Italia Mia

Italy has secured its place in the global diet with the likes of espresso, cappuccino, pasta and pizza.
The latest addition to the culinary lexicon is … gelato, the Italian version of ice cream.
And despite tough economic times, gelato-making is a booming business.
At Anzola dell’Emilia, a short drive from the Italian city of Bologna, people from all over the world are lining up for courses in gelato-making.
This is the headquarters of Carpigiani, the world’s biggest gelato machine. Next door are the Carpigiani Gelato University and Museum of Gelato Culture and Technology. [...]

Ride a ferry, a public boat, a tourist boat, a dinner boat, a kayak, a boat and breakfast, do a historic transfer, or take a famous Venetian gondola.

The Sgroppino, a creamy-smooth, frothy alcoholic beverage, is actually more of a digestivo (digestive) or liquid dessert than an aperitivo (cocktail).

Created by the inventive and masterful Venetians back in the 16th century, the Sgropin, as it’s called in the Venetian dialect, means to untie the little knots — the ones in your stomach following a rather large meal. Further away from La Serenissima it’s called a Sgroppino, or simply Sorbetto.

Made with milk-free lemon sorbetto (sorbet) and a bit of alcohol, the Sgroppino was served in aristocratic Venetian homes during dinner to cleanse the palate between the first and second courses — normally fish to meat — and to also help digest all that was consumed at the tail-end of the dinner.

Rishad Saam Mehta hops on a bike and goes on a ride of a lifetime.
The famous Indian travel writer and photographer for many magazines and newspapers is telling about the Italy he can see from a saddle of a bike

[...] The Sienese Crete area is situated south of Siena, corresponding to the municipalities of Asciano, Buonconvento, Monteroni d’Arbia, Rapolano Terme and San Giovanni d’Asso. All these towns are in the province of Siena: for years their task was to supply grain to this city and entire families worked in the fields.
The literal meaning of “Crete Senesi” is Sienese clays. They are, in fact, very distinctive of this area and resemble a lunar landscape. The Crete Senesi are mainly made by “mattaione”, a sediment of marine origin with a high mineral content.
All around human presence is limited: the sound of nature prevails over the handful of buildings, such as old brick farmhouses. You won’t find any squares, castles or cathedrals here. During summer, a gentle wind shakes the golden wheat, giving the sensation of Heaven on Earth! [...]

June 23rd sees the start of the mountain bike tourism season whereby you can get around the Sella Group with a little help from the lift systems. One way of doing this is the SELLARONDA MTB TOUR, a guided excursion which allows bikers who are reasonably fit and experienced in the discipline to cover most parts of the route of the HERO mtb race. The season comes to a close September 22nd. During the season you can take part in the tour, assisted by a mountain bike guide, which can be booked in any of the four valleys forming part of the itinerary: Val Gardena, Alata Badia, Arabbia, and Val di Fassa. [...]

Click on the photo to read more

The natural beauty of the land, a supreme taste sensation and the genius of great musical artists are the elements forming the three supporting columns of the third edition of the Melodia del Vino Festival, the cultural event, offering tastings and concerts taking place in some of Tuscany’s most stunning locations.

A “journey” unveiling the historical and artistic heritage of the region alongside its rich history of food and wine, travelling between castles and country estates across Tuscany from 27th June to 6th July 2012. The calendar of alluring events will guide visitors on a magical tour through wines, colours and landscapes, promising performances by renowned artists in places of indisputable reputation.

Versilia, Tuscany: Exploring more hidden gems in an off-the-beaten-path destination in Italy, including the beach town of Viareggio.

There are plenty of hiking paths in Cinque Terre, easy and suitable to all ages with amazing views: hiking Cinque Terre.

Cinque Terre is the Italian expression for "Five lands" (Easier to say than to write for foreigners, I often see pages referring to "5 terre" "Cincue Tere", "Cinqe Terre", and other thousands variations): in fact they are five villages more than lands, scattered on less than 20 km of the ligurian riviera.[...]

A group of inmates on a remote prison island off the coast of Italy have started producing their own wine, making them perhaps the country's most unlikely vintners.

By offering you the opportunity to try the voga alla veneta — the unique, stand-up rowing style developed to traverse the city and its lagoon, and made iconic by the gondoliers —  you’ll have  a rare, first-hand experience of this rich heritage. At the same time, you’ll be supporting our non-profit organization’s efforts to keep this the voga an integral part of the city, as we raise international awareness and generate broader support for the role of the voga and typical Venetian boats.

Tim Parks is ideally suited to describing the customs and foibles of Italian ways

[...] To me the outdoor clothes lines have become a symbol of Italy. Especially old cities like Napoli and Venice where colourful garlands of socks and shirt sleeves crisscross the narrow alleys or ‘calle’ that mark the paved back entrance of the houses, while the front door face the canals. Along house fronts strands of laundry connect the windows belonging to one apartment allowing a glimpse of the tenants’ private life to be visible in public. It is not hard to deduct age, family size and social status from the items on a clothesline. [...]

[...] I've come to Tuscany's workaday Carrara to follow in the footsteps of Michelangelo. Not for me the usual tourist itinerary of church gawping and crowded art galleries. On a new two-day break that combines this brief sculpture class among powder-tinged statues with a visit to the region's famous quarries, I'll be experiencing the essence, the distillation if you like, of the world's most memorable marble creations.
But first off, a chat with Francesca, direct descendant of the workshop's 19th century founder. Carrara once boasted over 100 similar establishments - the marble equivalent of bronze foundries - but nowadays, only Nicoli's is still in operation.[...]

"In the Footsteps of Michelangelo" is offered by Hotel Principe Forte dei Marmi, a member of Great Hotels of the World (020 7380 3658; ghotw.com). The rate is 350 euros per person per night half-board, including a visit to the quarry and sculpture studio experiences, museum entries in Pietrasanta, aperitivo and lunch in Colonnata. British Airways (ba.com) flies from Gatwick and Heathrow to Pisa from £140 return.

1. Piedmont, Italy: Acqui Terme to Relais & Chateaux San Maurizio - Just imagine cycling over the famous Langhe hills, an intimate landscape filled with vineyards, truffles, medieval towns like Montabone and Rocchetta Palafea, and stunning panoramas of an ancient landscape.
2. Puglia, Italy: the coastal road to Leuca - This is one of the most stunning coastal roads in the world with breathtaking views of cliffs and bays. The ride meanders through the fishing village of Santa Cesarea Terme, famous for its Moorish architecture and thermal waters, and continues along the coast passing spectacular sea caves and the town of Castro, where Virgil claims the legendary Aeneas first made landfall in Italy.
3. Hvar, Croatia: around Hvar Island to Paklinski Otoci
4. Tuscany, Italy: through the Crete Senesi and the back roads into Siena - Have you ever been on a ride where you exclaim “this is the most beautiful view I have ever seen” and then your climb another hill, turn a corner and declare, “ok,no, actually this the most beautiful view I have ever seen”, and then you climb a little further, turn another corner and proclaim, “really, this is definitely the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen”. Well, that’s what this bicycle ride from Montalcino to Siena is like, especially the final 11k climb up these challenging hills into Siena. This route takes you along the bare ridges of the Crete Senesi through Asciano and Vescona to Arbia and then follows the timeless back roads up a series of challenging hills to enter Siena in truly evocative fashion. This is a definitely a ride worth taking!
5. Switzerland: Lausanne – Montreux
6. Mallorca, Spain: the ride to Cap Formentor
7. Korcula, Croatia: Korcula Island
8. The Alps, France: Tour de France stage climbs
9. Burgundy, France: Haute Cotes du Beaune
10. Connemara, Ireland: Clifden and the Boglands

The island of Montecristo of the Tuscan Archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea has officially become uninhabited. The last nature reserve keeper and his wife left the island about a month ago due to the budget cuts.
Montecristo is not easy to visit. Until a few years ago only scientists and park rangers could disembark at Cala Maestra, the island’s natural harbour, where boats are allowed to dock. It was open for guided tours only in 2008 but the number of visitors is limited to 1000 a year.
Only 50 people are allowed to step on the island’s soil per day. The tour lasts 6 hours and takes the curious to see the 19-th century Royal Villa, botanical garden, the natural history museum and along the three paths running through the island. It is prohibited to swim, camp, fish or stay overnight on Montecristo. [...]

How to get to Maggiore lake, discovering Arona, Stresa and the lake Borromeo isles. Special train offers from Milan

Italian holidays can be affordable and an adventure: search out farmhouses in hilltop villages in Liguria and on the Amalfi Coast, plus self-catering or camping options in Pescara and Venice