NBA legend Magic Johnson is mobbed by fans in Portofino as he heads out for glitzy lunch in bold outfit
The basketball player-turned-billionaire businessman, 65, was spotted in Monaco earlier in the week but has since traveled further along the Riviera coastline and into Italy.
He was all smiles as he headed out into the town for a spot of lunch, donning a jazzy red shirt and white pants as he dined with friends and family.
In a video posted to his Instagram, he can be seen holding hands with his beloved wife Cookie, as they approach their 34th wedding anniversary in September.
Magic was dining with his friends Mike and Natasha Triplett, Rodney and Holly Peete and John and Vicki Palmer, at the glitzy Ristorante Puny on the waters' edge.
Johnson - a five-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend - was happy to stop for photos with his adoring fans, grinning for the camera as he made his way through the cobbled streets.
Magic Johnson poses for a photo with his beloved wife Cookie before heading out for dinner
The NBA icon was mobbed by fans as he headed to a restaurant in Portofino, Italy
He appeared to be flanked by multiple security guards, as was the case in Monaco earlier in the week, but was in high spirits as he enjoyed the European sunshine.
Johnson's trip to the Riviera has become an annual jaunt and recent reports claimed the yacht he charters costs a whopping $1.4million a week.
For Johnson, though, that is a drop in the ocean given his estimated net worth of $1.5billion - almost 25 years on from his basketball retirement.
Nowadays, he is part of the ownership group of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Commanders among others, and has become one of the most high-profile off-field names in sports.
Magic chats to a friend as he walks through the cobbled streets of Portofino on Wednesday
On his European trip, Johnson has previously been spotted on the island of Corfu, as well as in Capri - in Italy - and both Montenegro and Croatia.
Last week, he posted a video of him keeping fit and healthy by walking on a treadmill on the deck of his yacht.
Johnson has been keeping himself in great shape over the past few years, and is still fit and healthy and exercising regularly at the age of 65.
The iconic point guard is still regarded as the greatest ever to play in the position.
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BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Italy's sunken city returning from the sea
A volcanic eruption sank Aenaria nearly 2,000 years ago. Now, underwater tours and ongoing excavations are bringing Ischia's fascinating history back to the surface. "You're fine. Just don't look down." I hold my breath, take the captain's outstretched hand and board the boat. The waves glimmer beneath my feet; the only thing separating me from the sea is a pane of glass. As our tour sets sail, the vast Bay of Cartaromana opens up before us. Jagged cliffs shoot up from the waves; sunbathers sprawl on the inlet bridge leading to the 2,500-year-old Aragonese Castle, attached to the island like the tail of a whale periscoping through the waves. After just 10 minutes at sea, we reach a network of buoys marking the ruins below. I press my hands against the vessel's transparent bottom. Through the turquoise-blue water, between waving fields of seagrass and small striped fish, I glimpse a pile of rocks. Then the seagrass parts and I see that the rocks are arranged into a long rectangular form, its sides encased in wooden planks. This is an ancient city's quay; buried in the cool dark for centuries and perfectly preserved. Ancient Rome, almost close enough to touch. I am on the Italian island of Ischia, where sometime around AD180, the Cretaio volcano erupted, and the ensuing shockwaves sank the Roman port city of Aenaria beneath the sea. At least, that's what archaeologists think happened. Unlike the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 – documented by Pliny the Younger in the hours before it devastated Pompeii – there are no records of the explosion, and very little written about the settlement itself. For nearly 2,000 years, there was no physical trace of it either. The ruins lay submerged in the Bay of Cartaromana hidden for centuries beneath layers of sediment and volcanic material. The first hints of its existence were in 1972, when two scuba divers found Roman-era pottery shards and two lead ingots off Ischia's eastern shore. The find intrigued archaeologists, but the ensuing investigation, helmed by local priest Don Pietro Monti and archaeologist Giorgio Buchner, yielded nothing. Officials cordoned off the bay. The case went cold for nearly 40 years. Then, in 2011, passionate local sailors reopened the excavation, this time digging into the sea floor. Soon, they were able to confirm that 2m beneath the bay's volcanic seabed lay the ruins of a massive Roman-era quay. Further digs found coins, amphorae, mosaics, seaside villas and the wooden wreckage of a ship. For centuries, Aenaria had existed somewhere between history and myth. Today, its rediscovery is reshaping Ischia's story – and offering travellers the rare chance each summer to dive into a piece of history once thought lost to the sea. A puzzling past As far as anyone had ever known, Ischia's DNA was Greek. The island was renowned as the site of the first Greek colony in the Italian peninsula, established around 750BC in the north of the island. The Greeks called the island Pithecusae and harnessed the healing powers of its volcanic thermal springs to found its first spas. Today, with its lush beauty, laid-back vibe and revered thermal spa culture, Ischia is Italy's quintessential wellness retreat – despite sitting atop the Campi Flegrei supervolcano. But it's precisely that volatile volcanic geology that has shaped the island's verdant landscapes and wild beaches. It's also what archaeologists long assumed had scared the Romans away from permanently settling here. When the Romans seized Pithecusae sometime around 322BC, they renamed the island Aenaria – a name that appears in ancient texts from Pliny the Elder to Strabo, often in relation to military events. But unlike the Greeks, who left behind a necropolis, kilns and troves of pottery, the Romans left only a few modest tombs, engravings and scattered opus reticulatum. Scholars settled on the theory that they'd come to the island but never properly settled it – perhaps avoiding it due to its constant volcanic rumblings. "The name was documented," echoes local resident Giulio Lauro. "But no one could find the place." Archaeologists had been looking for Roman Ischia on dry land, but it was buried below the sea. The modern rediscovery Lauro is the founder of the Marina di Sant'Anna; the cultural branch of the Ischia Barche sea-tourism cooperative. Along with various affiliated cultural groups – comprised of Ischian seafarers, history enthusiasts and archaeologists – they have self-funded the excavations for the past 15 years. Lauro is quick to tell me that he's no scientist. "But I love the sea," he said. "In 2010, I got the idea to look again … People said maybe there was something there, because in the '70s they found artefacts. I thought, why not try?" The plan was to launch underwater tours "to create a cultural attraction", says Dr Alessandra Benini, the project's lead archaeologist. "[Then] it was, 'let's see if there's truly a deeper history of our island'." There were challenges, recalls Lauro: "Getting authorisations, training people, sourcing funds. We started from zero. We were lucky to believe in it. And then to actually find it." Finally, the narrative could be rewritten. "It was believed that the Romans never built a city on Ischia," says Benini. "It was the opposite." Aenaria returned from the sea Each day in the Bay of Cartaromana, swimmers dive off the rocks and sailboats bob in the waves. Do they know what's beneath the sea, I wonder? "Most locals do, thanks to [the archaeologists]," says local tour guide Marianna Polverino. "But not many visitors know about Aenaria's existence, or that you can visit it." Each summer, Benini and her team excavate the sea floor. Progress is painstaking due to a perennial shortage of funds. "They invest in Herculaneum, in Pompeii," remarks consulting archaeologist Maria Lauro, and because of the ocean's seasonal turbulence, they can only operate from May to October. During the site's active months, curious visitors can take glass-bottomed boat tours, as well as snorkelling and scuba excursions to get even closer to the ruins. "You can see the underwater archaeologists at work, the equipment they use and everything involved," says Benini. All tours start with viewing a 3D video in the cooperative's small auditorium, where artefacts from the site are displayed beneath glass flooring, arranged on a layer of sand evoking the seabed. My shoes tread over amphorae, oil lamps, herringbone-patterned clusters of opus spicatum tiles – a tile pattern "typically found in [Ancient] Roman shops", says Benini. The video – featuring a submarine that winds up in a digitally reconstructed Aenaria – is geared towards children, but I'm enthralled. The quay hugs the coastline and just beyond is a Roman city resplendent with cobblestoned lanes and columned buildings. To think during the eruption nearly 2,000 years ago, someone – maybe a Roman soldier – may have been standing on that massive quay, terrified as it crumpled beneath their feet. Benini has her own vision of that fateful day. "There might've been a tsunami-like wave, or maybe an earthquake, that swept across the structures and pulled everything out to sea," she says. "That's the movie in our minds." Rewriting ancient history Each summer, a clearer picture of Aenaria emerges – although there remains some confusion as to what the ancient settlement actually was. Were the ruins a city? Benini explains: "[The name] Aenaria referred to the island as a whole. So it's not that we haven't found the Aenaria mentioned by the ancients: Aenaria is Ischia – that's unquestionable. We've found a Roman-era settlement with a port that was well connected to the entire Mediterranean and, presumably, had an inhabited area behind it." Radiocarbon dating of the quay's wooden stakes puts it at roughly 75 to AD30. The discovery of the shipwreck in 2020 unearthed naval equipment, like a bronze mooring post in the shape of a swan's head – typical of Roman military vessels – as well as items like lead sling bullets, suggesting that Aenaria may have been a crucial military outpost controlling the Gulf of Naples. Recovered amphorae also suggest Aenaria's wide reach; the 142 clay variants come from 12 Mediterranean production zones, stretching from Campania to the Levant. The most recent analyses showed that the site's lead came from Spain, painting an even clearer picture of how deep Aenaria's intercultural network was. "It's likely there was also a small town nearby [the port]," says Benini. "We found thousands of mosaic tiles, roof tiles, wooden combs for hair, needles for mending nets, decorated plaster… These aren't just ship or trade related. They suggest a residential area." Since the initial digs, two seaside villas have been uncovered, with grand tunnel-like galleries, alcoves and traces of Roman baths. "The ruins of Aenaria give insight into the lives of the ancient people who lived on the island," says Polverino. "It was truly the centre of trade in the Mediterranean. You understand how important Ischia was – and still is – without ever forgetting the history that lies behind it." Looking ahead I ask Benini what she hopes to find this summer. "My dream is to find the foundations of the residential city," she says. "If we've found the port, then we know there was a city." The team hopes to introduce Lidar, Georadar and sub-bottom profiler instruments into the digs, but Benini points out, "That's expensive. We need more investors." Funding aside, the true challenge for those involved has always been reaching a wider audience: "[We are] sharing a part of Ischia's history that, until now, had been missing," says Benini. "What we've found is 99% underwater. It's like Pompeii: until it was excavated in the 1700s, no one knew it was there. But that doesn't mean it wasn't important or didn't exist." "We rewrote history," adds Lauro. "They gave up on finding something in the bay. But we found something." -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
How to experience Italy like a local this summer
There are a million reasons to go to Italy, so why do visitors always go to the same few places? Here are our favourite ways to shake up your Italian itinerary. Does it seem like everyone is in Italy right now? Italy has been ranked as the top destination for American travellers in 2024 and 2025, according to a study by Price Waterhouse Cooper and the United States Tour Operators Association, but the honour should come as no surprise. The nation welcomes 80 million international visitors annually, drawn by its pastel-coloured villages, Renaissance treasures and Roman ruins. From the Etruscans to the Romans to the Byzantines, each civilisation that has passed through this boot-shaped nation has left their own unique architectural stamp on the land, transforming its cities into open-air museums. Italy also enjoys a reputation for a deliciously laid-back lifestyle – especially in summer, when everybody's in the piazza and beach umbrellas stud the coastlines. "Italy doesn't ask you to be a tourist; it invites you to feel something," says Ruben Sanpietro, CEO and founder of Visit Italy. "It's a country where chaos meets elegance, where silence in a mountain village can be as powerful as an opera at [Milan's] La Scala [theatre]. You can visit 10 times, and the 11th time still surprises you, not with something new, but with something ancient you hadn't noticed before. Italy doesn't entertain you. It transforms you." A 2024 study by TourismA found foreign visitors stick to the same few popular cities – equaling just 1% of Italy's territory. Here are our favourite ways to explore the other 99% this summer. Why Italy? There are a million reasons to visit. Here are some of our favourites. The Palio of Siena attracts history buffs with its recreation of a medieval horse race (2 July and 16 August), while Milan Fashion Week and opera season in Shakespeare's fair city of Verona are musts for culture vultures. Sports fans can experience the Giro d'Italia (9 May to 1 Jun in 2025) or the Formula One Grand Prix held in Imola (spring) and Milan (late summer). Hack: Upwards of 30 million pilgrims are expected to head to St Peter's Basilica in Italy's already-overtouristed capital city to celebrate the Jubilee year for Roman Catholics. Visitors dreaming of Rome in 2025 would do well to skip summer and come during the shoulder months of October to March, avoiding the religious holidays of Easter, the Immaculate Conception (8 December), Christmas and the Epiphany (6 January). For a detour from the bucket list art cities, visit the Dolomites. This limestone mountain range – spanning the Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions – is beloved by Italians for its epic skiing and hiking, and lacks the tourist crowds of Rome, Florence and Venice. "Limited time is an issue," admits Fiorenza Lipparini, DMO of Milan & Partners, which runs the website YesMilano. "There are no close international airports and a lack of accommodation – we're talking about very small villages." The Dolomites, with their wild valleys, gorges and lakes offer thrilling hikes year-round. "They really are the most beautiful mountains in the world, from the Swiss Alps to [the valley of] Val Gardena," says Lipparini. "They're good in the summer almost as much as in the winter." Meanwhile, Agrigento, Sicily is Italy's 2025 Capital of Culture. Explore its Unesco-listed Valley of Temples, and unwind on the stunning Scala dei Turchi beach. Food & drink Italian food is one of the most beloved cuisines in the world, but its superpower is its deep regionality. Tasting a familiar favourite like pizza in its homeland is a holy pilgrimage, but failing to try the deep culinary cuts is sacrilege. When in Rome, enjoy pasta alla carbonara (pasta with egg yolk, pecorino Romano cheese and pork cheek) at Da Teo in romantic Trastevere or pasta cacio e pepe at Felice a Testaccio in Rome's ex-slaughterhouse district. Bistecca alla fiorentina – rare, ultra thick T-bone steak – in Florence is iconic (get a great one at Trattoria Mario on Via Rosina). Venice is famous for its cicchetti, baguette bites topped with a variety of seafood, meats and vegetables; they're delectable at Bar All'Arco in San Polo. Try traditional Milanese cuisine at Trattoria Masuelli San Marco, like osso buco (braised veal shanks) and risotto alla milanese (saffron-flavoured risotto). Seaside Naples is the birthplace of pizza; get a perfect pie at the historic Antonio Starita. Bologna is the epicentre of stuffed pastas such as tortellini and lasagna bolognese; try them at generational pasta maker Sfoglia Rina on Via Castiglione. Be sure to sample artisanal products at the source; visit a caseificio (dairy) like the Caseificio di Biagio Staiano in Ravello to sample – and make! – fresh mozzarella, or one of Italy's 26 stunning national parks for the zero-kilometre culinary experience of a lifetime. Oenophiles, you'd do well to venture past Tuscany. Sip volcanic island wines like the Biancolella in Ischia, or travel to the Russo family's Cantina del Vesuvio, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, to try Lacryma Cristi ("Tears of Christ"), an ancient wine produced from Vesuvius' indigenous grapes, said to have been drank in Roman times. How to fit in Italy's monuments have attracted a lot of misbehaving tourists in recent years – don't be one of them. Keep your shoulders covered when visiting religious sites, and keep your hands off historical treasures. Tipping is not expected or enforced in Italy (regardless of what the cheeky waiter might suggest). Stick to traditional Italian mealtimes and food customs: a light breakfast of a pastry and espresso or cappuccino, lunch at 13:00, aperitivo (happy hour with snacks) from 17:00-19:00 and dinner after 20:00. Ask for a cappuccino after 11:00 and risk a wince from your barista. Cultural attractions Few are truly prepared for the magnificence of doomed Pompeii, and few visitors know that nearby Herculaneum was also destroyed – and preserved – by the eruption. Further south, the ruins of Paestum display exquisite temples and rare painted Greek tombs. Art lovers usually head straight to the Sistine Chapel in Rome, but Renaissance masterpieces abound throughout Italy, like Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper at the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. "The Last Supper, like the Mona Lisa, is universal," says Lipparini. "[It's] an unparalleled theatrical scene where love and anticipation, suspense and betrayal emerge from the collective interaction of the masterful portraits of Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles." In Naples, find the Baroque Cappella Sansevero and Giuseppe Sanmartino's reality-defying masterpiece, il Cristo Velato, depicting the slain, shrouded Christ. The incredible realism of what appears to be a thin veil sculpted in marble has confounded admirers for centuries. Outdoor adventure Soaring mountain passes and centuries-old forests mean incredible hiking and cycling. "Cycling is an ideal way to discover the city and experience a day out on two wheels," says Lipparini. Try tackling a tract of the Via Francigena, an ancient 6th-Century, 1,700km pilgrimage trail snaking from Canterbury, England to Puglia in Italy's deep south, or check out YesMilano's Lombardy-based bike routes. Trekkers hit the rainbow-hued expanse of the Cinque Terre National Park and skyscraping Path of the Gods on the lemon-perfumed Amalfi seaside culture has inspired countless films – and holidays. Today, its beaches range from family-friendly clubs like the sprawling white-sand San Vito lo Capo in Sicily to party beaches like Bazzano in Sperlonga on the Tyrrhenian Sea. You can explore Italy below the surface, too: take a guided snorkelling tour to discover underwater kingdoms like the sunken Roman villas of Baia or Ischia's underwater Roman city of Aenaria. Shopping and markets "Shopping in Milan is a unique experience," says Lipparini of the nation's fashion capital. "You'll find emerging brands – both in fashion and design." Apart from the ultra-luxe (and ultra-frequented) Quadrilatero della Moda, Lipparini suggests visiting the Isola and Nolo neighbourhoods, both blooming with vintage and secondhand shops, as well as the Tortona Design District. "Without neglecting the Sarpi [Chinatown] or [quirky] Navigli neighbourhoods," she adds. At the other end of the shopping spectrum, the market – mercato – is an integral part of everyday Italian life. Most cities host a weekly street market, where shoppers can score anything from vintage clothing to fresh fish. La Pignasecca in Naples is renowned as a hotspot for Neapolitan street food. Support Italy's artisans by shopping for handmade traditional goods, like Vietri pottery in Vietri sul Mare on the Amalfi Coast, intarsio (inlaid woodwork) in Sorrento, mosaics in Spilimbergo or Murano glass in Venice. Day trips to experience the real Italy Find wonders far from the main tourist crowds. Top day trips from Rome Classic: Trains (~35m) run regularly to the Castelli Romani; a group of cobblestoned towns beloved for their rustic eateries (fraschette). Ariccia is famous for its porchetta; get some at Osteria da (2h) Head to Sperlonga, a seaside town halfway between Rome and Naples. Its white-and-blue Saracen ancient quarter has Santorini vibes, and its azure seas hide ancient Roman grottos. Top day trips from Florence Classic: Wander the russet-coloured streets of medieval Siena (1hr); head to the twin towers of San The Val d'Orcia (1.5hr) valley is home to excellent wellness centres and spas. Head to Palazzo del Capitano in San Quirico d'Orcia after a day of cycling. Top day trips from Naples Classic: (1hr) Wander Sorrento's historic centre and visit the Cataldi Lemon Orchard to sip flights of 100% organic (33 minutes) Take the Cumana railway to Lucrino in the Campi Flegrei to snorkel the underwater ruins of a submerged Roman villa at the Parco Sommerso di Baia. Top day trips from Milan Classic: Italy's great Alpine lakes – Como, Maggiore and Garda – draw both tourists and locals for a Sunday stroll. "Take the train from Cadorna to Lake Como," advises Lipparini. "It takes an hour and you're on the famous lake where everybody wants to get married."Detour: Speed demons will appreciate visiting majestic Monza (15m); the site of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza racetrack. Where to stay in Italy Hospitality is in Italy's DNA. Farm staysIdeal for families and groups. Enjoy farm-to-table meals prepared at hilltop La Fontaccia, a rustic property on 14 hectares of olive groves half an hour's drive outside of Florence. Luxury accommodationsThe Grand Hotel Quisisana in Capri, built in 1845, overlooks the iconic Faraglioni rock formation and the Gardens of Augustus. It's filled with vintage tiled suites with opulent decor. B&Bs, hotels and pensioniThe Cima Rosa in Venice offers five charming, modern suites in a 15th-Century palazzo. HostelsBudget-minded travellers can find accommodations in Italy, especially in the larger cities. The Beehive in Rome near Termini Station is a friendly space with a shared kitchen and pleasant outdoor seating area. Boutique hotelsBlink and you'll miss the entrance to Le Petit Palais on the steep Via Pedamentina in Naples' Vomero neighbourhood. It's a charming boutique guesthouse with sublimely decorated rooms and a breathtaking tiled rooftop terrace. Unique traditional staysTravel back in time when you stay in Alberobello's ancient cone-shaped trulli and the sassi rock dwellings of Matera. Getting Around Italian cities are supremely walkable, but in ancient towns – particularly Amalfi Coast cities like Positano – be prepared to climb seemingly endless stone steps. Choose footwear that won't get tripped up by the cobblestones. Public transportNavigate between cities with TrenItalia, the national train company, and regional bus companies (see their respective apps to check timetables and purchase tickets). Rome, Milan, Naples and most recently Turin also have metro systems. DrivingNorth American drivers will need an International Driver's License. On the Amalfi Coast, scooters are the most convenient option, but with the area's torturous curves, intense summer traffic and devil-may-care attitude towards traffic laws, only attempt if you're already an experienced are available on request but tend to be expensive. When to visit Summertime is beautiful in Italy, but time your trip for early to mid-summer to avoid inflated high-season costs, massive tourist hordes and suffocating heat waves. Avoid August, the month when Italians traditionally go on summer holiday, adding to crowds and the shutdown of many businesses and attractions. Wonderful hikes are to be had in spring and autumn while some of the best swimming happens in October, after the tourists have cleared out and the heat has mellowed. In autumn, join the vendemmia (grape harvest); in winter, enjoy Christmas celebrations and partake in Italy's ski culture. Off season means less crowds and lower costs, but also fewer services. Reserve accommodations and research ferry and bus times well in advance. As overtourism continues to surge in many Italian destinations, travellers should explore what the other 99% of this spectacularly beautiful country has to offer. "We're moving beyond the clichés," says Sanpietro. "The Italy of 2025 is bold, conscious, and deeply connected to its roots. You'll find ancient festivals reborn with new energy, culinary traditions elevated by the next generation of chefs, and small villages transformed into cultural hubs thanks to creative tourism and sustainable innovation. It's the year to come not just to admire Italy, but to understand it. To walk slower, ask questions, taste everything, and let the unexpected happen." Want to explore even further? Check out BBC Travel's 25 Best Places to Travel in 2025 to find all the best destinations punctuating the globe right now. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. vv
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
South Africa vs Italy live: Latest score and updates as Springboks bid to seal series
South Africa and Italy tussle again after a hard-fought first Test in Pretoria last week. The Springboks emerged as 42-24 victors to go 1-0 up in this short series, though the world champions did not have it all their own way by any means as the Azzurri gave an excellent account of themselves. Confidence will be high in the Italian ranks after relocating to coastal Gqeberha on the Eastern Cape as they seek another statement performance. Rassie Erasmus makes a number of changes to the hosts' side as the Springboks supremo continues to develop depth within his squad with the Rugby Championship to come next month. It will be a proud day for Willie le Roux as the full-back becomes the eighth South African to reach a century of caps, with the veteran still going strong as he nears his 36th birthday. Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus reveal the secrets behind the Springboks' evolution South Africa are back-to-back world champions for a reason, Rassie Erasmus seemingly always able to keep his side ahead of the game. Last year, I went to find out the secrets behind their next evolution as they set their sights on more success. Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus reveal the secrets behind the Springboks' evolution Double world champions South Africa have transformed into a more attacking side this year as they bid to maintain their place at the top of the rugby world Harry Latham-Coyle12 July 2025 13:52 South Africa vs Italy live A busy July of international rugby action continues with South Africa hosting Italy for the second clash of this two-Test series. The Springboks are 1-0 after a 42-24 win in Pretoria - but the world champions were given a real examination and will be expecting another tough encounter. Kick off is at 4.10pm BST. Harry Latham-Coyle11 July 2025 12:29
