Archive for 'Northeast Italy'

Italy is beautiful in Spring; the countryside is lush, the cities less full, the queues outside tourist attractions smaller, the temperatures more pleasant, and the prices of things lower. It is a great time to plan a vacation to most parts of the country, however, there are some destinations that are particular lovely in Spring, at their best at this time of year. We began outlining some of these spots in the last post and will continue to in the next but here are two more to keep in mind...

Italy is one of the world's favourite skiing destinations and combines all of the best things in life; fun in the snow, rich Italian culture, delicious hearty cuisines, tasty tipples by the fire, wonderful scenery and views, and the prettiest mountain villages. If you have been thinking about planning a winter getaway and you want to spend all or some of it partaking in some snow sports, then consider finding a vacation rental in Italy and enjoying all that it has to offer in the colder months! Just grab yourself a Bombardino, curl up somewhere cosy and get planning your trip with our guide to some of the best ski regions, towns and resorts in Italy!

The Caffé Pedrocchi is an iconic café in the Italian city of Padua that dates back to the 18th and is where many historical events have taken place and famous figures have gathered over the years. Artists and intellectuals were drawn to the place to meet and discuss ideas and it can boast having had Lord Byron and Stendhal, who described it as “simply the best in the world,” as visitors. Still a café, and more, today, it is located right in the very centre of the city and is a great place to sit and grab a drink of one kind or another while you explore. Just find a vacation rental in Padua and follow in the footsteps of Byron to this very special café.

In 1760, Padua had around 40 café proprietors and the most successful was Pietro Zigno. Zigno took his nephew, Francesco Pedrocchi, under his wing and, at the age of 14, Pedrocchi started working at the café. Finding himself suited to the job, he decided to open his own establishment in 1772, after Zigno’s death.

We have been talking a lot lately about the benefits of off-season visits to Italy and some great winter destinations in the country but we thought it might be a good idea to also spotlight some examples of the types of rentals that are perfect for these winter getaways. Continuing on from the last post, we have the rest of our top five picks of winter vacation rentals in Italy...

3. Castellavazzo in the mountains of Veneto, an ideal relaxing mountain location for ski holidays and evenings by the fire (From € 298 per night)

Sleeps up to 15, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms

This dreamy mountain getaway is located in the mountains of Veneto and is in a popular ski region.

Rimini's City Museum is an extraordinary gem that is much more than a little local history or a dusty little place, though the name might conjure such images. Opened in 1977, it is housed in an amazing former Jesuit monastery and additional buildings added over the years. In total, the whole building covers more than 3,000 square meters and consists of some 40 galleries, as well as areas dedicated to special archeological exhibitions. Both an archaeological museum and art gallery, it has incredible old objects that tell the history of the city, as well as a rich picture gallery that is spread over two floors, encompasses works from the 15th to the 20th century and boasts works by famous Renaissance names such as Giovanni Bellini, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Simone Cantarini, Giovanni Battista Costa, and Guido Cagnacci. Costing less than ten euro to enter, it is both an excellent cultural gem and quite the bargain. As such, it is a key attraction to pencil in to any trip once you have found a vacation rental in Rimini.