Italy

From Japan to Argentina to the US, nations around the world have put their own stamp on the mouthwatering meat – making beef a destination in itself.

Across Italy, ceremonial brotherhoods are sworn to protect historic dishes – from salted cod stew to cured meats – using medieval rituals, velvet robes and fierce culinary devotion.

Each year in the village of Villavallelonga, friends and family gather to honour a local saint with a 50-course meal where no forkful goes uneaten – just as they have for centuries.

From Carnival parades and an annual chocolate festival to vermouth rituals and winter-only dishes, February brings Turin's food culture and traditions into sharp focus.

As the world turns its gaze to Italy's Cortina d'Ampezzo - one of the hosts of the 2026 Winter Olympics - ski champion Kristian Ghedina shares his hometown picks.

Sicily's forgotten town of Gibellina was envisioned as an art utopia. Four decades later, it's painting a new future as Italy's first Capital of Contemporary Art.

As saunas gain global popularity, a hypnotic offshoot involving theatre, music and towel-twirling known as "Aufguss" is attracting wellness-seekers across the world.