APRIL 2012

GET MARRIED IN RAVELLO

04012012 Italy is top of so many of our travel bucket lists, so obviously we couldn’t resist sharing this sweet Ravello Destination wedding with you. It’s simple – just two people professing their love to each other in the sweetest way. The town of Ravello is made up of gardens, small cobble stone alleyways, birds singing, roosters crowing in the morning, church bells in the distant hills, beautiful cliff side gardens and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. Amalfi Coast Wedding Film from Life Stage Films | Style Me Pretty
04022012 We've stayed at some of the best hotels in the world and in our opinion, Palazzo Sasso ranks as being in our top 3 favorite hotels.  Its' really hard to find ANY flaws.  My wife and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary at the hotel complete with a ceremony renewing our vows and a whirlwind "fashion shoot" by Gianni, an amazing local photagrapher that we hired for the ceremony. Ravello..the Beverly Hills of the Amalfi Coast. |  MyLALifestyle.com
04032012 Villa Rufolo is named after the family that built it, the Rufolo family. The architecture is a perfect fusion of Arabic, Sicilian and Norman design. One of the major aspects of the villa is the Torre Maggiore, a large tower of thirty meters that looms over the town and the sea. It was built to signify the wealth and prominence of the Rufolo family. The gardens of the villa are also notably one of the most beautiful in the world and are said to be the inspiration for Richard Wagner’s opera “Parsifal”. They are full of cypresses and exotic plants and flowers.  It is also home to the famous Ravello Festival, a series of concerts held in the villa as well as other sites around Ravello. Talented musicians and performers travel from around the world to perform for guests under a sky full of stars and a backdrop of jagged coastline. A Magical Place Called Villa Rufolo in Ravello | Italia Living
04042012 Our fabulous London-based Venetian architect, Alvise Orsini, has helped me select the most dreamy handcrafted silken chandeliers from Aqua Creations to illuminate both of my shops at Le Sirenuse. Aqua Creations is a small (and quite young) specialized company in Tel Aviv, producing innovative and highly unique lighting (along with some equally intriguing seating), ranging from incandescent organic globes (like our chosen “9 Palms” design, above) to fantastical ambient sea-creature-like shapes. Aqua Creations | Sirenuseblog.com
04052012 Formerly the property of opera director Fanco Zeffirelli, Villa Tre Ville is a unique villa that is available for rent. Nestled between the village of Positano and Hotel San Pietro, the property offers a spectacular view of the sea spread over four private deluxe villa buildings and plenty to keep entertained. If you’re looking for a nice place to relax for cocktails and other drinks, look no further than the Salone Bianco. Done in the Positano style, the Salone was designed by Renzo Mongiardino and includes white ceramics made by Scotto of Vietri sul Mare. Syrian mother-of-pearl furniture that once belonged to Zeffirelli decorates the Salone. Dine, Drink and Daydream at Villa Tre Ville | Haute Living Magazine
04062012 Procida is less well-known than Capri and other islands in the glorious Bay of Naples, chiefly favored by Italians, a scant 30-minute ferry ride from the mainland and barely a half square mile in size. On Easter weekend, though, the ferries are full because Procida’s Mysteries of the Dead Christ processional—begun in 1754 as a macabre march of flagellants—is one of the most colorful in Italy. Good Friday Festivities on Procida | The Constant Traveler
04072012 If Americas Cup Naples wasn’t already big enough, a number of events and free concerts have been planned for the Event Village and around the city during the week of America’s Cup. The festivities kick off with the inauguration of the Public Event Village at Villa Comunale on the morning of Saturday April, 7th with an inauguration and ribbon cutting ceremony and the passage of the Tricolor Arrows. That evening, Roy Paci e Aretuska will perform a live concert in the historic Cassa Armonica at Villa Comunale. The America’s Cup Naples Opening Ceremony will be held in Piazza del Plebiscito on the evening of Easter Sunday. Meanwhile, Jazz musicians Enrico Rava e Julian Oliver Mazzarello will perform live at the Cassa Armonica in Villa Comunale. Countdown to Americas Cup | Napoli Unplugged
04082012 Another view of Mt. Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples. Tour Day 5, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast | Peggy's Photos
04092012 Fortunately, looking for holiday reading my 16-year old had spotted Mary Beard's Pompeii (an award-winning book that became a TV series), which is rich in absorbing detail and this helped to whet young appetites and arouse curiosity. No youth hostel: we stayed at Sorrento, at the other end of bite-shaped Bay of Naples from the city itself, within sight of Vesuvius. Around the corner of the promontory is the lovely Amalfi coast, offshore the much-sung Isle of Capri, and the Emperor Augustus had a holiday villa in Sorrento, part of it in the grounds of our hotel , the sedately magnificent Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. The Edwardians loved Sorrento and you can see why. The view across the bay to the volcano turned even a salty sailor like Horatio Nelson into a romantic - he wooed Emma Hamilton away from her husband, the British ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples. Pomp and splendour | Mail Online
04102012 They are the new faces of an old folk tradition, but they are also part of an unrivaled sideshow of music freaks. This is the new generation of new melodic singers from Naples: a boundless battalion of the youngest performers of the local melodic taste, trying to replicate Nino D'Angelo's fame which burst on to the scene in the 90's. Alessio, Raffaello, Rosario, Nancy and Fortuna grew up watching local Tv programmes, dreaming of being part of the dream factory that is show business. Naples. Neomelodici: the new music circus | Storee.se
04112012 In 1325 Charles, Duke of Calabria began construction on what is now one of the richest monuments in Naples, the monastery of San Martino. The extensive layout of the place, serenely ensconced just below the massive Castel Sant’Elmo, is nothing less than palatial, boasting two fine cloisters and a dazzling array of architectural and artistic wonders. Certosa di San Martino | DK Travel
04122012 "This collection for Macy's captures the essence of the Italian summer lifestyle and is at the same time true to my style,” said Alberta Ferretti. “I imagine a sensual woman that was joyfully elegant and unequivocally Italian. I am happy that Maria Carla’s unique style, Ellen Von Unwerth’s modern eye, and the fairy-tale atmosphere of Positano made my imagination become real. I'm glad I had the opportunity to give a solar, fresh and joyful Italian dream to the customers of Macy's and I believe that these items will become staple dresses in their wardrobe.”
04132012 Il Costa Torre is a former Saracen tower dating back to the 15th century. It’s located along the Amalfi Coast about 2 km from Maiori, in a dominating position sheer above the sea. This property provides a fantastic atmosphere.It stretches from the panoramic coastal road right down to the sea. As you descend, you will discover a delightful and perfectly-tended Mediterranean garden full of surprises: from the Jacuzzi located on a terrace ledge, suspended between the sea and the sky, to a sauna hidden behind a rock that looks onto a beautiful inlet of the Mediterranean. Il Costa Torre | RentaVilla Europe
04142012 The journey starts in Cava de’ Tirreni: the perfect starting point for your journey and an ideal way in to the coastal walks towards the marine villages of Vietri sul Mare and Cetara. Tramonti, a pleasant location of Amalfi Coast untouched by mass tourism, is embedded in an interesting rural surroundings and it is perfect to live a peaceful sojourn enjoying wonderful atmosphere, traditional food and renowned local wine. Highlights & Backroads of the Amalfi Coast - Hiking tour | Much Better Adventures
04152012 In the vast choice of Sorrento restaurants Italy, stands for color and originality the restaurant Aurora Light, one of the few light restaurants in Sorrento, located in the central Piazza Tasso. If, however, to the tantalizing flavor of the Aurora Light dishes adds the class and elegance of the great wines in large format, here are ready the evenings "The colors of Aurora Light & the Magnum of Canonico 1898". Three themed evenings dedicated to the primary colors and fine wines of the Canonico. When the color meets the wine in Sorrento | Sorrento Plares
04162012 Asprinio has very particular viticultural and vinification traditions The grape variety is grown on local poplar trees and can rise up to 30-45 feet in the air. The vines grow up the trees and then are bent onto wires that are strung between the poplars. This was apparently an Etruscan technique. This vine wall is quite a sight. This system is called vite maritate (married vines). In order to pick these grapes, the growers have to climb very high in the air on thin ladders called scale napoletane (Neapolitan ladders). Asprinio, a Grape That Has Been Made Into Wines for 2000 + Years | Alta Cucina Inc
04172012 The 1934 taurasi is a deeply pitched, intense wine that boasts incredible richness considering its 76 years of age. Dried prunes, leather, tobacco, licorice and spices are woven together in this fully esolved Taurasi. Even though the 1934 is full of tertiary aromas it also retains just enough freshness to keep things interesting. Sweet scents of pipe tobacco linger on the harmonious finish. This is an unbelievable bottle. Mastroberardino Taurasi 1934 | csp.skynetblogs.be
04182012 The culinary story of well-coiffed grandmother of six Maria Caputo begins on her family's farm in Taurasi, near Naples, in Italy's Campania region. She began to cook aged nine. By 10, she could mostly do it all herself. Caputo is among a number Italian families in Canberra who keep the family traditions alive. Nonnas doing it the old way | Canberra Times
04192012 On the America's Cup World Series Naples final day Chris Draper led his Luna Rossa crew to a thrilling win in the final fleet race, collecting 50 points for his efforts to vault up the leaderboard and win the AC World Series Naples Fleet Racing Championship. The victory kicked off celebrations among the tens of thousands of Italian America’s Cup fans lining the Naples waterfront to catch a glimpse of their heroes. Thrilling win for Luna Rossa | Sail-World.com
04202012 Quite simply, the AC World Series hit a new level in Naples. On and off the water. On the water, the racing was phenomenal. There were nine crews competing, the same as in the first three events, but the addition of the two Luna Rossa crews raised the competitive bar considerably. Clearly, Chris Draper and his Luna Rossa Piranha team, despite protestations to the contrary, arrived in Naples ready to challenge the series leaders. With a win in the Fleet Racing Championship and a second place finish behind Artemis Racing in the Match Racing, the new Italian team served notice there's another crew to be reckoned with at the top. If the competition on the water was at an all-time high, off the water, Naples was a mind-blowing experience. The crowds were like nothing previously seen at an AC World Series event (or indeed, other sailing events). Organizers estimated crowds of over 500,000 through the Race Village over the course of the event (and more than double that along the extended waterfront), including a massive turnout on the holiday Easter Monday and again on the final Sunday. Reflection on Naples | America's Cup
04212012 I love starting the day at Pignasecca Market–buckets full of glistening fish, baskets overflowing with friarielli, those tasty bitter greens, and big, full operatic voices all around. Panificio Vincenzo Coppola (Via Pignasecca 35) is a favorite stop for taralli, studded with almonds. Then to slip into the Santa Maria della Concezione a Montecalvario and light a candle…ah, the drama! Lunch at Trattoria Nennella (Vico Lungo Teatro Nuovo 103, closed Sun). I’ve never seen a menu here. Nennella’s son bellows out what mamma’s cooking–from lasagna to gnocchi alla sorrentina. It’s homey and delicious and there’s always going to be a laugh watching this family in action. Golden Day Sixty-Three: The Spanish Quarter of Naples | Golden Days in Italy
04222012 This magnificent Tower hugs the shore line of the Amalfi Coast just outside Positano on the beach of Fornillo and its 13th century origins are typical of this area and its Saracen history, but one of its more recent owners was a real Princess! Hence the name: Torre Principessa. Its original pentagonal shape makes it one of the truly outstanding properties on the Amalfi Coast. In the 1920’s Gilbert Clavel a renowned Swiss contemporary architect and writer embraced this largely destroyed historic tower and nurtured it back to life with his innovative and artistic flair, filling it with his signature wooden furniture and colourful well known celebrities like Pablo Picasso, Cocteau, Depero and many others. It became a well known haven for the creative elite! Torre Principessa | Amanda Tabberer
04232012 The following image was taken as we approached the island of Capri. It can be seen in the distance across the bow of the boat where my two daughters rode with a couple of the people that traveled with us. The Mediterranean Sea was calm and beautiful, at times a deep blue and at other times a brilliant turquoise, and the island of Capri was rugged with mountains and cliffs that dropped into the sea. From Positano by Boat to Capri and Back to Positano | Stephen L Tabone Nature Photography
04242012 The tour boat rounded a bend. “Look up there,” the driver told us. “That’s the Punta Tragara, the fanciest and best hotel on the island.” Everyone looked up at the grand orange palace, all jutting balconies and terraces, perched on the top of one of Capri’s highest spots. The Punta Tragara is magnificent. It’s a Capri classic, built in 1920 as a private villa on the suggestion of Le Corbusier. During WWII it was used as a headquarters for the American command and in 1968, it was bought by one Count Manfredi and turned into the hotel it is today, bar a few changes, such as updated rooms and a spa. On top of the world at Capri’s Punta Tragara | City A.M.
04252012 It was a honeymoon destination for Greek shipowner Aristotile Onassis and his bride, Jacqueline Kennedy; a playground and movie set for screen goddesses Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren; a magnet for artists and writers such as Graham Greene and W. Somerset Maugham. Today's see-and-be-seen crowd includes Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts and supermodel Naomi Campbell. Every year, nearly a quarter-million vacationers join the glitterati, squeezing onto the 2-by-4-mile island, mostly in July and August. So many people pack Capri's winding cobblestone streets and rocky beaches each summer that some travel guides, such as Fodor's and Rick Steves, dismiss it. But there is a way to avoid the madness: See it in May or September. Getting the timing right for Capri, Italy | latimes.com
04262012 In most of the world, scheduling a concert for 6 a.m. would be eccentric, to say the least. Not so on Capri, the idyllic island in Italy’s Gulf of Naples whose natural beauty has drawn gatherings since Roman times. Finally, after negotiating a series of steep stone steps down the side of a cliff, we arrived at the candlelit Matermània Grotto, a cavern half open to the night sky, where traces of an ancient Roman shrine are still visible. In antiquity, this had been a nymphaeum, or shrine to water nymphs, decorated with marble statues and glass mosaics, artificial pools and seashells. Legend holds that the grotto was also a place for the worship of Cybele, the pagan goddess of the earth, known as Magna Mater, or Great Mother, who gave it its name. The Lure of Capri | Smithsonian Magazine
04272012 The dark-red bullet-shaped "Italo" trains are run by NTV, a company headed by Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo who wants to take a quarter of the market from state rail network Trenitalia, the biggest employer in the country. "Italo has arrived, the competition has kicked off," NTV told its first passengers on an inaugural trip from Rome to Naples as they admired interiors that included a cinema carriage, leather seats and panoramic windows. Italy launches Europe's first private high-speed train | theSundaily
04282012 Italy's burgundy red Ferrari on rails is finally going into service. Starting on April 28, the "Italo" will travel at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour between Milan, Rome and Naples. The new high-speed train is more environmentally friendly and also cheaper than its competitors - on both the rails and roads. Private 'Italo' Train - Italy Introduces Ferrari on Rails | Spiegel Online
04292012 Since Queen Margherita put her name to Naples' signature dish in the late 19th century, the pizza has spread through the world with a success that even Joolz Caesar himself couldn't match. Then we absolutely can't do the same for some of Britain's best-known food brands whose new toppings make Jamie's Union Jacks look like Naples' legendary pizzeria Michele..."We do [adhere to the Neapolitan rules] where we think it's necessary," he tells me. "In Naples it's literally like a religion, if your pizza is not made with the right flour or the right tomatoes, cheese and oven at the right temperature –they don't count it as pizza." Trending: Pizza - death by a thousand slices | The Indipendent
04302012 I turned up at Da Michele just as they opened at 10.30 a.m. on a Sunday morning. At midday, the place can be a zoo, but in the morning it's very quiet. It's an ordinary looking place and the moment I saw an old man who later introduced himself as Luigi Condurro, dressed in a shirt, tie and white jacket, stoking the wood fired oven, I knew the place wasn't a tourist trap. After my first bite, I had to stifle a laugh. The look on my face as I ate this remarkable pie must have been one of shear bliss. I couldn't stop smiling. I've never taken ecstasy but both Leo and I were sort of overcome with happiness as we savored the perfect blend of crust, sauce and Buffalo mozzarella. "This pizza is outrageous!" my son said, and he was right. It was ridiculously good. The sauce was sweet and a bit tangy, just right. Da Michele Pizzeria In Naples: Is This Really The World's Best Pizza? | Gadling