Archive for 'Northwest Italy'

Pizza all'Andrea is a pizza dish from the Liguria region of Italy. It is also known as sardenaira or sardinaira and is similar to the pissaladière of Provence in France. It is classified as a pizza but is often considered more like a focaccia and is made with anchovies and olives on top. The origins of the dish are a much debated thing but it is often attributed to admiral Andrea Doria (1466-1560) and is thought to be named after him as well. He is said to have invented and loved the dish: a slice of bread topped by olive oil, garlic and salted anchovies. The dish was invented before tomatoes were readily available and used in Italy, pre-dating the better-known Neapolita pizza, and, therefore, traditionalists do not add tomatoes. However, we are presenting you with a recipe that includes tomato as some can find it too dry without. Enjoy this dish now and then find a villa with pool in Liguria and taste it again while on holidays.

If you're interested at all in contemporary architecture or design or you're just fond of seeing the most unique and unusual things that a city has to offer while on holidays, then Milan has the perfect thing for you. The Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest, is a highly unique building in Milan which was only finished and opened last year. It is a pair of high-rise buildings which are made up of 27 storeys with cantilevered balconies planted with 900 trees and more than 2,000 shrubs and bushes. The effect is astonishing, two lush structures emerging from the earth and towering (the taller being 112 metres in height) over the surrounding buildings.

Italy is utterly inundated by beautiful, fairy-tale castles in the most picturesque of settings. Yet, in the Aosta Valley, or Valle D'Aosta, in the north-west of Italy, there is one that particularly stands out and must be among the most lovely. Saint-Pierre Castle in the town of Saint-Pierre rises above the rest of the town on a little rocky outcrop at the centre of the valley. It is the first thing that your eyes are drawn to upon entering the area and offers wonderful views all around. The castle itself looks like something pulled right from the pages of your favourite childhood tale or from the frames of a Disney movie. If you find a vacation rental in Valle D'Aosta, you can stop by the charming little town and see this dream-like building for yourself.

The beautiful region of Valle D'Aosta, or Aosta Valley, is in the mountainous north-west of Italy. As the name suggests, it is full of beautiful valleys and the mountains offer stunning views across its picturesque landscape. Any visit to the area should include time to take in the great beauty of this distinctive landscape. However, it is not only what is on earth that can be admired in Valle D'Aosta. The Astronomical Observatory of Valle D'Aosta gives visitors to the region the opportunity to take in amazing views of the skies above as well. For something special to do one evening, once you've found your perfect vacation rental in Valle D'Aosta, why not spend some time gazing at the stars?

As previously discussed, Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world and, certainly, of Italy. As such, any visit requires a little bit of shopping. If you're looking for a genuine experience of the city and a shopping opportunity that is uniquely Milanese, you're going to want to avoid most of the high streets. Instead, you should wander around the local markets and experience the shopping culture, see the city and find the best bargains.

Find a great accommodation in Milan and you can have the perfect European shopping getaway!