Some suggest that pizza originated in China. Others say Greece. Others still, say the Punjab. Perhaps they’re all right, but I’m going to go with Italy on this one. Even if they didn’t invent the dough wheel, they unquestionably made it great. Where: Some little town near Siena, Italy What: Pizza. Plain, simple, and outrageously delicious. Even […]

Maybe you’re that guy who can’t take the heat—sweatily clinging to the AC all summer, just waiting for January’s powder to arrive again. Dream a little dream of Iceland with me, where the weather changes as drastically as the landscapes. I arrived in Reykjavik in early February to one of the largest snowfalls they had […]

Warning: Do not operate heavy machinery after eating this dish. Where: Riquewihr, France What: Potatoes with bacon and melted Munster cheese. This is one of those drop-dead simple dishes you could so easily make at home. Except for the fact that your potatoes, bacon and Munster won’t be as divine as they are in this […]

Sure the Olympics are based around sport, but the great thing about them is that they also highlight all the other amazing attributes of a city. If high diving or long jumping don’t turn out to be your cup of tea, why not get artistic at one of the Tate galleries? London is lucky enough […]

Both the staff and the decor on the Trufflepig Farm are a mashup of cultures and backgrounds. We sometimes feel like we can pick and choose where we really come from. Today we’re feeling quite British. We’re a bit of a melting pot (or a salad bowl if you want to get technical with the […]

Camden Town is an eclectic place with many facets, not just the market it’s famed for (though this too is worth a gander). A mishmash of influences (and lots of students) always turns up surprises—if you are willing to dig, there are treasures to be found among the tourist tat. The main high street is […]

Rudston Steward (our Italian guru) has let us in on a couple of his favourite hotels in Sicily, for the big spender and for the little spender. Or why not stay at both to see everything this Mediterranean isle has to offer? High: Grand Hotel Timeo 550 USD and up When you think about a “top […]

There are many options to choose from when visiting the UK’s cultural and financial heart—from the terrific, small boutique choices to the larger, full-on luxury spa hotels. We have many favourites, but some of the closest to our hearts are the Firmdale hotels. Classy, quirky, chic and colourful, the Firmdale properties offer a comfortable and relaxed base […]

There’s something curiously memorable about the cash and grab picnic. You know the kind I mean. Visit the local market, buy whatever random ingredients catch your eye, and then find a place in a park to park it and pork out. Where: Cordes sur Ciel in Southwestern France. What: Le pique-nique. A wheel of bread large enough to […]

The best word to describe Iceland is ‘mythical’. It does exist (and has its own airline, so wardrobe or fireplace transit is thankfully not required), but its landscape feels like a faraway planet. It’s the perfect place to let the imagination—and outdoor activities—run wild. Whether you have kids, or you just enjoy acting like them […]

It’s tough to satisfy the interests of multiple generations at the same time, let alone while on the move around a new country. Italians embrace the family, however—both their own, and yours. I recently asked Rudston (our expert in all things Italiano) why the country is such a great one for families to visit together. […]

Sometimes the simplest ingredients can pack the biggest punch of flavour. We bet your breakfast was not this tasty. Where: Piemonte, Northern Italy What: Fried egg topped with white truffle shavings. It’s pretty hard to screw up an egg. But to make one of those devils truly sing is no small thing. Crowned with razor thin curls […]

It’s research week at Trufflepig, with so many of our Pigs arriving home or departing soon for their specialty destinations. Rudston has just returned from an unlikely combination of Italian cities you may not have paired on your own. Before we talk nitty gritty on our latest Italian conquests, however, a few words to properly […]

Few places can match the swagger and flash of the Amalfi Coast; the stretch of the Costiera between Positano, Amalfi and Ravello boasts some of the finest hotels and most spectacular hiking and boating in Italy. Folks around here are a proud bunch. It goes way back (as these things often do in Italy), to […]

The School of Life is an alternative space that gives life to off-the-wall ideas, serious life-enhancing thought and ways in which to improve your life, but without the dogma that can drown ideas and wisdom. According to its own ethos it is a place to learn how to live wisely and well. The founder and […]

Venice is many things—carnival theatre, great art city, water wonderland, wannabe independent republic, gastronome haven, romantic getaway. But what distinguishes La Serenissima is something far more magical and strange: it makes people disappear. So much travel these days is overly scripted, boring, predictable—especially in crowded destinations like Venice. Which is why Venice is my favourite […]