Unimaginable walls of blue ice surrounded us as we walked down the narrow, long gorge of Serrai di Sottoguda, at the base of Marmolada mountain. Only reached on foot, the gorge was created long ago by an earthquake and then water erosion from the Pettorina stream, which still flows through it. In winter, the waterfalls […]
Little Venice: Chioggia
There are 117 islands in the Venice Lagoon. Only about 32 are inhabited and we’d only been to five. So when Tim asked what I wanted to do this weekend, I thought we’d stay a little closer to home and visit the island of Chioggia in the Venetian Lagoon. Chioggia is often called Little Venice […]
Ice Art: Italy’s International Snow Sculpture Festival
Each January, artists from around the world gather with their shovels, ladders, buckets and axes to sculpt unique forms from snow. The competition lasts three days in which teams of artists from Italy, Germany, Romania and Canada work to transform their gigantic cubes of pressed snow and ice into masterpieces. On the third day, judges […]
10th Annual Jesolo Sand Nativity
Nativity displays or presepi are an important part of the Christmas to Epiphany season in Italy. Perhaps one of the most unusual is the Jesolo Sand Nativity. Each year since 2001, 1500 tons of sand is painstakingly sculpted into extraordinary works of art by the best sand sculptors in the world. Visitors come from around […]
La Strada del Vino Friuli (The Friuli Wine Road)
The Friuli Venezia Giulia is a land of ancient wine vocation, where the production takes place seamlessly of the Colli Orientali del Friuli and Collio, which give the best white wines of the peninsula. Starting with the composition of its terrain, Friuli is a region perfect for grape-growing. The lower plains of Collio, the area […]
Running Santas, Sand Nativity and a Snowy Beach – Jesolo, Italy
Each December, running Santas, or Babbo Natale in Italian, take to the streets and beach in Jesolo for the annual Babbo Natale Run. There is a 2.5K family run and a 10K competitive run. The only requirement – you must don a Santa suit! Nativity displays or presepi are an important part of the Christmas […]
Natale di Luce in una Cometa di Vetro – Murano, Italy
Murano is an island in the Venice lagoon, easily reached from Venice by vaporetto. Murano’s reputation as a center for glass-making was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction to the city’s mostly wood buildings, ordered glass-makers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. Murano glass is still interwoven with Venetian glass. […]
Fiera dell’Aglio di Voghiera
The Fiera dell’Aglio di Voghiera, or Garlic Festival, is held every August when the year’s crop is harvested. Set at the Castello del Belriguardo, fair goers can sample garlic gelato (yes, I tried it and on the Italian national news at that!), garlic bread, typical Ferrarese raviolis with cheese and garlic, and grilled meats with […]
Ferrara, Italy
Ferrara is still surrounded by more than 9 kilometres of ancient walls, mainly built in the 15th and 16th centuries. Together with those of Lucca, they are the best preserved Renaissance walls in Italy. Today, you can walk or even take a bicycle ride along the top of the walls. The most iconic building of the […]
Lessinia Regional Nature Park
It’s not easy to believe that long ago, instead of the lush green Lessinia Regional Park we see today, the area was covered with a warm sea rich in tropical flora and fauna.Today, the 100 kilometer square protected area is an eco and adventure travelers’ dream with tons of adventure activities available all year […]
