Tuesday, August 1, 2017

JULY 2017

WHAT IS THEMYSCIRA?


















07012017In the new film "Wonder Woman" the dark and moody setting of World War I Europe is mercifully contrasted with the gorgeous and lush island nation of Themyscira. After considering more than 47 locations around the world, the production team settled on Italy's famed Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site that stretches some 25 miles along the Mediterranean. "Italy had beautiful weather, a beautiful blue-green sea, not too much tide, not too much wave," Bonetto added. "Our effects team added some cliffs in post, and it was the perfect way to go." The 'Wonder Woman' scenery that took your breath away? That's Italy's Amalfi Coast | Mother Nature Network
07022017 Housed in a former 13th-century convent, this 43-room hotel at Amalfi is dripping with historic charm from head to toe. The open-air courtyard, which sets the mood with lovely potted plants and flowers, cushioned chairs and tables for drinks, makes it an even more relaxing retreat. Relax in these charming hotel courtyards | Usa Today
07032017 In to the village of Ravello another five-star property of the Vuilleumier family called Hotel Palumbo. Palumbo is a hodge-podge of Moorish buildings that somehow blend into one of the most incredible mixture of nooks and crannies that lead to majestic views beyond imagination. Ravello: Italy’s mountainside treasure has a view for every occasion | Communities Digital News
07042017 Not a shopaholic? Make an exception for the local tradition of handcrafted leather sandals… customised while you wait. 10 minutes and you walk out in a pair with straps and diamantes of your choice. Craving coffee, sandwiches and tiramisu with the most picturesque views of Positano? Spend an hour at Cafe La Zagara… its the place you’re looking for. Sweet dreams are made of picturesque Positano | 100cobbledroads
07052017 It’s the colours that attract lovers from around the world to tie the know on the Amalfi Coast. And the textures. At Ravello the uneven grey stone of cliffs and buildings is the incarnation of history, but the vivid bursts of pink Bouganvilla creeping up pergolas are life and love. The natural beauty of the area has inspired both religious and artistic minds and the two come together in the local churches. Half a day in Ravello, Italy | Euronews
07062017 Depending on elevation and soil composition it can have a range of textures, tannins, and intensity of aroma. Like Falanghina, it is best when young and fresh. Coda di Volpe is another historic variety, its name referring to the grape cluster’s resemblance to a foxtail. It is adaptable to different natural conditions but only does well in Campania. In the interior hills of Benevento and Avellino, small amounts are allowed in the two DOCG wines mentioned. Campania whites from southern Italy reach full fruition | Italian-American News Herald
07072017 We had a 10:30 appointment at the Mastroberardino Winery in the small town of Atripalda, to met Virgina in hospitality and Daniela in winemaking.  They were both ultimate professionals, providing us with a tour of the winemaking facilities, the ancient cellar with a treasure trove of old Taurasi wines, a video overview, and then a sit down tasting. The King of Aglianico – Piero at Mastroberardino Winery | Wine Travel Stories
07082017 There are places you go to get away from it all. And then there’s Sant’Angelo. Is almost entirely dominated by a mix of local and “regulars"–Italian and German tourists who develop a relationship with the town and return, year after year. Fishing boats in the harbor of Sant'Angelo supply the village's charming restaurants with sublime seafood. The Incredible Italian Island You've Never Heard Of | National Geographic Travel
07092017 The archeological site of Pompeii will be opened to visitors also at night time every Tuesday and Thursday from July 8 until Sept. 2, 2017. Italy Pompeii | Gazette.com
07102017 If you bypass Naples enroute to the comparatively flashy Amalfi Coast, be warned you are missing one of the most intriguing historic centres and cultural hubs in Italy. Stroll Spaccanapoli – the narrow, cobbled street that splits the old city – and take in artisan shops, museums and churches as you eat a folded street pizza that costs 3 euro. Stop in a bar for a caffe corretto (with a dash of liquor) and baba (rum-soaked cake) or sfogliatella (a ricotta-filled pastry). Naples, Italy: Wildly fun in every way | Newcastle Herald
07112017 There are a few stabilimenti balneari con bar – ristorante which are also open to breakfast. Like the one operated by Fratelli Grassi, the family offering the white boat bringing in people from Positano… When you arrive here in the morning, the water is too good not to take a swim. So breakfast consists of cappuccino and latte di mandorla (almond milk, with a few ice-cubes)… How to start a day on the Beach in Positano | Costiera Lookbook
07122017 Pepella grapes are very peculiar: near the biggest grapes you can find some very small ones, like pepper grains (that’s why the grapevine is called “Pepella”: pepe means pepper in Italian). This grapevine is endemic and mainly unknown also to the most passionate experts. It is a complementary grapevine that is part of guaranteed origin “Costa D’Amalfi” (subzones Tramonti and Ravello) but the production’s level is very low because there are only a few available plants. The best wines of Amalfi Coast | Lloyd's Baia Hotel
07132017 Falanghina is one of the oldest cultivated grape varieties in Italy. It thrives in the Irpinian Hills of Campania in southern Italy and produces vibrant, easy drinking wines with distinctive apple, orange peel and vanilla characteristics that compliment a wide variety of dishes. Terredora Di Paolo Falanghina Irpinia 2012 | cara rutherford
07142017 The summer tableau of Italy’s sublime island of Capri pulsates in a kaleidoscope of high fashion, high style and astronomical wealth. Where else does the town square nightly become the vortex of social interaction? The cognoscenti understand that table reservations in the square are a must, particularly at the terribly chic Gran Caffè. Inside the Rich, Young and Wild Scene of Capri | Paper City
07152017 Artecard is the name of the passes to visit Napoli. You can chose the general one for 21 euros that lasts 3 days, or thematic cards like the one dedicate to the holy places of the city’s Patron Saint. Save money visiting an art city: buy a museum pass! | The Italian Blog
07162017 The next day, Wilkinson was off to the beautiful Amalfi Coast on a road trip from Naples. Driving in Italy can be a shock to the system for anyone, but the route to the Amalfi Coast is particularly hair-raising with narrow, winding streets and mountain roads with little to no visibility. Lisa Wilkinson continues stunning holiday on the Amalfi Coast | Starts at 60
07172017 The performance lasts for two hours, then the population of the village above the Certosa is invited on a procession lit by fire torches to enter the Certosa. At the entrance, villagers are given a white long cloth to wear and occupy the main courtyard of the Certosa. Padula Charterhouse, is a large Carthusian monastery, located in the town of Padula, in the Cilento National Park. Vanessa Beecroft VB82, Venerdi 14 luglio 2017 | MondoRaro Foundation
07182017 The winds blow northerly as we head straight into them on our way to the isle of Capri after sailing around Ischia and Procida in the Bay of Naples. I feel like we’ve been on a sea-fari. Our captain reads the weather like a book, knowing when and where to go. It’s like being in the hands of a magician. Reading the Invisible | Peggy Markel's Culinary Adventures
07192017 Right before you hit the main square in Capri there is a cute little lemon granita kiosk. The granita is absolutely delicious. The Insider’s Epicurean Guide to Capri and the Amalfi Coast | Vogue
07202017 Ischia is totally worth going to if you catch the boat from Naples or Capri. You have to check out their desserts. Some of the best that I have eaten on this coast. Ischia | ninafood.com
07212017 Ischia (Porto & Ponte) is the busiest of the communes, a popular tourist spot where most private yachts and ferries dock. It is filled with tiny shops, original artists producing one-of-a-kind pieces, delicious Neapolitan foods, spices, and the typical Ischitan liqueurs: Rucolino (a liqueur based on Arugula) and Limoncello. Ischia: Island of natural beauty | Panoram Italia Magazine
07222017 Naples hosts about 7 million international tourists' overnight stays* with an increase of 9% over last year. We want to highlight that the overall appeal of the city, coming from the analysis of online tourists' reviews, is over 80%, ranking Naples as the second Italian city for online reputation. If you do not have a specific destination you can lose yourself in the alleys of the old town, that includes 27 centuries of history and it is the most extended old town of Europe and a Unesco heritage. Naples is not a stereotype | Aeroporto Internazionale di Napoli
07232017 One of the highlights of my trip to Naples was visiting the Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte museum, which houses a gallery of 19th century art, porcelain, ceramics, an armory and historical apartments. I took pictures mostly of the royal apartments, which included the stunning Ballroom. The crystal chandeliers, the Neoclassical divans and the marble floor featuring geometric designs all enthralled me. Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte Diary | Tracy's Travels
07242017 A trip to Sorrento isn't complete without a stroll down the narrow character-filled lane known as Via San Cesareo. It is the heart of the old town, a street filled with artisan shops, restaurants and limoncello makers. Stop in and taste the fresh-made liqueur in its hometown. There are local-made leather crafts, ceramics and wood inlay, along with food stores, wine bars and vegetable stands. Via San Cesareo | Summer In Italy
07252017 First stop was the thermal spring of Sorgeto, a cove where the water is warmed to a near boiling temperature by volcanic activity. The nearest bus stop to this natural wonder is in Panza, within the commune of Forio d'Ischia, a small town a 20 minute walk away. To get to Sorgeto you descend the steepest hill I have ever seen paved with road, and on my walk I tried to forget that what goes down must go up. Desperately Lost on the Island of Ischia | Something In Her Ramblings
07262017 The Negombo Thermal Gardens provide a more lavish way to experience Ischia’s heated water. The hydrothermal park is good for couples and families, and a visit there can easily take an entire day. More than dozen pools and showers are scattered throughout extensive gardens; there’s also a hammam, which is similar to a Turkish bath; beauty treatment rooms and a small hotel. A long, shallow beach means adults and kids can wade far out into the ocean. Ischia, the setting for 'My Brilliant Friend,' is also a brilliant choice for a respite | Los Angeles Times Travel
07272017 The Picariello family, whose cantina lies high up among the Irpinian hills at Summonte, close to Avellino. Ciro is an architect by training who turned winemaker once he met his wife Rita (Guerriero), owner of the land! Together with their daughter Emma (a biotecnico with green fingers) and son Bruno, a viticultural school graduate, they make approximately 50,000 bottles/year from 7hectares, principally of Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo. Introducing Ciro Picariello, producer of fine Campanian whites… | Berry Bros. & Rudd
07282017 The winemaking philosophy at Lonardo in Taurasi is one of "enlightened traditionalism". So, macerations are long, and aging is done in 600 liter tonneaux, with only a small percentage of new as to not "mark" the aromas of the wines. The resulting wines are pure expressions of Aglianico, in the old and soulful sense. They are big, deep, powerful and tannic, and unabashedly so. Perhaps not for everyone, but then again you could always lay them down for 40 years... Lonardo | Polaner
07292017 I had done my typical research prior to visiting Positano and I knew about La Tagliata, but I wrote it off because it is slightly a trek from the center of town so when we walked past it after 3 hours of hiking, I was thrilled, to say the least. We were hungry, but this meal was truly the best meal of our trip, quite possibly one of the best meals we’ve had in Italy! It is a family-operated restaurant and the menu depends on what’s available in the garden. The Bite-Sized Baker's Adventures : Positano, Italy | thebitesizedbaker
07302017 This is a color story.  ...which is basically how I experienced the Amalfi Coast. It's a land of blues and greens, providing the perfect backdrop for the citrus groves that dot its hillsides. Triple lemon baba cake and the Amalfi Coast | Desserts for Breakfast
07312017 I am not exaggerating when I say that there is no silence in Naples. The streets of the crumbling Quartieri Spagnoli are so narrow that from any balcony, you can see into ten different homes on five different floors. Because of the heat, windows remain open, so not only do you watch other people’s business, you hear and smell it, too. It usually smells like garlic and charred pizza crust. Why You Should Love Naples: An Ode to a Frenetic City | Food & Wine