New Years Eve 2007 in Italy

Another year is over and we have to think about how we would like to say good bye to the year 2007 and how to welcome 2008!

After Christmas, this is the most special time of the entire year and every year we are put in front of the same question: What to do for New Years Eve? How to make it special this year?

Well, why not going to Italy
? One of the most beautiful countries in the world, with its world famous Tuscany, well known for its high levelled wines, its fantastic landscapes and its so romantic medieval cities and towns?

Wake up the first morning in 2008 in a real Italian medieval Castle like Castello di Vicarello near Grosseto, Castello di Tocchi in Siena or in one of the period residences as Relais Villa Petrischio in Cortona, Villa Marta in Lucca and you will feel like you stepped back in time for a few hundred years!
If not a castle, then a typical rural farm house: San Gimignano with its famous 14 towers, Siena, Arezzo, or a nice hotel in Florence!

Or Rome, where the city surely does not sleep this night in between two years? Where everybody is celebrating around the city in the piazzas, or in some typical restaurant or dancing club?

A special night could be organized in a Castle like Castello Orsini in Rocca Giovine where one has the choice between a
Gala Dinner including welcome drink with champagne for € 150,00 where the table is reserved all night long, a
Gala Dinner for € 130,00 where the table is reserved all night long, a
Buffet dinner for € 90,00 and the
Disco for € 40,00

Or at the Naif Cafè in the city center of Rome where you can choose between a

Gala Dinner for € 120,00 and a
Buffet Dinner for € 60,00

Otherwise, without wanting to organize too much in advance, just enjoy the Eternal City with its fireworks and celebrations throughout the city, having a walk and dancing through it.


Maybe better somewhere on the seaside? No problem: the Amalfi Coast has certainly has plenty of offers for this period. For instance the famous living cribs, outstanding in Praiano, Raito and Pogerola, or the sub pilgrimage to the ceramic crib in the Grotta dello Smeraldo (the cavern of the emerald) in Conca dei Marini.

If nothing of the above mentioned should be fine, there are so many wellness destinations in Italy. Just take some time to relax and book a beautiful spa hotel or some thermal accommodation as for example Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme, Chianciano Terme.

Another great destination might be the Piedmont like Alba or Asti
. So many of Italy’s famous wines and truffles come from that region which offers a breathtaking landscape and many nice medieval villages.

It is not too late to look for a perfect New Years Eve 2007/2008. Many of the accommodations even have really interesting packages and special offers. Check out your best fitting accommodation for this very special night of 2007 with Dream Destination Europe and you can be sure to spend an unforgettable end of year in Italy!

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The Chianti Sculputre Park

The Chianti Sculpture Park is located in Tuscany about 11 km north of Siena. The area is famous worldwide for its beautiful hilly landscape, its vineyards and the evergreen olive trees and cypress trees. Quiet medieval villages are scattered here and there; the small hamlet of Pievasciata, with its church of San Giovanni Battista, dating back to the XI century, is just one kilometer away.The Chianti Sculpture Park offers each of its visitors a unique experience. In an untouched wood of ilex and oak trees in the heart of Sienese Chianti many internationally renowned artists from five continents have created imposing contemporary sculptures in accordance with their own creative ideas and style. Piero Giadrossi the founder of this Park, has travelled extensively for over 20 years and has always collected small and large contemporary sculptures.
His vision was to share with the discerning visitors of Tuscany, his love for sculpture and so he decided to create a permanent exhibition along a shadowy trail which runs through a beautiful wood of oaks. Each artist chose the site for his or her installation, thus each work becomes a unique presence in the corner of the wood where it is mounted.
To select the artists Piero was helped by an Art Committee and careful thought was given to the nationality and the media used. “All the sculptures therefore, can be considered to be truly site-specific, which explains their harmony with the trees, the sounds, the colours, the light, and every other element of the wood. In fact, these man-made works do not extend beyond the limits of nature, rather, they integrate with it and enhance it,” says Piero Giadrossi.
Twenty countries are represented so far and this makes the Park truly unique in Italy. One of the objectives of the Park was to give room to artists barely known in Europe, but famous in their country of origin; significant talents that otherwise would have no exposure to the western public.Temporary exhibition will be held annually in the amphitheatre. Opposite the entrance of the Park an old building which was a pottery, has been transformed into a large art gallery and so visitors who have admired the large sculptures in the Park can have a chance to admire smaller works made by the same artists.How to get to the Chianti Sculpture Park:Milan-Rome highway: Firenze Certosa exit.Superstrada to Siena: Siena Nord exit.Left onto SS 222, towards Castellina and then take a right turn after 1.5 km towards Vagliagli. Drive for about 8 km and then turn right towards PIEVASCIATA. It is a country road and you will find the Park at your right after about 4 km.From Rome: drive the Superstrada around Siena until you find the Siena Nord exit. Then follow the instruction above. Opening hours:April - October from 10:00 am to Sunset.From November to March it is advisable to call first: 0577-357151
Visit Dream Destination Europe
for your accommodation in Chianti, Tuscany.

Florence, the pearl of Italian culture

The wonderful masterpieces and great works of architecture enriching the everyday life of Florence, the capital of Tuscany. One of the most important collections of paintings in the world can be found in the Uffizi Gallery and other magnificent paintings can be seen in the Gallery of Palazzo Pitti, hosting among others Tiziano’s and Raffaello’s masterpieces.

The city is famous for its Duomo, the Baptistry and many other wonderful churches, for Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio, where you can still find fifteenth-century shops. Other important cities in the region are Siena, Pisa, Arezzo, Pistoia, Lucca, Livorno, Grosseto, Massa Carrara.

In addition to art, Tuscany offers outstanding natural settings, such as the National Park of the Argentario and the Isola d’ Elba. In the countryside, among the vineyards and olive groves, are wonderful villages and castles, a reminder of Tuscan life in the Middle Ages.

To make your stay in Florence unforgettable Dream Destination Europe will provide you with all the assistance you might need, from the moment of choosing where to stay, right through your holiday thanks also to our team in loco. Come and chose from our wide selection the ideal accommodation for you.

Discover Florence in “kiddie size” Florence Visitor Centre designs Disney guide for children

Over 160,000 copies of the “Disney Guide to Florence” have already been distributed in the U.K. The project was born as a joint collaboration between “Disney Publishing Italia” and the “Agenzia per il turismo di Firenze” (Apt) with support from the “Provincia di Firenze”.

The guide which touts Florence as the ideal family vacation spot was offered free-with-purchase at 57 Disney stores for one week only. The publication is geared towards attracting new visitors to Florence by depicting works of art and city monuments in “kiddie size” making them more interesting and comprehensible even to the youngest of tourists. The original Italian version was distributed with the weekly children’s magazine, “Topolino”.
For the best family accommodations check Dream Destination Europe http://www.dde-europe.com

Italy on horseback

About a thousand million Euros is the turnover – 1 million of horseman, more than 400 thousand horses and more than 50 thousand people employed. These are the dates of the AIA (Associazione Italiana Allevatori) and of the UNIRE (Unione nazionale incremento razze equine).

This means an entire army of lovers of this sport and the horseback tourism which generates in Italy a turnover of around 6,5 thousand millions of Euro.

In the Italian region Veneto, precisely in Verona, the wolrds most important international fair, the Fieracavalli, takes place every year at the beginning of November in a space more than 1.800 m².

Italy’s tourism has a huge amount of offers addressed to horseman. In all over Italy there are the farmhouses, the so called agriturismi, which are located in the countryside, where it is possible to take part in the every day’s life of the farmers. They teach for example, how to produce bread, honey, marmalade and much more, and many of them have a riding school.

In Tuscany for example, there is the Regional Park of the Maremma where it is possible to explore it in a very nice and exciting way on a horseback trekking tour. There are many tours offered for both, experts and non experts, to explore this protected area.

During this excursions very often it is possible to get near animals like wild boars, fallow deers, cows and Maremman horses. A two hours trekking tour is a quiet horseback walk through the oak wood and it is suitable for non experts. For who has more time, there is a tour of three hours in which they reach the Abbey of San Rabano. For great experts there is a one day tour of approximately 6 hours which leads through diverse areas of the Regional Park: the agricultural area, the Mediterranean landscape, the pine forest, the marsh until reaching the river Ombrone.

Also near Pisa, in the surrounding hills, there are plenty of tours offered to get in contact with the still intact nature of the area. As well as in the area of San Gimignano for example the farmhouse Il Meletto, or in the Chianti area the Fattoria la Presura or Santa Maria a Poneta.

But not only in Tuscany, in all over Italy there are so many nice places to be discovered, and why not on back of a horse?
In the Region of Lazio there are some very nice farmhouses like Borgo il Ducato, or in Piedmont the La Piccola Fattoria, La Collina degli Scoiattoli, or Red Wine where they offer horseback riding.
In Umbria there is the Madonna delle Grazie, L’Elmo, Relais Il Cantico della Natura, in Veneto the Tenuta Goro Veneto and the Castle of Lispida.
Concerning Sicily there can be found Colle d’Ooro and Gigliotto where to explore the area like the knights did.
Visit Dream Destination Europe for more accommodations for your Italian horseback vacation.

Sense of Wine – tasting of the best Italian wines at the Auditoruim of Rome

A very special orchestra will perform from November 30 to December 2 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome. There will be no violins, flutes or other musical instruments, but the best wines of Italy, from the famous Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany to the Amarone from Veneto, from the Falanghina from Campania to the Nero d’Avola from Sicily. Director of the orchestra will be Luca Maroni, who organizes for the third time the most important private wine event of the Italian capital city the Sensofwine. A special concert for refined palates, a music made of perfumes and flavours.

In a big space of more than 4.500 m², in these three days of exposition there will be more than 1000 excellent Italian wines from over 300 wine producers to taste. A great occasion to discover and taste the diamonds of Italy’s wines, from famous and historic names to new emerging realities.

Sensofwine is the most awaited appointment in Rome for who loves wine. That comes out of the numbers of the second edition, where they counted 22.000 visitors and more than 500 operators of this sector. The visitors get a catalogue at the entrance containing the routes, the producers and the products of this exposition to plan better their visit in this so very special “concert”. Visitors also can get to know the producers to establish a direct contact with them and to learn more about their favourite wines.

Sensofwine will be open from the 30th of November to the 2nd of December 2007 from 4 pm to 10 pm. The entrance fee is of € 20.00.

This event might be a perfect occasion for visiting the Eternal City with its never ending charm which has a lot to offer in every time of the year. Many of the worlds most important monuments like the Colosseum and Saint Angel’s Castle, places like Piazza Navona with its nice restaurants and bars in the sideways, Campo de’ Fiori with its great and world known flower market, Trinità dei Monti – the Spanish steps and much more wait for you to spend some days in one of the most beautiful cities of the world.

Trastevere for example, the artistic heart of Rome is really nice to see. Many small restaurants, osterias and trattorias serve traditional local dishes in a typical Roman atmosphere. Plenty of wine bars are located in this district and even an English cinema can be found there.

Not to mention the Vatican City with its Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums and the Saint Peter’s Dome which obviously is an absolute must when being the first time in Rome.

The big Roman parks like Villa Borghese with the Borghese Gallery (reservations are absolutely necessary), Villa Pamphili and many other parks where plenty of events are organized, are the green heart of Rome. Taking a walk there is not only relaxing but really regenerating – away from the frenetic Roman city life.

Rome also offers very nice accommodations for every kind of taste, from charming B&B’s over middle class hotels up to luxury hotels until even traditional country inns outside the city. For a romantic break out, a cultural weekend or a culinary weekend, the Eternal City surely represents a very good choice. So, why not book a flight and get to Rome for a nice weekend?


Visit Dream Destination Europe for your accommodation in Rome.

Medieval Italy

History in Italy goes back to ancient times and therefore it is very rich in archaeological sites and Etruscan, Roman and Romanesque buildings as well as many from other periods. Thanks to clever renovation and rebuilding some of these have become historic homes. Castles are now exclusive places for fascinating and exciting holidays.

Spending a vacation in a castle is a real magic experience. Sleeping, where once kings resided, in castles and manors all over Italy where their historic flair, style and charm turn Italian history and culture into a very personal and vivid experience.

Spending a holiday or a weekend in a castle means entering into a “World of Dreams”, stop the daily frantic rhythm by going back in time where to discover antique traditions, artistic architecture, interiors furnished with the most precious antiques, paintings and tapestries. These castles today offer the most modern comforts for relax, sport, health. A romantic break out, a going back to former times, a discovering trip of the Medieval Italy – simply a not usual vacation.

Tuscany for example is one of Italy's world famous regions with its enchanted landscapes from the mountain to the sea, with its towns with museums, cathedrals, historical buildings, streets, towns like Florence, Siena, Pisa and many more. Tuscany, full of ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins has a wide variety of castles and historic residences to offer.
But obviously not only Tuscany is famous for its medieval flair and period residences. Also Umbria, Veneto, Piedmont, the countryside around Rome and Sicily have a lot to offer.

If you have always dreamed of a wedding in an ancient castle then there is no reason for you to file those fantasies away. Your castle wedding in Italy awaits only your orders.
Most of those castles are very well organized for weddings and other kind of celebrations.
New Year as an unforgettable night back in ancient history?

The refined traveller desires new emotions discovering in period residences a world suspended in time, where luxury and tradition meld together into one, in ideal settings in which to appreciate the tastes and fragrances of authentic recipes, wines and products of the land and sea.


Relais Villa Petrischio, Castello di Vicarello, Castello di Lispida, Castello del Poggiarello di Stigliano, Castello di Camino, Castello di Spaltenna and Castello di Pavone are only a few of Italy’s many castles where to spend the perfect medieval holiday.

Italian Truffles Fair in Alba – Piedmont

The Tourism Council of Alba, Bra, Langhe and Roero, together with the APT has presented a package of initiatives for tourist, national and international, to make this fair an unusual and very interesting one.

Tourists can choose among a wide variety of programs to know the famous territory of white truffles and precious Italian wines better and above all as protagonists. Learning how to prepare typical local dishes, discover the aroma of the truffle, admire the landscape of the Langhe, try the emotion of flying over the castles or dandling in a hot-air balloon, trekking excursions, horseback excursions, mountain bike tours, truffle research tours, wine tasting and cooking classes and are only a few of the offers this year.

The excellent aroma is the adjective which celebrates the quality of the precious Tuber magnatum Pico, the authentic rarity of Alba, Langhe and Roero. A territory which in autumn completely dedicates itself to oenogastronomic events. September, October and November are the months of vintage, the magnificent research of truffles and the markets of the most important white truffle in the world.

The truffle market has always been the heart of the fair. The “Trifolao” , after having passed their nights in secret valleys at the research for their truffles, sell them at the markets, various treasures of the territory of their region, ready to move all the five senses with a plate of typical Piedmontese cuisine.

The atmosphere in this period is extremely exciting, everybody is having party and fun and it is an absolute must to visit Alba and it’s charming surrounding towns like Asti, La Morra and Monferrato, just to name some of them, on this purpose!

Make sure you find the time to visit Piedmont in this very special time of the year and above all, to find the right accommodation in time. It is really worth a visit of a few days to discover the region, its tastes and aromas and some of its secrets.

Some of the most important events of the Truffles Fair 2007:

20/10/07 - 04/11/07
09:00/ 20:00 Cortile della Maddalena – Palatartufo:
Market of the truffles and oenogastronomic specialities of the Langhe and Roero

Every day there are some special events in the various villages like a revival of the medieval life, traditional dances, tasting, and much more.

11/11/07
Castello di Grinzane Cavour
IX Worldwide Truffle Auction

Pilgerreisen im Trend

Ein neuer Trend ist im Kommen: Urlaub gepaart mit Sinnfindung. Weltweit unternehmen 260 Millionen Gläubige eine Pilgerreise. Am Beispiel Italien. Den Alltag hinter sich lassen, das Bedürfnis nach Erholung gepaart mit der Suche nach dem Sinn des Lebens lockt jährlich Millionen von Touristen in den Stiefelstaat. Katholischer Glaube gibt für viele eine Antwort auf den Sinn des Lebens. Viele folgen ihr, dass lässt sich mit Zahlen belegen: Klöster, Hotels und Bed and Breakfast Betriebe bieten italienweit insgesamt 3.300 Übernachtungsmöglichkeiten mit insgesamt 200.000 Plätzen an. Der italienische Tourismusverband blickt stolz auf die Glaubenszahlen: so seien es 2006 30 Millionen Pilger gewesen, die, aus aller Welt, Italiens Kirchen und Wallfahrtsorte besuchten. Die beliebtesten Pilgerstätten seien Loreto in den Marchen und San Giovanni Rotondo in Apulien, die Heimat des sagenumworbenen Pater Pio. Pater Pio aus Pietracina. Franceso Forgiane muss sich zeitlebens als Sonderling vorgekommen sein. Sehr kränklich als Kind, trat er als schwächlicher Jugendlicher dem Franziskanerorden in San Giovanni Rotondo, im tiefsten Süden Italiens, bei. Als sich bei ihm im Alter von 31 Jahren die Wundmale Christi erstmals zeigten, versuchte er diese zu verbergen. Vergebens, er war Seher, Heiler und Prophet. Die Menschen erkannten dies und pilgerten von da an nach San Giovanni Rotondo, wo Francesco Forgiane alias Padre Pio wirkte und heilte. Er war mit Ungläubigen streng und unnachgibig und doch wurde er bereits zu Lebzeiten vom Volk verehrt. Er soll Sterbendee durch Handauflegen ins Leben zurückgeholt haben. Der katholischen Kirche war er ein Dorn im Auge und viel zu populär. Trotzdem wurde er 1999, 30 Jahre nach seinem Tod von Johannes Paul II. selig und 2002 schließlich heilig gesprochen. Wallfahrtorte im Trend Nach San Giovanni Rotondo und dem Vatikan ist Loreto in den Marken der beliebteste Wallfahrtsort. Die Gemeinde hat 11.743 Einwohnern und liegt 20 km südöstlich Ancona, in Mittelitalien und Vorland des Gran Sasso-Gebirges. Die Basilika beinhaltet das Heilige Haus, eine Schwarze Madonna, sowie bedeutende Werke von Melozzo da Forli, Andrea Sansovino und Luca Signorelli. Das Gebäude soll genau auf eine Höhle mit Vorbau in Nazaret passen. Es wurde vermutlich von einer Kaufmannsfamilie Angeli aus Epirus im Jahre 1291/1294 nach Loreto transportiert. So könnte die Sage entstanden sein, dass es von Engeln dorthin gebracht worden sei. Es soll demnach das Haus sein, in dem Maria, Jesu Mutter, geboren wurde und gelebt hat. Pilgerreisen ins Veneto Von den 1.765 Wallfahrtsorten im Land sind 1.539 der Jungfrau Maria gewidmet. Ein weiterer Anziehungspunkt für Touristen und Pilgerreisende ist die Region Veneto. Auch hier haben sich die Beherbergungsbetriebe auf die Pilger eingestellt. Am meisten Andrag findet hier das Grab des Heiligen Antonius von Padua: Vier Millionen Gläubige besuchen jedes Jahr die Kathedrale mit der heiligen Stätte. Mehr Schlafpläetze für Pilger Die Stadt Rom musste in den letzten Jahren die Herbergen für die Pilger verdoppelt. „Der Tod von Johannes Paul II. und der Amtsantritt von Benedikt XVI. haben einen Pilgeransturm ausgelöst, der kein Ende nimmt“, berichtete ein Redakteur von Itinerari. Bed and Breakfast spriessen in der „Ewigen Stadt“ wie Pilze aus dem Boden, derzeit gibt es in Rom 2.800 Zimmervermieter in allen Preisklassen. Nicht anders ist es in Umbrien, Assisi und der Monte Subasio sind nach wie vor hoch im Kurs bei den Pilgerreisen.

Time To Feel Good: Italy offers about 200 wellbeing destinations

What nowadays means golf in the ancient world of Rome were hot spring and baths: a place where you could eat, meet people, and conduct sports and business deals. Today baths turned to spas and became the starting point for themed itineraries, the reference point for quality gastronomy and a natural complement to the most prestigious golf courses.

Within Itay form North to South there about 300 spa bath locations. Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia are the most popular destinations for Italians and foreigners alike. The ingredients of well-being have been borrowed from nature to create new treatment trends for taking care of the body. One of the most popular are hot springs. The thermal water many times come from a subterranean spring that lies at a depth of 200 meters and more. They are said to help skin troubles, respiratory system, locomotor and vascular system and more. Treatments are based on technology and experience. Today, therapies performed by specialised medical teams and clinical treatments – some with centuries of history behind them - have given rise to the most important medical school of hydrology in Italy, a reference point for clinics throughout the world.

Italians consider a stay at a spa bath a special occasion for relaxation, and are unwilling to give up this pleasure. We recommend experimenting regions with a strong spa tradition such as Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and Veneto. One of the most famous places in Northern Italy are Abano and Montegrotto in Veneto are known throughout the world for their mud-bath treatments (the beneficial properties of their natural mud, which has a calming and decongestant effect and is ideal for the treatment of arthrosis and rheumatism, were already famous in the days of ancient Rome).

A bit northern you’ll find the Island of the Sun - Grado - looking over the Adriatic in Friuli Venezia Giulia frequented at the end of the 19th Century by the upper middle class and Austro-Hungarian nobility, who elected it their favourite health resort.

See the best thermal hotels in Italy check Dream Destination Europe. www.dde-europe.com

Dance officially becomes a sport in Italy

If you rather like to swing your hips than to strain your muscles: in Italy you will be right. Italian sports officials have decided to recognize dancing as an official sport with its own federation. Tangos, foxtrots and waltzes will have the same dignity as volleyball, basketball and athletics on Tuesday when the national Olympic committee formally recognises the Italian Federation of Dancing Sports.

The Italian statistics bureau this month revealed that over a million people in the country now take part in organised dance courses, compared to half that in 2000.

According to observers, TV shows featuring celebrities who learn to dance are partly the cause of the recent popularity.

Last year the most popular of these programmes, RAI state televisions Dancing with the Stars, was won by Italy’s former world champion long jumper Fiona May. She had no doubts that dancing was tough enough to be counted a sport.

“Dancers are physically very strong, They are in fact fully-fledged athletes and they deserve to have their own proper sports federation,” she said.

For holidays and the best dancing locations book with Dream Destination Europe www.dde-europe.com

Chocolate Crime in EU: Italians defence their artisan made pure chocolate

Chocolate Crime in EU: Italians defence their artisan made pure chocolate

Chocolate is big business in Italy. Annual sales are worth 350 million euros, while consumption has doubled over the past 10 years - going from two to four kilos per capita - and continues to grow .

Traditional Italian chocolate-makers shun alternatives to cocoa butter, which northern European manufacturers tend to use up to the 5% limit allowed by EU regulations. They are worried about the threat of cheaper products eating into their market and are also pushing the EU to grant the best Italian chocolate “Traditional Speciality Guaranteed” (TSG) status. In 2003 purists successfully lobbied for the introduction of a new ‘puro cioccolato’ label here so consumers can spot the difference between the two types. The EU, however, has objected that even the ‘puro cioccolato’ tag amounts to unfair discrimination against competitors. Most artisan chocolate-makers use cocoa with Fairtrade-TransFair certification. This shows the cocoa was traded at a fair price for the Third World farmers and produced in an environmentally friendly way with full respect for workers’ rights .

For defending their pure chocolate Italian will have a huge number of events in 2007, mostly in Umbria, the traditional chocolate region.

Also Sicily, above all Modica is very famous for its “cioccolato fondente”.

Wine tourism in Italy

Italy is, with 98 wine routes, by far leading the top list of wine growing countries. Being wine an enormous pleasure for our palates, it becomes always more important, and Italy has set up a real system for its wine tourism by connecting different kinds of institutions and guidelines of its wine routes.
These tours give you the opportunity to customize your day in the wine country according to your taste and budget in all the wine regions of Italy. For the curious type wanting to know a bit of viticulture and the wine making process, or the novice wanting to learn how to taste and appreciate quality wines, there are plenty of opportunities. Most of the wine cellars offer guided tours where they exactly explain everything there is to know about producing wine.

The most famous wine regions in Italy obviously are Tuscany and Piedmont.

In Tuscany there are a lot of mediaeval little towns like Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Gimignano and of course the Chianti area. The most famous wines are Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Chianti classico just to name some, but there are plenty of other wine producers which have highly qualified wines like Casa alle Vacce – Accanthò.
Besides to se and to get known everything about wine, this area is very, very nice to visit, to relax, spend some romantic moments and to enjoy life. The accommodations in Tuscany are mostly typical for this region. Many country inns (agriturismi) and castles are pleased to welcome you for a fantastic break out of your every days life. To complete your trip to Tuscany, there is a wide variety of typical dishes you can enjoy, obviously accompanied by a delicious glass of wine!

In Piedmont, the most famous wine area is called Langhe. The vineyards of the Barolo DOCG zones are not extensive, but they are the most carefully charted stands of vines anywhere in Italy. The landscape is made of gently rolling hills and the vineyards surrounding pretty villages. Other than the Barolo there is the Barbaresco, the Dolcetto d’Alba and the Grignolino as a good red wine. White wines of the Piedmont are Blangè di Cerretto, Arneis del Roero, Erbaluce di Caluso and Chardonnay Pinot. Piedmont is also world famous for its truffles. There is a huge truffle exhibition every year in Alba where it is possible to taste and buy truffle and every kind of its derivates. It is most interesting to attend this exhibition, but as a good tip: if you (and you really should) go to Alba during these days, book your accommodation many months before as otherwise there is not even on bed left!


But of course there are many other regions in Italy producing great wines like Umbria, Campania, Veneto, Friuli and Sicily.

It is really worth to come to Italy for getting to know more about its wines and food and to taste them while undertaking some trips in the surrounding areas and see plenty of romantic and ancient places which are spread all over the country.

Visit www.dde-europe.com for further information or contact info@dde-europe.com for any kind of help.

Italy – the perfect country for vegetarian tourists

Figuring out where to go on vacation, for vegetarian tourists quite often turns out as a “little problem”. Being vegetarians a significant minority of the population, most of the countries do not really focus on them. Nevertheless there is Japan, India, Thailand and most of the Asian destinations which really do offer quite a wide variety of vegetarian cuisine. But what about Europe?

Europe surely is not very famous for its meatless dishes. Italy, however, is a real rock concerning this matter. With its Mediterranean diet, famous all over the world for loosing weight and not having to hunger, it offers a huge amount of receipts based on vegetarian ingredients. Italian cuisine also puts its focus on genuine ingredients.

Having Italy this mild climate which is perfect for the agriculture, a lot of fresh products and ingredients are available all over the year. Besides the very famous Extra Vergine Olive Oil, the Minestrone and the Caprese (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil), Italy really takes care about its vegetarian gourmets. Even if there are not that many explicit vegetarian restaurants, serving only vegetarian dishes, it is no problem at all! Any restaurant, osteria or trattoria has plenty of meatless dishes in its menu: a wide variety of starters, pasta and grilled vegetables just to mention some.

Not only you can consume delicious dishes, but you even can learn how to prepare them: many of the Italian hotels and country inns above all, include in their packages cooking courses. So people can stay an entire week or as long as they like and participate in cooking classes. There tourists can learn how to make bread, olive oil, the so very prestigious Italian wines, but also entire menus. Many country inns in Tuscany made a real cult of these cooking classes, as well as in the Amalfi Coast where in Furore, the Furore Inn Resort, a 5 star hotel based on wellness with a 600 m² wide wellness area includes in its offers cooking courses in a beautiful kitchen with an amazing view overlooking the sea.

Obviously, this new trend has made its way throughout the country. Cooking classes are held in accommodations all over Italy, where, between sightseeing tours in medieval towns and hours of relax on the beautiful beaches it is also possible to take home some culinary Italian experience.

Visit www.dde-europe.com for further information or contact info@dde-europe.com for any kind of assistance.