travellers and are clear enough all being round trips from Barolo.

Tortonian Itinerary: Barolo – Annunziata – Roddi – Verduno – La Morra – Cherasco – Novello – Barolo (Length: one day)

Helvetian Itinerary: Barolo – Monforte – Castiglione Falletto – Fontanafredda – Serralunga – Perno – Barolo

The trails of Dolcetto of Alba and Diano Barolo: Barolo – Roddino – Sinio – Montelupo Albese – Diano d’Alba – Grinzane – Barolo

From Barolo to Dogliani: Look for Dolcetto di Dogliani along this route and check out the video above.

The website also lists all the 59 cellars to visit and makes selected restaurant and accommodation suggestions for each.

Also check out www.baroloevent.com/ and the www.facebook.com/stradadelbarolo

This is a typical codfish recipe from the beautiful town of Vicenza in Veneto, it is served in the classic way with polenta

Ingredients

Codfish already cleaned and softened (to serve 6 people you need 1 kg of codfish), flour, onions, parsley, anchovies already cleaned, parmesan cheese, olive oil, butter, hot milk, salt and pepper

When in Venice do not miss out on the typical 'baccalà mantecato' or creamed codfish. It is an easy and daily dish which you can find served as an appetizer with a slice of bread or polenta in any 'osteria' or 'trattoria', but do ask for a 'bacaro' as they say locally. The happy hour in Venice is called 'cicchetti' and walking in Venice stopping for snacks and culinary gems in wine bars is very much part of Venetian life.

Below is the recipe for the creamed codfish or 'baccalà, the Venetian way.

A great alternative to ice cream is sorbet, or water ice, which is also called granita and can be flavored with various fruit syrups. It is a fabulous drink which contains no milk or eggs, but just water and sugar and is very refreshing o a hot summer day.

In Rome, these water ices are called 'grattachecca' because the ice is scratched from a block of ice. Nevertheless, when you think granita, Sicily tends to come to mind. I know friends from the island who are very severe in judging the quality of a granita which they insist must be flavored with almond milk, coffee and be accompanied with a brioche.

The English writer Edwar Lear in the diary of his Italian journey made from July to Agust 1847 mentions that his host in the province of Reggio Calabria offered him snow mixed with wine. The ice from the high mountains of Calabria was used to preserve the food and make refreshing drinks throughout the summer

Our accommodation suggestions by location.

Rome

The Westin Excelsior Hotel Rome • The St Regis Rome Hotel • Hotel Eden • The Duke Hotel • Grand Hotel Terme di Stigliano • Hotel Atlante Star • Hotel Atlante Garden • Hotel Della Torre Argentina • Noor Luxus Resort • Fontana del Papa Bed and Breakfast

Doney Restaurant • Restaurant Vivendo • La Terrazza dell'Eden • Restaurant Les Etoiles • That's Amore Restaurant • Il Monumento Restaurant Ostia

Venice

Hotel Danieli • The Westin Europa and Regina Hotel • Palazzo Tiepoletto • Residenza Bistrot de Venise

Restaurant Terrazza Danieli • Restaurant Club del Doge • La Cusina Restaurant • Bistrot de Venise Restaurant Enoteca

Florence

The St. Regis Florence Hotel • The Westin Excelsior Hotel Florence • Relais La Corte di Cloris • Hotel La Gioconda • Hotel Casci

Ristorante SE•STO on Arno • Ristorante Etichetta • ORVM Bar Restaurant

Amalfi Coast

Charming Amalfi Coast Villas

Asti Monferrato, Piemonte

Villa Gaia B&B

Bardolino, Lake Garda

Color Hotel style and design • Color Hotel Restaurant

Bologna

ABC Bed and Breakfast

Brindisi, Puglia

Masseria Torre Coccaro Savelletri di Fasano • Masseria Torre Maizza • Hotel del Levante • Hotel Sierra Selvana

Restaurant Egnathia • Restaurant Le Palme

Cariati, Calabria

Palazzo Mascambruno B&B

Carro, Liguria

Residence Paganini Holiday Cottage

Chiana Valley, Tuscany

Foresteria Il Giardino di Fontarronco • Foresteria Il Giardino di Fontarronco Restaurant

Chieti, Abruzzo

Palazzo Tour d'Eau

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Veneto

Hotel Olimpia

Cortona, Tuscany

Relais Il Falconiere • Locanda del Molino • Restaurant Il Falconiere

Deruta, Umbria

L'Antico Forziere • L'Antico Forziere Restaurant

Diano Marino, Imperia, Liguria

Grand Hotel Diana Majestic • Restaurant La Rotonda sul Mare

Eraclea, Veneto

Dune Agriturismo

Fano, Le Marche

Villa Giulia

Gallipoli, Puglia

Hotel Palazzo del Corso • Relais Corte Palmieri • Palazzo Mosco Inn

Lake Maggiore

Castello Dal Pozzo Arona • Le Fief Restaurant

Lecce, Puglia

Risorgimento Luxury Hotel • Eos Hotel • Hotel President

Le 4 Spezierie Restaurant

Levanto, Liguria

Hotel Stella Maris • Hotel Al Terra di Mare • Il Giardino di Palazzo Vannoni Restaurant

Lipari, Sicily

Holiday Housing Villa Lettings

Lucca, Tuscany

Borgo Giusto Lifestyle Hotel

Mantova, Lombardia

Locanda Azzeccagarbugli

Milan

Sheraton Diana Majestic Hotel • The Westin Palace Hotel Milan • Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel & Conference Centre

Restaurant heat>diana • Casanova Restaurant • Il Canneto Restaurant

Monopoli, Puglia

Bellavista Suite Bed and Breakfast

Montelparo, Le Marche

Hotel Leone • Hotel Leone Restaurant

Morra d'Alba, Le Marche

Shanti House • Restaurant Dal Mago

Nocera Umbra, Umbria

Agriturismo La Corte del Lupo

Ogliastra, Sardinia

Hotel Domus de Janus

Otranto, Puglia

Relais Valle Dell'idro

Palinuro, Campania

Hotel Borgo Antico • Restaurant Poggiolo del Principe

Torri del Benaco, Lake Garda

Le Gemme di Artemisia Restaurant

Parma, Emilia Romagna

Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati Bed and Breakfast

Perugia, Umbria

The Charming Villa Nuba Rental Apartments

Peschiera del Garda

Relais Corte Paradiso

Piegaro, Umbria

Le Ginestre di Greppolischieto Rental Cottage

Ponza, Lazio

Grand Hotel Chiaia di Luna

Porto Cervo, Sardinia

Cervo Hotel Costa Smeralda Resort • Hotel Cala di Volpe • Hotel Romazzino • Hotel Pitrizza

Cala Restaurant • Pitrizza Restaurant • Terrazza Restaurant • Romazzino Restaurant

Positano

Ristorante Donna Rosa

Ragusa, Sicily

Romantik Hotel Locanda Don Serafino • Locanda Don Serafino Restaurant

Ravenna, Emilia Romagna

Relais Villa Roncuzzi

Scanno, Abruzzo

Hotel Roma • Restaurant Costanza e Roberto

Senigallia, Le Marche

Il Piccione Viaggiatore Country House

Spoleto, Umbria

Il Baio Relais Resort & Spa • Il Baio Restaurant

Taormina, Sicily

Hotel Villa Ducale • Hotel Villa Carlotta • Luxury Taormina Apartments • Osteria Rossopeperoncino

Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia

Agriturismo Tenuta Regina