Archive for 'Food and Wine'

The hot summers and rich and verdant soils in Apulia make for the perfect conditions to grow and make some delicious wines and, as a result, there are lots of wineries and producers in the region. For a long time, the region was not known for making particularly high-quality wines however, in recent years, there has been an active effort to correct this and some highly regarded producers have cropped up. Among them is Antica Enotria, a vineyard located a few kilometres from the Gulf of Manfredonia. If you have found a vacation rental in Apulia and want to spend a day sampling great local wines and learning more about the production process, it is an excellent option.

Italy is home to many delicious dishes, foods and products but one of the most recognisable food items of all has to be Baci. These chocolate “kisses” are one of the most famous sweets from Italy and can now be found in stores and supermarkets all over the world. Coming from Perugia, in the region of Umbria, they are made by Perugina, which is the leading chocolate brand in Italy. Made of chocolate and hazelnut, a popular combination of flavours in Italy, and wrapped in metallic blue and silver foil with stars and the logo on them, they are an iconic chocolate. If you have a holiday rental in Perugia and are visiting the area, you can visit their factory, and take a tour, drop into their chocolate museum, and take a chocolate-making class while you're there but, if you have found a vacation rental anywhere in Italy, you'll be able to readily get your hands on these tasty treats. Be sure to treat yourself and to buy some to give to your loved ones!

Chiostro del Bramante, as the name may suggest, is an architectural gem by the Renaissance master, Donato Bramante. The main architect employed by Pope Julius II, and the only one to rival Michelangelo, he was an extremely talented architect. The Chiostro is the cloister of what was originally a monastery complex commissioned by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa around 1500.

Today, the building has a different use, as a cultural centre used for various purposes, but this remarkable central structure remains unchanged despite this. It is still a harmonious space made up of elegant geometric lines and perfect proportions, according to Renaissance ideals, which revived classical Greek and Roman aesthetics. Light, bright, airy, and an oasis of calm, it is free to visit and just steps away from the famous Piazza Navona. If you were considering spending time in the city, be sure to browse our luxury villas in Rome, and then carve out some space in your schedule for a trip to this extraordinary space.

We have discussed some of the famous cafés in Italy that are steeped in history and the country's unique coffeehouse culture before, such as Venice's famous and beautiful Caffè Florian, which dates back to the 18th century. There are plenty other such establishments dotted around the country and, if you're headed further south, don't worry because a particularly beloved example will be near at hand if you have found a vacation rental in Naples.

The Caffè Gambrinus is a historic institution located in the centre of Naples, on Piazza Trieste e Trento, in the rear of the Palazzo della Prefettura. It was named for Gambrinus – a legendary “tipsy figure of joviality” whose name has been commandeered by plenty of brands and establishments around Italy – and founded in 1860 by Vincenzo Apuzzo. The city's oldest and most venerable café in the city, known to have welcome the likes of Oscar Wilde and Gabriele D'Annunzio, it was a meeting site for intellectuals and artists for centuries and is now an elegant spot to grab coffee or a drink, depending on the time of day, or food, depending on your budget.

Bikes are a pretty central fixture of Italian life and the visual character of the country from the image of Audrey Hepburn speeding, carefree, through the streets of Rome, to the iconic scenes of a man and his son desperately combing the streets for his stolen bicycle in, “The Bicycle Thieves.” You may have even imagined cycling through the historic streets of an Italian city or the open countryside. That can be readily achieved but if you're a serious cycling and bicycle enthusiast and want to learn more about the history of it in Italy or experience more cycling related activities, then you'll also find lots to see and do. If you have found a vacation rental in Milan, for example, you need to make time to head to Bianchi Café & Cycles.