Lentamente muore chi non viaggia,
chi non legge,
chi non ascolta musica,
chi non trova grazia in se stesso.
He who does not travel,
he who does not read,
he who does not listen to music,
he who is not grateful,
slowly dies.
Pablo Neruda
Blog
Snow in Italy this Christmas
Christmas is a time of many different experiences for many different people. Once when we were children we thought Santa came to all the children of the world. It is only as an adult that I realised that this was not the case and that for many children of the world they do not even know about Santa nor Jesus who of course is the origin of Christmas.
Nor do many people realise that the word “Christmas” is derived from the “Christ’s mass”. Those who are not Catholic often do not know what a mass is.
However for all that, Christmas in Italy is a holiday period for most Italians and while travelling in Italy during the Christmas period one needs to remember that Italy is a Catholic country so the holiday period means just that – that a lot of businesses close down for the holiday week or two weeks.
Many restaurants and museums are closed and many of the country villages close down early at night especially if the weather is not good. I suggest phoning ahead to book restaurants otherwise you could be doing a long walk around town. Also many group tours do not run over the winter. Private guides do operate however.
It is currently a very cold winter in Italy and much snow is falling in the Dolomites so this is the time for a ski holiday in Italy. Instead of “Make hay while the sun shines” one should say “Make a snowman while the snow falls!” Normally the ski season really only gets underway in February but now with good falls, it is an early season.
Italy, The Gift of Travel
As Christmas and the season of giving approaches, what could be a better gift for your loved ones than Italy, The Gift of Travel?
In the beginning of his journey into Paradiso, Dante Alighieri tells his readers to pay attention, because the waters he’s travelling are yet uncharted. “L’acqua ch’io prendo gia` mai non si corse.”
Each time I go to Italy, I feel as though another little slice of Heaven has been revealed to me.
The Renaissance, Rinascimento in Italian, means rebirth. It is no surprise to me that it began in Italy, and its spirit lives on in the places and people.
What is a surprise, however, is how many personal rinascimenti happen every day in Italy.
Beauty, history, art, food, wine, music, all combine, and when you add in the Italian people, it is a magic that permeates your soul.
Italians have such passion, humor, and joy, it is impossible to be there for long and not absorb a little of it yourself.
My first trip to Italy, I was fifteen years old. I was glad it would be warmer than England, and that was the extent of my excitement.
Before the wheels of the plane hit the ground, I found myself smiling as I listened to the flight attendants speaking Italian.
Smiling wasn’t something I did very much at fifteen. I was quiet, shy, had bad skin, and was deeply unhappy… until that trip to Italy.
My smile continued to spread across my face and into my soul during those two weeks.
Our first day there, I had several boys approach me asking if I was Brittany Spears. Embarrassing now! But, it was quite the confidence boost for my shy fifteen year old self!
Shy doesn’t last very long in Italy.
As I tried to become invisible in the back of the table at a folk music show, the dancers climbed around the others at my table and dragged me on stage. I thought I might die.
Before I could escape, they began swinging me around and there I was dancing the Tarantella for all of Sorrento to see. It was such fun!
Ever since that trip, Italian music makes my spirit sing.
In Florence, we went to see the Accademia, of course for the David. His heart-shaped pupils seem to follow you everywhere. The right hand is an obvious allusion to the right hand of God, which brings to mind another Michelangelo masterpiece once you’ve seen the Sistine Chapel.
To me, the most amazing art to see there, however, is not even finished, and never will be. Michelangelo’s “prisoners” look as I felt discovering Italy, one foot at a time stepping out into adventure, just beginning to come to life.
Amici, it’s not just me. Italy has something for everyone.
The “Wedding Cake” monument emerging through your taxi window, Brunelleschi’s magnificent Duomo peaking out above your hotel room in Florence, the color of the Blue Grotto, all these places light up eyes and hearts every day.
No words could convey the look on your loved ones faces as they see these things for the first time.
You could give your family a million different gifts this year, but gift of travel is the most life changing, valuable gift you could give, and you just might find your very own Paradiso.
My mom has been gone for two Christmases now, and I have to thank her from the bottom of my heart for the best gift she ever gave me: the chance to see the world.
Contact Us to plan your trip. Buon Natale!
Lindsay Sinko,
Passion for Italy Travel, USA
Aeolian Islands Sicily – a Tranquil Holiday
Salina on the Aeolian Islands of Sicily – a beautiful two bedroom villa.
The summer in Italy in July and August as in all of the beach holiday places in Europe are now overrun with tourists and holiday makers. If you wish to escape from traffic and masses of people on the Italian beaches- then I suggest here. Escape from the hoards and the heat.
This beautiful, two bedroom villa with a separate annex is tranquillity on its own on the mountain overlooking the sea. There are also lovely country walks with sea views.
Set on Salina, one of the Aeolian Islands you will have access to all the fantastic Sicilian cuisine, seafood aplenty. I want to go here myself in August. Book now for the Italian summer 2018 as it books out quickly.
https://pfitravel.com/accommodation-italy/beautiful-villa-salina-sicily-931/
Gift Ideas: Books About Italy
If you have friends or family planning a trip to Italy, or who have already been and fallen in love, for gift ideas, books about Italy can be the perfect selection.
With so many out there, it can be difficult to sift through and find the best, so I’ve put together a list of my very favorites to help you decide.
A Vineyard in Tuscany by Ferenc Mate`
This may be my favorite on the list, and I almost passed right by it on the shelf. After Under the Tuscan Sun, books galore emerged on Tuscany.
I expected this to be just another spin off, and I was wrong. While you find the classic home search and renovation, this author does the best job of any I’ve read of transporting his reader into the story.
My greatest surprise while reading this was how many times I laughed. From tales of mixed up words as he was learning Italian, to hilarious descriptions of the challenges of wine production, the book was a riot!
Its true charm, however is the way he slips in beautiful commentary about the land and its people. In instant, I went from laughing to being moved to tears by the beauty he describes. This book is a gem!
Favorite lines:
“The quiet outside seems to have permeated our walls, the stones, the ancient tiles, the beams. And the flavors of the land live in our wines that glow a deep and passionate red in the candlelight. But perhaps the magic of Tuscany is not all in the senses: not just in its food and wine, or its hill towns, or the drama of its ever changing light. Perhaps its magic is in the treasure we too often neglect- the peace within ourselves.”
Bella Tuscany & Every Day in Tuscany by Frances Mayes
I will preface this by saying, I love Under the Tuscan Sun dearly, but I loved these other two as much or more.
I know many people who stopped with the famous one, and never went on to read these other two. Don’t! They are both exquisite depictions and memoirs of Tuscany. Cortona is her home, but these books also give insight into other towns and even regions of Italy.
In both of these, readers learn about customs of the Tuscan people and what life is truly like there. Life is not all sunflowers and blue skies for the author and her husband, and she tells of the difficulties they faced, but also of the people, the beauty, the many moments that still made them feel at home at Bramasole.
Her passion for the area is contagious. All three of her books are not to be missed.
La Bella Lingua by Diane Hales
Just the thought of this one makes me smile. You do not have to speak Italian to enjoy this book, but after you read it you’ll want to learn.
She chooses some of her favorite words and phrases, as well as some of the commonly used Italian idioms that sound a bit funny in English, and elaborates on them.
With such a rich history, it’s no surprise that many of the phrases have their roots in the Renaissance, or even ancient times, and come with fascinating, sometimes hilarious stories.
Diane Hales brings the stories and words to life, and enhances her readers’ understanding of both the language and the culture of Italy.
La Bella Lingua is perfect for anyone planning a trip to Italy, students just beginning to learn the language, and even for those who speak well. It is simply delightful.
Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King
This book is wonderful for anyone planning a trip to Florence, or anyone who has already been. As the title suggests, the focus is strongly on architecture and the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, but it is full of history as well.
Art in Italy is so interesting, partly because of the things we know about the artists themselves. The dome we see today was the result of a contest, just barely won by Filippo Brunelleschi.
Lorenzo Ghiberti, who designed the baptistery doors, was Brunelleschi’s rival, and he almost won. At one point they were even forced to work together on the project.
Stories about both of these artists, the project itself, and life in Renaissance Italy fill these pages. Having read this, when you visit Florence you have a much greater understanding of all that went into the creation of the stunning Duomo.
Sea and Sardinia by D. H. Lawrence
It is no secret that Sardinia is my favorite place on earth, so this book was a must for me. D. H. Lawrence lived in Sicily, with views of Mt. Etna. In the first few pages, you question whether he loves the places or despises it. So, off he goes with his wife on a boat to Sardinia in the Winter time.
This is not the gushing, head over heals for Italy book the others on this list are, but it is wonderful all the same. He gives a glimpse into what it was like to travel in Italy during the early 1900s. Boats, busses and trains carry him and his wife to one town after another in Sicily and Sardinia.
Through the obvious ups and downs of their travels, he manages to describe the enchanting island better than anyone in history that I’m aware of. His words about the place I love bring tears to my eyes. If you go, they will do the same to you.
Favorite lines:
“This land resembles no other place. Sardinia is something else. Enchanting spaces and distances to travel- nothing finished, nothing definitive. It is like freedom itself.”
Italian Ways by Tim Parks
I also enjoyed his book, Italian Neighbors, but this one is special because of its focus on a huge part of Italian life, its trains. This is another book I enjoyed much more than I expected.
After living in Italy for several years, the author realized what an integral part of Italian life its train system is, and decided to travel the entire country by train only.
His experiences on the trains gives a true slice of life idea to his readers about Italian people. For anyone who has ridden the trains in Italy, had to navigate the Trenitalia website or machines, forgotten to validate their ticket, or found themselves suddenly standing on the wrong platform, the book is sure to make you laugh! It is at once educational and fun.
The Italians by John Hooper
Written by a journalist, this book is incredibly well researched. The author examines customs, common traits, superstitions, and behaviors of Italian people, and the history behind what makes them who they are.
One moment in Italy, and it is hard not to immediately love its people. There is a joy, a warmth, and a passion in Italian people impossible to ignore.
The Italy that conjures up images of ancient ruins, and Renaissance masterpieces is in fact quite young as unified country. Italy was not united until 1865, the same years as the end of our American Civil War.
This book discusses the effects this unification, the wars leading up to it, wars thereafter, poverty, and progress had on its people and the culture in Italy today.
It is longer than some of the others, but the depth of understanding it offers makes reading it time well spent.
I hope these suggestions will prove to be enjoyable for the Italy lover on your list!
Buon Natale,
Lindsay Sinko, PFI Travel USA
The Quieter Side of Rome
Once you’ve visited the Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican, and the many famous sites in Rome, leave yourself time to explore the Quieter Side of Rome, the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere.
After touring the Vatican is a great time to do this. Find your way to the Tiber, Rome’s famous river, and walk along its banks toward Trastevere.
Trastevere means “across the Tiber”, and as its name suggests, it’s across the river from the many famous sites and large crowds of people.
This area is full of history, but if you’re fresh out of your tour have a nice relaxing lunch before any more sightseeing.
Jasmine drapes pergolas and walls as it scents outdoor trattorias with its sweet perfume. Here you will find the quintessential red and white table cloths, and delicious local dishes.
Try Caccio e Pepe, a simple pasta dish with cheese and black pepper, often served in a bowl made of cheese. As you twirl your pasta in the bowl, it slowly melts to become part of the dish. Delizioso!
After resting your feet awhile, visit Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome.
Back at the Tiber, cross a bridge and notice the little island, Isola Tiburina. Once the site of a temple to the Greek god of medicine and healing, it became home to a hospital in the late 1500s and remains a hospital today.
Across the river, you will find yourself Rome’s Jewish Ghetto. What was once the city’s least appealing neighborhood is now one of its most charming.
Wander its streets and into its shops and speak with the people. It’s amazing what you can learn just by getting to know locals and showing interest in their home.
Inside a little shoe store, we struck up a conversation with the owner and another customer, first about shoes, and then about the area.
They took us outside to show us the little bronze, brick shaped plaques in front of many of the doorways. We learned that they were placed in honor and memory of the families who were torn from their homes to become victims of the holocaust.
In the same conversation, they pointed out the best place for an aperitivo in the neighborhood, which, of course, was right down the street from the store, and from the famous Lago del Torre Argentina with its lounging cats.
That evening we sipped our Aperol Spritz and sampled local Roman cuisine in the company of other Romans, our new friend from the shoe store, and our lovely little neighborhood turtle fountain, Fontana delle Tartarughe. Doesn’t everything sound better in Italian?
Contact Us to plan your trip.
Lindsay Sinko, Passion for Italy Travel, USA