Archive for 'Sicily and Sardinia'

The stunning Costa Smeralda (or, “Emerald Coast”) in Sardinia is famous for its beaches. These are some of the most truly beautiful beaches in Italy and in the world, characterised by crystal clear waters lapping white powdery sands and framed by lush vegetation. If you have found a luxury villa in Sardinia and are looking to spend time on a beach that seems too gorgeous to be real, then you need to make your way to this true paradise on earth. In particular, we recommend the beach of Poltu di Li Cogghj.

Poltu di Li Cogghj is today more often known as the Spiaggia del Principe, the, “Prince's Beach,” since it was famously chosen as the Ishmaelite prince Karim Aga Khan's favourite of all of the many beautiful beaches of the Costa Smeralda due to its especially fine white sands and its crystalline waters that range in hue from green to blue and gleam picturesquely, due to their shallowness and the flecks of granite among the sand. The prince's choosing of the beach as the best and the bestowing of this new title has seen the original name all but fall completely out of use, which is, perhaps a good thing as it rolls off the tongue less easily and given that it translates to the, “Port of Skins.” A rather less pretty name for a beach, it was so-named as the beach was originally used as a place for the loading of various local products but especially leather and leather goods.

Sicily – with its incredibly hot and reliably sunny summers, slow pace of life, and excellent beaches – is one of the Italy's best holiday destinations for sun-worshippers and those looking to relax and to well and truly get away from it all. Idyllic as the island, as a whole, is, it is perhaps most impressively perfect on the island of Panarea. Panarea, the smallest and chicest of the Aeolian Islands, is located not far from Lipari and is the kind of place that attracts celebrities, fashionistas, and Italy's wealthy youth. With the kind of perfect sheen that comes from places in which tourism is, without a doubt, the prevailing industry, there is little by the way of an authentic experience or local heritage, but there is a stunning landscape, cute towns lined with neat streets full of pretty little white-washed buildings (big developments, thankfully, have not descended on the place) framed by colourful flowers, one of the few sandy beaches in the Aeolian islands, a harbour full of luxury yachts, scenic walks and hiking routes, a vibrant party scene in July and August, and peace and tranquility for the rest of the season. Incredibly expensive during the summer months (and though it is more affordable outside this period, it is essentially boarded up between November and Easter), we recommend heading for a day-trip or for a couple of days if you have found a vacation rental in Sicily and are up for exploring all that the island has to offer.

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...

Cannoli, popularised in the English-speaking world by the particular fondness of the dessert of Italian-Americans as depicted in film and television, are one of Sicily's best-loved and most enduringly popular sweet treats. Indulgent, tasty, and fairly addictive, if you're trying to conjure the perfect beaches, Arab-Norman architecture, dramatically barren landscape, vibrant culture, and slow and leisurely pace of life of Sicily but can't get there in person, cannoli are just the ticket! Travel with your taste-buds from the safety of your own kitchen today and try your hand at making this delicious dessert until you can savour the authentic flavours in person in Sicily!

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...