SEPTEMBER 2012

PARADISE ON EARTH

09012012 Time seems to stand still in Capri. I have been visiting the island for many years and aside from the new storefronts, the newer style, cute open-air taxi cabs and some extra-large mega yachts, the island looks the same as it did in the photos from the 1950′s with Jackie O and Brigitte Bardot strolling the slippery stone streets. Capri’s Dolce Vita | The Leading Hotels of the World
09022012 Our tour of the Roccamonfina Regional Park starts at the Sanctuary of St. Mary of the Lattani which houses a 15th century church, a Franciscan monastery, magnificent cloisters and a hermitage overlooking the vast and luscious Campanian landscape and poised on the edge of the Roccamonfina volcano. The religious complex was founded in 1430 when a statue of the Virgin Mary was miraculously discovered in a nearby grotto where a shepherd kept his sheep. The news spread and pilgrims soon began to appear. Il Convento dei Lattani | Savour The Sannio
09032012 The traditional ceramics, merit and boast of the city, can be admired in the Museum of Cerretese Ceramics and in the artisan shops with the traditional methods, the production of good quality artistic ceramics goes on: it is the value added of a handicraft tradition that includes the art of stone, of wood and of wrought iron. Cerreto Sannita |  Seguendo Ulisse
09042012 The river Bussento, after having crossed 6 kms in the bowels of the earth, resurges under the medieval suburb of Morigerati. Here the WWF manages one of the most important oasis’ of Southern Italy. The whole zone offers one of the most beautiful spectacles and is one of the greatest naturalistic attraction of the National Park of Cilento and Diano’s End. From Morigerati or from its fraction Sicilì you go down a beautiful muletrack paved in stone passing through the evergreen bush, that leads you to an ancient watermill on one side and to the entry of the resurgence cave from the other. From here you can go beyond the deep and spectacular canyon dugged by the river. Outside, then, the river offers suggestive views along the gorge, where clear and fresh waters form, flowing among deep puddles, rapids and falls. The WWF oasis, Bussento's caves | Seguendo Ulisse
09052012 Salerno is a wonderful port city and the second largest in Campania after Napoli, and like it’s big sister it has a wonderful ancient area full of crazy little shops that sell everything from horse harnesses to coffee grinders, you can also pick up a fabulous panama hat at a very decent price and a plated leather belt for 3 euro! Take a stroll down Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the  exciting modern promenade close to the sea front also full of fashionable shops, you can find some great bargains. There is a great café on every corner and a lot of hot suntans decked out in chic linen shirts and very brightly coloured cotton trousers! Not to mention the numerous benches along the way for a rest seated next to a newpaper clad Italian! Cetara & Salerno | Amanda Tabberer On The Amalfi Coast...
09062012 Massa Lubrense – the sunsets along the Amalfi Coast are absolutely breathtaking but rent a motorcycle or moto and head to the cliffs of Massa Lubrense.  Just before sunset, stop at the top of the hill and watch as magic happens with the island of Ischia silhouetted in the distance. Top 5 Romantic Things on Amalfi Coast | blog.davidsbeenhere
09072012 The "Enzo Avitabile Music Life", shot entirely in Naples, centers around jam sessions with a dozen world musicians at a Baroque church along with scenes from Avitabile's life, his middle class Naples apartment and the nitty gritty of his hometown of Marianella on the outskirts of Naples. "I did have a lot of confidence in the visual power that lives in Naples," Demme said. "I was capturing Enzo's Naples," which he called "a tremendous melting pot." Jonathan Demme returns to live music film | finance.yahoo.com
09082012 The Castel dell’Ovo, or Egg Castle, juts out from Naples into the bay. A friend took a helicopter ride over the city and when looking through her photographs I realised I wanted to paint the castle from this unusual angle. Buildings are stylised, reduced to a few simple forms, but can still be recognised. As with every painting, I want the result to be principally about the impact of colour. Painting by Penny Ewles-Bergeron | Gerard O'Keeffe
09092012 The Greeks had a point when they lowered anchor in the bay of Naples and claimed it for their own almost 3000 years ago. One of the most naturally beautiful areas of Italy with Vesuvius rising above the bay and so much glory nearby. I love a visit to Naples but hey if you have a come all the way to Naples why not go a couple more miles and see some of the most incredible history, coastline and islands in the world. What To See Around Naples | Carla Loves Photography
09102012 Settembrata! Settembrata on Anacapri means Italian musicians singing in the street, pacchiane-local women dressed in Neapolitan garb carrying baskets of grapes on their heads, and contadini-farmers pushing wooden wagons piled high with the first seasons grapes. This is la festa dell’uva e alla vendemmia, the festival of the grape and wine harvest. The festa takes its name from the month September, and starts on the last Sunday of August. It blesses the coming vendemmia-grape harvest and kisses summer good bye. Settembratta was first started in 1923 by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti,  Edwin Cerio, and Lino Lipinsky. Fresh Recipes, Kitchen Ideas, Food News & Fun Things To Do In Sunny Italy | Cooking Vacations
09112012 I have been on the Amalfi Coast for five months. I spent five months locked in an Italian summer in an Italian world; my days consisting of sun, sea and lemons. Now I am stuffing my carry-on bag into the overhead compartment on a cold airplane that will take me back to my other life in my other world; the life and the family that waits for me across the Atlantic in New York. Throughout the past five months I explored a new part of the coast every day. I met new people every day until they eventually turned into familiar faces. I was able to spend more time with my Italian family and to get to know them better. I learned how to understand the local dialect. I ate (way too much) pasta. I fell in love (or lust?) with an Italian man. Most importantly, I found myself. Tasting the Bitter and Savoring the Sweet | Italia Living
09122012 In Spring 2013 the British Museum will present a major exhibition on the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, sponsored by Goldman Sachs. This exhibition will be the first ever held on these important cities at the British Museum, and the first such major exhibition in London for almost 40 years. It is the result of close collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendency of Naples and Pompeii, will bring together over 250 fascinating objects, both recent discoveries and celebrated finds from earlier excavations. Many of these objects have never before been seen outside Italy. The exhibition will have a unique focus, looking at the Roman home and the people who lived in these ill-fated cities. Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum | artdaily.org
09132012 There’s a reason Shakespeare cast Romeo as an Italian, and when it comes to the language of love no nation is better versed. Whether they’re showering women with compliments or singing sweet nothings below a vine-covered balcony, Latin men have seduction down to a fine art. Humble Englishmen wishing to learn a trick or two should enrol in Hotel Caruso’s Dolce Vita Serenade and Seduction classes. After learning a few important phrases in Italian, lacklustre lovers can practise singing ‘amore’ in a myriad of different tones and pitches. (It’s the way you sing, not what you sing that really counts here.) Hobby holidays | Yorkshire Evening Post
09142012 In “Love Is All You Need,” two very different families meet in a beautiful, old Italian villa, in the middle of a lemon grove. The occasion is a romantic wedding, meticulously planned to the smallest detail. Of course, nothing goes according to plan and yet everything works out in the end. The plot is mainly acclimated in a village of the Italian peninsula of Sorrento, perfect setting for Philip and Ida. To give an even greater atmosphere of romance, the soundtrack features popular Italian songs, perfect for legitimizing this love Mediterranean. Love Is All You Need | Zimbio
09152012 The beach, like many on the Sorrento peninsula and environs, has no sand. Rather there are rocks the size of mangoes, pears, plums, and kumquats that crackle like breaking glass when the waves go out. There are sunbeds and umbrellas for rent, but don’t expect a high end stabilmento (Italian beach front with services). You can sit a yard from the water with a view of the peak where Emperor Tiberius forced his young victims to jump to their deaths. The Mediterranean is cristalline, drawing you in until you leave your sunbed and go for a swim. The local Capri Beach | ItalianNotebook
09162012 The Hotel Caesar Augustus on Italy’s isle of Capri is cooking up a fantastic summer season with a new Executive Chef at the helm of the restaurant. Eduardo Vuolo is developing daily menus based on the ripest vegetables he finds in the on-site organic garden every day. Here are some sample dishes: Buffalo mozzarella with tomato & basil sauce; I Ravioli alla Caprese (ravioli filled with fresh caciotta cheese) and Le polpette di melanzane con salsa "sciuè sciuè" (eggplant balls served with fresh tomato sauce). The best part of all? While the chef experiments with recipes in the kitchen, he sends out samples to hotel guests lounging by the pool. Perched on a sheer cliff high above the Bay of Naples, the Hotel Caesar Augustus has one of the prettiest infinity pools in the world-- surrounded by turquoise sea and sky. New Chef Eduardo Vuolo for Capri’s Hotel Caesar Augustus | Luxury Travel Advisor
09172012 I’ve fallen in love with Ravello’s secret gardens and twisty cobblestone streets spilling with limoncello stands and colorful handmade pottery. And I‘ve fallen in love with the Palazzo’s warm staff, ancient walls, stunning sea views and soul. Be it Palazzo Sasso or Palazzo Avino, for me, this hotel – and Ravello – is one of my favorite places in the world to be. From Italy – With Love | jajoftravel.com
09182012 The architecture of Positano is distinctive for its simplicity and beauty: the houses are shaped like cubes, with low circular arched roofs, and often have their small porticoes open to the sea. For years the village, once famed for its skilled sailors, has been an elegant and exclusive tourist town: there are dozens of small meeting places in its narrow terraced lanes, and the craft shops sell brightly-coloured clothes in lots of patterns and colours. From Salerno to Positano and Sorrento | Italia.it
09202012 The organic methods used at Monte di Grazia in Tramonti also further limit the yields. The vines were planted in the tendone method. This is the traditional method for planting vines in Southern Italy. The leaves are trained to form a canopy that protects the grapes from the sun. It is like a pergola with an overhead trellis from which the grapes hang down. In one of the vineyards an old vine looked like it was holding up the whole tendone. The poles that hold up the tendone are made of chestnut wood from trees in the nearby hills and the vine “branches” are attached to the tendone by willow shoots. All the grapes are picked by hand. Azienda Agricola Biologica Monte di Grazia Winery | Charles Scicolone on Wine
09212012 What makes the Pasta di Gragnano – European IGP label – so special? On the one hand, the IGP label has been recognized because of the 2000 years of historical pasta production in the town of Gragnano. On the other hand, because of the manufacturing process, based on bronze drawing technique (using 100% Italian grain) and low temperature drying technique, allowing the transfer of flavours to obtain a unique pasta. Pastificio Di Martino celebrates 100 years of success | connect.it
09222012 For those coming from the North Coast, Campania begins where the Appian Way branches off into a variety of minor roads. Everything about this area speaks of ancient times. We leave Minturno, this side of Garigliano, cross the river and get to the land of Falerno, with its vineyards sloping down Monte Massico almost to the coastline. We are in the homeland of one of the most delicious cheeses: Mozzarella di Bufala. Campania | sipItaly
09232012 During a few mozzarella tastings arranged by SipItaly, that Patrizia La Trecchia. attended over the past month, she and Vincenzo D’Antonio provided some entertaining remarks for the guests, explaining everything they needed to know about the mozzarella di bufala Campana. The real thing comes from Campania in Southern Italy. “Italians all over the country consume mozzarella di bufala campana only when it is fresh or within a couple of days of its preparation. After two days, they only use it as an ingredient for the preparation of other dishes such as lasagna. When it arrives frozen, the authentic taste is altered,” she said. Italian Food for Thought | University of South Florida
09242012 We enjoyed this heavenly reward on the Path of the Gods, named for the Roman temples that once stood here. It's a 10km section – between Praiano and famous Positano – of one of Italy's most picturesque hiking routes, along the Amalfi coast. For more than an hour we had climbed steps that zig-zagged up the mountain. Lizards lazed on rocks and butterflies fluttered among the trees. The views became more dramatic with every step: the sea fizzing over the craggy coast and, further ahead, Positano's landslide of matchbox houses tumbling down the cliffs. Far below, Praiano's traffic hummed. Walking the Amalfi coast | The Guardian
09252012 You'll either love it or hate it, but one thing's certain: Curzio Malaparte's "house like me" is the most striking work of modern architecture on the island of Capri. Pizzolungo | italyTraveller
09262012 Vertiginous terrace of Baron de Fersen bedroom, French dandy, poet and writer, in love with Capri. He made built this house (also named "Villa Lysis") in top of a cliff around 1905 and lived there till his death in 1923. His story is told in Roger Peyrefitte's novel "L'exilé de Capri".
09272012 For my first vendemmia of 2012, I chose a small vineyard with a big story. The Asprinio di Aversa vineyard belonging to Az. Agrituristico Arbustum in the town of Casel Di Principe in Caserta... about 30 minutes from Naples. Asprinio di Aversa a white grape found in this part of the country has been around a long time, some believe as far back as the Etruscan period. And that explains the training system that many vineyards that produce this grape still use today. Vineyard Hopping | andiamotrips
09282012 Amalfi Coast in Capri, Cliffs overlooking Bay of Naples in Sorrento, Limoncello. Pompei: Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79AD and buried the city of Pompei. We visited the fascinating ruins in the once thriving city. And Naples home of the pizza... oh and Gelato. At every stop. Capri, Sorrento, Pompei and Naples: Highlights | Food to Run For
09292012 The Amalfi Coast of Italy is known for its lemons which are hand picked between February and October.  In Sorrento, you'll be hard pressed to find anything that doesn't have to do with that aromatic yellow citrus fruit.  From art work, to beauty products, to food and drink, everywhere you look is evidence that their world revolves around the lemon. Italians are proud of their limoncello and many restaurants bring a frosted cordial glass of the liqueur after the meal, compliments of the house.  Some restaurants leave the entire bottle at the table for refills at your discretion.  A taste of Italy | Examiner
09302012 My personal favourite brand, il Gusto della Costa (the flavour of the coast) is made by a true “limoncello-master”, Valentino Esposito, whose “factory” is a street-front store in Praiano. While the glass frontage affords the passerby the opportunity to see the master at work, Valentino is more than happy to stop the process to explain just why his Limoncello is so special. The fragrance of the lemons being peeled in preparation is heady enough but it’s the readily offered tasting session that makes for a particularly happy visit. Il Gusto use a particular lemon grown on the farms in the area called “Sfusato Amalfitano” and the oily “juice” of the lemon peel is like perfume when he squeezes a slither of the peel on to your skin. Passion secret ingredient for great Limoncello | Independent Online

AUGUST 2012

FISHING VILLAGE

08012012 In the past month, I've often found myself in the Naples seafront hamlet of Marechiaro. Here, Neapolitan individualism is on full display, usually tucked into a tight Speedo. In the 1950s and 1960s, Hollywood stars flocked here to get away from Rome. The district is full of fishermen, as well as residents who swim over to individual rocks to splay out beneath the sun. On a popular outcropping, a small stand sells water and fruit. Further out, fishermen collect mussels in large plastic buckets. If you approach them in a boat or kayak, they may offer you some to eat raw. I can't get enough of this place, perhaps because it strikes me as so Neapolitan. On a recent visit, I was trying to figure out how to get to a beach bar located across the water (apparently, you have to swim) when I ran into a group of fisherman who offered to take me out on their boat for a small fee. I said yes, mostly for the opportunity to snap photos of nearby rocks and buildings along the shore. Pure li pisce | The American
08022012 I specifically wanted to find the best pizza margherita, the classic 19th-century Naples pizza with tomato, mozzarella and basil. After a few weeks of sampling several hallowed pizzerie, I couldn't identify a clear winner. Even after narrowing down our pizzerie preferite to two finalists, the venerated Da Michele, of "Eat Pray Love" fame (closed most of August), and Pellone, a less-celebrated personal favorite on Via Nazionale, we couldn't agree on who had won the head-to-head comparison. Not surprisingly, the results seemed partially dictated by which pizza we ate first, when we were actually hungry. And it also depended on which pizzaiolo, or pizza maker, was working that day. (The gruff, grey-haired man with an eye-patch at Pellone is my favorite). The pizza chronicles | The American
08032012 "If it form the one landscape that we, the inconstant ones, / Are consistently homesick for, this is chiefly / Because it dissolves in water." When W. H. Auden wrote those lines he was here in the bay of Naples on the island of Ischia. Happy Birthday, Premio Ischia | The TLS blog
08042012 Wystan Hugh Auden was compelled to describe what he observed around him. The most important thing, beyond his poetry, was sharing his vision with a friend. Niebuhr’s biography tells us he was among the many writers and artists who were drawn to Ischia. Truman Capote, another of Niebuhr’s friends, came to the island and hoped to visit Auden at his home in Forio. But the poet, saying he was too busy, would not receive the emerging young writer. The two, apparently, had “irreconcilable disagreements.” Memories of the Isle of Ischia! An oasis for a great number of artists, dramatists, writers, poets, thinkers, and musicians, who spent pleasant days drinking aromatic cups of Italian coffee at Maria’s International Bar, while we - the children of that time - played among the little tables under a flowery pergola, running and laughing,observed by subtle and… pensive eyes. Castigat ridendo mores! | Florigium - The tree of my life
08052012 Gore Vidal, the prolific American author who passed away on July 31, left behind both an intellectual legacy and a reputation for living large. His former home in Ravello, Italy, dubbed Villa La Rondinaia or Swallow's Nest, which he sold in 2004, isn't open to the public, but has long been surrounded by rumors that it will be turned into a seven-room hotel by local hotelier Vincenzo Palumbo, who has said he would keep mementos from the famous author around the house. Gore Vidal's Former Italian Home |  TheHuffingtonPost.com
08062012 Located along the coastline of the Neapolitan Riviera, a holiday in Ischia draws upon the strengths of what embodies the best of a coastal holiday in Italy. Backdrops of hills covered in lemon groves and olive trees, dotted with whitewashed and multi coloured towns that lead down to the sea or in the case of Ischia Town a lake, holidaymakers have plenty of exploring to do after relaxing in the thermal springs. Aside from the beaches and the spas, the Grand Hotel Punto Molino offer is also an excellent chance to explore botanical gardens, castles, old towns and churches and the nearby island of Procida. Staying at the Luxurious Grand Hotel Punto Molino on the Italian Island of Ischia | digitaljournal.com
08072012 The island of Nisida belongs to the archipelago of the Flegree islands. Its circular form is a clear indication of the volcanic origin. Nowadays it is linked to the mainland by a bridge-dyke, from which there is a fine view of the coast to Pozzuoli. In the surrounding waters we can see the submerged park of Gaiola, of both archaeological and environmental interest. The island of Nisida | italia.it
08082012 From the Piazzetta, the pulsating heart of Capri, a pathway festooned with Mediterranean flowers leads to the viewing point from where to see a spectacular view of the Faraglioni rocks and one of the world's most exclusive 5 star properties: Hotel Punta Tragara. Conceived by none other than the great Le Corbusier, Hotel Punta Tragara is one of the boldest works of architecture on the whole island. Le Corbusier and the Faraglioni | italyTraveller
08092012 As a child in Naples, Italy, guitarist Marco Cappelli had little exposure to American surf music—the instrumental guitar-centric dance sound of the early 1960s popularized by the likes of Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, Link Wray and the Ventures featuring Bob Bogle. But, like many of his countrymen, he heard the twangy surf guitar featured in the film music of Luis Bacalov, Ennio Morricone, Carlo Rustichelli and Piero Umiliani, composers who scored Italian spaghetti westerns, gangster flicks and comedies. Catch a Wave | The Wall Street Journal
08102012 I think it’s not a secret that famous American people love Italy and apart those with Italian descends, many of them even decided to buy a home in the Belpaese. But, I was astonished when read a short news about Leonardo Di Caprio who after the purchase of a luxury apartment in Verona, came in my city because is daft about buffalo mozzarella. According to his entourage, the beauty of Titanic would be interested to start an in-house production of mozzarella, which is extremely fond. The Hollywood star is serious, and began to investigate the Campania region, in particular the area of Caserta and Salerno, to find a dairy farm to manage. Leonardo Di Caprio’s mozzarella | Italian Culture
08112012 One of the most prized cheeses in Italy is the mozzarella di bufala. Other forms of mozzarella can be found by different names, but they are made from cow's milk. It is the mozzarella di bufala that reigns supreme on an Italian's dinner table! So much so, that the production of mozzarella di bufala is strictly limited to only seven provinces in Southern Italy. Rigorous guidelines must be followed along with traditional methods in order to display the label "Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP." You know you are getting the 'real deal' when you purchase cheese stamped with this label. Italy's Mozzarella di Bufala Cheese | Travel With Julie
08122012 The Amalfi Coast lemons are iconic. You see them painted on ceramics and tiles, you drink them in the famous limoncello, and you eat them in gelato, cakes and regional pasta dishes. So what makes them so special? Lemons from the Amalfi Coast are larger and sweeter than the lemons we are more commonly familar with. There are two kinds grown in the region.The Sfusato Amalfitano, grown along the Amalfi Coast, is a more elongated lemon with knobby ends. It is a juicier lemon making it perfect for lemoncello. Grown along the Sorrento Coast is the Sfusato Sorrentino, a rounder and bumpier lemon with a meatier pulp, ideal for marmalades and desserts. Amalfi Coast Lemons | Travel With Julie
08132012 Charming hilltop towns, acres of lemon groves and vineyards, mile after mile of stunning cliffs kissed by cobalt-blue waters… its official name is the Amalfi Coast, but this magical land answers to ‘heaven.’ On this trip, you’ll live like one of the region’s (incredibly lucky) locals, discovering the small towns, mountain trails and local customs of this uniquely beautiful place. Explore the ruins of Pompeii in the morning, hike the coastline of the Med by afternoon, and tuck into bed at your converted 17th-century monastery homebase at sundown. Paradise incarnate. Amalfi Coast Local Living | G Adventures
08142012 Villa Rufolo is located in the historic center of Ravello. Built in the 13th century by the wealthy Rufolo family, a member of which was cited by Boccaccio in the Decameron, the villa was also the residence of several popes as well as of Charles of Anjou. It offers a stunning panorama over the Amalfi coast and the Gulf of Salerno. The German opera composer Richard Wagner was so moved by the beauty of the location that he imagined the setting as Klingsor’s enchanted garden in the second act of Parsifal. As a tribute to this inspiration, every year the lower garden of Villa Rufolo hosts a Wagnerian concert. Wagner said he would never have been able to complete his ultimate masterpiece had he not been inspired by its gripping beauty. Villa Rufolo, Ravello, Campania | Slow Italy
08152012 To capture the essence of Procida within the walls of an ultra modern design hotel was never going to be easy, but this is exactly what the owners of La Suite, an exclusive 5 star hotel bang in the center of the smallest island in the Bay of Naples, have done - to perfection. La Suite Hotel & Spa | italyTraveller
08162012 This is one of the palaces of the island, located on the heights of the very popular village. The property has been completely renovated under the guidance of Giampiero Panepinto in the idea of recreating "the atmosphere of a cozy house and embodied with here and there, references to the journey." The former fashion designer become interior chose to inspire Capri, imagining spaces both contemporary and timeless charm imprinted on the island. Capri Tiberio Palace Hotel & Spa | Artravel Magazine
08172012 Most of the Cilento region south of Naples is a national park with stunning rugged scenery lending itself perfectly to a week of horseriding on trails alternately running through ancient villages, olive groves, coastal paths and wild hilltops. The routes offered are suitable for beginner riders through to advanced and for those keen to taste more of Italian culture than horse hair, meals (along with accommodation) are provided at I Moresani, a farm which prides itself on its organic and home-grown produce. Horse riding in Italy | The Guardian
08182012 The Antiche Terme di San Teodoro combine both the well-known therapeutic treatments and a new wide series of services addressed to younger guests to enjoy them together with the quiet, unpolluted and green hills of Irpinia all around. Phylosophy of thermal baths | Terme San Teodoro Villamaina
08192012 A BBC crew has reached the rim of the crater the 1st of May. The aim is to produce a documentary during which it will be discussed about volcanic risk and scientific hypotheses on future eruptions of Vesuvius. Photo featured by an interview with prof. Mastrolorenzo. BBC on the crater | GuideVesuvio.it
08202012 Visit a vineyard at the foothills of the Vesuvius, where vines find nutrients and minerals in the thousand-year old lava, giving its wines particular colors and aromas. Explore the bustling streets of Sorrento, where you will find an extraordinary view of the entire Gulf of Naples. Relive history in Pompeii, the ancient Roman city buried by volcanic ash for centuries after the devastating eruption of 79 A.D. Discover how local products are made, such as Mozzarella di Bufala and Limoncello, take cooking classes, visit vineyards as you soak up the atmosphere of this vibrant Mediterranean coast. Jewels of the Amalfi Coast Tour | Nada's Italy
08212012 Locally they claim the Greco grape has grown near Naples since 800 B.C. and as you might expect it originally came from Greece – the southern end of the Italian Peninsula was part of the Ancient Greek world until the Romans took over. The soil is very mineral rich and to combat the heat the vines are grown at between 350 and 700 metres above sea level. Another fascinating grape that has been grown in the area for, Fiano is believed to have been the grape used for Apianum one of the famous wines of Ancient Rome. Avellino neighbours Tufo and again the height and mineral rich volcanic soils help counteract the heat to produce beguiling wines. Southern Italy – an eruption of terrific white wines | Quentin Sadler
08222012 The Irpinia tour is a celebration of Italy’s Renaissance with white wines that are produced in Irpinia, Fiano di Avellino and Falanghina. Situated 25 miles east of Naples and resting in the Apennine mountains, Irpinia is home to some of the oldest wineries in Italy. Operator Offers Wine-focused Tours of Italy | Luxury Travel Advisor
08232012 Campania, the rich region around Naples where the Roman nabobs had their villas, was the source of the celebrated Falernian wine, matured in terracotta amphorae for years or even decades. Wine is still made there today: the dark, berryish (and, in truth, rather variable) Falerno del Massico. Savouring wine from southern Italy | The Telegraph
08242012 We boarded the highs-peed ferry from Sorrento to Capri and suddenly I found I had Gracie Fields singing in my head: 'Twas on the Isle of Capri that he found her beneath the shade of an old walnut tree...' When we reached Anacapri, I decided I wanted to see Gracie Fields's house. It is where she lived for most of her life after the Second World War with her husband Boris, a former radio repairman from Romania. She owned La Canzone Del Mare, a swimming and restaurant complex which her home overlooked. It was a place frequented by passing Hollywood stars during the Fifties, with regular guests including Richard Burton, Greta Garbo and Noël Coward. Ferocious quizzes and dropping in on Gracie on a luxury European cruise | Daily Mail
08252012 Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton arrive on the island of Capri in June 1962. The screen stars, who were both married, were guests at Dame Gracie Field’s exclusive hotel on Capri, La Canzone Del Mare. New Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Photo | Lisa's History Room
08262012 The final 24 hours of the Roman city of Pompeii are being relived on Twitter today - exactly 1,933 years after an eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the city beneath a blanket of ash. The minute-by-minute reconstruction of the city's destruction is based on the tale of Pliny the Elder, the Roman scholar and admiral who took command of the city's evacuation. The city's cataclysmic final day will be retweeted as it happened from the Twitter account Elder_Pliny, who has been brought to life by experts from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Final hours of Pompeii retold on Twitter (almost) exactly 1,933 years after Vesuvius eruption | Daily Mail
08272012  Across the bay of Naples from Pompeii, where thousands were incinerated by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, lies a hidden "super volcano" that could kill millions in a catastrophe many times worse, scientists say. The boiling mud and sulphurous steam holes of the area west of Naples known as the Campi Flegrei or Phlegraean Fields, from the Greek word for burning, are a major tourist attraction. But the zone of intense seismic activity, which the ancients thought was the entrance to hell, also could pose a danger of global proportions with millions of people literally living on top of a potential future volcanic eruption. "These areas can give rise to the only eruptions that can have global catastrophic effects comparable to major meteorite impacts," said Giuseppe De Natale, head of a project to drill deep under the earth to monitor the molten "caldera". "Super volcano", global danger, lurks near Pompeii | af.reuters.com
08282012 We are proud to share with you the first published photos of the House of the Telephus Relief at Herculaneum since archaeologists started their reconstruction of its wooden roof and completed studies of its decorated ceiling. Its extravagant decorations make it one of the most prestigious houses in the city, and one that once would have enjoyed spectacular views across the Bay of Naples. On the top floor, the sumptuous dining room with marble wall and floors, was surrounded by a terrace and topped by the multicoloured and gilded wooden ceiling. Raising the roof on the House of the Telephus Relief | Current World Archaeology
08292012 Rossellini, known as much for his colourful love life as for his movies. He filmed in Maiori, and stills from his famous scenes are displayed around the town. Visitors walk the streets recreating the poses of his leading ladies, Ingrid Bergman and Anna Magnani, pretending to star in their own movies. One person who doesn’t need to fake it is former builder Carlo Rumolo. Still sprightly at the age of 100, he was spotted by Rossellini in an amateur dramatics production in the early 1950s. Soon after, he was cast as a police brigadier in The Machine that Kills Bad People, a morality tale about a photographer whose camera has the power to kill. Carlo couldn’t be happier that visitors to Maiori still want to talk about his moment of stardom. ‘It is wonderful to have done something in my life that people care about so much,’ he says with a huge smile. Live the good life on the Amalfi Coast Live the good life on the Amalfi Coast | BBC Travel
08302012 "So why would anyone want to visit Naples? Because the city is magical! When you walk from the West district towards the sea, you see beautiful views and there are many nice places to swim. Naples is full of smells - from flowers, the sea but also from the garbage. Sometimes I recognise a scent when I'm in Milan and it immediately brings me back to Naples. The city is continuously balancing between love and hate, cruelty and holiness. It's like a lift, always going up and down. The landscape is somewhere between flatness and hills, and on the streets the past meets the present. When you visit Naples, you will find that people there are very friendly. If you ask a person on the street for directions, he will probably walk with you to the place, because people cannot speak English. Naples is a port city, so everyone is open to other cultures. All these reasons combined make the city very attractive to artists." Diana Marrone talks about Naples | Mediamatic
08312012 Naples. The largest and most extraordinary ancient center of Europe is an immense, gigantic ruin. Naples is a "Pompeii, which has never been buried," wrote Curzio Malaparte. In older neighborhoods along the Decumani, the ancient history of the city emerges from the catacombs, monuments, churches of every age, unknown masterpieces, palaces undone. City convent and monastic unique in the world, its greatest wealth lies in the numerous churches, chapels, cloisters, speakers with frescoed ceilings, arches, domes, incredible art treasures accumulated over the centuries. Almost everything in between alleys and abandoned homes defaced by graffiti, rubbish dumps and scaffolding that save crumbling walls after the earthquake of 1980. Ornaments and costly furnishings: stolen. In Naples, nothing is normal, the ordinary is extraordinary. Naples, the normal emergency | The Art Newspaper

JULY 2012

FORMER MONKS' CELL

                                                                                                                                                           

07012012 A cluster of buildings sit atop the cliffs of a small rocky island, connected to the much larger island of Ischia by a narrow causeway. It's a perfect natural defensive position – as was obvious to settlers from as early as 1400 BC. Nowadays visitors climb steps (or take the lift, deep in the bowels of the island) to wander around the ruins of the 15th century castle. Come the evening, most return to Ischia – but not all. For the lucky few, the Albergo Il Monastero hotel allows them to stay overnight in this extraordinary location. Hot spot: Castello Aragonese's Albergo Il Monastero | travelbite.co.uk
07022012 I have always found myself overcome by the irony of random displays. I especially love dolls and mannequins,  and the unintentional power these inanimate objects seem to have over me. For some reason, my beloved Naples forever feeds my gluttonous eyes and fascination with these  odd, sometimes unintentional exhibitions… Le bambole di Napoli (The Dolls of Naples): Part 2 | Slam The Local
07032012 On 25th April, Il Giorno della Liberazione (Liberation Day), the citizens of Naples were invited to celebrate the day and the new space by bringing kites to fly. My friends and I were astonished, never having seen a kite in Naples before; how many would there be? We had no need to worry; there were plenty of kites dancing in the cobalt sky and hundreds of families claiming the lungomare back from the cars. Meanwhile everyone has been invited to submit ideas for how best to enjoy and preserve one of the most spectacular coastal walks in the world. Sea Naples and Revive |  ItalianNotebook
07042012 The author designates himself “a traveling citizen,” adapting Walter Benjamin’s phrase, to distinguish himself from vast numbers of “tourists’’ visible and scurrying all around him in Italy. And, this makes way for his next striking observation concerning the spirit of the city. Naples, he tells us, was long a Greek colony, a City of Pagan devotions. From as far back at 1800 B.C, when the Mycenean traders establish themselves at Vivara, an island located between Ischia and Procida, and well into the fourth century B.C. when the Roman dominated, it remained in their hands. Taylor shows us how this spirit pervades it still. He observes that “…Naples was a civilization founded by Hellenes, and ‘Greekness’ has been, despite chances and changes, the living subterranean truth of the place.” It was named by them Parthenope, for the Siren who flung herself into the gulf and washed ashore after Odysseus rejected her. Hats Off to the City of Naples: An Underestimated Work of Art | California Literary Review
07052012 In this readable, entertaining information guide for tourists, Zaragoza takes readers from the heights of Mount Vesuvius to the ruins of Pompeii and beyond. Part atlas, part history lesson, part epicurean review, this comprehensive handbook to Naples is without peer. She knows that anyone who wishes to see “The Sanctuary of Mithras” in Capua needs to see a custodian off premises, where he or she will grab a key and beckon travelers to follow the route to the actual site. It’s tips like these that make this guide so special. Zaragoza starts off with a background history lesson before providing directions to the places she describes—some off-the-beaten-path destinations would be difficult if not impossible to find otherwise. The Espresso Break: Tours and Nooks of Naples, Italy and Beyond | Kirkus Reviews
07062012 Farnese Hercules (a.k.a. Weary Hercules) Roman marble copy after a bronze original, circa 320 BC. The Farnese Hercules is a copy of a lost masterpiece by the Greek sculptor Lysippos. Lysippos was a star of the Late Classical period of Greek art (so much so that Alexander the Great chose him to be his official portraitist) and this is the best-known copy of one of his most famous works. When the colossal statue was displayed at the Palazzo Farnese in Rome from 1545 to 1787, it was considered an essential stop for artists and travelers. So, the next time you're in Naples, go to the Archeological Museum and visit (or revisit) the Alexander Mosaic, the Farnese Hercules, the Farnese Bull and the Doryphoros ('spear bearer") inside. You tell me if you leave thinking about dust bunnies, or with the image of Hercules' fantastically muscled buttocks chiseled into your brain. The Steves Syndrome | The American
07072012 Ferdinando Scianna will disclose his enormous archive to help us build a road map through 25 works of art recounting a chronologically ordered story by images. His story will conclude with the pictures (15 shots) he took when he was staying in Capri; faces, portraits, home interiors and sea views. Irene Kung, a photography artist whose background is in painting, offer a vibrating representation of the mighty landscape and architecture of Capri. The formats are big. The colours are intense and saturated as to allow the power of nature and the power of the images flow in a dialogue. IV Edition of Capri Photography Festival | Fondazione Capri
07082012 There is a range of hotels and guest establishments where you can base yourself – ranging from five-star film celebrity pads to smaller, family-run hotels. It is at one of these, Hotel La Certosella, that I make my home for two nights. At La Certosella, there is a quiet, understated Italian elegance in the decoration of the large double room. With attractive ceramic tiles on the floor (a must in the heat of summer), effective air-conditioning and a top-notch bathroom, the hotel offers everything you could wish for. La Certosella is not like any mainland European chain hotel. It’s on a property which has been there for a century and a half and is more like a family villa, with a cool, well-cared-for garden and a pool deck offering a view of the western side of the island. Capri: Italy’s treasure island | Independent Online
07092012 Prepared by the European Centre for the Study of Normans (CESN), since its establishment, the Museum of Norman Civilization of Ariano Irpino plays - next to the fundamental conservative function – a broader mission and cultural nature. The museum, in fact, has established itself immediately as an effective means of active participation, promoting artistic and cultural development, and the spreading of knowledge. The entrance to the museum in the spring and summer, also allows for a scenic stroll within the city walls and towers of the castle, ending the tour with a stop on the high lookout. Museo della Civiltà Normanna | museincampania.it
07102012 From the South Italian city of Napoli, Carola was a much loved DJ on the Cocoon terrace over the last number of seasons in Ibiza and news of his move to a new, stand alone night, was greeted with surprise but quickly followed by anticipation of what is sure to be an underground Techno treat of pure quality. Fridays Techno Special : Marco Carola Presents Music On @Amnesia | Clubtickets
07102012 My street in Chiaia district of Naples has lots of character, especially now that August holidays are open and everything has reopened... the restoration and upholstery shops, the local cheese shop, wine shop and salumeria, churches at each end of the street, and many small monuments in between... will get out one afternoon and photograph the street... Spoiler alert: I'm thinking my next book will be about... | Blurb
07112012 In a quiet cathedral in Sorrento Italy, 5-year-old Harry Poitras drops to his knees in the pew, clasps his hands, and prays: “Please God, make there be something besides spaghetti and pizza on the menu.” European Travel: Taking the kids to Italy, just for fun | Toronto Star
07122012 One of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world is Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Nestled south of the bustling seaport of Naples, the tiny towns composing this scenic coastline offer some of Italy’s most breathtaking views. The Amalfi coast stretches from the Sorrento Peninsular almost as far as the port of Salerno. The town of Amalfi is in the middle and at the northern end is the scenic town of Positano, with its hundreds of houses, restaurants and hotels built into and on the mountainside. Compared to other tourist sites, the Amalfi Coast gives visitors a real taste of what life is like in Italy’s sun soaked south. 24 hours on the Amalfi Coast | FOX News
07132012 Iain Stewart sees the destruction wrought by Vesuvius in the Roman town of Herculaneum. The town destroyed by Vesuvius | BBC
07142012 The steep walk up a wide, well-maintained trail to the cone of Vesuvius takes 30 minutes, making it the briefest trek of the four volcanoes. Once at the top you can walk around half of the cone while peering directly inside — an experience that is simultaneously captivating (it’s impossible not think of the eruption that buried Pompeii) and forbidding (volcanologists predict Vesuvius will have a major eruption in the future). Hiking Italy, Volcano to Volcano | The New York Times
07152012 A recent study of the Early Bronze Age community of Afragola, buried under ash fall about 3,800 years ago, has given researchers a glimpse into both life on an Early Bronze Age village and how Bronze Age farmers lived and survived with an active volcano in the background. The Campanian plain is a large, flat area in southwestern Italy on the Gulf of Napoli, that contains the modern cities of Naples and Salerno, and the ancient buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. There were at least twenty Bronze Age villages buried in the Vesuvius' eruption of 3760 ± 70 BP. One of the most intensively studied to date is Afragola. Other Vesuvian Eruptions | About.com
07162012 The new TV spot that is titled "Immigrants" tells the tale of the 500's departure from the beautiful Amalfi coast and Sorrento in Italy with several cars jumping into the sea and driving under water all the way to New York City. At the same time, we're listening to the sounds of a popular Italian song called 'Torna a Surriento,'(Come Back to Sorrento) sung by international artist, Arianna and composed by Flavio Ibba. New Fiat 500 Ad: The Next Wave of Italian Immigrants Has Come to America | Carscoop
07172012 "Amalfi Blue, lost & found in the south of Italy," is a story of self discovery. Author Lisa Fantino lost her heart and soul along the magical Amalfi Coast and found herself along the way. It's a true story of love and lust, men and women, friendships and family, death and re-birth, set in some of the most beautiful locations in Europe. Toss in kidnapping, intrigue, hot salsa nights and sex and you've got passion, Italian style. Join Lisa as she shares what it takes to live la vita bella. Amalfi Blue Benvenuti | Wanderlust Women Travel
07182012 Located in Praiano, a fishing village between Amalfi and Positano, Villa Mida is a two story property just 1.3 km from the center of a fully equipped town. Its privileged position, high above the coastline, grants spectacular views. The trendy style of Villa Mida is felt in the mixing luxury fabrics and splashes of color with contemporary and sophisticated pieces. Villa Mida | Bravo Holiday Residences
07192012 We sunbathed and swam our way around the Amalfi Coastline from Agerola to Positano between the 14th and 18th June. Below you will find all our favourite Instagram photos, travel tips and places we visit during our trip to help you plan your next trip to the Amalfi Coast. Live Blogging from the Amalfi Coast | Four Jandals
07202012 The Amalfi Coast - the perfect place to unwind after exploring Italy's cities. Hostels in Amalfi Coast | Hostelworld.com
07212012 Our pizza making class shows kids, step-by-step, how to mix, knead and roll out the dough. A variety of pizzas are made using local seasonal ingredients, along with local antipasto and a dessert. Everyone enjoys the pizza together after the lesson. Kids will also learn a little history on where and how the first pizza was made in Naples. Chef Raffaele Esposito, a Neapolitan chef and baker, created a special pizza for the Queen Margherita. Using tomato, mozzarella, and basil, in the colors of the Italian flag – red, white & green, he named it Margherita. To date, the Pizza Margherita is Italy’s most popular. Kids Cooking Programs | Cooking Vacations
07222012 The Hotel Caruso, in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast, offers a breathtaking range of possibilities for our guests. Very spacious rooms, each room with its own unique style. The furniture reflects Neapolitan style and tradition and has been exclusively created for Hotel Caruso; some rooms also feature antique 18th and 19th-century pieces. The hotel has a panoramic heated pool. The fully equipped fitness centre provides everything you need to maintain your exercise routine away from home. At the Wellness Centre, guests enjoy superb treatments by Aromatherapie and Maria Galland. Hotel Caruso 5 stars luxury | italyTraveller
07232012 In the summer of 1962, at the invitation of writer Gore Vidal, Jackie Kennedy - the wife of JFK - took her children to Ravello for a three-week holiday on Italy's Amalfi Coast. Among her favourite activities was driving down to Conca dei Marini to waterski (this was a gift for paparazzi who followed her). One of the thousands of pictures of Jackie that filled the Italian papers that summer is on the wall of the bar of the Monastero Santa Rosa; it captures the First Lady effortlessly riding the waves with impressive style. Oh Amalfi: The return of Monastero Santa Rosa, Jackie Kennedy's Italian hideaway | Daily Mail
07242012 The name Villa Cimbrone comes from the rocky ridge on which it stands known as “cimbronium.” Englishman Ernest William Beckett, Lord Grimthorpe, purchased the property in 1904 after his grand tour –– a trip through Europe the sons of Englishmen of the time took to see the world and finish their education. Lord Grimthorpe sought to create a garden for the villa like no other. He consulted a French botanist for the choice of the trees and plants for the flowerbeds. According to recent studies, the English writer and gardener Vita Sackville-West may have helped plan the garden. She was a friend and admirer of the English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, whose numerous books line the shelves of the villa’s private library. Jekyll represented the latest fashion for the English garden at the turn of the 19th century, especially with her herbaceous borders. Today the park-like garden covers what seemed acres. Thomas Mickey: An English garden on Italy’s Amalfi Coast | Chronicle-Express
07252012 It has an impressive list of former guests. Goethe, the Duke of Wellington and Shelley are among those who have graced La Cocumella with its presence. Even in 1825, when it opened as a hotel, the building was well-established. In fact it is the oldest building on the entire Sorrento peninsula, having been originally constructed as a Jesuit monastery in 1597. We were lucky enough to visit on the evening of a concert taking place in the cloister, the hotel's largest indoor space. The acoustic is excellent, allowing audience members to hear even the subtlest performances from a distance. La Cocumella has a reputation for its musical programme: as well as a series of early season concerts it also offers further events in September organised by a local impresario. Hot spot: Grand Hotel La Cocumella | travelbite.co.uk
07262012 Nocelle is one of the access points for the Sentiero degli Dei, or Path of the Gods, perhaps the most spectacular of the ancient footpaths that criss-cross the hills here. You could start the walk in Positano but you need to climb a lot of steps from Positano to get to Nocelle and the view is just as good from the bus. From Nocelle, the walk heads out into the pristine hillside and from here it's only about two hours until you finish in the village of Bomerano, rather than closer to four. Walkers enjoy gorgeous views of the coastline and its scalloped bays. Along the way, the terrain changes from lemon groves to scrubby hillsides to shady glens to terraced vineyards. Splendour by the sea | The Age
07272012 The non-stop presence of the green woodlands on each plateau, the wonderful views you can enjoy from the summits of Montevergine, Vallatrone, Toppola Grande and Ciesco Alto over the Gulf of Naples, the town of Avellino, and the Plain of Noli, enchant the tourist visiting Partenio. Discovering Partenio means reliving the emotions of a millenary history in symbiosis with Nature! In the Heart of Campania, A Trail between Nature and Man | Parks.it
07282012 Luckily for those of us who love Rosé, low demand means high supply at low prices, so it's often possible to get some of the best wines available at $15 or less. We had the opportunity to taste three great examples recently. The most delicate and easiest to drink was Terredora di Paolo's Rosæ­novae ($15), a delightful Italian wine from the Campania area. It's made from the free run juice of the Aglianico grape. This method provides the least amount of violence to the grape, and offers a light, fragrant drink ideal for a hot summer evening. Favorite Rosés for the Summer | Austin Chronicle
07292012 Sorrento coastline, the island of Capri and the Amalfi coast, which are Campania’s jewels, abound in the terrace cultivations of lemons which make the scenery even more colourful, and since the 19th century, there is proof of the tradition of offering the blend made out lemon known as limoncello to visitors and nobles that passed by the coast. In Capri, Sorrento and Amalfi, there are many legends and stories on the origin of this liqueur; some say the limoncello is as ancient as lemon cultivation itself. Others say that it was used by fishermen and farmers to fight off the cold of the morning. Some others say that the recipe was originated in a monastery. How about some limoncello? | Bit Community
07302012 Day 1: Coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice on the sunny Piazza San Domenico close to the apartment. Following Patrick through the back streets and marvelling at the extravagance of the Baroque churches. Eating vast quantities of gelato. A late afternoon climb up to San Martino to visit the museum and macabre charterhouse cloisters. Naples - a couple of weeks ago. |  sarahhickson
07312012 About 40,000 years ago, a huge volcanic eruption west of what is now Naples, Italy, showered ash over much of central and Eastern Europe. Some researchers have suggested that this super-eruption, combined with a sharp cold spell that hit the Northern Hemisphere at the same time, created a “volcanic winter” that did in the Neandertals. Humans Blamed for Neanderthal Extinction | Wired

JUNE 2012

PAINTING EN PLEIN AIR

06012012 I will always remember the Amalfi Coast as a place unlike no other I have ever seen. It’s a region of village steps and tiny walkways (350 steps down to the Sea in Praiano), of one long coastal road that winds in dangerous turns precariously above the Sea, and of daily seafood, stunning sunsets, and rich ancient legends. But the photos say so much more than I could in words… Italy’s Amalfi Coast: A Photojournal | Jennifer Lyn King
06022012 In the heart of Amalfi is a strange and wonderful world to explore, ready to enchant you with the spectacle of a prodigious nature. The Natural Reserve "Valle delle Ferriere", an example of exceptional beauty, the variety will astound you with its colors, its light effects, its vegetation, alternating zones typical of tropical countries with the most familiar of our Mediterranean. Ferriere Valley | cultural-hub.com
06032012 I Bagni della Regina Giovanna (it is so named after Queen Joan of Anjou who frequented here to take baths) consists of a beautiful rocky beach close to where you can still admire the ruins of an ancient Roman villa, utilised by Pollio Felice for his summer vacations during the 1st century AD. To reach this piece of jagged coastline that overlooks the sea, you need to walk a short and quite easy trial which departs from Capo di Sorrento. The beach is not suitable for children but compensates by offering a crystal clear sea which is impossible to resist. Location of the Villa | Villa Serena
06042012 This is an itinerary coast-to-coast, for trekking and hiking lovers, it’s possible to cover the distance by one day, anyway it’s also possible to take a bus for same ways. Crapolla is easy to reach from 'O Sole Mio Hotel, by a footpath; hidden in its own small bay, we find a little fishermen’s village, with same traditional fishing boats on the beach. The path to the beach is full of interesting nature, made by olive graves and oak chestnut, here the ruins of St. Peter’s Abbey remind us of the Apostle who landed here on his journey to Rome. The name Crapolla seems to derive from an anciet temple of Apollo, here we can also find the ruins of a little monastery. Crapolla | Hotel Ristorante 'O Sole Mio
06052012 Sorrento is only an hour's drive from Naples but feels a million miles away from its bustling streets. Overlooking the Bay of Naples this small town is famed for its lemons and its production of Limoncello, a lemon liqueur, traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestive. A stop at Sorrento's only surviving Limoncello producer Giardini di Cataldo turns out to be a delightful afternoon, tasting a whole range of lemon products. My favourite? The ultra-refreshing lemon ice cream. When life gives you lemons... | thisisbristol
06062012 We put ashore, history heads firmly on, to explore the Parco Archeologico at Baia. Our guide, quoting Seneca and Vitruvius, set about performing the impressive trick of breathing life into the 2,000-year-old ruins, palatial villas whose crumbled footings and scraps of mosaic extended across the fig-tangled terraces above the domes of the great bath houses. In satisfyingly fetid wafts, the past rose from this Roman-era playground and spa on the Bay of Naples – a place of legendary licentiousness where the likes of Pompey and Caligula had staged scandalous entertainments and Nero had his mother murdered. This was top-drawer history tourism, with no shortage of contemporary parallels: crowding Baia's bay were lavish mega-yachts, all laundered fortunes, thong-style swimwear and bling-laden security details, suggesting that little had changed among Italy's ruling class, even if today's lot appeared to prefer their palaces offshore. Cruises: Italy's bay of beauty | Telegraph
06072012 Armed with cane, water bottle and jaunty baseball cap, Silvio led us on a fascinating tour of this massive piece of Italian history. As we stepped carefully along deep chariot wheel tracks etched into the stone streets, we learned how the inhabitants of Pompeii ate, cooked, loved, and suffered. We saw their gorgeous murals, grinned at the clever “fast food joints” and chuckled when Silvio explained that men were only allowed to enter the red light district if their foot exceeded the length of a prominent “manly part” carved into stone at the entrance. The Tour Guide in Pompeii who Changed My Mind about Tour Guides | The Travel Belles
06082012 My favorite restaurant to indulge in a delicious local meal is . . . La Fontelina makes divine ravioli caprese. You need to try it everywhere on Capri, but theirs is the best. To stay in shape, my on-the-go fitness regime is . . . walking up and down the hills in Capri, whether to dinner at Le Grottelle or to the beach at La Fontelina. It’s better and more beautiful than a StairMaster. Where I Go: Michael Kors | Vanity Fair
06092012 Why spend a weekend or more in Capri? Because of its undeniable beauty. It’s a quiet place where lemon trees grow in streets; where cars are as useless as umbrellas, and just as rare; where perspectives and views change every few yards and the sea is the deepest blue; where a still white mist redesigns the horizon every few moments and the air is filled with the scent of jasmine, citrus and pine. Guide to Capri | ItalyTravelista
06102012 Amalfi Coast Road, Italy. We’d forgive you for smashing up your vintage convertible MG when distracted by the pastel villages, historic churches and pristine lapping coastline here. This is one of the prettiest routes we’ve ever encountered, and the coastal roads are crammed with enough hairpin bends to get your pacemaker screaming. “It’s absolutely beautiful, the scenery makes this road trip,” says David Light, motoring editor at Khaleej Times. “The best way to experience it is in the summer, in a drop-top sports car.” World's 10 ultimate drives | CNNGo
06112012 For the last decade or so, Salerno – thanks partly to a decisive, far-sighted local administration – has carved out a successful role for itself with tourism and culture. The most touristy part of the city starts at the recent Grand Hotel Salerno. With its strategic position (surrounded by large public car parks with reasonable tariffs), it provides an ideal starting point for the city’s seafront. The promenade extends westwards as far as the Santa Teresa beach, where work is underway to build the Crescent (a semi-circular residential complex), the new Piazza della Libertà and – most importantly – the Polo Marittimo (a Maritime Terminal with a design that recalls the undulations on an oyster) created by Zaha Hadid. Salerno and Some of the Cilento | Vogue
06122012 Located in one of the most beautiful areas of Italy, the artisan producer "Il Forno Antico" in San Mauro la Bruca offers excellent food and rooms where it is possible to spend the night . Not far away it is possible to relax on white idyllic beaches. We're not in the Caribbean, we're in Italy. Topic: Food at the beach | Veracious
06132012 Mount Gelbison is one of the most famous and popular shrines in southern Italy. It dates back to 1300, and people come from all over to pay respects to The Shrine of Novi Velia Holy Mary. At the top sits a historic sanctuary open only from the last Sunday in May to the second Sunday in October. Mount Gelbison sits 5,593 feet above mountains covered with many kinds of trees, including chestnut, wild elm, maple and pear. This place is higher than Zermatt, Switzerland, and on a clear day visitors can easily see the Gulf of Salerno. An Italian Itinerary from Venice to Naples and Beyond | Johnny Jet
06142012 You and your children can enjoy a relaxing walk in the Botanical Garden, a quiet  spot of verdant nature right in the chaotic centre of Naples. There you can admire the felceto and the palm grove;  typical plants of the Mediterranean area, like the citruses; officinal plants and plants that require special acclimatization, that is the immense representation of Ninfee in appropriate bathtubs and in a better exposed area, the so-called desert, the wide collection of fat plants. Inside the Garden there is the Museum of Paleobotanica, introducing a collection of fossils and objects made of vegetable material. The Botanical Garden | children itineraries
06152012 I didn’t want to go there. I wanted to climb up a volcano. That is, until I walked up to the second floor of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, and saw what had been unearthed from the ruins of Pompeii. First there were mosaics, fashioned from the tiniest bits of colored tile into large, bright masterpieces from the first century. Most interesting were the sculptures: graceful bronze fauns, classic busts, winged beasts and a tiny bird, the same size—but much more beautiful—as one I’d sculpted in an amateur artistic fit a few days before. Suddenly, I had a connection—something in common with an artist from an ancient land, some 2,000 years ago. My self-pity was long gone, replaced by awe and genuine appreciation. Vesuvio: Annihilation/Preservation | ITALY Magazine
06162012 When we reach the driveway of Villa Ida, we are greeted by Roberta Cuomo, the first member of the Cuomo clan we meet. We follow her along a short path lined with grape vines and fragrant oranges and lemons. She invites us to drink Neapolitan coffee and plum cake around one of the large, round, painted ceramic tables in a manicured backyard that feels like a family room. The Cuomos, once a family of nobles, live in a private villa that houses 20 family members in an ocher-colored stucco enclave subdivided into eight apartments. We roll up our sleeves and take our places at individual cooking stations set up on both sides of a long table next to the outdoor kitchen. The menu includes a traditional four-course Neapolitan-style lunch using recipes that Angela and her mother, Ida, inherited. First, we make tomato sauce for a pasta dish that layers ziti from nearby Gragnano with baby eggplants and mozzarella cheese. The approach is hands-on, watching and doing. A Cooking Class At Villa Ida In Sorrento | The Huffington Post
06172012 Benevento is a dichotomy between displays of ancient history and an impressive collection of modern art. The Museo Arcos, the town’s Museum of Contemporary Art, is home to numerous modern works from artists worldwide. Considered a ‘live museum,’ it has a space for the display of more progressive works. Many of the works created in the Museo Arcos, such as the sculpture pictured above, are displayed in the streets of Benevento. Bene Benevento in the Heart of Campania | Luxury Italian Tours
06182012 Jennifer Deacon describes the Cilento Coast as similar to the Tuscan Coast or Amalfi Coast – 20 years ago. The area offers everything on your list: biking trails and beaches where you don't have to fight for a spot to plant your umbrella. “Medieval Pisciotta is perched high above the sea with a maze of pedestrian-only streets to navigate. The modern port below is a charming little strip of cafés and small businesses; there are beaches and a small marina. From here you can enjoy the nearly deserted but pristine beaches. … There is a great national park system with walking and biking trails, and guided excursions would be recommended for these days.” Deacon describes Il Cannito as “an absolute gem of a small, family-run property.” This is the place to relax, bike, hike or take a guided visit of the famed Greek temples near Paestum. The hotel's matriarch, “Mama,” also offers cooking classes in the kitchen. “From there, they can also arrange a private boat trip down the coast to the otherwise inaccessible beaches of Cilento, and swim in amazing private coves.” Can you recommend a mother-daughter trip to Europe? | The Globe and Mail
06192012 The sparkling sea and golden sand are the main richness of the beaches of this region, which every summer attracts many Italians and foreigners. There is also much to visit from the cultural and architectural point. In Nocera Inferiore you can also visit the Archaeological Museum of the Agro Nocerino and the Museo Provinciale. It is open from 9am to 1pm and from 5pm to 8pm, every day. Also to see is the memorial stone in Sapri. Located in Piazza Plebiscito it is a little monument to Roman times that it has become a real cult object. Summer Holidays in Campania Italy | Steps Across
06202012 Pierpaolo Maisto’s firm in Pontecagnano Faiano (Salerno, Italy), as many other firms situated in Piana del Sele, is specialized in different types of fresh-cut salads, first of all in wild rocket (they have been cultivating since 2006), but also in red and green Baby leaves, Baby spinach, oriental salads such as tatsoi, Mizuna, Red Chards, Bulls Blood, green and red Pak choi. Italy: Organic rocket and baby leaf from Piana del Sele Europewide | FreshPlaza
06212012 La Calanca is the principal beach of Marina di Camerota and it can be reached by a large rocky stair consenting a comfortable walk fot the tourists. This beach is made up of fine, white sand and low waters, so that it satisfies the needs of adults and children, expert swimmers and not swimmers, whom can enjoy the freshness of the water just by walking on the shore. It is therefore a favourite family beach. Marina di Camerota: the 'Pearl of Cilento' | VisitItaly
06222012 My favourite stop on the Napoli kayak tour was when we stopped at the Roman ruins which were visible above, and below, the sea surface. Snorkelling gear was again donned to explore these ancient structures. I only wish we had more time here as this was definitely the highlight. It was such a fun few hours and a totally different way to explore Napoli. We definitely recommend you to check out Kayak Napoli as they run adventure trips every day and it’s a great way to escape the Italian heat. Sea Kayak in Napoli | Four Jandals
06232012 Grassano was the original pizzaiola at Spacca Napoli, a third-generation pizzamaker from Naples, who, in the late winter of 2006, showed Chicagoans that pizza was not just a knife-and-fork-required affair. She showed us that great pizza is a study in contrasts, of blistered, bubbling, high-rising crispy edges and a chewy, slightly droopy center. She showed us that a real pie does not take 45 minutes. And yet, despite the adulation, as Grassano pulls a pizza peel across a wood-fired oven made of imported Italian ash and Vesuvio stone, she looks as though she’s slumping under some major, but invisible heft. Pizzeria da Nella Cucina Napoletana | Chicago Sun-Times
06242012 Within ten minutes we had two piping hot pizzas in front of us. To wash it down we shared a bottle of Nastro Azzurro beer. The pizzas were spectacular: hot, moist, beautiful. To make a perfect pizza is a difficult job, a pizzaiuolo needs great skills, good quality natural dough, high oven temperature (490C / 915 F), the right wood, a lot a lot of practise but also love, passion and pride. They have them all at the Trianon. One of the secrets of a Neapolitan pizza is the wood fired oven insulated by volcanic sand from Vesuvius. A Short Trip To Naples | Lemons and Olives
06252012 Capri is a lovely island in the Mediterranean located on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in Italy. After having been there, I now understand why Lomography decided to name their La Sardina Beach Editions after this amazing island. Basking at the Beach: Capri Diem | Lomography Italia
06262012 Those seeking the charms of Capri without the crowds will be delighted to discover Ischia. Just 20 miles west of Naples, this intimate island is one of Italy's best-kept secrets. Among its many treasures is Albergo San Montano, whose charming maritime theme suits its seafront surroundings. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this stunning hotel seems to hang suspended between sea and sky, and will dazzle you with its breathtaking views of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the Sorrento Peninsula. Albergo San Montano | Luxury Link
06272012 Everything in life is about location, location, location and nowhere does that apply more than at the seafront in Positano, Italy. Chez Black (Via del Brigantino, on the beach, Positano) is one of those beach favorites…..those who want to be seen and those who want to see…the sea….flock here to stare at the blue waters of the Amalfi Coast. Mangia Monday at Chez Black in Positano | Wanderlust Women Travel
06282012 In the locality of Starza della Regina in Somma Vesuviana in the province of Naples, thanks to a multidisciplinary research projects between the University of Tokyo and the Special Superintendency of Cultural Heritage of Naples and Pompeii, the excavation of the so-called Augustus Villa, a big Roman building, built during the imperial period and used until the V century A.C., was started. Today it is possible to visit a monumental area with columns and decorated walls with niches. It is a broad residential complex, probably used for the agricultural production. The building was buried by the Vesuvian eruption of 472 A.C. Many statues have been found, among which that of a woman with peplos, the fragmented statue of Dyonisus/Bacchus holding a baby leopard with an ivy crown. Villa di Augusto | InCampania
06292012 After closing in the nineties for renovations, Naples' Filangieri Museum, founded in 1888 to hold the personal collection of Gaetano Filangieri, has finally reopened to visitors. Prince Filangieri of Arianiello was a lawyer, scholar and philosopher with a great interest in ancient antiquities. His personal art collection includes not only fine art, but a vast array of weapons, china, miniatures and precious materials such as ivory, ancient glass, and coral. The Museo Filangieri Reopens in Napoli After Decades of Renovations | Italy Magazine
06302012 Some people claim that pizza was invented in Greece; others say it hails from southern France. A friend of mine who went to Yale swears it comes from New Haven. Sheesh! Have any of these people been to Naples? Anyway, who gets the credit for inventing pizza is a moot point when the answer to who makes the best pizza is obvious: Naples, Naples and more Naples. Fie on your Chicago deep-dish, your Roman pizza bianca and especially your mass-produced Domino’s and Pizza Hut. There is simply nothing like Neapolitan pizza made of hand-kneaded dough too fragile to toss, topped with fresh, authentic ingredients and baked fast on the surface of a bell-shaped, wood-burning oven. There’s No Place Like Naples for Pizza | The Constant Traveler

MAY 2012

PICNIC ON THE AMALFI COAST

05012012 I haven't been able to stop dreaming of long lazy days spent sunbathing on the Amalfi Coast... Picnic On The Amalfi Coast | coco+kelley
05022012 With summer temperatures and humidity soaring, I've been drinking mostly cool white wines for the past couple of weeks. Sadly, a surprising number have been neutral and boring or too heavy to refresh. But not this 2010 Vesevo Beneventano Falanghina "V" from Italy's Campania region, which is mouth-filling but also fresh and vivid. Its flavors are pure, crisp citrus and tangy minerals yet it has a lovely honeyed finish. Aromas of piney woods, white flowers and juicy pears tantalize. A Fresh Italian White | Zester
05032012 Taurasi is a hilltop village in Campania’s Irpinia region, high in the Apennine mountains. The red wine that grows here is made from Aglianico, and belongs to that category of full-bodied, austerely tannic reds at the most serious end of the Italian wine spectrum. Despite its ‘Barolo of the south’ tag, Taurasi is not one of the country’s better known wines. Its reputation among specialists has long been assured by Mastroberardino's spectacularly long-lived reserves, but for decades this historic winery was a flagship without a fleet. Wider recognition of Taurasi’s potential has only come more recently, with the increase in the number of producers and the upgrading of what used to be very uneven quality standards. Italy's 10 most exciting wine styles | decanter.com
05042012 Walking down Via Camerelle on Italy’s Capri island once, I saw a statuesque woman with wavy golden-brown hair and flawless bronze skin. She was looking through a shop window, perhaps contemplating whether she had room in her long, slender arms to carry one more shopping bag. She looked elegant and effortlessly put-together in her white shirt, white Capri pants (of course!), and dark, movie-star sunglasses. And since I love to make up stories in my head, I decided that she was either a jet-setting model, actress, or contessa, who keeps a lovely villa on Via Tragara, overlooking the dazzling Bay of Naples and those Faraglioni rocks. She and her dashing lover will rendezvous at the bar of Hotel Quisisana, where they’ll have a drink or two. With red-painted lips, she’ll sip her Quisi Royale – a purée of pesca (peach) and fragole (strawberry) with Laurent Perrier Champagne. Caprese Bites with Speck Ham on Sour Cream Biscuits | Tartine and Apron Strings
05052012 Instead of navigating overcrowded Pompeii, why not explore another intriguing ancient city—resting just five to 15 feet underwater. You’ll be snorkeling past eerily beautiful mosaic-floored villas at Italy’s Parco Archeologico Sommerso di Baia in no time. Thanks to bradyseism—the gradual raising or lowering of earth due to filling magma chambers—the neighborhood of Baia, 30 minutes west of Naples, now rests in about five to 15 feet of water. Guided tours for both snorkelers and divers cover eight underwater (and four terrestrial) sites like Villa Protiro and Portus Julius. Intricate black-and-white mosaic floors, loose statues, and frescoes mingle with sea stars and anemone shoals...for now. As recently as 1984, the sea floor raised six feet. Coolest underwater attractions | Yahoo! Travel
05062012 As the ferry nears and I disembark, I wonder how Hollywood could have found this isoletta so perfect off the coast of Naples. I mean, sneeze and you’ll miss Procida. It’s that small at only 3 kilometers long. The beaches are rocky, as are most along the Bay of Naples but take a walk through this island and explore Via San Rocco and its beautiful pink houses… afterall, this is where Matt Damon rode a scooter down its narrow byway in “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” As you pass by the sunflower yellow church of Madonna della Grazie, take some time to sit and watch the tiny fishing boats. Grab a spot along the wall and get in tune with the ebb and flow of life again. You won’t find garish souvenir shops on Procida and you just may find yourself again. It washes life in shades of pastels and offers the perfect spot for a romantic mezzogiorno. Off the Beaten Path to Procida | Wanderlust Women Travel
05072012 "I have this strange memory as a child – perhaps I was four or five – and I was opera-singing in the garden." It paid off. The Italian soprano has just made her Royal Opera House debut singing Mimi in its current production of La Bohème. She lives between London and Avellino, in southern Italy. This autumn she makes her New York Met debut as Leonora in David McVicar's Il Trovatore. Observations One to Watch: Carmen Giannattasio, Opera singer | The Independent
05082012 Renowned men’s tailored clothing company Cesare Attolini of Naples has opened its first store outside of Italy, on Madison Avenue at the corner of 67th Street in New York. Within the 2,500-square-foot space, clients can meet with the store’s tailor to select from nearly 1,000 swatches of fine English, Italian, and Scottish fabrics for bespoke suits, which take eight to 10 weeks to complete in Italy. Cesare Attolini Takes Manhattan | Salon Deauville
05092012 This fall, Whitewall’s photographer Rafael Y. Herman visited Kiton’s atelier in Naples, Italy. He captured some incredible moments, but I was wondering, since you grew up in the atelier, what do you think makes Kiton’s atelier in Naples unique? Antonio de Matteis (Kiton CEO): It’s unique because it is impossible to replace the atelier with 350 tailors in this world. They all work together, they work all by hand, and this for sure makes the Kiton atelier unique. And the place where they work, the atmosphere they create for the company, is very special. The only company in Napoli left today that can say they have 350 tailors is Kiton.  Atelier Visit: Kiton in Napoli, Italy | Whitewall Magazine
05102012 I love Ischia so much that I had planned a return trip for Mother's Day weekend again this year with my friend Kristen. My husband and son needed to experience "Heaven On Earth" too before we leave Italy. David and Mayer joined me last weekend in paradise. Negombo on the Island of Ischia is Heaven On Earth, {in my opinion}. Heaven On Earth | gibsonchop.com
05112012 As if the Amalfi coast weren’t paradise enough, there are flowers everywhere. Two of our favorite gardens are in Ravello: the Villa Rufolo and the Villa Cimbrone, both of which pair gorgeous flowers with spectacular views of the sea. 5 More Reasons We Love the Amalfi Coast (in Photos!) | Walks of Italy
05122012 Although we left Sunday, we did have a few hours to spend lounging on the beach and doing a little shopping. But, in all honesty I felt like a little kid again because I couldn’t wait to jump in the Mediterranean Ocean on the Positano Beaches! I have never felt so free and relaxed before. I could literally float effortlessly in the waters and swim out to as far as I wanted, all the while I had a view of the quaint Positano town hanging on to the cliffs towering above me. The Surreal World of Positano | Blonde and A Broad
05132012 I'm dreaming of summer and of Italy. Together. Maybe it's because my calendar keeps reminding me each time I check a date... or the painting of Positano in my hallway which keeps calling out to me? So I'm off to Positano (still dreaming) and you can come with me! Pastel Positano | Especially Beatiful
05142012 I'm not really the sort of person that has favourite words but the simple word 'boat' conjures up all sorts of lovely thoughts.I saw this floating in the sea on my way back to work after lunch at Fornillo beach. I like boats, don't you? A favourite word | Positano Daily Photo
05152012 Velia is the Italian (and Latin) name of the ancient town of Elea located on the territory of the comune of Ascea, Salerno, Campania. It is most widely known as the home of the philosophers Parmenides and Zeno of Elea and the Eleatic school. Velia | Heritage Key
05162012 The irony about Naples, a cornerstone of many Mediterranean itineraries, is that the approach via the Bay of Naples is actually more beautiful than the city itself. Indeed, most cruise travelers, upon debarking at the chaotic port, immediately head out of town to the area’s more notable attractions—the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and charming Sorrento. But Naples is worth a look, too. It was settled by ancient Greeks, but through the centuries, Italians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Germans, and Normans also lived here, and there’s definitely a frenetic, multicultural ambience. At the very least, you’ve got to try the pizza. Most Beautiful European Ports to Sail Into | Condè Nast Traveler
05172012 Carlo Luglio spins a colourful story about Enzo Gragnagniello, an Italian musician. In search for his musical roots, Enzo goes on a film journey to revisit the places and memories that shaped his sensitivity as an artist. Together with the character, the spectator discovers a variety of influences,  ranging from soul to Italian songs, that converge in his art to make a coherent whole. The character says, ‘the task if art is to remind us who we are’, and the focus of Luglio’s musical documentary is precisely on self-discovery. Roots | Krakow Film Festival
05182012 The start is more than promising: A helicopter shot presents an aerial view of Naples, zeroing in on a kitschy "royal carriage" transporting newlyweds to a wedding palace that wouldn't be out of place on the Jersey Shore. Inside, boisterous wedding parties are entertained by Enzo (Raffaele Ferrante), a former "Big Brother" contestant making a living by promoting his 15 minutes of fame. Having a celebrity in their midst makes the wedding guests go wild, including Luciano (Aniello Arena), the family cut-up who loves to perform. When the party is over and Luciano and his family head home to their apartments in a crumbling old building typical of Naples, there's a palpable disconnect between the phony glare of the marriage factory and the run-down darkness of their working-class digs. Reality | Variety
05192012 Enzo Coccia has an evangelical air as he discusses his spring pizza – piled with asparagus, buffalo mozzarella, sheep's cheese, lard and beans. "They may say I am a heretic, but I just want to experiment," says the controversial exponent of the Italian trend for what are being dubbed gourmet, or "ultra-pizzas". What makes Coccia different is that he has dared to open for business in the town where pizza was first popularised and where in 1889 a pizzaiolo named his new mozzarella, tomato and basil pizza – mimicking the white, red and green of the Italian flag – after Margherita of Savoy. Naples' staple got a further boost from the 1954 Italian comedy The Gold of Naples, where Sofia Loren plays a pizzaiola in the working-class district of Materdei. Five decades on, Starita, the local restaurant which kitted her out for the role, is still pulling in the crowds. "I am dead against these gourmet pizzas – a pizza restaurant must be quick and cheap and turn out at least 400 pizzas a night," said Antonio Starita, 70, whose grandfather opened the restaurant in 1901. "I have seen cream being used, and it doesn't get worse than that," he added, while pounding dough beneath the obligatory photos of the pope and former Napoli footballer Diego Maradona. Naples chefs take sides in the 'ultra pizza' wars | The Observer
05202012 Napoli won the Italian Cup final 2-0 on Sunday to shatter Juventus' hopes of a domestic double and ruin Alessandro del Piero's final game for the Old Lady. Second-half goals by Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik gave Napoli their first Italian Cup win since 1987 when Diego Maradona led the team in an unprecedented period of success for the club. After winning Serie A and going unbeaten through the season, Juventus were aiming for a first domestic double since 1995. "It's almost unthinkable to beat Juventus over 90 minutes when they hadn't lost all season. It was an achievement within an achievement," Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said. After the celebrations die down, Napoli will turn their attentions to trying to keep hold of star players like Cavani, Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi, who have all been linked with big-money moves away from the club. Napoli upset Juve to win Italian Cup | CNN.com
05212012 To understand the man, sometimes you have to have met him as a boy. To understand the full scale of Chelsea’s achievement in winning the Champions League in such dramatic style on Saturday night, you had to be in the bowels of the Stadio San Paolo, Naples, late on the night of February 21. This team should have lost to Napoli, could have been defeated by Benfica and needed a miracle to get past Barcelona. We have seen his Chelsea move from being boys to adults; now, with this victory they have become old men, capping off glorious careers. In this case, fact is far stranger than fiction, and Chelsea’s history-makers must be saluted for making the impossible possible. From the despair of Naples to the joy of Munich | Irish Examiner
05222012 A project to drill deep into the heart of a supervolcano in southern Italy has finally received the green light, despite claims that the drilling would put the population of Naples at risk of small earthquakes or an explosion. Italian news agency ANSA quoted project coordinator Giuseppe De Natale of Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology as saying that the office of Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris had approved the drilling of a pilot hole 500 metres deep. The Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project was set up by an international collaboration of scientists to assess the risks posed by the Campi Flegrei caldera, a geological formation just a few kilometres to the west of Naples that formed over thousands of years following the collapse of several volcanoes. Researchers believe that if it erupted, Campi Flegrei could have global repercussions, potentially killing millions of people and having a major effect on the climate, but that such massive eruptions were extremely rare. Scientists to drill supervolcano | Stuff.co.nz
05232012 The narrow road with sandstone block retaining walls on each side, overgrown with gnarled roots, begins at a the little Piazza of the Two Gates, an unusual sight with with two narrow streets leading from two archways side by side. Just 300 or so feet from the Twin Gates down Via Catteneo was the splendid, ornate Villa of Giovanbattista della Porta (1535-1615). From the age of 15, he had studied "natural magic" and in 1558 he published a book on all sorts of dark arts which gained great notoriety across Europe but also brought strong accusations of witchcraft and his engaging in strange experiments, rituals and rites. The negative reports in Naples were quickly hushed up. "The Academy of the Secrets" is said to have been a members-only ritual chamber, and is believed to have been somewhere beneath the area of della Porta's villa. It was open only to those who had discovered the "natural secrets."  The "Academy of the Secrets" | Napoli Underground
05242012 Naples in southern Italy gives access to Pompeii and the island of Capri. Magical Med | The West Australian
05252012 This undated photo courtesy of Nanette Lepore shows designer Nanette Lepore, right, on a boat with her cousin, Lisa Lepore, as they travel from Naples to the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Fashion designers often live the jet-set life they love to mimic on their runways. They travel for business, they travel for pleasure. They are always looking for inspiration, and they take a lot of photographs. Fashion jetsetters can travel light -- and in style | The Daily News
05262012 Legend tells that the beach in Meta, in 1500, was the landing spot of the Saracen pirate Alì and where he was heroically confronted by the people of Meta. During this fight Alì is said to have died, and from the cry of liberation ‘Alì murì’ (Alì has died), derives its name Alimuri. What is certain is that every summer the wide beach is populated by hundreds of people who come from all over to find refreshment from the heat with a dip in the sea or under umbrellas. Alimuri Beach | Sorrento Coast
05272012 Capri Palace Hotel & Spa features 77 beautiful rooms, among them 11 suites unique in their special character to accommodate the most demanding traveler. Each of these richly decorated rooms, which include amazing artworks and different antiques, offer breathtaking views over the island and the gulf. One of the hotel’s greatest features is the “Warhol”. It’s a total 545 square feet suite with a pool, and decorated with oil paintings of Warhol’s famous artworks (including his unique “Campbell Soup”) realized by Italian artist Michele Costantini. Mediterranean, charming and Italian | Pure
05282012 Hotel Raito features rooms, outdoor pools, and a gourmet restaurant that all overlook the sea while the hotel gives visitors a feel of elegance, beachside chic, and dedicated service by the staff. For fun take a stroll down to Vietri sul Mare, a seaside village off the Amalfi Coast, get a massage at Expure Spa, enjoy lunch at II Golfo, and retire after a wonderful day with dinner at Hotel Raito. Experience one of Italy’s finest hotels on the Amalfi Coast at Hotel Raito. Hotel Raito – Vietri sul Mare | stupidDOPE.com
05292012 Enter Un Bateau pour Capri by Eau d’Italie Le Sirenuse - it’s a liquid celebration of those well-coiffed, perfectly put together women and the oh-so-chic parties of yesteryear—part snapshot, yes, but gloriously embellished by the imaginings of time. Certainly Un Bateau pour Capri contains a goodly amount of nostalgia with lyrical notes like peony, freesia, peach, jasmine, and musk. Un Bateau pour Capri | Sirenuseblog.com
05302012 One of my honeymoon destinations was the Amalfi Coast. This picture is taken from our hotel room terrace, looking on the Tirrenian Sea. The landscape is magnificent: the beauty of the nature is amplified by the uniqueness of the houses and hotels built in the rock along the coast. Summertime + awards | classiq
05312012 In spite of the troubles on the market, the first couple of Facebook have been enjoying a cruise around Italy's Amalfi Coast after spending two days exploring Rome on their honeymoon. He wore plane Adidas sandals and she traipsed alongside him in sneakers as the two boarded a Pershing 37 luxury vessel to view the coastline in all its glory. The couple rented the entire boat, which can fit up to 12 people and can travel up to 45mph, according to company Amalfi Sails. The company is known to specialize in custom tours, shuttling customers to the most beautiful and must-see sights of the jagged coastline and surrounding islands of Capri, Ischia, Procida, and Li Galli. Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and new wife spring for luxury yacht ride around Italian coast on honeymoon | Daily Mail