Archive for 'Southern Italy'

In the last post of this series, we really have saved the best for last. Italy is a beautiful holiday destination and is a country rich in art and culture and fine cuisine but it also has a stunning landscape that perfectly facilitates adventure. If you are a fan of extreme sports, in particular, it is an ideal destination and these are some more of the places you need to check out.

5. Polignano a Mare

Polignano a Mare is a town and comune on the coast of the Valle d’Itria, Apulia that is perched atop a 20m limestone cliff, overlooking the Adriatic. It is also often home to one of the legs of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series and was again this year on the 23rd of July. The cliffs are a huge part of the identity of the town and make the perfect place for the competition. Athletes dive directly from a private roof-top terrace and must proceed through a private living room in order to reach the platform, set 27m above the Adriatic Sea.

If you are looking for something a little bit different to do in Italy on your next vacation, look no further as we have compiled a list of some of the most adventurous and exciting things to do in the county: extreme sports in Italy.

1. Calcio Storico

This extreme sport is exceptionally Italian and, therefore, the best extreme sport to pick for those seeking a thrill in Italy. Il calcio storico fiorentino is a precursor to soccer that is played annually during the third week of June in Florence. Quite unlike the game that we are all familiar with, calcio storico is a brutal, violent sport intimately interconnected with the city's history, rivalries and codes of honour. It is more like a blend of soccer with rugby and boxing. It is also a rather unique experience. While you can't participate yourself, watching this thrilling and brutal sport makes for an exciting outing – if you can stomach it!

Italy and food are pretty synonymous, right? Most people who have found a vacation rental in Italy and are planning their trip will be researching galleries, museums and attractions to visit but they are likely to also be impatiently awaiting all of the delicious meals that they have in store. While there are countless foods to be tried while in Italy, not to mention local specialities, there are some foods that are must and should not be missed while there. Even foods you may have tried plenty of times before can taste completely different in Italy and in a very, very good way.

1. Pizza

Pizza is an obvious choice but an important one. I am not a crazy pizza fan, personally, but there really is something completely different about the pizza in Italy. It's lighter and crispier and just tastier, overall.

Spaghetti con le Vongole is a Neapolitan culinary tradition that is served year round but is also one of the core dishes of the Cena della Vigilia di Natale, the traditional dinner served on Christmas Eve in Naples. It is made of two main ingredients, clams and pasta, and some other, minor, ingredients for flavour and depending on where you are from or your family's own recipe. We're tentatively putting this version out there but don't kill us if you do things differently! We know how passionate people can be about such things. For the real deal, just find a holiday rental in Naples and try it out while exploring the city.

The stunning city of Matera in Basilicata in Southern Italy is famous for being one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and for its well preserved historical centre with its ‘Sassi’. These are carved caves that were hewn into the steep ravine leading down to the River Grauna. Occupied until the first half of the 20th century, when over population became a problem, these cave dwellings are famous and iconic structures.