Branzino and Orata – Try them!

Branzino and Orata are delicious.  They are also very popular here in Italy.  Indeed, they are considered something of a delicacy.  You really should try them.

Do you know what Branzino and Orata are?  Well, if you do, you can stop reading now -even if you might like to take a peek -just to be sure.

On the other hand, if you have no idea whatsoever what the blazes Branzino and Orata are, then please keep reading.  It’ll be worth your while, I assure you.

I love both of them!

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Italy Map plus YouTube Videos

If you are looking to while away a few minutes, perhaps while waiting for an important phone call or suchlike, and you are thinking about coming to Italy for a summer holiday, then this Italy map link might prove fun.

Even if you were not thinking about a vacation in Italy, you might end up doing so after seeing a few of the videos here!  Be warned.  The plethora of videos available makes Italy look like a pizza!  Quite appropriate really.

It is quite simply a Google Map of Italy, plus a pot pourri the YouTube videos on Italy.

Here is the link for you to click, but only if you have some time to waste! … Continue Reading

Hostels in Italy

Like much of Western Europe, accommodation in Italy can be on the expensive side.  But right across the country, from fashionable Milan in the north to the Sicilian capital of Palermo, there is a range of hostels and low cost hotels in Italy offering cheap dorm beds and private rooms.

Accommodation on a Budget

Hostels aren’t all about drunken students and bunk beds any more, either – modern facilities and more luxurious features are increasingly common. HostelBookers has a wide variety of accommodation to suit travelers heading to Italy on a budget.

What follows are a few examples of hostels and low cost hotels from around Italy which really show the quality of such so-called ‘budget’ accommodation. … Continue Reading

Slow Down at La Tavola Marche Agriturismo

This post is being highlighted to show off a rather nice place to stay in Italy’s Le Marche region.

Ah, Le Marche in Italy

American Ashley Bartner’s enthusiasm for life and living in Italy becomes apparent as soon as she starts talking about how she and her husband, highly trained chef Jason Bartner, decided that Italy was the place for them to rent apartments at their La Tavola Marche Agriturismo.

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A Fine Evening in Genoa

Visitors to Genoa’s old port area could be in for a little surprise, for the city’s authorities are cracking down on drinking in the street.

This summer I spent some time down in Genoa and stayed in my friend Mauro’s appartment which overlooks Genoa’s attractive and relatively recently refurbished former dock area.

This zone has many bars, restaurants, Genoa’s famous aquarium, shops, and other attractions.  It certainly manages to draw the crowds who stroll round during the evenings at most times of the year, often stopping off for a drink or a meal in one of the area’s restaurants.

However, despite the outwardly relaxed atmosphere, there is something tourists need to watch out for. … Continue Reading

Marvellous May

May in Milan is a wonderful month. It’s when the balmy weather starts to kick in, just before the steaminess of late June, and the just about unbearable heat of July.

The temperature hovers around 24 or 25°C in May, and those from northern European nations will find that coats are just not necessary.

Jeans can become too hot and sweaty in this period, and I just find the things too heavy from June onwards.

However the best thing about this period is the late evenings/nights, because they are balmy enough to encourage you to sit outside chatting over a cool beer.

May is a great time to come to Italy too. It’s not high season, so prices are reasonable. The kids are still at school, so the holiday resorts have yet to become chaotic.

Yep, May is probably one of the best months to come and do a spot of sight seeing, or just for a quick weekend city break.

Go on, do yourself a favour, come to Italy in May.