How to Be Part of the Coffee Bar Culture in Italy

Caffe latte og iskaffe (Photo credit: Wikipedia) How to Be Part of the Coffee Bar Culture in Italy

By M. Cowan


Want to fit into & feel part of the lively coffee bar culture in Italy?
Busy local bars (cafes) in Italy attract a steady stream of regulars who drop by daily for a quick coffee (espresso) and later on a quick drink, to get caught up on local news with each other, glance at the newspapers, and chat back and forth with the barista. Cafes are a type of gathering place for the community.
Later they usually offer a variety of freshly made sandwiches so you may return there for a quick bite. At any time of day you can choose from a wide choice of drinks from fruit juice to wines to hard liquor like scotch to liqueurs.
Breakfast in bars in Italy is typically an espresso, caffe latte or cappuccino with a croissant or similar pastry. At home most people have a caffe latte and biscuits or bread with jam and that's it, the continental breakfast. Many better hotels offer a wider choice for tourists like ham, cheese, cereals, fruit and yoghurt. But why not have breakfast Italian style at a bar with local people and mix and mingle? It will also cost less than your hotel breakfast.

The Melodies of Sardinia

Sardinia (Photo credit: giannisl) By Helen Forbes
When you arrive in Sardinia, you might just hear an unfamiliar tune or two as you explore the area around your villa. In Sardinia, travellers will almost certainly notice many kinds of unique musical pieces and musical instruments that they may not be immediately familiar with. Sardinia is one of the most culturally distinct regions of Italy, and so too it is musically distinct. There is plenty to discover for those musically-inclined visitors. If you hear a few stray snatches of melody while exploring the towns of Sardinia, why not stop and listen for a little while? It could well be the soundtrack for a wonderful memory of your trip.

Italian Travels Tips

Image via Wikipedia
By Greg Hostern


Surprises
Whenever you travel to a new country your always going to find surprises. What would you do if you knew most of these surprises before you go. Learning about the do and don't s before you go will save you from a lot of embarrassment and a possibility of offending someone. One of the main things you should learn before you go is the dining and also the health and safety of the area you will traveling to. A lot of the things you will find here are things that most people have learned and gathered about traveling to Italy.

Bologna Travel Guide

Image via Wikipedia

By Matthew Talbot


Bologna

Ducati, Lamborghini, Ferrari and the La Cucina Bolognese are some of the reasons why most people keep on coming back to Bologna. A city between the Po and the Reno rivers, Bologna boasts of the oldest university of the Western world, the University of Bologna, founded as the Studio in 1088. Although it is not as popular to foreign visitors, Italians who carry the Eurail pass always find the opportunity to visit the place filled with Italy's historical and cultural past.
History Of Bologna

Italian wines conquer restaurants around the world

Image via Wikipedia
Author: Albapp

Italy is the country that produces the most wine in the world. Followed by France, Spain and the United States, it is one of the most recognized producers and a guarantee of quality that has earned its place in the best restaurants and wineries in the world.
Italian wines are actually one of the best options for restaurants all around the world when it is the time of composing a wine list since they are very food-friendly and has varieties for every kind of dish. Italy has, in fact, the largest range of wine varieties in the world, which means that almost any item in a restaurant menu can find a perfect match on an Italian wine. From French to Mexican cuisine, fine Italian wines are your safest bet.

Romantic Date Ideas in Beautiful Italian Cities

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Pero Milos

Spend a day at Carnivale in Venice is for couples who enjoy a city full of canals, gondolas, and expansive parties, going to Italy's number one destination for the Carnivale festival is a great way to celebrate love, life, and great memories together. Venice also is famous for its gondola ride tours, and its incredible cafes and restaurants. Few hearts won't melt while watching the moonlit waters while floating down one of the many canals of Venice. The best part about going to Venice for a honeymoon or a romantic getaway is that romantic Italian canzones are almost always being played by street performers.
Wander the beautiful village of Bellagio of LakeComo famed for being one of the most romantic travel destinations in Italy, Bellagio is a village that has charmed couples for centuries. Renting a villa, or renting a spot on a resort, is a great way to relax and enjoy life with your beloved. With a beautiful view of the Alps, sandy lakeside beaches, and lots of restaurants to choose from, Lake Como will be one of the best choices that you can make for a romantic getaway.
Visit Juliet's house in Verona of Shakespearean fame, lived in Verona. Literary couples looking for romantic inspiration from one of the most famous love stories of all time will find a date in Verona to be one of the best choices around. Locals believe that if you rub the right breast of Juliet's statue (also in Verona) you will be blessed with luck. Other options for a romantic date night in Verona include attending the opera in a real Roman arena, and taking a carriage ride through the city as you soak in the picturesque scenery.
Enjoy the intimate scenery of the Gulf of Poets, beening the inspiration of poets for centuries because of the romantic atmosphere that the Gulf of Poets offers. Stop by a café and enjoy a coffee, or stop by one of the many top rated restaurants for a dinner to remember. If you're tired of the over touristy Cinque Terre, why not explore the Gulf of Poets? The best part about choosing a romantic getaway in the Gulf of Poets is that even during the peak tourist season, it still won't have the masses of tourists that often take away from the romantic atmosphere of many Italian tourist attractions.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/romantic-date-ideas-in-beautiful-italian-cities-4905099.html
About the Author

The best way to book a honeymoon or a romantic date in Italy is to talk to a reliable expert for advice on what places to visit, and where to book your trips. The sooner you start asking advice, the better the results you will get. Book your trip today!

Related articles

• Suggested Europe Travel Itinerary - Italy (vino-con-vista.info)

 Search Amazon.com for Vino Con Vista Travel Books

Search Amazon.com for Vino Con Vista Travel Books

Sicily - An Open Air Museum

Image via Wikipedia

By Elena Bernardi


The island of Sicily has been inspiring travelers for thousands of years with its exhilarating combination of natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Visitors from antiquity through modern times have been drawn to the Mediterranean's largest island and impressed by everything it has to offer.
The culture of Sicily is singularly unique, shaped as it is by a wide variety of influences. Beginning in ancient times, Sicily has been infused with a mix of cultural traditions, thanks to its positioning as a key fixture of multiple Mediterranean trade routes. Thus today Sicily reflects influences from Angevin, Aragonese, Byzantine, Catalan, Greek, Muslim, Norman, and Roman contributors, which combine in a colorful pastiche to make modern Sicily into a one of a kind, open air museum.

5 Exhibitions to Attend in Rome, Italy for 2011

Image via Wikipedia


By James Burrows

Each year a number of different exhibitions are held in Rome. These exhibitions vary in size and nature. Rome is an obvious choice for event organisers as it has an established infrastructure to accommodate the large numbers of people who are attracted to the exhibitions. Whether you visit Rome especially for one of these events or just happen to be in town when an exhibition is on, you will be sure to enjoy the pleasant yet professional feel which Italians exhibitions are renowned for. Below are just some of the exhibitions which take place in Rome:

Sicily and its folkloristic events: St Joseph's day in Scicli, Ragusa

Image by *clairity* via Flickr
Author: Francesca Tessarollo

Like all the other Italian regions, Sicily has much to offer to its visitors, and not only in terms of art, food and nature. Sicily is well-known for its wonderful sea, for its baroque monuments, but there is also one more feature that will make you fall in love with this region: its folklore and the traditional events that take place through the year in all of its cities.

One of the next traditional events to be held in Sicily will be "La cavalcata di San Giuseppe" (St Joseph's ride), which takes place every year in March in Scicli, a village in the province of Ragusa. Ragusa is a wonderful Sicilian province, a popular travel destination above all in summer, when you can enjoy the sea and the sun in well-known seaside resorts like Marina di Ragusa. However, visiting this city and the villages nearby is definitely very interesting also in all the other seasons, thanks to the historical and cultural heritage that these places preserve, and thanks to the folkloristic events that take place from spring to winter.

I Love Touring Italy - Springtime In Sicily

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Levi Reiss

The island of Sicily lies to the southwest of southern Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. You may be surprised by the weather here, especially in early March. Don't expect to sip a coffee in a terrace by the seaside in the early spring. But by late March the wildflowers will be in bloom. By mid-May a beach outing is a real possibility. And it's strawberry season before the month is out.
The city of Modica, population about 55 thousand, on the southern coast has been named a UNESCO Heritage site along with its surroundings. Modica claims to have Italy's best chocolate since it was introduced by the Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s. On March 19 a bonfire burns all night long in front of the church of its patron saint, Saint George. On the 23rd of the month the city of Vittoria, population 60 thousand, situated near the southwestern coast presents the Feast of the Foundation, an exhibition of local wines. Two days later the city of Patti, population about 30 thousand, hosts the Annunziata's feast with a parade of little children dressed like angels and covered in gold. The last Friday of March the town of San Marco d'Alunzio, population 2 thousand, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Palermo in northern Sicily celebrates the Festa della Crocifisso. A solemn procession of thirty three hooded worshippers called Babaluti carry a Crucifix.

How to Find the Best Beaches in the South of Italy

Image via Wikipedia
Author: Enrico

The Sicily island is the perfect place to find beautiful beaches and warm waters to swim. If you think to go on holiday in the south of Italy, then the Sicilian island is what you need...let's examine 9 great reasons

There are different type of beaches in Sicily, the oriental coast in characterized by Reefs and sable beaches, the south coast is full undiscovered by the mass tourism and the north-west coasts are little more crowded and well known for sport and summer events.

The 5 Best Beaches on Sicily

Image via Wikipedia
Author: Rodney Ritchie

Sicily's beaches are renowned as some of Italy's best, with transparent blue-green waters, long sandy beaches and nearby picturesque villages. While everyone has his own opinion about which beach should make the top five, here are five of the most popular and possibly the best Sicily has to offer, and certainly worth a visit on your holiday.

Holidays in Sicily: Marina di Ragusa

Image by AstroAlbert via Flickr
Author: Francesca Tessarollo

Thanks to the colours of its landscapes, to the number of artistic and cultural sites that all of its cities offer, to a crystal clear sea, and last but not least, to its wines and typical products, Sicily is an inexhaustible source or culture, amusement and relaxation. Every part of Sicily is worth a visit, no matter if you decide to visit the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, to sleep in Ragusa or to lay on Mondello beach: in any case you can be sure to spend an unforgettable holiday.

A Quick Tour of Italy - Eastern Sicily

Image via Wikipedia
Author: Levi Reiss

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the island of Sicily, a region of southern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. And parts of Sicily haven't yet been discovered by tourists. This short article presents eastern Sicily. A companion article presents western Sicily; another presents the capital Palermo.



Messina is Sicily's third largest city. Founded by the Ancient Greeks it often changed hands over the centuries. The University of Messina started out as the world's first Jesuit College, founded by St. Ignatius himself. In 1908 the city was virtually destroyed by an earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. Make sure to see the cathedral, the Calapaj Palace, and the Sixteenth Century lighthouse.

Trendy Eats in Rome

Image by kthread via Flickr
By Roo Sadegi

The former printworks of the Il Manifesto daily paper provide a post-industrial setting for Reef, a restaurant masterminded by Antonello Colonna, the Italian government's banqueting supremo. The design, by Marco and Ginaluigi Giammetta, is bold and raw-edged, right down to the sand on the floor which gives the place its name. Glass, iron, and light provide the ambiance for an inventive seafood cuisine that artfully marries the savours of vegetables, fish, and shellfish. Outstanding specialties include saltimbocca di rana pescatrice alla salsa di marsala (roulade of frog in marsala wine sauce), rombo (turbot) with artichokes, moscardini (small fish) kebabs with a salad of broad beans and Pecorino cheese, and swordfish couscous. For fans of raw fish, the sushi, sashimi, and makisushi menus change daily, depending on the latest catch.
Reef

5 Restaurants You Must Try in the Champs Elysees, Paris Area

Image by ZagatBuzz via Flickr
By James Burrows

The Champs Elysees is one of the busiest areas in Paris and one of the most popular with tourist. As part of the manufactured evolution of the area, many restaurants have opened in and around the Champs Elysees over the years. There are restaurants to suit all tastes, and budgets and expectations. Below are just some of the restaurants in the area which must be tried:
Chez Catherine - Chez Catherine is a must try for those who seek a quiet location away from the busyness of the city. It is nicely located down a quiet side street and the chef, who happens to be the regarded as one of the top female chefs in the country, uses fresh local produce to create traditional French dishes which have more than a hint of a south-western influence.

Things to See and Do With Kids In Rome, Italy

Image via Wikipedia
By Aidan Fitzgerald

Rome for younger children
You may not think it, but Rome can actually be fun for the very young as well as the older culture buffs amongst you. Located in Via Flamini is Explora, the Rome Children's Museum. This is a must visit for the young ones. The trip through the museum is set up in four sections, Me, Society, Environment, and Communication. Children can learn about the world around them through games and activities under the watchful eye of the museum staff. The museum also has a soft play area for very young children.
The Teatro San Carlino is a puppet theatre in Borghese Gardens, on Viale dei Bambini (Children's Way). Colombina can be seen clubbing the head of Pulcinella for having eaten her master's supper. Children will delight at the antics of the misfortunate Pulcinella. There is also a little train, which can transport the little ones around the park, leaving from Viale Goethe.
Bioparco which is part of Borghese Gardens also includes Rome Zoo which is must stop for families. The park has lots of special areas and exhibits just for children. The Zoo itself hosts nearly 1000 animals from over 200 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

I Love Italian Travel - Umbria Carnevale Season

Image via Wikipedia
The city of Sant'Eraclio, Umbria is situated approximately some 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of the regional capital, Perugia. Its Carnevale was originated back in 1542 by the Olivetani friars of Mormonzone, who lived in a nearby convent that has long been abandoned. These forward-looking friars felt that the local populace deserved their own merry-making on the streets to balance the local gentry's exclusive palace parties. Good for them! Originally Sant'Eraclio Carnevale meant parades of oxen-drawn carts festooned with branches and flowers, and the people dancing and singing to the music of flutes and trumpets played by men and women in the traveling carts. But during the Seventeenth Century the Church decried this Carnevale as sinful and banned it. I have the impression that the local gentry's exclusive palace parties were not banned. Approximately a century later Carnevale was allowed to resume, but in this region only in Sant'Eraclio. Carnivale continued here without interruption until the Second World War.

I Love Italian Travel - Sicily Carnevale Season

Image via Wikipedia
Acireale, a city of about 50 thousand, is about fifty miles (eighty kilometers) north of Siracusa on the eastern coastline facing the Ionian Sea. This coast is called the Riviera dei Cilopi; according to Homer's Odyssey it was created when the blinded Cyclops Polyphemus flung boulders at the retreating Ulysses, creating spectacular rock pillars known as faraglioni. This great site hosts what is widely regarded as Sicily's finest Carnevale, one of the few that can compete with Venice's world-class offering.