During my stay abroad, I was often told that Italian language has something musical in its rhythm. True or not, many Italian singers have become very popular in non Italian countries, thanks to their typical way of singing, which generally includes romantic weepy songs. But I have to say that, as often happens, not all good singers have an international success, for many different reasons. Actually, Italy has a wide number of singers and particularly of singer-songwriters which really deserve a mention.

Starting  from North Italy and moving to the south, I’ll present you 8 Italian singers, each one representing a region from where the singer comes from. You’ll find some well-known faces, but also some new interesting ones. This collection would be a sort of travel-songs selection, which will be able evocate the region you’re visiting and will accompany you during your next holidays in Italy.

LIGURIA
The third smallest region in Italy, Liguria, is a strip of land stretching from Tuscany to the border of France. The singer-songwriter I’ve chosen to represent this region is maybe not very popular abroad, but in Italy many consider him a poet besides a singer: after his premature death in 1999 at the age of 58 years old, some of his songs have been introduced in school anthologies of Italian Literature. The songs of Fabrizio de Andrè often told the story of marginalized persons and rebels; they will go with you during your holiday, sometimes just telling you something, often unmasking the weaknesses and hypocrisies of human beings.


The chosen song, CREUZA DE MA, entirely sung in the dialect of Genoa, has been considered one of the most important songs of the ’80.














EMILIA ROMAGNA
The second region we cross during our tour is Emilia Romagna, native land of the worldwide famous Tortellini. The singer, singer-songwriter and musician who represents this region has been nicknamed, during a Tv-programm in England, the italian mad hatman, because he is in the habit of performing with a hut (of which he has a big collection!). His name is Adelmo Fornaciari, stage name Zucchero (Sugar). He’s the black voice of the Italian music, and he has co-operated with many international artists, such as Paul Young, Joe Cocker, Luciano Pavarotti, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bono Vox, The Scorpions, Sting and many others.


The chosen song is IL VOLO (The Flight)










TOSCANA
From Emilia Romagna we arrive in Tuscany, one of the most popular Italian regions due to its cultural, artistic and landscape estate. I am pretty sure you already know the chosen singer and tenor Andrea Bocelli.


Here one of his best successes: CON TE PARTIRO’ (Time to say Goodbye)










LAZIO
From Tuscany to Latium, which capital is Rome, where we find another Italian popular singer-songwriter: Lorenzo Jovanotti (birth name: Lorenzo Cherubini). He started his career with Rap songs, but his musical evolutions approached him to the world music style (a kind of contamination between pop and ethnic music). The themes of his songs gradually involve philosophic, politic, social and religious themes. Pacifist, he co-operated with important international societies such as Emergency and Amnesty International.


The chosen song, SAFARI, is representative of his style










CAMPANIA
Latium borders to the south on Campania, the second most populous Italian region, which capital is Naples. The Neapolitan music is popular all over the world (who doesn’t know O Sole mio?) and many Neapolitan artists left a mark in the Italian music. The singer (singer-songwriter, of course) I’ve chosen to represent Campania is Pino Daniele. TERRA MIA, the solo debut, is the first example of what he called Taramblù, a mix of Tarantella, Rhumba and Blues.










PUGLIA
Puglia (Apulia) is the heel of the Italian boot, well-known for its beautiful landscape and coasts. The singer-songwriter I’ve chosen comes actually not from Apulia, but in 1998 he created the Taranta power, a musical and cultural movement in order to promote Tarantella (a folk dance typical of south Italy) through motion-picture, musical and theatre activities.

The song we present you is GRANDE SUD (big south)










SICILY
Our tour comes to the biggest Italian island: Sicily. This region is represented in this selection by a skilled singer-song-writer, the only woman in this selection: Carmen Consoli. She is appreciated for her melodious and interpretative skills, for her determination and passion in singing.


She sings both in Italian and in Sicilian dialect, as the following song shows: A FINESTRA (The Window)










SARDINIA
From island to island, here we are in Sardinia, our next stage through this songs-travel-selection. The group I’ve chosen, Tenores di Bitti, is representative of the Cantu a Tenore, a typical style of polyphonic folk singing, one of the most important in the Mediterranean, characterized by a group of four (male) singers each of whom has a distinct role. In 2005, the Cantu a Tenore has been classed among intangible world heritage by Unesco. Here below the BALLU LESTRU (the quick dance, in Sardinia language)









As you noticed, this selection underlines how Italian regions are different from each other, and how each one is deeply connected to its own traditions. If your favourite Italian singer one doesn’t fall in this selection, feel free to share your opinion with me!

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Certain people call them low cost carriers. Some others prefer low cost, low fares, budget, discount, or “No-frills” airlines. These airline companies are able to propose lower and competitive fares.

But how they manage to do that?

Question security is obviously the most important in flying and travellers want to be sure that the saving has nothing to do with that. I personally wondered about this matter before booking my first (unbelievably cheap!) flight to Sardinia and I made some private internet research about it. So, I discovered that cheap flight prices depend on a strict and well-thought company policy, which offers just the basic services and eliminates the superfluous ones.

So, for example, some of the many low cost companies’ solutions are:

-    No free food on board (you can buy it if you want)

-    Use of secondary airports (lower airport tax)

-    Costs reduction by boosting direct supply (Through call centre or Internet)

-    Maximum limits for hand luggages (every exceeding is with fee)

-    Free seats (you choose your seats when you arrive on board. For the front seats…you literary have to run! Or, with Ryanair, you can buy the possibility to be among the first to get on - for just 4 Euros)

Only in Europe, there are more than 40 budget companies. Thanks to them, flying is now possible for everybody who likes or need it. Even Sardinia, which until a few years ago was reachable only at high prices, is now good related to Italy as well as to many European cities. Direct and cheap flight are the succes keywords.

I can assure you that for Sardinian people it has really been a dream that came true!!! But, I guess it has also been interesting news for people who desired to fly to Sardinia and who cannot, because of its high prices to reach it.

Be happy: now, you can!

As maybe many of you still do not know about how many new cheap flights to Italy and particularly to Sardinia are in this moment, I will shortly summarize the situation for you.

Sardinia has three main airports: Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia.  All of them have low cost companies which offer really cheap flights from and to Sardinia.

Cagliari Airport (South Sardinia)
RYANAIR – The first low cost company in Europe offers cheap flights from/to Cagliari: Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Bruxelles, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt (Hahn), Gerona, Karlsruhe-Baden, Madrid, Marseilles, Paris.

EASYJET – Cheap flights from/to Cagliari: Basel-Muhlhous, Berlin, Geneva, London.

TUIFLY – Cheap flights from/to Cagliari: Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart.

MERIDIANA – It’s not a budget company, but you can however find interesting offers from/to Cagliari: Barcelona, Chisinau, London, Paris.

Alghero Airport (North-West Sardinia)
RYANAIR – Cheap flights from/to Alghero: Barcelona, Billund, Bremen, Brussels, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Eindholen, Frankfurt Hahn, Gerona, London, Madrid, Memmingem, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm.

Olbia Airport (North-East Sardinia)
TUIFLY – Cheap flights from/to Olbia: Hamburg, Köln, Frankfurt, München, Stockholm.

MERIDIANA – Cheap flights from/to Olbia: Chisinau – Paris
EASYJET – Cheap flights from/to Olbia: Bristol, Basel-Muhlhous, Berlin, Geneva, Lyon, Paris

My summary refers to the actual air routes of the low cost companies which fly to Sardinia, but the situation change really quickly. I will hold it in check and I will advise you in case of relevant changes.

If you know some important low cost company I have forgotten, please tell me! I will maybe get inspired for my next holiday.…

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In 1983, for the America’s cup match, a trophy to the winner of the challenger selection series was offered by Louis Vuitton (challengers competing for the right to challenge the defender of the America’s Cup). Since 1983, the Louis Vuitton Cup has become one of the most prestigious competitions in yachting sport, transforming each Regatta Venue (independently from its previous sailing culture) into the protagonist for two weeks. In 2010, this will take place in Italy and particularly in an “island in the island”: La Maddalena.

Let’s remember the previous winners of the Louis Vuitton Cup:

Often, but not always, the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup won then the America’s Cup.

After the change of venue concerning the G8 Summit (which was supposed to be in La Maddalena, in 2009, and was then transferred to L’Aquila, hit by terrible earthquake), La Maddalena island will finally have the opportunity to show its potentialities, by welcoming the second most important yachting competition in the world.

Next Louis Vuitton Trophy Regattas venues are:

-          March 9-21: Auckland

-          May 22-June 6: LA MADDALENA, SARDINIA

-          November 13-28: Dubai, UAE

-          January 9-24, 2011: Hong Kong

Maddalena Archipelago, National Park from 1994, is situated north-east of Sardinia, the second biggest Italian island after Sicily. The archipelago takes name from the biggest of its islands, La Maddalena, and is well known for the transparency of its water as well as for its uncontaminated nature.  To know more about the archipelago, just have a look on this.

The Louis Vuitton Cup will take place in the waters of the Archipelago and the emerald coast, and will be based in the old port of the ancient Navy in La Maddalena. Completely restored, it belongs to La Maddalena Hotel Yacht Club, a modern and prestigious complex supposed to open May 1^st 2010.

We’ll keep track of the competition and we’ll give you all the information about how the Louis Vuitton Cup is going on in La Maddalena! Are you interested in it? Simply subscribe to our RSS !

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Much more than Pasta and Pizza …

Talking about Italian food, the first things coming to your mind are, of course, pasta, pizza, and lasagne. Travellers who like testing, know that there is a large amount of savoury regional recipes having nothing in common with them. But not many of them know about some Italian culinary traditions that can sound a little strange or even disgusting to most.

But please, don’t say that: I assure you, they’re much appreciated in the regions they come from, and people are very proud about them as they’re considered a kind of speciality. In many cases also became illegal for health reasons. And for this, more precious too. Enjoy your reading and ….buon appetito!

1.    Casu Marzu – Maggot cheese – Sardinia

Sheep milk cheese, obtained in a natural way, thanks to the Piophila casei (cheese fly), which depose the larvae to the cheese. Eating the cheese, the larvae promotes a high level fermentation; when cheese has fermented enough, it can be eaten on a slice of typical thin bread Carasau. But pay attention! Cheese became toxic when the maggots have died. So, it has to be eaten when they are still alive…and jumping.

2.    Raw snails – Sicily
It’s a very common tradition (and not just in Sicily) eating raw snails, in order to fight various gastrointestinal disorders. This is why its dribble is able to close gastric ulcer and to destroy helicobacter, responsible of gastritis. It’s not just a popular legend: just try the snail’s syrup…

3.    Raw Octopus – Puglia
Eating raw fish is an ancient tradition in Puglia, and raw octopus is considered a delicious specialty. Once netted it, fishermen skilfully turn the head and start a series of precise procedures (pounding it against a rock, washing him from its “foam”…) in order to make the “curl” and make it tender. If you want to satisfy your curiosity, just have a look on this video.

4.    Pork blood cake – Tuscany
A popular proverb about pork says that nothing is thrown away, to underline that every part of the animal can be eaten, nothing is wasted. And that’s really true, even the blood can be used to prepare delicious recipes. It occurs in several parts of Italy but I’ve taken Tuscany as an example, in order to present you the tasty pork blood cake.

Are you dying to try this food?

Just follow the procedure!

Ingredients

1 litre of sifted out pork blood
1 spoon of sugar
1 glass of milk
4 beaten eggs
vanilla powder

Procedure

Prepare a sweet sheet of pastry with flour, eggs and sugar and cover the cake pan with it.  Make a blood stratum, a sheet of pastry stratum, until you reach the right thickness. Put into the oven and serve hot.

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The clearness of its waters and the beauty of its sandy beaches are, by now, well-known all over the world. Maybe, most of not Italian people even don’t know where exactly Sardinia is, or don’t have an exact idea of how big the island is (is it an island? good to know! … they often reply…), but of course, they know about its turquoise crystalline sea and its well-preserved nature. 

I am not joking:  so many times I was asked if Sardinia “can it easily be visited by foot, isn’t it?” 

Nope,  it cannot!  

At least, not so easily: with its 270 Km length,  145 width and a surface of 24,090. What’s more, mostly highland! Anyway, if tourism plays an important role in the island economy,  it’s because travellers find Sardinia’s unspoilt nature very attractive, and particularly its spectacular beaches. Scouting the 1840 Km coastline (by the way Sardinia has the biggest coastal development among the Italian regions ), there are different beaches for every taste:  large sandy beaches ,  small secluded ones,  hidden coves…. 

Followings, you find the FIVE TOP BEACHES loved by every traveler visiting Sardinia (and that for nothing in this wolrd you should miss out during your next trip): 

1. Su Giudeu Beach Chia area, south Sardinia. Known for its white sand and for its dunes.  Thanks to its uniqueness it has been chosen as stage for successful advertising and movies. 

Credits: Photo of Germano Zucca . Flickr.com 

2. Is Arutas Beach Oristano area, south-west Sardinia. Known as the “beach of the grains of rice”, because of the little granite fragments, resulting from the erosion of the nearby Mal di Ventre Island (sorry, it is in italian), of which the beach is composed. The grains colours nuances are white, pink and light green. 

Credits: Photo of Alessio. Flickr.com 

3. La Pelosa Beach Stintino area, northern Sardinia. The transparency of its waters reminds of a tropical sea, but the surrounding vegetation is unmistakably Mediterranean. Just in front of the beach, stands Maddalena Archipelago. 

Credits: Photo of Oanababy. FLickr.com 

4. Spiaggia Rosa – Pink Beach La Maddalena Archipelago, North-East Sardinia. The Pink beach stands in Budelli, one of the islands of the Archipelago; Budelli has an area of just 1.6 square kilometres. The beach takes name from the particular pink coral colour of the sand, due to the numerous shells and little fragments of red corals. Nowadays no one can reach anymore the beach due to the fact the tourists were taking away the sands, however it can be admired from the sea (if you are so lucky to be on a nice boat) 

Credits: Photo of Mondofatato. Flickr.com 

5. Porto Giunco – Notteri Beach Villasimius, South Sardinia. The beach is just next to the homonym pond, habitat of the pink flamingos. It is characterized by fine sand, similar to talcum powder. Behind it, a natural frame is created by the mountains. 

Credits: Photo by CharmingSardinia.com 

I am sure that, if I make a survey about it, no one will choose exactly the same beaches than I have.  In Sardinia there are so many nice beaches, every one different in its kind ….. 

Do you know of any beautiful beach in Sardinia that  I am missing out? Happy to hear more from you…

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Are you fascinated by social life and gossip? Have you always dreamed of spending your holidays in a sort of exclusive V.I.P. resort, full of posh bars, discos, and luxury boutiques?

Well, I’m sorry: this article deals with none of these items.

However, it could maybe help you to discover some interesting alternatives you still do not know.

What I am about to tell you, is an alternative resource for travellers who:

• Wish to relax in some luxury and secluded hotel, surrounded only by enchanting nature
• Wish to relax in a small and charming hotels (…but please not in the middle of nowhere)
• Wish to relax in the middle of nowhere  (Something like a private luxury escape)

You may never have thought about the benefits you could receive from a small charming accommodation instead of a big, chaotic hotel. Let me point out some for you:

• Privacy
• Intimacy
• (Extremely) Personalised service

Of course, you won’t have all the amenities of the big hotel:  you will have neither the Miniclub, nor a big training centre with Spa, nor the hotel theme song to intone altogether….. (AHHH!)

You will simply have time to relax and discover the beauty of the easy roll by of the time,  while sipping a nice glass of wine and finding time to read more than 1 page of that book you keep on carrying with you ….

Did you get the general gist? Well, here are my tips on where to go to experience this:

• Capo Spartivento Lighthouse (Sardinia)

Amazing 360 degrees panorama. Simply a must in this category. 10 sleeping accommodations divided into 4 modern style Suites and  a two-floor mini-apartment. Outside, 3000 meters back garden, a big lounge and barbecue area, and a breathtaking infinity pool with two Jacuzzi, overlooks the blue Sardinian sea.

• Suite 68 (Apulia)

A clever well-chosen style mix. The traditional stone building houses local artist creations, which embellish the rooms, 7 in total, and the common areas.  A simple and original coloured setting, where nothing is random, in which the personal owner’s taste is strongly reflected.

• Ca’ P’a Casa Privata (Campania)

What really struck me about this private house, was not the (even stunning!) panoramic view due to its strategic position which dominates the sea,  nor the 5000sq.m garden with its shaped hedges and fountains. Accustomed to every comfort, which modern life in lucky countries offers, I have dwelt on some details which, at the beginning, seemed meaningless to me. And then, I understood. No air conditioning. Having a shortcut to avoid the many steps to reach the house? No way. Guests have to feel and to experience the right atmosphere; they have to long for a stay in one of the six exclusive rooms.

• Masseria Alchimia (Apulia)

Modern furnishing and a small kitchenette characterize the 10 Studios of Masseria Alchimia. Total white traditional building and essential, contemporary style, which continuously renews and refreshes the rooms interior decoration. The Masseria promotes modern art, and make its internal and external spaces available to artists who wish to exhibit their artworks.

• Hotel Lucrezia (Sardinia)

Breathing past traditional atmospheres, guests are accommodated in one of the 7 double rooms, surrounded by exclusive hand made pieces of the late ‘800. Hotel Lucrezia has neither any surprising characteristic nor a breathtaking panorama view; and this is maybe the reason why I have chosen it. Discreet, soberly elegant, it reflects the ancient Sardinian farmer way of life. It doesn’t need shining to prove its value.

If, while reading this article, you have thought about a small and charming hotel in Italy that you know of, which could be suited to my selection…you’re welcome! I am always happy to know something new, so feel free to suggest more!

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