Hotels in Sicily – Hotel eden Riviera
www.hoteledenriviera.com uspended between the charming crystal azure sea as well as the spectacular landscaping associated with Etna, the actual 3-star Hotel Eden Riviera provides you with the chance to benefit from the welcoming ambiance regarding Acitrezza, an outstanding seaside town nestled around the shoreline regarding Sicily, a little way from Taormina and also Catania.
The top holiday resorts of Italy
Why holiday in Italy? Well, the reasons are numerous. If it is sun and sand at a luxurious, secluded and sun soaked coastal location that you are looking for, then look no further. Surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean, and with a long and distinctly varied coastline, Italy is home to many magnificent resorts where you can enjoy your Italian adventure. So, read on for more about the top resorts you should consider taking in while in Italy.
Amalfi Coast
La Costiera Amalfitana is positioned just south of Naples in Campania. The mountain dominated Amalfi Coastline is truly a paradise for holidaymakers, with plenty to do and plenty of beaches. At one time it was one of the main fishing areas in Italy, and this is seen in the wonderful fishing villages that dot the landscape and hug the cliff-dominated coastline. The area affords the visitor everything a tourist is accustomed to, and more. The main town of the region is Amalfi, and while expensive, if you shop around you will get good value. Ceramic shops are well worth checking out in this town. It is a good base for exploring the region. The other tourist places that dot the region are Ravello and Positano. Ravello is renowned for the delightful gardens that are located in the mountains overlooking the sea, and Positano to the west coast is a well-established resort for the rich and famous!
For a real thrill on a driving tour of the Amalfi Coastline, take the coastal road, which is well known for its hairpin bends on the road! All of the towns in the region are built at angles of various degrees of steepness, and it’s a pleasure to see the blue sea so directly below.
Portofino
The old fishing village of Portofino is one of the most exclusive resorts in Italy. Located in Liguria, which is on the famous Italian Riviera, the establishments of the village are all located in the old harbour. If you are looking for a beach, you won’t find any in Portofino check out nearby Paraggi for a sandy beach. Portofino has developed into a popular stop off for the yacht set, with expensive designer boutique shops, and tourist shops side by side.
The village is a good place to take a stroll around. Take the Via Roma route that will take you from the harbour, and it is the busiest street. If you want to relax after a stroll, check out the Piazzetta by the harbour, which has caffes and plenty of restaurants. It is a nice place to relax and watch the yachts drift in and out of the harbour way. Around the harbour, the Church of St. George is a place to check out for some wonderful holiday photos. Also worth a visit is Castello Brown, which belonged to the former British Consul here, who once lived in the charming property. Heading out to the headland you can see the local lighthouse for the harbour.
Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is a collection of five old world fishermen homesteads which are precariously located villages on cliff tops in Liguria. These are at the top left on Italy’s bootshape. The coastline is a National Park and is a protected marine location that has UNESCO World Heritage Status. The traditional industry of the region is farming, and this fell into decline, but this has seen a massive improvement in recent years with sustainable tourism to the fore. Agricultural schemes such as hillside terrace farming and irrigation has improved the lot of farmers here.
The following are the villages of Cinque Terre:
This is the only village to be located above sea level. It is shaped like a pinecone with narrow alley streets. The farming terraces are perched right above the sea.
Riomaggiore is a pretty village with tall houses with plenty of tourist activities.
Monterosso Al Mare is a well-known seaside resort, with plenty of beaches.
Manarola is a peaceful yet modern tourist village that offers a great rocky cove for swimmers, plus a nature park that is great for relaxing.
Vernazza is a charming fishing port with small houses around the harbour, and the presence of a tower called the Castello Doria. The piazza by the harbour is filled with excellent eateries and bars in a relaxed atmosphere.
Taormina, Sicily
Located on the island of Sicily, Taormina is located right next to Mount Etna, the volcano that is still regarded as active. One of the most popular destinations in Italy, it is a resort with wonderful views and an astounding Greco-Roman theatre, called the Teatro Greco, which is perched at a height above the sea, and facing Etna. There are other archaeological sights that can be seen around Taormina. The main one is obviously the Greek Theatre, which was designed by the Romans. The Greeks began its construction in the 3rd Century BC, whereas the Romans gave it the present day feel in the 1st Century AD for gladiatorial shows.
Quite near the Teatro Greco are the ruins of a smaller theatre. Corso Umberto is the main shopping thoroughfare in Taormina. The views from the town are simply majestic on a clear day – check out the Piazza IX Aprile Terraces on Corso Umberto. Other places to check out are the Trevelyan Gardens – with walkways lined with benches and wonderful foliage. The Museo Archeologico is located in the 14th century Badia Vecchia Tower, with Roman, Greek and Byzantine artetacts. While in Taormina you will be looking at the warm, crystal clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and in particular the wonderful Bay of Isola Bella. This island is a terrific nature reserve. It is possible to access this island on foot in low tides, or by taking a cable car.
Monte Argentario, Tuscany
This is a large hilly area in beautiful Tuscany, in the Grossetto Province. The area is home to a nature reserve and some fabulous beaches. At one time, this area was an island, but over the ages it was joined to the mainland by three sand bars, which are now shrouded in woodland and kept apart by lagoons. Two areas you should check out in this region include Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole. These are harbour locations and good base to discover the entire region or just a peaceful and relaxing break.
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Touring around Italy – Palermo, Sicily
If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the island of Sicily, an island in southern Italy. Depending on your specific interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. It offers classic Italian food and fine local wine. And many parts of Sicily haven’t yet been discovered by tourists. This article presents Sicily’s historic capital, Palermo. A companion article presents western Sicily. Another companion article presents eastern Sicily.
Palermo is Sicily’s capital and largest city with a population of about 700,000. It was founded in the Eighth Century B. C. by the Phoenicians who wanted to take advantage of its natural harbor. This strategically city was conquered time and time again. For example, it was once a Muslim city with two or three hundred Mosques. The period of the Norman occupation starting in 1072 and lasting for well over one hundred years was considered Palermo’s golden age. The conquests continued almost unabated. Palermo was heavily destroyed during the Second World War. To some extent Palermo is still in the hands of a conqueror, the Mafia. We’ll start our tour with the Cathedral, built in 1185 on the site of a Byzantine basilica transformed into a mosque by the Saracens in the Ninth Century. Construction continued for centuries, with each addition or renovation done in the style of the times. This building contains a solar observatory, built in 1690, which served to coordinate Palermo time with St. Peters in Rome, and to ascertain the correct day to celebrate Easter. As elsewhere in Sicily, lava was an occasional construction material.
Among the dozen or more historic churches worth visiting are San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi (St. John of Lebbrosi) dating from 1072, San Giovanni degli Eremiti (St. John the Hermit) whose style includes multiple Arabic influences, the Greek Orthodox church La Martorana also known as Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (Saint Mary of the Admiral), and San Cataldo (St. Cataldo), with its red Saracen domes. The latter two churches overlook the Piazza Bellini behind City Hall. The nuns of Martorana were famous for their fruit and vegetable shaped marzipan that they used to decorate barren fruit trees. While the convent no longer exists, this candy is still being made. But you won’t find it in trees. Talking about trees, many churches and other buildings are situated in or near beautiful parks.
Santa Maria dello Spasimo was built just over 500 years ago. It was honored by Raphael’s painting Sicilia’s Spasimo hanging in the Prado in Madrid, Spain. This church subsequently became a hospital and even a warehouse. It is now an open-air theater and cultural center. Talking about theaters, the Teatro Massimo (Great Theater) is Italy’s largest (and Europe’s third largest opera house) even if its seating for 1350 spectators is less than half of the original plan. The original Teatro took twenty two years to build; it was closed in 1974 for safety and remained closed for twenty three years, reopening a mere four days before its centenary. The movie Godfather Part III included a famous violent scene that took place on the Teatro’s steps.
The Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) also known as Palazzo dei Normanni (Norman Palace) was the seat of government for centuries. It is now the home of the Sicilian Parliament. The Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel) was the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily. Its mosaics are well worth seeing. The building and its furnishings are a great combination of Arabic, Byzantine, and Norman styles. If you are lucky you’ll be able to see the Sala di Re Ruggero (King Roger’s Hall), the royal apartments to get an idea of how the other half lived.
Make sure to see the Museo Archeologico Regionale Salinas (Salinas Regional Museum of Archeology) with its prehistoric cave drawings and a expertly reconstructed portion of a Greek temple in Sicily dating back two and half millennia. Then for a change of pace visit the Museo delle Marionette (Marionette Museum) with its focus on Sicily in the days of the Normans. Many marionettes are hundreds of years old. There are live marionette performances at the Theatre Cuticchio. You might want to finish your tour of this very special city at the Piazza Pretoria (Pretoria Square). The fountain that dominates this square contains hundreds of sculptures whose lack of clothing led to the name, “Fountain of Shame”. We suggest that you see this square at night.
What about food? Sicily has always adapted foreign foods to come up with Sicilian versions. The Greeks brought vegetables, fish, and grape vines; the Normans brought cod and baking. The Arabs introduced nut and fruit trees, lamb and goat, cheese and pasta including couscous. Put these influences all together and you have Sicilian cuisine, unique Sicilian cuisine. Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Pasta con le Sarde (Pasta with Sardines and Bread Crumbs). Then try Insalata de Mare (Steamed Fish). For dessert indulge yourself with Cannoli (Deep fried Pastry stuffed with Ricotta Cheese and Candied Fruit). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.
We’ll conclude with a quick look at Sicilian wine. Even though Sicilians drink less wine than the residents of any other part of Italy, Sicily holds first place among the 20 Italian regions for both acreage devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine production. If Sicily were an independent country, it would be the world’s seventh largest wine producer. The following statistic may surprise some people: Only a bit more than half of Sicilian wine is red. Sicily produces nineteen DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only about 2% of Sicilian wine carries this sometimes prestigious classification. Sicily’s best-known wine is Marsala DOC, first exported to England well over two hundred years ago. Most Marsalas are sweet; some are great, others are not.
Over the years Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, and yet he prefers fine Italian, German, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and good company. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He loves teaching a variety of computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website www.wineinyourdiet.com and his Italian food website www.fooditalyfood.com.
Palermo in Sensational Sicily www.SensationalSicily.com is presented by Alessandro Sorbello http Sicily is rich in history and culture. This project is born from a collaboration between the Region of Sicily www.regione.sicilia.it. The Italian Chamber of Commerce, New Realm Media www.newrea.
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