Archive for 'Curiosities'

Sally Rooney's Normal People was already a best-seller and beloved novel worldwide when, in the midst of the COVID-19 breakout, the television adaptation hit the BBC and Hulu, and captured hearts and imaginations all over the globe. People were immediately entranced by the drama about growing up and trying to figure out who you are and what you want. The show follows Marianne and Connell, who are from quite different backgrounds in Sligo, on the west coast of Ireland. Marianne is wealthy and privileged but does not fit in in school and isn't well-liked. Even her family seems to have little time for her. Connell, meanwhile, is from a working class background but is popular, sporty, and someone that everyone seems to like. His mother is the housekeeper in Marianne's family home and, while the two know each other from school and growing up together, it is only when they start having a secret relationship that they truly get to know each other. The rest of the series charts their ups and downs, break-ups and relationships, as the two go off to college in Dublin and grow up.

Italy is home to lots of beautiful towns and incredible villas and palaces and it follows, therefore, that it is also home to plenty of truly stunning parks and gardens. These wonderful spaces are perfect for some peace, solitude, relaxation, and restoration among lush green surroundings and natural beauty, just the thing you often need on holidays if you are prone to darting around to see and do everything while you can. If you're looking for a moment to pause, take stock, and take a breath of fresh air, these little slices of greenery are ideal spaces in which to do so. There are endless examples located all over Italy but we thought we would pick just five of our favourites and offer you up a list of some of the most beautiful gardens and parks in Italy and photos of them as a feast for your senses...

Italy has inspired, produced, and been the setting of lots of incredible films throughout the decades. In fact, due to a particularly rich period in the 20th century when Italy produced, arguably, many of the best movies ever made, it is a perfect destination for serious cinephiles the world over. From, “The Bicycle Thieves,” to, “The Godfather,” to, “Cinema Paradiso,” to, “Life is Beautiful,” to, “Gladiator,” to “Call Me by Your Name,” the list of incredible films made or set in Italy is endless and, luckily, some of them even have backdrops and settings that can still be visited. So, if you're interested in a whistle-stop film industry virtual tour (for now and hopefully in person sometime soon!) of Italy, read on and discover the perfectly picturesque places in Italy that have graced the silver screen throughout the history of cinema...

If you are a beach-lover and sun-worshipper then few things would suit better than a vacation rental in Sardinia and a few weeks relaxing on and exploring her perfect beaches. Perfect beaches – crystal clear waters, soft white sands, Mediterranean greenery, the scent of it heavy in the air – are no uncommon thing in Sardinia, as you will quickly discover. However, even among the plethora of excellent choices, there are still some particular beauties and exceptional beaches among them that are worth singling out.

Take Tuerredda Beach, for example, which is considered the “jewel” of the southwestern coastline of Sardinia and one of the ten most beautiful beaches on the island. Located in a cove between Capo Malfatano and Capo Spartivento, in the territory of Teulada, this 500m-long gem looks like a beach from a far more tropical setting with its unreal, deep blue waters and perfectly soft, pale strand, framed by rich green flora.

Abruzzo is likely a name unfamiliar with many international tourists considering a vacation in Italy. Nestled between the worlds of the industrialised and cosmopolitan north of Italy and the relaxed and sun-drenched south, Abruzzo is a beautiful region with lots to offer, despite being a hidden gem. The very same wild and mountainous qualities of her landscape that meant Abruzzo has never developed economically or culturally quite the way other parts of Italy have are also what make the region utterly picturesque and magic. This is where you will find the biggest concentration of protected land in the country, some of the last pockets in which large wild fauna can be found readily in Europe, some larger industrialised towns, and pretty little villages still alive with tradition, all set amongst rocky peaks, lush meadows and hills, large lakes, and a long and beautiful coastline. In addition, you will find a wine region that produces delicious wines that are nourished by this rich, diverse, and bountiful landscape. So, if you’re looking for a relaxing holiday full of tasty wines and pretty views, a vacation rental in Abruzzo is an excellent idea.