Calabria - The Toe of Italy's Boot

Coat of arms of the southern Italian region of Calabria Italiano: Stemma della regione Calabria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pizzo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By []Elizabeth Waddington

Calabria may be one of the poorest Italian regions, and little known amongst the British, but it is also one of the most intriguing regions of the country. Its Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts are extremely popular with Italian holidaymakers who throng to the region throughout August while British holidaymakers seem to head for the a la mode resorts of Puglia, the heel.

The problem with Calabria is that the modern world has brought with it organised crime, and organised crime has funded over-development along some, though not all, of this coastline. While corruption and dodgy dealings are rife in this poor area, there are some corners that have retained a delightful old-fashioned charm and simplicity and tourists need only use a modicum of common sense and they need not fear being the target of crime any more than anywhere else in Italy - the problems predominantly affect insiders, not those visiting from elsewhere.

The northern section of the Tyrrhenian coast is characterised by holiday complexes that crowd the flat littoral. The towns of Diamante, Belvedere and Paola are welcome breaks in the monotony. South of the River Savuto is the narrowest part of the peninsula, which was only reclaimed from malarial swamps in the last hundred years. Fortunately, though there are still mosquitoes, they no longer carry the disease.

The Joys of Walking in Italy

St. Peter's Basilica, believed to be the burial site of St. Peter, seen from the River Tiber. The iconic dome dominates the skyline of Rome. St. Peter's Basilica from the River Tiber. The iconic dome dominates the skyline of Rome. Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. Christianity became the dominant religion of Western Civilization when the Roman Empire converted to Christianity. St. Peter's Basilica, believed to be the burial site of St. Peter, seen from the River Tiber. Saint Peter's Basilica. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By []Tony Maniscalco

Ah, La Bella Italia! Whenever one thinks of a holiday in Italy, it's hard not to smile. The food, the people, the towns, the history and just that Italian style and charm - they all bring an instinctive warmth even if you've never even visited the country! Walking in Italy is a way to really experience that warmth first-hand.

Italy - Worlds within worlds

What can be said about Italy? Home of the Roman Empire; the Renaissance; great science; art; literature; and today, a byword for high fashion. Italian cuisine in all its glory rivals the best in the world, and the friendliness and hospitality of the Italian people is legendary.

Retire to Italy

Image via Wikipedia
By Mitch Bowler
Ciao! That is the most common word that you will hear when you first set foot in Italy. As we, all know the capital of this country is Rome where you can find St. Peter's Basilica, located in the Vatican City. This is known as the biggest Catholic Church in the whole world.
The climate here will depend on your location. The northern part of the country has a semi tropical climate with humidity. In coastal regions they experience warm weather, arid summers and a mild winter.
If you want to retire in Italy, you must have an annual income of 8,000 Euros which is US$ 11,510, for each retiree. If you are a European Union citizen, you will not need a visa to live here. For EU citizens all you have to do is go to the police station and make yourself registered as an acknowledgment of your stay in the country and then apply a permit for residency. For those retirees who are not from the European Union you must apply for a residence visa, which means that you have plans to stay in the country for more than 3 months and you have to show a proof that you can sustain your financial needs without working since you are already considered a retiree.

New Attractions to See in Ireland

Image by chb1848 via Flickr
By Seamus Maguire
Ireland is suffering the worst economic disaster in its history. Reckless lending by the banks fueled a massive property bubble that exploded in 2008 and the ramifications are now only becoming fully apparent. The country risks losing its sovereign status such are the dire circumstances in which it finds itself. It is unable to raise money on the international markets, the banks are broke, the Government is incompetent and leaderless and half a million people are on the dole. The crisis is unprecedented in the history of the sate and at the time of writing looks set to get worse.
Now the IMF and EU Emergency Fund are in Ireland and are, in effect, forming the next four draconian budgets for Ireland, not in any gallant bid to help Ireland, but instead acting in an increasingly desperate attempt to save the Euro and the whole EU project.

The excesses of the so called "Celtic Tiger" period have left an array of vanity property monuments and "white elephant" projects dotted around the country. Perhaps the Tourism Ireland authorities might design a tour of such sites.
Some highlights might include:
Ghost Housing Estates: These are not ones that are haunted, but a term given to unfinished housing estates around the country with little or no people living in them and lacking all but the most basic services. Free entry.
Anglo Irish Bank Skeleton: This creature can be seen on the Dublin Docklands and would put the fear of God into you as it towers over the Liffey Basin. Carbon dating experts trace its origins back as far as 2007 or 2008 AD though the matter is a bone of contention amongst some scientists. Tickets €10 from the NAMA ticket agency.
Zombie Hotels: These are hotels that are ran by liquidators and receivers and are encountered in remote areas of the country where humans were never likely to wander in the first place. Built primarily on the business case that avoiding paying tax was better than servicing the needs of tourists, zombie hotels will warmly welcome you, but like Hotel California, you can never leave. Because they are built in the back of beyond, nobody will find you when you disappear. Free entry
Foxrock Tractors: These are to be found in fire sale auction house around the country. They are huge 4 x 4 jeeps that used to collect the children from school in opulent, upmarket areas of Ireland, but were actually capable of climbing Carrauntoohil Mountain in Kerry and could pull Achill Island around the coast. Reduced from €150,000 to €10,000.
Further tourist attractions will be announced in the coming months!
Further Information
Seamus invites you to take a virtual tour of Ireland through Look Around Ireland - the Ireland Travel Guide. Check out our Map of Ireland

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seamus_Maguire


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Retire to Italy

Image by Argenberg via Flickr

Ciao! That is the most common word that you will hear when you first set foot in Italy. As we, all know the capital of this country is Rome where you can find St. Peter's Basilica, located in the Vatican City. This is known as the biggest Catholic Church in the whole world.

The climate here will depend on your location. The northern part of the country has a semi tropical climate with humidity. In coastal regions they experience warm weather, arid summers and a mild winter.

If you want to retire in Italy, you must have an annual income of 8,000 Euros which is US$ 11,510, for each retiree. If you are a European Union citizen, you will not need a visa to live here. For EU citizens all you have to do is go to the police station and make yourself registered as an acknowledgment of your stay in the country and then apply a permit for residency. For those retirees who are not from the European Union you must apply for a residence visa, which means that you have plans to stay in the country for more than 3 months and you have to show a proof that you can sustain your financial needs without working since you are already considered a retiree.

Pizza, spaghetti, pasta! Those are the famous foods not only in Italy but in the whole world. Aside from these there are also different kinds of dishes from different regions of Italy and here are some tips on how to distinguish where the dishes come from.

You can distinguish the dish by the fat that was used. For instance, if the dish is cooked with butter then that dish is from the north, if they used the fat of the pork that means it is a dish from the middle part of the country, and if they used olive oil then that is from southern part. They also love to use herbs in cooking like parsley, rosemary, oregano and etc. One of the most important ingredients of their cuisine is of course cheese. Coffee with milk or café latte is one of the usual drinks especially with breakfast. Marsala, the most famous wine which originated in the southern part of the country is also used for cooking in the rest of the country.

Touring is one of the best options to keep yourself busy, should you choose to retire here or in a nearby country. The country is rich with beauty and history and if you are looking for a little bit of what they call La Dolce Vita (the sweet life) then Italy is one of the greatest places to choose.

Mitch Bowler is an avid traveler, having lived the majority of his adult life overseas exploring different cultures and learning about the best that each has to offer the expatriates who live there.

Visit http://www.retiring-overseas.com/retire-to-italy.html for more information on living abroad.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitch_Bowler
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