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. Muranoâs reputation as a center for glass-making was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction to the cityâs 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 […]
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 […]
Florence, Italy
A 16th-century man from Florence, Bernardo Buontalenti, an architect and painter with a passion for cooking, is believed to have invented ice cream, which was then exported all over Europe with the famous âcrema fiorentinaâ and âgelato Buontalentiâ. So it is no wonder that Florence hosted the 1st Anuual Firenze Gelato Festival! The festival was […]
Poppy Fields of Italy
The sight of a field of bright, blood-red poppies exploding in mass under the Italian sun is truly one to behold and one I won’t soon forget. The poppy fields of Italy are truly a spectacular sight to see! An ancient Roman legend explains, rather romantically, how the poppy adopted the name ‘Corn’ Poppy. According […]
Bergamo: An Architectural Tour of the Two-Tiered City
Bergamo is a two-tiered city made up of the Citta Alta (upper city) and Citta Bassa (lower city), with the two parts connected by a funicular or by a winding footpath along the city’s defensive walls. Citta Alta is surrounded by 17th century cyclopic defensive walls, fortified by the Venetian Republic. Piazza Vecchia is the […]
