SEPTEMBER 2015

UNSPOILT OASIS

09012015 On the next day I attended another wine-themed tour by Campania Grand Tour. The first stop was a very off-the-beaten path beauty of the region: the Natural Park of Grassano, an unspoiled oasis near Benevento. The most fascinating thing of the park is the mesmerizing colour of the water pouring from several mineral springs, which ranges from emerald green to blue sapphire. One more weekend in Campania | Blocal Travel blog
09022015 From D.O.P. pizza to Vesuvius-studded views to the warmth of the Neapolitans themselves, what’s not to love about Naples? September 19th marks the feast of the city’s most important patron saint San Gennaro, and is not only one of Naples’ most iconic holy days, but all of Italy’s. The festivities kick off in the morning when the Neapolitans gather in Piazza del Duomo in front of the city’s cathedral to watch the saint’s dried blood liquefy—an auspicious miracle that signifies a disaster-free year lies ahead. Then the procession begins. Stores close, but vendors set up shop on the lively streets selling plenty of memorable keepsakes and bites. 5 seaside places in Italy to catch the last of the summer sun | Swide
09032015 Following Naples annual celebration of pizza at Napoli Pizza Village 2015, the Via Caracciolo portion of Lungomare will play host to ‘Bufala Fest‘ from 11th to 13th September. The festival is dedicated entirely to buffalo and their products: Campanian buffalo mozzarella DOP, Campanian buffalo ricotta DOP, but also meat and hams, even ice creams produced using buffalo milk and, yes, more pizza too! Bufala Fest on the Lungomare | Napoli Unplugged
09042015  Teresa Iorio scooped the coveted Caputo trophy on Thursday, awarded to the best pizza made in traditional Neapolitan style, Ansa news reported. “I'm so happy,” said a tearful Iorio as she picked up her award. “I'd like to dedicate this to my mother and my father who taught me the art of pizza making. Whenever I roll out a pizza base I think of my dad,” she told reporters. World first as woman wins pizza contest | The Local Italy
09052015 Mozzarella di bufala: buffalo milk mozzarella cheese is made by spinning and then cutting the ribbony cooked curd by hand. Mozzarella comes in all shapes and sizes, from the small, bite-size cherry bocconcini, to the awesome 1-pound bowling ball-size Aversana, or the delightful interlaced bufala “braid”. I could eat mozzarella every day. Insider Spotlight: Eleonora's Top 3 Tips for Italy | Insiders Abroad
09062015 Take away Campania and Italy would be a sad, sorry place, not least at the table. How the Amalfi Coast Keeps Drawing Us In | Travel + Leisure
09072015 The best way to experience the beauty of Amalfi Coast, with its rugged cliffs and pastel hued villages that stretch 50 kilometers along the southern side of Italy's Sorrentine Peninsula? From the passenger seat of a vintage convertible, naturally. It's considered one of the world's prettiest road trips, so we sympathize if you find yourself manning the wheel. 10 dream trips every traveler should experience | CNN International
009082015 Benvenuti al sud, a famous Italian film, was shot in this town.  Built on the mountain top, with steep streets and hundreds of stone steps, Castellabate is truly a gem in and of itself.  Then you add the stunning views and beautiful beaches at its foot and you find yourself truly in paradise. The Tyrrhenian sea water is clear blue, the beaches pristine, the towns charming, the food as fresh and delicious as can be…truly a not-to-be-missed destination for anyone wishing to experience a slice of genuine Italy! Campania…not just the Amalfi coast | My Italian Destination
09092015 Agnanum is a small winery located in Agnano just on the outskirts of Naples in the Campi Flegrei area. The Astroni National Park, a volcanic crater filled with Mediterrenean vegetation, is next to the vineyards. The centenarian vines growing on extremely poor dusty volcanic  terrain are trained in an old Pergola system. The soils are rich of sulfur and minerals and you can even see some solfatars (gas coming out of the ground) on some parts of the mountains. Agnanum – an extinct volcano | Scuola di Vino
09102015 When most people think of Campania, images of sun-swept Mediterranean shores dance in the mind, but Vinosia sits inland on a bed of fertile volcanic soil, with a continental climate and heavy rains throughout the year, giving the grapes their characteristics that are distinct from the better known Italian varietals. Vinosia, located in Atripalda in the Irpinia region of Campania, makes wines from local varietals like Aglianico, Falanghina and Greco di Tufo. Uncovering the hidden gems of Italy's Campania wine region | Pique Newsmagazine
09112015 On our recent trip to Amalfi, we enjoyed our share of seafood, but we also tried to keep some room for dessert. The sweets of the Campania region are famous, and one of my favorites is the lemon flavored almond cake from Amalfi. We took a day trip to Capri while staying in Positano, and while strolling through the center of Capri we came across an amazing pasticceria (pastry shop) with a mouth-watering window display. Not being able to help ourselves we went in a bought two small cakes, one Torte Caprese (chocolate almond cake), and this one, Dolce di Amalfi made from lemons and ground almonds. Lemon Almond Cake {Dolce di Amalfi} | Italian Food Forever
09122015 Less than one hour separates Sorrento from Naples by train, but the distance could not be greater. The crowded city lingers just as memory in the alleyways shrouded in lemon scent. An impervious landscape where hills alternate to deep valleys has been turned into gentle terraces degrading towards the sea. Here are being grown orange and lemon trees, olives and vines, and the mild and dry climate quite all the year long preserves this compelling beauty in every season. Visiting Sorrento in Italy | Italia Living
09132015 Ristorante da Gigino is actually in the heart of tourist central, just off the main shopping drag of Via San Cesareo, but it’s so off the beaten path that even my local friend didn’t know about it. When we arrived, the place was jammed with tourists and locals alike.  The place is festive with strolling musicians… the service was good even though the place was crowded… and the pizza was terrific! Top 5 Local Spots to Dine in Sorrento | Lisa at Wanderlust Women
09142015 I think I have a new favorite beach. But shhh … don't tell Santa Croce. I've always like the little cove at Marina di Praia, located between Conca dei Marini and and Praiano. The road clings to the mountainside high above the beach and a small access road that's pretty easy to miss leads down to a tiny seaside village. Marina di Praia - My New Favorite Beach On The Amalfi Coast | Ciao Amalfi
09152015 I have stayed in most of the famed hotels and was excited to try something different, the sparkling new Capri Tiberio Palace Hotel located off the beaten path and offering commanding views of the sea. The vibrant and enthusiastic GM Francesca Tozzi warmly greeted me upon arrival and treated me to a relaxing, decadent visit to their cozy Oriental Zen spa, and then to a casual dinner at the Terrazza Tiberio restaurant. The hotel proudly offers the all new 50′s vibe, 2,700 square foot Bellevue Suite, the only suite in Capri featuring a fitness area, outdoor dining and heated plunge pool. Escape to the Amalfi Coast: Capri, Sorrento and Mariah Carey's Secret Retreat | Forbes.com
09162015 Take a look at my Amalfi cushions, inspired by a photograph I took of the dome of one of the most iconic churches on Italy's Amalfi Coast. Introducing Alexandra D. Foster Luxury Cushions | Alexandra D. Foster Destinations Perfected 
09172015 Sorrento welcomes every year thousands of tourists, especially British, attracted by the beauty of the town, of the beaches and of its “unrivaled in Europe” mild climate. Something more: in Sorrento there are also ancient traditions that survive thanks to the work of fishermen and craftsmen. One of them is Antonino Tramontano. Until few time ago, his yard was very similar to a magic cave with the walls covered by the tools of the trade, used to built the typical fishing boats witch float on the sea of the Naples Gulf. Welcome to Sorrento | Italia Slow Tour
09182015 Some of these villas have been restored and are open to visitors, like the Casa del Fauno and Casa del Menandro. These extravagant homes feature courtyards and atriums, and are filled with mosaics and marble floors. Casa del Menandro even has a private bathhouse. 17 pictures that will make you want to visit Pompeii, which was covered under a layer of volcanic ash thousands of years ago | Business Insider
09192015 Ruins of villas, thermal baths and roads lie just a few meters from the surface and, together with marine life and gaseous emissions, create a unique and unexpected underwater Mediterranean landscape. This extraordinary characteristics lead to the creation of a Marine Protected Area between the municipalities of Bacoli and Pozzuoli. Octopuses, small crustaceans and fishes snoop undisturbed around submerged buildings and roads, colonized by sessile organisms such as algae, sponges, sea anemones, sea urchins and starfishes. Archaeological Diving Campi Flegrei | Scubashooters.net
09202015 Today Arianna, like an elegant lady in recovery from a brutal mugging, is a little shaky on her feet, and her finery is somewhat dishevelled, but her pedigree and character are evident – she is lofty and well positioned, and already she stares defiantly back across the valley, directly towards Vesuvius. It was only in the mid-eighteenth century that Arianna, and others like her, were discovered buried beneath metres of ash and pumice.  There followed a flurry of activity in Stabiae – brief excavations were begun … but then, once again, the villas were abandoned. Ancient Stabiae and its villas, once so luxurious, and then … | The Phraser
09212015 Caserta is one of those weirdly overlooked treasures, an immense Baroque compound designed in the 18th century by Luigi Vanvitelli for the Bourbon king of Naples to rival Versailles. The French palace has about 700 rooms, Caserta has 1,200, as well as one of the most opulent parks in Europe, which includes a 265-foot cascade. But the Italian palace attracts a little over 500,000 visitors a year, while Versailles takes in about five million. Impossible to Forget Caserta, Italy | The New York Times
09222015 True Amphora Wine - Villa Matilde is a terrific producer which specialises in Falerno del Massico – every time I tasted their wines I marked them very highly indeed – and farms some of the original vineyard slopes that made the Roman Falernian wine. This was the first cult wine of Rome and records show that it was served to Julius Caesar and even shipped to England. Salvatore Avallone owns Villa Matilde (Cellole) and wanted to create a wine that harked back to how the Romans made it, but was also recognisably wine – the Romans made wines that as far as we can tell were like a sweet syrup to which they added water and spices. The Good Campanians – stories, grapes and wines from Italy’s deep south | Quentin Sadler's Wine Page
09232015 Neapolitan pizza is unique. The Dough as the headliner takes center stage, the crust soft and chewy, not hard and crusty. Generally wood fired, it’s tomato bed is soft and pillowy, just the slightly bit doughy in the center, so its best eaten with a fork and knife. It’s not smothered with shredded cheese, but has just a few blobs of bufala mozzarella and several whole basil leaves adorning the middle. My Pizza Love Story | Travlinmad Photography & Blog
09242015 The hike up the volcano is in three stages. Apart for a whiff of sulphur there's nothing out of the ordinary: no sign of steam curling up into the midday sun, only a large depression dotted here and there by vegetation. But if the volcano disappoints the view doesn't: the Bay of Naples stretches below with the island of Elba just visible in the haze to the right and the Lattari mountains to the left. Travel with Tracey Renodewn: Vesuvius tour entertains but leaves you feeling a little wiser too | TQHeraldExpress
09252015 The book describes how Margie fell in love with Naples on her first visit there, having – like me – travelled to the area many times but never having actually visited the city itself. Her delight in this fascinating and sprawling metropolis is obvious as she takes us with her on her explorations. Interspersed with her gently evocative photographs, taken with love and care, she observes daily life in the old streets and alleyways of Naples: she watches the flower seller arranging his perfect bouquets; the colourful vegetable market; a stone-mason hard at work; a silversmith working on a piece of jewellery and the frenzy of the market selling fish from the Gulf of Naples. Margie’s observations are warm and interesting. Book Review: Colors of Naples and the Amalfi Coast by Margie Miklas | Orna O'Reilly Travel & Design
09262015 Naples often gets a bad rap—and, yes, the city is a little “grittier,” and much more chaotic, than Italy’s other cities. But there’s a reason why people call it bella Napoli. There’s something about the decay of Naples’ elegant palaces and medieval castles that’s both bittersweet and beautiful. And there is a ton to do and see here, from enjoying the city’s world-famous food to exploring its eerie underground to seeing some of the most important art and archaeology in Italy at Naples’ top-notch museums. (Here are 9 reasons not to skip Naples!). The energy here, though, is the true core of Naples’ bellezza—and something everyone has to experience at least once in a lifetime. 10 of the Most Beautiful Cities in Italy | Walks Of Italy
09272015 In Naples, chocolate is synonymous with Gay Odin. This historical patisserie was founded in the late 1800s by Isidoro Odin, a masterful confectioner who moved to Naples from the north of Italy, attracted by the vibrant cultural life that the city offered at the turn of the century. Later joined by his wife Onorina Gay, Odin took to preparing the most mouth-watering chocolate sweets, and it wasn't long before they had attracted the attention of Naples’ citizens. Among Gay Odin's specialties are the Foreste, chunks of milk chocolate sculpted to look like wood logs, and the Vesuvio, chocolate sweets shaped after the nearby dormant volcano. Insider Guide to Napoli’s 10 Stunning Cultural Restaurants: The Best of Naples | The Culture Trip
09282015 Final tip to anyone interested in travelling to the Amalfi Coast: you do not want to skip Naples! It makes me so sad whenever I hear someone having taken a flight to Napoli but having directly continued to the Amalfi Coast without even taking a quick look at this gem of a city that tourists have not yet found and ruined. Amalfi Coast: A day trip to Sorrento | Always Abroad
09292015 Are you considering a trip to the Stadio San Paolo to see Napoli in action? Luckily for you, Joe Ginto takes you through a visit to the home of the Partenopei. Travel Guide: Napoli | Forza Italian Football
09302015 Because of how beautiful Naples looks at night. 33 Reasons Why The South Of Italy Will Ruin You For Life | BuzzFeed