t’s a hot day in Lucca when I arrive. It’s Sunday and everything is shut – no bars, no alimentari for provisions for my fridge, no beautiful shops…the city is at rest. I’m here for a week to do a language and cooking course. I’m interested to see how it compares with my favourite language school, InClasse, in Verona.
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Returning to Genova
Verona is a city that’s hard to beat for its beauty, style and of course, the friendly Veronesi. Genova, ‘La Superba’, on the other hand, is a city much magligned by tourists but it is a fascinating city with a long and prosperous history, rich in culture, great shopping and food, with the stunning ligurian coastline, the jewel in the crown.
Continue ReadingItalian train etiquette
Train travel in Italy can be a fraught experience for the uninitiated. Here are my 8 tips for getting the most out of your train ride.
Continue ReadingBeautiful Bolognese gardens, facades & porticoes
A whirlwind visit to Bologna where I walked the city for 3 days. Although famous for its porticoes, Bologna also has beautiful buildings, parks and secret gardens behind tall walls. It’s a vivacious city and I would definitely recommend a longer stay to appreciate the vibrant culture.
Continue ReadingEarthquake in Modena, Italy
An earthquake measuring 5.9 struck Modena, Italy early this morning around 5am. Modena is a northern Italian city 108km from Verona.The tremor was felt In Verona but amazingly, I slept through it! Much devastation, six people killed and many injured. Read more here… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147065/Northern-Italy-earthquake-claims-4-lives-Staggering-pictures-buildings-cracked-half.html Isabella
Continue ReadingThe shrine of Italian victories
La Vittoriale degli Italiani (The shrine of Italian victories) is a grand villa in the hills of the Gardone Riviera, on the shore of Largo di Garda. We visited the villa where Gabriele d’Annuzio, the Italian writer and poet lived. The villa – a museum now – contains thousands of objet’s d’art and over 30,000 […]
Continue ReadingTasting Soave in the Veneto
Una bella giornata per un’escursione alla cantina di Baldestri Valda. (A beautiful day for an excursion to the Baldestri winery) The winery is in the middle of a picturesque postcard view of the slopes of Soave. We are taken on a tour of this modern cantina by Laura, and then a tasting of the wines produced by […]
Continue ReadingCooking with Luca
This evening we have a cooking lesson with the lovely Luca. On the menu: Pomodorini ripieni Salsa verde della nonna di Luca Tagliatelle con il pesto Salami di cioccolata A great evening learning to make simple, but delicious dishes and afterward sharing the fruits of our labour. Buon appetito! Isabella […]
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