Sunday, March 1, 2015

FEBRUARY 2015

OPEN-AIR MARKET



















02012015 It's the closest thing to "reality travel" in Western Europe — fertile, churning, exuberant, and fun. Naples is one of Italy's major cruise ports, and ships dock right in the town center. A tourist information desk, ready to answer questions and provide maps, lies close to the disembarkation point. Still, some friends I made onboard my last Mediterranean cruise walked 100 yards off the ship, went through the terminal, and peered into Naples' clogged streets. Then they turned around, and spent the day in the ship's pool. Rick Steves: Naples: Italy in Your Face | The Sun Chronicle
02022015 The narrow winding streets take you through the nook and corners of Naples making your journey in the city all full of adventures and thrills. It’s Centro Storico (historic centre), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, boasts of some of the finest archaeology and art of Europe. Its bundle of royal palaces and castles are a symbol of refinement. A city of magnificent sculptures, frescoes, and vistas, there is much more to uncover here on a vacation. Get Introduced to True Italy in Naples | Welcome Rentals
02032015 The everyday objects that survived Vesuvius’s fury - and an amazing amount did - are no longer in Pompeii. They are in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. Guidebooks don’t explain that in Pompeii, you see mostly the shell of the great city, its walls, fountains, bars, temples. To see its interiors, artwork and such everyday objects as lamps, cutlery, and erotica, go to Naples. Pompeii | Saundra and Kelly's vacation dreams
02042015 Among all of the places we visited the most astounding, perhaps because I had least expected it, was the villa believed to have belonged to the family of Poppaea, doomed wife of the Emperor Nero, at Oplontis. Also buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, the Villa Poppaea nestles in the urban dystopia of modern Torre Annunziata, part of the extensive and amorphous Neapolitan hinterland. Peacocks and Fountains. Villa Poppaea at Oplontis. | UnderstandingRome
02062015 Our Walks of Italy tour guided us through ancient Pompeii where we walked through ruins of baths, homes and shops. It was absolutely fascinating to see how well-preserved everything is! We wrapped up our day just before sunset and, while the bus returned the rest of the tour group back to Rome, I stayed behind to take a train to nearby Naples. Discovering Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast with Walks of Italy | The Blonde Abroad
02072015 We like to base ourselves in Sorrento. It is easy to get to, full of history, with several cultural opportunities. However, we also like that Sorrento is a charming and bustling little town. There is a wide variety of restaurants and bars. The shopping is good. Sorrento is also one of the best strolling and people watching towns in Italy. 3 Favorite Hotels in Sorrento Italy | The Traveling Professor 
02082015 Our accommodation was in Atrani, right near Amalfi, and was a B&B recommended by Wade and Megan. The view from the rooms was amazing, looking directly out over the sea! The host, Pino, was also very accommodating and cooked fresh croissants for us very morning. A summer break in Italy | Adrian and Simon at large
02092015 Combine with your wedding in Italy ? Upgrade to the Legendary Capri Palace Hotel. Highlights of Italy | Travel In Style
02102015 The Casa Rossa (or Red House) in Anacapri peaks through the memories recorded by Alberto Savinio. “The inscription above the entrance welcomes me, ‘Hello, inhabitant of Apragopoli’. The emperor was right: there I was, elected honorary citizen of the city of idleness.” The Casa Rossa in Anacapri: made for idleness | Italian Ways
02112015 Rich volcanic soil from the eruption that buried the Roman city of Pompeii in 79 A.D. feeds the world’s loveliest of lovelies when it comes to tomatoes. San Marzano, a variety of plum tomatoes and the only ones fit for authentic Neapolitan pizzas, are revered the world over. But there’s another unique tomato with an impressive lust for life. It keeps fresh for months, intensifying in flavour. The Piennolo grape tomato is but one of the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) products of Italy, which safeguards standards of quality and authenticity. These little tomatoes are harvested in June and woven into clusters; home cooks use them as needed well into autumn. These hardy survivors need no irrigation, only the rain and are great friends with seafood. Southern Italy food tour part 1 Campania Italy | blogs.vancouversun.com
02122015  Our guests who will exhibit a picture of Foody at the reception will have a little gift from Villa Sorrento ... A characteristic bag of Sorrento lemons and oranges. Villa Sorrento is Expo 2015's friend! | Villa Sorrento
02132015 Thanks to Ecco Pizza&Pasta, visitors to Expo Milano 2015, hailing from as many as 140 countries throughout the word, will be given an opportunity to taste a series of typical foods, purchase DOP and IGP products and glean information about our finest culinary specialities. Additionally, they will also have a chance to familiarize themselves with the time-honoured tradition of Campanian food and wine. Ecco Pizza & Pasta | Where Naples Coast & Islands
02142015 Robin Crews explores the island of Ischia in a day. Any visit to Naples is enhanced by a trip to the islands, and Ischia is an easy hop over the water. Though the volcanic island is very small – less than 50 square kilometres – it is packed with must-see sights. From a great hike, to beautiful coastlines, an espresso tour, a relaxing spa or a visit to the lost Colosseum, Ischia certainly packs the punch in things to see and do. Italia! March issue on sale now! | Italia!
02152015  There really is no way to accurately describe the Amalfi coast and give it justice. Think jagged, tall cliffs; winding roads; water in shades of blue you cannot find in a 100 pack crayon box; street-side fruit vendors; pockets of charming towns; and finally, horizons that blend so well you are not sure where water meets sky. That's Amore! Our Day in Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, and the Amalfi Coast | Dessertation
02162015 We visited a local craftsman that created hand carved cameos from local shells.  The man in the picture makes each cameo by hand. It was a family run business that had been in operation for over 50 years. He makes traditional portrait cameos as well as floral designs. Mediterranean Cruise: Amalfi Coast & Pompeii | Sweet Carolina Belle
02172015 You only have one day to explore Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, so make it count! Take the pressure off and make the most of your short time in this beautiful and fascinating part of the country with our guided Pompeii tour from Rome. You’ll embark on an in-depth exploration of the ruins at Pompeii followed by a relaxing drive along the beautiful Amalfi Coast, with time to let your hair down and explore the jewelbox seaside town of Positano. Pompeii Tours from Rome with Amalfi Coast | Walks of Italy
02182015 This morning, join your guide for a walking tour of Sorrento, famous for the production of limoncello, a digestive made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water and sugar. Other agricultural production in this resort town of Campania include citrus fruit, wine, nuts and olives. Inlaid wooden music boxes and furniture are manufactured here, as well.  Optional tour this afternoon to a local Mozarella farm and pizza party. Spring Fling to Italy's Spectacular Amalfi Coast - ACT Tours
02192015 Meta is the magic entrance to the Penisola Sorrentina, featuring a breath-taking panorama that fascinates tourists from all over the world with its observation platforms. Meta name derives from “Miliarium”, ancient Roman stone used in order to mark the distances along the Roman public roads. Meta is even famous for its characteristic ninth century dated coastal watchtowers. About Meta: the territory and its attractions | sorrentocoast.biz
02202015 Much of the preparatory work at the Afragola site has already been completed. The station is expected to serve as an interchange between high speed and local services, says infrastructure manager RFI. Astaldi to complete Napoli Afragola station | Railway Gazette International
02212015 Walking the streets among the locals, you’ll discover a number of unique stores, many of which sell lemon inspired products, one of the staples of life in Positano. Continuing down the cliff further into the town, you’ll soon stumble upon the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. This ancient church is the landmark of the town and clearly stands out to all who pass through, thanks to its beautiful majolica-mosaic dome. PortFolio: Positano, Italy (Naples) | Cruise Currents
02222015 Antica Sartoria is a wonderland of Positano Moda - a Bohemian style that took hold in the 1960s, when visitors “discovered” the Amalfi Coast and needed beachwear to match the delightful surroundings. Caftans, pareos, flowing skirts, and dresses, are done up in vibrant patterns, enhanced by embroidery and lace. Six Favorite Shops in Sorrento | About Travel
02232015 “I hate the idea of fake military clothes,” said Ciongoli. “It’s disrespectful to the people who earned them.” Instead, he took mid-century-inspired tailoring, softened it up the Neapolitan way, and added staples that he imagined Capa would need - Henleys, twill trousers, a trenchcoat vest, and 501-inspired denim. Eidos Napoli is a brand of Neapolitan tailoring for cool guys. Skateboarding, WWII, and Italian Tailoring Meet in Eidos Napoli’s Fall 2015 Collection | Style.com
02242015 The unifying tread was the language in which Galeazzi sang. It was Italian here and there but predominantly Neapolitan, the speakers of which insist is a language not a dialect. Within the Gaetano Donizetti Suite, she sang the very popular I te voglio bene assaje. This was at the beginning of the concert when the voice still had not warmed up enough, amends for which were amply made as the evening progressed. Earlier on we had some Pergolesi-inspired music in the Suite from Stravinsky’s Pulcinella which included the lovely Pastorella and a lively (what else!) tarantella. Galeazzi sang in Neapolitan but a lot of Spanish spirit was inevitable. Centuries of direct Spanish rule left its mark on Naples. Neapolitan folk songs | Times of Malta
02252015 I arrived just in time yesterday on Carnevale to celebrate my favorite part of the day - eating lasagna! I thought that lasagna was traditional all over Italy for Carnevale, but I learned last year that it's pretty much just the Naples area.Home Again on the Amalfi Coast | Ciao Amalfi
02262015 I’d like to focus on the first course: the Neapolitan version of lasagna. It is a traditional dish of Carnival (eaten on Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras) because it is a meaty, plentiful and rich dish, made of different  layers of pasta filled with as many ingredients as you can imagine. First of all it has no béchamel sauce, unlike other Italian versions; moreover the sheets of hard wheat pasta are seasoned with the traditional Neapolitan tomato “ragù” sauce, ricotta cheese, meatballs, hard boiled eggs, “fiordilatte” cheese, “caciocavallo” cheese, grated parmigiano cheese and so on… Italian Carnival Traditions: Neapolitan Mardi Gras menu | tipstogo
02272015 As I served myself some coffee from a silver coffee set into elegant bone china in the Villa Cimbrone breakfast room the next day, I gave up on trying to be glamorous Greta Garbo, and tried to imagine myself as Virginia Woolf preparing for a meeting with the Bloomsbury set.  I think my husband was secretly imagining himself as John Maynard Keynes as he read his newspaper and ate his scrambled eggs. Romantic Ravello and Lacing Wars | Mozzarella Mamma 
02282015 We stayed in one of the smaller towns, Maiori, which meant our apartment was seriously reasonably priced and still within easy reach of the other towns. Placed slightly up in the hills, our apartment overlooked an intimate beach cove and lots and lots of sapphire-blue Tyrrhenian Sea - bliss! We found the people warm, welcoming, and the town full of old, Italian charm. The Amalfi Coast on an Italian Shoestring | The Huffington Post