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.
Showing posts with label umbria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label umbria. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
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
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
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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