Tag: Italy

Reasons Why You Should Plan Your Next Holidays to Puglia

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With a delightful mixture of sightseeing and exciting activities, there are a lot of good reasons for planning your holidays to Puglia.

Puglia – the southern region of Italy has everything you think about the great nation. To start with, it is the sun-bleached heel of Italy’s boot, adorned by the turquoise blue water, sandy beaches and miles of wild coastlines of the Adriatic Sea. The cities are filled with chic bars and cozy eateries, while the countryside produces the ingredients- the olives, the cheese, the wines! People carved houses out of stones in the ancient times, and the architects built the extravagant churches and synagogues. It has seen countless number of conquerors, but also lovingly known as the ‘Florence of the South’.

Therefore, holidays to Puglia is a popular phenomenon. Be it a trip to bond with the special someone, or an occasion to spend with the family; Puglia is the destination for your perfect Italian holiday. Find out the reasons why!

Sandy Beaches

As a region surrounded by the sea, the silky sand beaches are an obvious attraction. The 4km stretch of Torre Lapillo formed an arc between two 16th century watchtower, making it ideal for families. Whereas, Pescoluse – the southernmost point is known as the Maldives of Puglia. The Baia dei Turchi is wild, for its lines of pine trees. Anyways, Puglia is not only about sunbathing. In July every year, the town Polignano al Mare hosts some of the world’s most-skilled divers. Spots like San Gregorio, Grotta della Poesia also offers some nice cliff jumping opportunities. For adventure seekers, there is also the opportunity of scuba diving at Otranto ad Torre Lapillo.

Sneak-a-peek to the Past

Puglia showcases some of the most exquisite ways of living of our predecessors. The Town Matera houses a complex of cave dwelling carved into the mountains during the ancient period. Grotte di Castellana goes back some 90 million years, and is now the most famous caverns in the region. The baroque splendor of Lecce, the 13th century castle ‘Castel del Monte’, the Scolanova Synagogue and other Jewish heritage in Trani, etc. are just a few examples of Puglia’s rich architectural heritage. The Trulli homes of Valle d’Itria sheds a bright light on its traditional ways of living in the countryside, with their fairy-tale like whitewashed stone and cone-shapes roofs. Many of Puglia’s archaeological sites have been recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage committee, and provides a charming sneak-a-peek to the past.

Great Tasting Foods

The highly-regarded Italian culinary arts extend to the Puglia region, albeit, with a twist of local delicacies. Great tasting obvious items like seafood and pastas can be found everywhere. However, it’s their heritage of local cuisines that got declared as an expression of a unique culture by UNESCO. ‘Fave e Cicoria’, ‘Caciocavallo’ cheese from Martina Franca, Biscotto di Ceglie, etc. are some of its local cuisines. The region is also famous for producing extra virgin olive oils, and its locally produced wines.

Travel-friendly Environment

For its popularity, Puglia is well-equipped to deal with a strong surge of tourists every year. There are a lot of great hotels and resorts, some of which are restored medieval farmhouse, or centuries old warehouses. There are also a lot private tour and public tour packages offered all across the year. From a day-long guided walking tour to a long safari across the region – you are sure to find a package suitable for your need. You can also choose to tailor-made your itineraries with the help of a guide.

Guide For A City Break To Milan

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When it comes to travelling throughout Italy, it sounds like the most romantic holiday getaway and you might leave many jealous. Between Rome, Naples, Milan and more, it can be a daunting task trying to make sure you see all the best parts of each. Not familiar with some of them? No problem! It can be time consuming to look into each of them, so check out this easy to digest guide to a city break in Milan to help you plan the ultimate visit to this beautiful and fashionable northern Italian city. So get your taxi booked and hit the town – this is one place you will want to visit time and again!

Churches

If there’s one thing that Italy is famous for, it’s churches. While many think about the likes of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, but Milan has a whole variety of churches which are beautiful and welcome visitors. In fact, there’s so many that you probably won’t have time to see them all unless you’re a real church aficionado, but if you want to see at least one, make it the Duomo. The Duomo is Milan’s main cathedral and at around 800 years old, it’s one of the oldest. Visitors can climb to the top for some spectacular views around the piazza it’s built on. If you like artwork and architecture though, check out the Saint Mary of the Graces church – home to some impressive examples of renaissance art, sculpture and paintings. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and entry is free.

Squares

It’s no surprise that Milan would be a city of squares – and we don’t mean the eating kind. Town squares, known as piazzas in Italy, are beautiful open spaces often with fountains, cafes and restaurants, usually home to a church or two and often paved with marble tiles or the like. The resulting feel is a cosmopolitan and beautiful example of architecture and building ideas that allow for an open air meeting space of locals and tourists alike. One of the most popular Milan piazzas is the Piazza Mercati, a beautiful medieval style square that comes alive with lights and music at Christmas time with a small market. The rest of the year you can enjoy the gorgeous examples of Italian homes that are on display before sampling some of the cuisine or gelato off the square in one of the shops or restaurants. You can book a great Milan tour to make sure you see a few more of the special sites including other piazzas and points of interest as well.

Shopping

Milan is essentially the heart of the Italian fashion scene and it hosts the world famous Milan Fashion Week each autumn. This is the big fashion party of the year where up and coming models can make their debut and popular fashion houses like Gucci, Versace and others showcase their new creations. If you can’t make it for fashion week (good luck getting tickets!), check out the shopping district for your own look at the fashions of Milan. Via Dante is the street you will want to hit as its home to some of the world’s most high end designers and their street level shops. It’s a great place just to wander around as well though because with all sorts of street vendors, street art and food it’s a lively street that blends a number of styles and curiosities.

So if you’ve been looking for a great way to spend your summer getaway, have a look at Milan. You won’t be disappointed!

Tips on how to move in Milan

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Have you ever dreamt to move to Italy? This city of over 1.3million people has a lot to offer.

Milan is unique and marvelous, a metropolis at a fast pace where creativity is part of a large market. In no other Italian city does the fashion world have as much importance as in Milan.

1) Very good possibilities to get around

No doubt is that Milan is cheaper for the cost of living than London. If you move to Milan, you will find that public transport costs are fairly low and that you can choose to use trains, trams, buses and subways to get around. The Milan underground map and information brochure can help you. Car insurance can be expensive, but the city offers excellent bike and car sharing services, which also help to reduce environmental pollution.

More and more it is possible to walk and visit Milan in a single day, especially because of the pedestrian islands that are constantly built The dock and the area of the Navigli, on foot are very comfortable and both in winter and summer immerse yourself in the Parco Sempione passing from the Castello Sforzesco to the Arco della Pace, is a spectacle.

More intimate and romantic is a walk in the Brera district, among narrow streets curiously populated by fortune-tellers and fashionable Milanese, while some painters perform their works of painting.

2) Walking through the historic centre of Milan

To explore the historic centre of Milan, which is not so vast, the best way to do so is to walk around the city, sifting through streets and squares without haste, and walking through the most famous touristic spots like the Duomo with its grandiose square; the Palazzo Reale; the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Teatro alla Scala; the Pinacoteca di Brera; the Castello Sforzesco; the Basilicas of Sant’Ambrogio and last but not least: the Santa Maria delle Grazie church where you can visit Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece “The last supper”.

Milan is a city in the process of depollution and therefore personal vehicles are strongly discouraged, if not even penalized in favor of completely environmentally friendly bicycles. In this respect, the municipality makes public bicycles available to all through so-called “bike sharing”. It is possible to subscribe to a monthly or annual subscription at ATMs, allowing access to more than 1500 bicycles to complement the public transport service.

3) High speed ways to move around

High-speed trains, flights and motorways ensure good connections with other countries and other major Italian cities. When you live in Milan you are only 45 minutes from Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. It is also possible to visit the beautiful Ligurian coast or ski in the Alps. The city of Milan is a wonderful place for shopping, visiting museums and parks. You can discover the activities to do during your free time in Milan on turismo.milan.it.

4) A day in Milan: the surroundings

If you arrive in the city to go to visit Milan in a day, or returning home, we want to take a look at its surroundings, there are three fascinating destinations because to happen in Milan without being aware of touching them, it would be a shame.

One is the Abbey of Chiaravalle, always within the city limits, and then there is another Abbey, that of Viboldone, near San Giuliano Milanese, one of the most important medieval complexes in Lombardy. Further away, but if you arrive from that direction, do not miss the Taccani hydroelectric plant in Trezzo sull’Adda, historical and interesting.

For those who are not willing to customize their itineraries and are lazy in their establishment, can take advantage of the modern and colorful buses of Lombardy City Sightseeing, complete with drivers and hostesses in uniform, disposable earphones and commentary in eight languages.

Great Reasons Why You Should Rent a Villa in Sicily

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Inspector Montalbano fans will already be familiar with the delights of Sicily, but for those of you who have yet to discover Andrea Camilleri’s wonderful stories of the life of a Sicilian detective, you are in for a real treat. Sicily is a beautiful island with a long and bloody history. Baroque cathedrals, ruined temples, coffee shops, gorgeous beaches, and the most active volcano in Europe, all combine to make Sicily a fascinating destination for your next villa holiday.

Royalty free photo

Mainland Italy is a favourite with many tourists looking for the perfect combination of history and great vino, but you will find this – and more – in Sicily, minus the crowds.

An Undiscovered Gem

Sicily has long been an undiscovered gem, lying at the foot of Italy and largely forgotten about by the main tour operators. It’s a sleepy island, but the locals are friendly and the food is to die for. Fresh seafood takes pride of place in most restaurants. Pasta with sardines and Involtini di PesceSpada are both delicious, and with so much delicious pasta dishes, this is not the best time to be on a diet.

Renting a Sicilian Villa

Renting a villa on Sicily is the best way to discover the charms of this beautiful island. Whether you want a beachfront villa with a private pool or a secluded villa nestled in a sleepy olive grove inland, you will be spoilt for choice if you visit the Scent of Sicily villas.

Take your time browsing villas in Sicily for your next Sicilian vacation. The rugged coastline offers numerous photo opportunities and endless sandy beaches that are largely unspoiled and free from the crowds that blight the popular Italian resorts on mainland Italy. Head inland, though, and you may find yourself staying near a local vineyard or farm, where you can buy fresh produce and relax in the hypnotic scent of bougainvillea flowers at dusk.

Sicilian Food and Drink

Sicilian chefs are also famous for their delectable pastries. Sicilian ricotta cannoli is to die for. You will find a pastry shop on every corner of every street. Buy a plate of cannoli and prepare to be in heaven for a few blissful moments.

After all that carb-loading, you will need a few glasses of local wine. The good news is that you have come to the right place. Sicilian grapes flourish on the fertile slopes of Mount Etna and Sicilian wines are some of the best in the world. Take a tour of some local vineyards – this is the birthplace of Marsala wine!

Finally, while we are on the subject of food and drink, we have to mention the wonderful Sicilian coffee. Sicilians love their coffee. It is practically a national institution. Local coffee tends to be hot and very strong. Order a pot of coffee and watch the world go by; that’s what the locals do.

Once you have your villa all sorted, don’t forget to book a rental car so you can explore the Valley of Temples, the Teatro Greco, and other famous Sicilian landmarks.

—This post is being sponsored by Scent of Sicily