Archive for 'Veneto'

"Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life"

So opens Shakespeare's beloved and impossibly famous play Romeo and Juliet, immediately and firmly setting the location as Verona in the first two lines and forever cementing it as one of the world's most romantic destinations (so enamoured was the playwright with the town, in fact, he also set another play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, there as well!). However, aside from this incredible claim to fame, there are plenty more reasons to find a villa in Veneto and pay a visit to Verona while on a romantic getaway in this exceptionally beautiful part of the world...

If you have found yourself a vacation rental in Verona and you are planning on spending time in that famously most romantic of cities, you're likely looking to plan out some equally romantic activities to enjoy while you are there. Once you have done all of the classics like visiting Juliet's balcony, Romeo's house, the pretty jewellery box-like Church of Sant'Eufemia, dining in any one (or several) of the endless candlelit restaurants in town, and then going to wander through the truly picturesque streets of the historic core of the city, then you might decide to head out of town for a few hours and to plan a visit to one of the nearby wineries to sample some of the delicious wines from the Veneto region.

An excellent option among the many wineries of the Veneto is the Cantine Bertani in the famously stunning Valpantena. From the Greek for, “Valley of the God,” and known in Verona as the, “Valley of all Wines,” this area has long been home to grapevines and the Romans are recorded as having been totally enamoured by the flavours of the wines coming from the valley, believing the soil of Valpantena to be ideal for growing grapes. The area has also long been known for its beauty, with a rich history of written records of this such as when Francesco Corna from Soncino noted in his “Fioretto de le antiche croniche de Verona e de tuti i soi confini” (“Choice passages from the old chronicles of Verona and surrounding”) in 1477 that this area was, “an idyllic valley marked by springs and dales, delightful fountains and vineyards which abound in Valpantena”.

Verona is already known internationally as a great city of romance in Italy as it was home to, perhaps, the most famous lovers of all time, Romeo and Juliet. In addition to this incredible claim to fame, the architecture of this charming town in Veneto is impossibly pretty and picturesque, adding to the thoroughly romantic ambiance of the place. Of all the lovely and romantic buildings in town, one of the best examples is the exceptionally charming Church of Sant'Eufemia, or Chiesa di Sant'Eufemia. If you have found a vacation rental in Verona and are spending time exploring the city then we highly recommend popping in for a visit to this wonderful architectural gem.

The Church of Sant'Eufemia is located right in the heart of the historic centre of Verona, over the site of a church that dates back to the 5th or 6th century. Various other buildings were placed over top throughout the centuries, with the foundation of the current church dating to the 13th century, when the ruling Della Scala family brought Augustinian monks to the city to build a monastery in what was then the Captains quarter of the city. Though they were brought to Verona in 1262, the necessary donations and funds had to first be gathered in order to pay for the construction of the new church and monastery. The bequest of Alberto della Scala, in particular, was integral in the funding and completion of the project.

The Aperol Spritz is more than just a drink in its native Venice, it is an institution and, in recent years, it has become a beloved alcoholic beverage the world over that is just the ticket on summer days. Tart, refreshing, and easy to make, it is the perfect drink to make and enjoy while relaxing during a sunny evening. While a trip to Venice is still a little time away yet, you can bring a little bit of Venice to you by making yourself a Spritz from the comfort and safety of your own home.

Born in 1800s Venice, while the city was part of the Austrian Empire, the predecessor to the Aperol Spritz was the Austrian Spritzer, which was originally a combination of equal parts of white wine and water and was invented by the soldiers, merchants, diplomats, and employees of the Habsburg Empire who were not used to the high alcohol content of Italian wines. As a result, they would ask for some water to be sprayed (“spritzen”, in German) into the wines to make them lighter and it eventually became a drink in its own right.

It is said that variety is the spice of life and these trying and strangest of times are only proving that old truism to be entirely and completely correct. Unfortunately, however, variety is a little harder to come by these days. So, we decided to give you a helping hand by aiding you in bringing it into your own homes in a very handy way, with this simple but delicious Italian cocktail recipe. Make some for yourself and then kick back and relax and dream ahead to when your next vacation in Italy is possible once more. In the meantime, you can simply enjoy the flavours of Italy from the comfort and safety of your own home.

The Puccini is a prosecco or Champagne-based cocktail that is named after the famous Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, who was considered the greatest composer of Italian opera after Verdi. Not unlike a Mimosa, it is a delicious and refreshing cocktail that combines sparkling white wine and fresh tangerine juice. The drink was invented by barman Renato Hausammann, who was hired at the famous Harry's Bar in Venice at just thirteen years of age, worked at various famous institutions throughout the years, and won second place at the National Cocktail Competition in 1959 with his Colonello cocktail. The Puccini's exact origins, as is the case with so many famous cocktails, are somewhat shrouded in mystery and obscurity but it was this drink that brought Hausammann immortality and it has become a favourite all over the world.