Archive for 'Northeast Italy'

How does a restaurant become a playground? That sounds like the beginning to a riddle or a joke. In fact, it's something that actually happened. Ai Pioppi was opened as a food stand in Battaglia, in the region of Veneto. Armed with some jugs of wine and sausages, a man named Bruno set out to establish a business in 1969 that has become something he could never have imagined. The stand first became a family restaurant and then, after an encounter with a blacksmith that lead to Bruno learning to weld, a very unique playground was born. Established as something extra to draw customers to his restaurant, it has developed into an entity with a life of its own. If you want to visit this astonishing place for yourself, find a holiday rental in Veneto and stop by.

Across the Venetian Lagoon, past the Dolomites and beyond the towers of Venice, distinct conical hills are visible. Called the Euganean Hills, they are 81 long-dead volcanoes clustered together, above rolling green farmlands dotted with little monasteries and grand Palladian villas. At their centre is the beautiful village of Arquà Petrarca, Padua. Named for the great Italian poet Francesco Petrarch, after his death, it was also where he retired and one can only imagine how inspiring such spectacularly beautiful surrounds could have only been to the poet.

If you want to follow the same literary pilgrimage as countless others (Lord Byron among them), find a holiday rental in Padua and make the journey to Petrarch's final resting place.

Lake Carezza in the Italian Dolomites is one of the most, and one of the many, beautiful lakes that the area can boast. However, it is also one of the more unique, and especially stunning, lakes in the region. Also known by locals as “Lec de ergobando”, or Rainbow Lake, due to the way light and the surrounding landscape reflects colourfully on the surface of the waters, it is shrouded in local legend. If you're looking for a holiday drenched in natural beauty, otherworldly settings and stories of lovesick sorcerers and drowned rainbows, this might just be the place for you. Find yourself a holiday rental in Trentino Alto Adige and you can explore this natural phenomenon and the myths surrounding it for yourself.

Venice is a city steeped in fascinating history but sometimes all that history can be overwhelming or unending and you need a little bit of a break from it or to absorb it in a different way. It's easier to learn or take in information if it's in a fun way, which is why it might be a good idea to do the ghost tour of Venice, rather than a regular guided tour. Taking place at night and on foot, it's a fantastic way to get a real feel of the layout and atmosphere of the city while learning and being thrilled at the same time!

Brisighella is a medieval town and spa centre in Emilia-Romagna which has been recognised as one of the Best Small Towns of Italy and has received an Orange Flag for its preservation of the town's historical centre, sustainable tourism and easily accessible tourist information services. Not only charming and chock full of things to do, the town also takes good care of its visitors. Additionally, though it has lots to offer, it is never overrun with tourists. Located in the Lamone Valley on the Lamone River, it has beautiful surroundings and looks like something out of a fairytale with its distinct silhouette. Find a villa with pool in Emilia-Romagna and see everything the town has to offer for yourself.