Archive for 'Central Italy'

If you are visiting the Vatican City for a few days and have reserved your tickets in advance, you can meet the Pope on Wednesdays at 10.30 at a special congregational meeting. Here the Pope bestows his blessing in several languages to his visitors in Nervi Hall, St. Peter’s Basilica or St. Peter’s square, depending on the crowds.

During the summer months when the Pope resides in Castel Gandolfo, a coastal town 15 miles southeast of Rome, he gives his benediction to the crowds there.

Basing your stay at a pretty holiday rental in Rome city can avail you of excellent tours around other attractions of Vatican City including the Vatican Museums and the tours beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. Here you can see the tombs of previous popes and saints’, including what is believed to be the burial site of St. Peter, the First Pope of the Catholic Church.

Travel back in time to discover the thrills of the medieval art of jousting at the famous ‘’Giostra della Quintana” in Ascoli Piceno! Held every year on the first Sunday of August in the charming town of Ascoli Piceno in the La Marche region of Italy, this exhilarating festival is well worth visiting and attracts more and more tourists every year.

There are lots of great value vacation rentals in Civitella del Tronto to enjoy your stay in, only thirteen kilometres from Ascoli Piceno. If you’re lucky enough to be here on the first Sunday of August for the ‘’Giostra della Quintana” then prepare to be amazed at the colourful sights, sounds and delicious smells that you will experience in the heart of the town of Ascoli!

Preceding the main jousting event in the local stadium, your eyes will be treated to a feast of colour and movement as a procession of around 1500 people march down the main street dressed in traditional medieval costumes, bearing the flags of their ‘sestiere’.

An area called Alto Metauro in the region of Le Marche is especially famous for its food and wine products. Enjoy tasting the local organic ‘Millefiori’ or ‘Spring flowers’ honey and feel the oily texture of the a resin taken from bee hives called propolis. Many restaurants and bars in the area can serve you a type of local mead, a sweet honey liquor that will delight your taste buds!

The cheeses you can taste here are among the finest in Italy! Some of the local favourites are a pecorino cheese stuffed with red peppers in oil, fresh soft white cheese and ricotta. The visitor is sure to enjoy a feast of these along with some spicy local salamis and sausages made with pork and roe deer meat.

Come and visit the charming towns and villages scattered across the Alto Metauro area of Le Marche region and envelop yourself with the interesting history, art and customs of the district. There is an abundance of beautiful vacation rentals in Sansepolcro in the area where the visitor can stay and use as a base for a day trip to Alto Metauro.

Borgo Pace is a beautiful town situated in the mountains where the River Meta and the River Argo join forces to become the giant Metauro River. It’s situated less than ten minutes from the towns of Lamoli and Parchiule that are eagerly explored by tourists for the Benedictine abbey that still stands in Lamoli and the various other visitor attractions in Parchiule.

If you enjoy going on adventurous breaks then perhaps an exciting stay in the Alto Metauro in the Marche region would satisfy your hunger for adrenaline fuelled sports; it’s a beautiful place to relax in after the day’s activities! There are many beautiful vacation rentals in Morro D'Alba, only a few kilometres away from the area of Alto Metauro for visitors to base their stay at.

Enjoy a horse riding lesson in an equestrian centre near the town of Mercatello Sul Metauro and then set out on a magnificent day trip, trekking through the beautiful hills and valleys. Enjoy trotting along some well worn paths beside the gushing waters of the River Metauro and experience the sheer beauty of this region in the most magical way!

Or why not rent some mountain bikes and travel all across this scenic district? Relax and enjoy a picnic lunch at natural reserves like Gola del Furlo, Alpe delle Luna and Ranco Spinoso.