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A weekend in Lucania where I slept in a "Bubble" and walked the Tibetan Bridge alla luna Rocco Papaleo in the famous film " Basilicata Coast to Coast " said " Basilicata is a bit like the concept of God, believe it or not, it exists." Sports, unspoiled landscapes, quality food, romantic night s. A region that is growing and investing in infrastructure to make its natural beauty more usable. Still too unfashionable, if you choose outside the "Capital of Culture Matera." but finally now able to offer a vast program of things to do and see "beyond " Matera. I went there over the Easter weekend. It was an unusual experience, an out-of-town trip that turned out to be full of adrenaline. Let's me tell you about. I slept in a bubble in the woods. I had a " glamping" experience, then I walked across the 100-meter-high and 300-meter-long Tibetan Bridge alla Luna and finally had a divine lunch in an old-fashioned trattoria enjoying cruschi peppers and an excellent pork roast. WHAT ARE THE BUBBLES? Let's start with the meaning of the word "Glamping ." It comes from the union of the word Glamour - Camping , or rather glamorous camping, and it was an experience that allowed me to enjoy the beauty of nature without sacrificing comfort . I drove from Bari to Satriano di Lucania (PT) to spend Easter night romantically. The cold temperature did not work in our favor, but I enjoyed very much the enchantment of an unusual stay in a facility surrounded by nature, far from any noise and light pollution of the cities, Bubbles are large transparent bubbles usually made of plastic (but the material can vary) where you can sleep inside with those comforts of a classic hotel room, excluding TV. The peculiarity is that in addition to being transparent, they are placed in strategic places such as in the middle of the woods, in picturesque snowy areas or near lakes, streams or the sea, surrounded by nature , which is a bit of the reason why several Italians are increasingly attracted to having this experience. If you are looking for a unique and sustainable experience, if the cold doesn't scare you and you dare to sleep in the woods (safely) but without being able to lock your door, I suggest you book a stay at Atmosphere Bubble Glamping From 2019 in Basilicata is Italy's first Bubble Gampling . It's not quite like staying in a hotel, but if you're attracted to the slow pace and rural atmosphere it's a nice relaxing, enveloping and intimate experience to have with your partner. Three quarters of the sphere is completely transparent and you feel enveloped by the trees during the day especially at dawn magical moment of awakening and in the evening if the sky is clear you can admire the stars embraced. HOW DO YOU FIT IN A BUBBLE? Looking outside is almost hypnotic In the morning, the alarm clock is at dawn, or rather before dawn at dusk , it is the first light of the morning that acts as your natural wake-up call and you think you are the most fulfilled person on earth, feeding on nature, the lifeblood from which the world comes to life. The bathroom is outside . So if have an icy evening like the last Easter, you must really like the fine country air alternatively you have a good excuse to cling to your partner and get your cold feet warmed up, or take advantage of the private outdoor jacuzzi with hot water. The temperature was an ideal 39 degrees I guarantee you, You are in a pressurized, heated bubble . The mechanism that holds the bubble up is the same as the heated cover of a pressure balloon for playing Beach tennis and volleyball even in winter. So to enter you have to push a door hard , pause a few seconds in the antechamber, close it, and then enter the bedroom. Of course, it is equipped with every comfort: from electricity, heating, and power to charge your cell phone to a small wardrobe, a mini-bar, and a star-view bed. The bed is equipped with an electric bed warmer . Of all the nice things, I particularly appreciated this gem that made for a divine night's sleep by creating the perfect warmth for my bed (weather and temperature) From 8 a.m . it is possible to have breakfast. Chiara the owner brings you a basket with something sweet and savory in it, coffee, tea and juice. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SLEEP IN A BUBBLE ROOM IN BASILICATA? The price change by area, period and amenities. In Basilicata, a night in a bubble room , to be booked well in advance (including breakfast and jacuzzi), starts at €320 per night CROSSING THE TIBETAN BRIDGE ALLA LUNA. DEFYING THE FEAR OF EMPTINESS It was one of the most adrenaline-pumping experiences made in my life. On Easter morning we were so charged up that as soon as we woke up , after having breakfast in the bubble and breathing new air, we headed to the Ponte Tibetano alla Luna di Sasso di Castalda which was only a 10-minute drive from the facility. It is the longest in Italy with a single span. After parking the car in the town of Sasso di Castalda, (in the province of Potenza) we headed to the Info Point to buy tickets (Cost 20 euros per person) and then walking through the town we arrived at the first bridge, the test bridge “Ponte Petracca” 95 meters long and suspended at a height of about 30 meters. Crossing this first bridge leads to the slope characterized by geological formations. The route of the Tibetan bridges of Sasso di Castalda runs along the banks of the " Fosso Arenazzo ," which opens right at the foot of the picturesque old town. I was a little scared at first . The staff equipped us with protection and explained how to proceed. By the end of the course I was excited . Don't let fear stop you, the rush of life it gives you is incredible. Crossing a Tibetan bridge is just like that , challenging the heights and the fear of the void. After finishing the first bridge you have to walk a 10-minute trail along the bank of FOSSO to reach the start of the impressive “Ponte alla Luna” . It's scary when you have to take the first step. It feels impossible to cross it. It is 300 meters long and you are suspended in the void 102 meters above the stream below , The finish is a terrace overlooking the bridge, a glass sky-walk, which invites you to catch your breath realizing the path you have faced. We arrived at the closing time of 12:30 in time for the last ride, escorted by security engineer Marco who made the tour even more enjoyable. The total duration of the tour of the two Tibetan bridges is about 1.5 hours. VISIT TO CASTELLO CARACCIOLO   To stay on the same magic theme in this small village of 3,000 inhabitants there is the Caracciolo Castle of Brienza where you can really breathe in a magical and surreal atmosphere. It is an ancient Angionian fortress that can be visited by contacting the Pro loco of the Municipality of Brienza  directly at 348 93 74 863 or, alternatively, 351 80 89 359. For guided tours of the Caracciolo Castle  it is necessary to make reservations well in advance (at least 24 hours in advance).   LUNCH AT THE TRATTORIA IN BRIENZA Out of time, in a medieval mood for lunch we stayed in the small medieval village of Brienza and had lunch at Ristorante Pizzerie Antica Villa. Really delicious. Local couisine with salami and cheese of the company's GR salumi from Salumificio di Picerno and a first course of peperoni cruschi, with a double plate offered by the house and mixed roast with vegetables and baked potatoes. MURALES A SATRIANO DI LUCANIA   Due to bad weather and rain, I was not able to see this gem,   the village of murals in Satriano di Lucania in the province of Potenza, Satriano's origins date back to the Middle Ages, but today it is famous as the capital of the Murals of Southern Italy . The historic center is home to more than 500 paintings, and 5 to 10 new ones are added each year between July and August. Satriano di Lucania  belongs to the Authentic Villages of Italy  and the Association of Virtuous Municipalities . It is thanks to the mayor, Vincenzo Giuliano , that they decided to redevelop the historic center, destroyed by an earthquake in 1980, to make it an artistic place. All the murals depict folk crafts, local magical beliefs, religious devotion, distinguished citizens and rural life. In Pietrafesa Square  there are murals dedicated to chili peppers , celebrating the importance of this spice in Lucanian cuisine and culture. Chili pepper is a symbol of fertility, luck and strength. It is no coincidence that Satriano di Lucania is home to the Lucanian Chili Pepper Academy .

One of the Gargano's magical features is the trabucco you find on the coast of Peschici, a charming seaside village in Puglia. Here for much of the year the sun rises and sets over the sea, and it is exciting to dine at sunset. The sun disappears over the skyline and the sky changes color while tasting a glass of wine from the cliff. It happens in Peschici . Sul Gargano. In Puglia. Leggi anche Gargano Special For years I have dreamed of going there, and recently I have been going as often as I can. Even for Puglia people from Bari like me, coming to these parts means facing a journey and being a tourist on your own land. The aperitivo or dinner on the trabucco at sunset, is something I have been witness to giving myself one of the most striking sunsets of this magical land while tasting good wine and listening to live music. Nella mia rubrica "A portata di Manu"  ti propongo idee e itinerari o suggerimenti su cose da fare se vieni da queste parti. Scrivici a apugliesearoundthewolrd@gmail.com   The Gargano, with its rugged coastline and landscapes overhanging the sea, is famous for trabucchi, ancient fishing structures made of wood that tell the story and culture of this land. Today, these symbols of tradition are being transformed into trendy bars and restaurants, where the charm of the past meets modernity. WHERE IS PESCHICI Peschici is a beautiful town on the Apulian coast that lies within the Gargano National Park. The town is famous for its historic center, beautiful beaches and Trabucchi. From Peschici with NAVI TREMITI éit is possible to get to the Isole Tremiti wonderful archipelago on the Apulian coast so dear to Lucio Dalla L THE MAGIC OF GARGANO One of the magics of the Gargano is precisely the trabucco, which you find mainly on the Peschici coast, but which is common to find on the Adriatic coast a bit further up in the Abbruzzo region as well. Here for much of the year the sun rises and sets over the sea, and it is exciting to dine on the trabucco at sunset In an era when tourists seek authentic experiences, trabucchi are being readapted to welcome visitors in a unique atmosphere I have been to Trabucco da Mimì for example. It offers not only fresh seafood dishes, but also a selection of local wines and creative cocktails, all nestled in a picturesque setting where the sea provides the backdrop. Guests can enjoy the culinary specialties while listening to live music , letting the magic of the place wash over them. Leggi anche speciale Gargano In the heart of the Puglia promontory, however, there are as many as 14 trabucco still active, guardians of a unique cultural heritage. Among them, the largest is Trabucco di Monte Pucci  stands out for its size and characteristic charm. Located on a mountainous ridge rising from the Umbra Forest , this trabucco offers a very special view, extending up to a height of 300 meters, with the famous “Punta d'oro” clearly visible in the sky. With its 530 square meters of structure, the Trabucco di Monte Pucci represents a perfect blend of traditional engineering and natural beauty. Its wooden arms overlook the sea, creating an evocative landscape where time seems to stand still. Here, the fishing tradition blends with the enchanting landscape, turning every visit into an unforgettable experience. If you want to live this experience, we strongly recommend that you book well in advance directly from the website Trabucco da Mimì - Trabucco di Monte Pucci

If you arrive in the Monti Dauni, in Orsara di Puglia, this place is like a shrine, you absolutely must visit it. I went to visit "Angelo" innkeeper of " Pane e salute"- "Bread and Health ," and as I arrived at his "sanctuary" at Via Caracciolo13 , I was guided by the heady scent, the unmistakable aroma of bread and its fragrance in the air. " I made this commitment to make bread and I want to carry it out. I am in the fifth generation" - Angelo Di Biccari said during the interview at the link below. Angelo Di Biccari love to keep the the tradition ahead. He calls himself the "keeper" of the only existing straw oven i n Apulia dating back to the 1500s and active since 1526 . It was the communal oven, the one in the village (the law at the time forbade its construction in one's own homes), People went to bake bread on Fridays. Those who had money and possessed cheese and sausage would barter. Those who were poor would take only half a loaf of bread. If you buy this loaf (he bakes about fortheen periodically at 4kg each ) it lasts you at home at least for a month, and is the secret food for cooking any kind of dish. Even when this bread is stale , it turns into the ideal cookie to be dunked in milk or as a key element of pancotto with vegetables, a typical local dish. This bakery is one of the formidable goodies I discovered in this country, in addition, of course, to meeting " Peppe Zullo, the ambassador of peasant cuisine in the world". " Pane e Salute", is located in Orsara di Puglia in the province of Foggia. Few people know that this town of not e ven 3,000 inhabitants was awarded the Cittaslow recognition in 2007. In Angelo's bakery, everything has remained as original as it was then. The feeling I had was that of living in another era where time stood still and the industriousness of rural life never seemed to give way to modern technology. One Step at a Time: The Divine Bread The " centerpiece of the straw oven" is undoubtedly its bread. The Divine Bread , made according to an old recipe from the 19th century. This bread can be stored and consumed even after 15 days. The natural yeast with which it is made is 100 years old, and since then the original strain has been regenerated in the same way every time. Hard wheat is used for the dough, the cultivar is Saragol wheat, a very fine type of wheat, while the wheat used comes from the Tavoliere. Up to forty loaves of bread can be baked inside the oven. The Pizzeria - U Criatur Next to the bakery is Angelo's small pizzeria, which, in addition to being a baker, is also a pizzaiolo. Here pizza tastes like history and the oven is "u criatur," the son. This pizza is made with bread dough. To make a good pizza, we read at the entrance, it takes three people: the baker, the pizza maker and finally the cook

Some experiences not to be missed on the Amalfi coast A BATH IN THE WATERS OF THE FIORDO OF FURORE   Imagine a corner of Norway  carved into the rocks of the Mediterranean: this is the Fjord of Furore . Also located on the Amalfi Coast, not far from Bomerano, this deep cleft in the Monti Lattari  is a hidden treasure that has been recognized as a  UNESCO World Heritage Site  since 1997 .   The Borgo di Furore (from which the hamlet takes its name) is part of the prestigious Club of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy is located 300 meters above sea level, at the top of the picturesque Vallone di Furore. A visit here is an immersion in the natural and historical beauty of one of Italy's most fascinating places. And then stop for lunch at La Locanda del Fiordo  typical trattoria with a view and very fresh fish. Make reservations well in advance. It also has rooms with sea-view Jacuzzis, but they go fast-in fact, I still haven't been able to find a free weekend to go back. VISITA A VILLA CIMBRONE A RAVELLO I have to admit, I arrived in Ravello without knowing much about what to see, guided only by some breathtaking  photos seen on social media.   Villa Cimbrone  is one of those places that looks like something out of a dream:  visitors can only explore the gardens, unless they stay in the elegant Hotel Villa Cimbrone. Although we had a car, we reached Ravello by a Sita bus. Walk along the Avenue of the Immense , framed by a wisteria arbor which is a type of wisteria, until you reach the legendary Terrace of Infinity.  The view is breathtaking which is why I took photos and video to share with you. How to get there. Consult the SITA website  for details on schedules and routes, by bus, starting from the bus  stop in Amalfi , from which most of the trips to Ravello depart. Admission costs 7 euros for adults, with reductions for children, and at the entrance you will be given a map to guide you during your visit COLAZIONE DA "SAL DE RISO" I have been dreaming of eating his cream babbà since before I went to the Amalfi Coast .   Salvatore De Riso  is probably the most famous  pastry chef in Italy . He is responsible for the ingenious creation of the ricotta and pear cake with hazelnut cookie,  a dessert whose success has transcended national borders. Vedi il video della pasticceria da qui It is located in Minori (always reachable by bus from Amalfi). This pastry shop is a true temple of taste . Spacious and charming, it offers a wide range of delights: cakes and single portions, ice cream, coffee, pizzas, as well as a bistro and aperitif area.   Here all contact APERITIVO A POSITANO What to do in Positano if not an aperitif! Obviously on the  terrace  and with a view or on the beach. Do both. We liked the idea of taking in the breathtaking scenery overlooking the sea and the town's iconic colorful houses. And then we went and sat on the beach. Positano  is definitely the most unique place on the Amalfi Coast. You cannot leave without visiting its historic center, which is tiny but very quaint and can be walked through exclusively on foot. Vedi il video dell'aperitivo a Positano da qui However, in Positano if you feel like relaxing (especially after tackling the path of the gods) you can go lay down at one of the town beaches . The best known is definitely Spiaggia Grande , a true landmark of the town, Among these wonders are Fornillo Beach , a perfect retreat for those seeking an oasis of peace away from the crowds, and Laurito Beach, wild and intimate, enveloped in the intense scent of the laurel plants that surround it. Per i veri appassionati di acque cristalline, degne di nota sono anche le calette di Clavel, Rammese e il Cavone,   veri gioielli raggiungibili solo via mare  partendo da Spiaggia Grande (pertanto qui bisogna avere più tempo a disposizione e noi ci torneremo appositamente). E poi c'è la splendida spiaggia di Arienzo , conosciuta come “dei trecento gradini”  per la spettacolare scalinata che la collega al mondo. Grazie alla sua posizione privilegiata, qui il sole splende generosamente per gran parte della giornata, rendendo ogni momento un'esperienza indimenticabile TREKKING VERSO LA BAIA DI IERANTO Non l'avevo mai sentita nominare, ma l'ho scoperta facendo trekking ed è una vera bomba! La Baia di Ieranto , nel cuore della Costiera Sorrentina,  è lontano dalle solite mete turistiche. Situata nell'area naturale di Nerano e gestita dal FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) dagli anni '80, è un paradiso incontaminato. Vedi il video della Baia da qui Noi ci siamo arrivati a piedi,  e anche se il sentiero è tosto, ne vale assolutamente la pena. Parcheggiate l'auto a Nerano e percorrete a piedi i circa 6 km di sentiero roccioso in discesa fino alla baia. S e  non siete super in forma, meglio evitare . In alternativa, potete raggiungerla  via mare , navigando nelle acque cristalline del mar Tirreno partendo sempre da Nerano. Una tips inserite la visita alla Baia di Ieranto  in una giornata di escursioni in barca, magari con una tappa alla  Cala di Mitigliano e passando per Punta Campanella, oppure partendo direttamente da  Positano.   Sentiero degli DEI - Anima della Costiera Clicca sul Link

Poggiorsini, like the entire Murgia area , is renowned for its delicious food and tastings of traditional dishes made as they once were, often featuring alimurgic  herbs (wild herbs growing in the fields) After climbing Garagnone or for a meal surrounded by nature  in a place where time stands still, there’s nothing better than stopping in Poggiorsini to savor local delicacies at the restaurants and butcher shops.  Here’s where to go for a great meal:e che crescono nei campi).  Immerse yourself in local street food Ristorante Pizzeria Al Poggio -   Known for mushroom and legume dishes. Locals often gather here for special occasions. Recommended: grilled meats and wood-fired pizza. Ristorante Pizzeria Borgo Antico - A homestyle restaurant bringing all the flavors of Murgia to the plate, featuring peperoni cruschi  and artisanal bruschetta. Excellent wood-fired pizza and meat. Ristorante Il Fagiano - A reception hall with a menu available by order La Taberna degli Orsini   Offers traditional Murgian cuisine with a modern twist, grilled meats, and excellent wood-fired pizzas. . Il Giardino del gusto  Murgian cuisine with a great selection of homemade desserts. Macelleria da Margherita- Offers “fornello” dinners on Saturdays. Address: VIA VITTORIO VENETO 13, 70020, Poggiorsini, Bari Don’t miss the involtino  (offal roll) festival on the first Sunday in August  and the cardoncello  mushroom festival in November,  a traveling event shared with Gravina, Spinazzola, Minervino, and Ruvo, featuring various attractions and folk music R EAD 10 THINGS TO DO IN POGGIORSINI

Three days here is the ideal time to fully discover the city. An island city-state south of Malaysia , Singapur is the second most densely populated country in the world after Monaco. Here's what you can do and see during your stay. This Asian city is much more than a tourist destination; it is a cultural experience that offers visitors a unique perspective on contemporary Asia . It is a city that continues to reinvent itself, always offering new opportunities for exploration and discovery for those who are ready to embrace the future with enthusiasm and curiosity. First of all, Singapore is a fusion of cultures . An enchanting blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions that merge harmoniously into the cityscape. Since its split from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore has ambitiously embraced independence, aspiring to become the financial capital of Southeast Asia and a pioneer in building the city of the future. The city is at the forefront of sustainable and green building design. Before constructing skyscrapers, local ecology is considered, and solutions that promote b iodiversity and energy efficiency are implemented. In my column "A portata di Manu"  I offer you ideas, experiences and itineraries as well as things to do if you come to these parts whether you are a foreign visitor or a tourist at home. In the article (next to each experience) are all the references for booking tickets or excursions or guided tours in the area . WHERE IS SINGAPORE - USEFUL TO KNOW Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Located at the southern tip of Malaysia , it is spread over an archipelago made up of 58 islands of which the main one is Singapore Island that houses the metropolis. HOW TO GET TO SINGAPORE To get to Singapore from Italy, you can leave from Rome or Milan , but only Singapore Airlines offers direct nonstop flights. The trip takes about 15h . To Your knowledge there are other airlines that go to Singapore but have stopovers. These include British Airway (with a stopover in London 18h total) Finnair (with a stopover in Helsinki 18 h) Qatar Air line (with a stopover in Doha 18 h), Ethiad, Emirates (with a stopover in Dubai on 20h), Lufthansa, Turkish etc. Currency: Singapore's official currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD, S$, $), Time of day Singapore is 6 hours ahead of Italy Here 10 things you must do in Singapur Be enchanted by the stunning waterfall inside the Singapore airport. The first cool thing. ..of all of them for me was the visit to Changi Airport as soon as we landed and before flying back to Italy. The first vibe as soon as you arrive is WOW. You are faced with the tallest indoor waterfall in the world, right here in Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport, within a 5 -story shopping mall. At more than 40 meters high, it is also the largest indoor waterfall in the world. È un'esperienza visiva incredibilmente unica e che sono contenta di aver visto, soprattutto perchè all'interno di uno scalo che, nel 2018, An incredibly unique visual experience that I am glad to have witnessed, especially because inside a hub that, in 2018, had transit for 65.6 million people. As you approach you begin to hear the sounds of wildlife in the forest. Obviously all damn fake but awfully real. This impressive waterfall cascades from a glass and steel dome, which is powered by rainwater and is surrounded by hundreds of plants, creating a greenhouse-like atmosphere. Exploring Gardens by the Bay, with its futuristic icons and lush gardens Gardens by the Bay , it's like being in a playground of the futur e. All incredibly gorgeous, especially the view of the "Supertree " of which the web is buzzing if you want to have an idea of what they are. They have the same shape of the Tree of Life that Expo Milano proposed to us a few years ago. They rise up to 50 meters like botanical giants of the future, connected by a spectacular walkway. Almost every night there is an evening performance of sound and light, known as Garden Rhapsody . The trees are lighted with hypnotic lights that keep you visually tied up until the end of the show. They represent one of Singapore's most precious horticultural resource s. This vast park, with a cost of $1 billion, covers an area of 101 hectares and houses nearly 400,000 plants, along with several spectacular contemporary building s. Most surprisingly, there are two huge greenhouses that stand as futuristic structures next to Marina Bay: one is dedicated to ancient olive trees , while the other houses a large tropical mountain . . Head to the rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel to enjoy a drink while you take a dip in the Infinity Pool Did it! I went up there and also had a bath in the Infinity Pool. The real star indeed is her, the pool. The people, do not go there to make conversation at least if you are a first-time visitor. The thrill is too strong, the expectations so high , and you want to snap every moment you can. The Marina Bay complex gets its name from the famous Marina Bay Sands Luxury Hotel, which has fast earned a spot among the city's distinctive symbols. This lighted giant overlooking the entire skyline, opened in 2010 , consists of three towers, each 191 meters high, connected by a platform that looks like the silhouette of a ship, resting on the roof. On this platform is the world's tallest infinity pool, a breathtaking experience that I have dreamed of doing and have done. It offers not only the thrill of heights, but also an amazing panoramic view of the city. Sadly, access to the pool is reserved exclusively for hotel guests (From 420 euros per night) However, for those who wish to experience some of this magic, there is the option of enjoying a drink at the bar near the pool , or dining at the Italian restaurant located on the rooftop, or going to play at the Casino among the largest in the world. It is a flagship that attracts hundreds of visitors every day. Experience the vibrant culture of Chinatown, with its traditional temples, stores and restaurants. Chinatown was recently named one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world for 2023. If you've never been to China, it i s like really being in China! It is a culture-rich district housing dozens of temples, with a vibrant nightlife, cheap restaurants, street art, exotic hotels, quirky stores and other hidden treasures . I share with you a list of the best things to do while exploring Chinatown in Singapore. The Buddha Temple of the Tooth with the Buddha reliquary is very beautiful, I was unfortunately only able to visit it from the outside. The Chinatown Heritage Centre is a top attraction near the Chinatown Street Market in Singapore. This 3-story building has six galleries, living spaces, furniture and artifacts of the early settlers of Chinatown. Guests can learn about the personal stories of the old settlers and step back in time to experience the history of Chinatown through engaging exhibits and experiences. The Chinatown Street Market is another cultural and historical highlight. Chinese houses stretch from P agoda Street to Sago Lane , and as you walk around you will be pulled in by the stalls selling street food and souvenirs. A visit to Chinatown is complete if you eat Chinese food. Interesting is the Chinatown Complex that is the biggest hawker center (street food area) to eat in Singapore, with more than 260 food stalls, serving everything. In short, the street food restaurants that thrill the world. It is quite impossible to taste everything , but I suggest you try the Chili Crab - chili crab, or the noodles especially those with vegetables. Chicken wings are also interesting and fried (which you can also eat at the hotel for breakfast they serve them with eggs and rice) and local desserts. If you have enough time the "Lion City" (Singapura's original meaning) which is now among the "Asian Tigers" along with Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, features an iconic collection of street art and murals to admire, portraying past and present, hidden among the commercial houses and cultural sites. For example, we enjoyed spending a few hours exploring the creations of Yip Yew Chong very nice is his colorful mural located at the Lantern Festival near Temple Street.. Enjoy a walk along Marina Bay and admire the city's impressive skyline The walking tour can start from the National Stadium, Singapore's largest sports arena located in Kallang. From there you can walk down Stadium Boulevard in an easterly direction, alongside the picturesque Kallang River. Although it is humid it is still pleasant to take a walk on the majestic Benjamin Sheares Bridge, which extends almost 2 km and connects the east of Singapore to the vibrant city cente. Walking on the bridge offers another perspective of the view of Marina Bay and the Singapore straits, as almost all in this area do. If you have sufficient time, you can go to the iconic Singapore Flyer, which stands 200 meters high and offers a panoramic view of the city that is like none other . The walk if you are following my tips can end near the iconic Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Do visit Sentosa Island for a day of fun among beaches, attractions and theme parks. I was there for an evening event also though I was enjoying the light by reaching this island in the late afternoon. A real American thing. I liked it very much. This island is the top recreation spot for Singaporeans, especially on the weekends. It's small but powerful. and it has it all: beaches, cultural events, and lots of things to do. And there are really cool ways to get there: Sentosa Express: This train takes you directly from VIVO City to Sentosa Island for only 4SGD (€2.70) per trip. Sentosa Bus: If you want to go big, take the Sentosa Bus that connects you to HarbourFront Station for only 3SGD (2.10€). Cable Car (Cable Car): This is the coolest option, but it costs a bit. The ticket for adults costs 33SGD (22.60€) (round trip) and for children 22SGD (15.10€). It leaves from HarbourFront Tower 2 and takes you up to Mount Faber. Cab or car rental: If you would rather go by car, you only have to pay 2SGD (1.40€) per person to access the island. To get to the cable car, train or bus, simply take from la linea viola della MRT fino a HarbourFront. Once there, follow the directions to find out about all available means of transportation Heading to Clarke Quay, the best place to experience the city's most happening nightlife, with trendy restaurants overlooking the river Clarke Quay is Singapore's most iconic nightlife and entertainment district, and perhaps the most chic. It's cool as can be!!!!!!! WHICH IS WHY I BORROWED A PHOTO FROM THE INTERNET THAT WOULD RENDER THE IDEA OF THE OVERALL BEAUTY, WHICH I COULD NOT CAPTURE WITH MY LENS. It is the real center of aggregation. And this is where Singapore's most famous and popular nightclubs are located. As well as dozens of bars and restaurants. It is crowded with hotels with spectacular Rooftops and restaurants serving fresh seafood and live music venues. One evening I tried the Red House Seafood , a "luxury" must-have for to me, because I love Chinese food (and must indulge once in a while). We also went to Jamboo, also in Clarke Quay, where we tasted the real Singapore speciality, crab chili, "Chilli Grab to the World" cooked in different ways. Here you can check out the Menù . Clarke Quay is located along the Singapore River , very close to Boat Quay, Clarke Quay subway stop Exploring the Little India neighborhood, with its colorful temples, spice stores and authentic restaurants It is a vibrant city due to its cultural contaminations and influences that have been preserved over time. Little India, is the most authentic and the least expected neighborhood in Singapore. The most characteristic: the scent of incense, the garish buildings, the typical stores are some of the aspects that make it so interesting. While the atmosphere is what is most striking about this neighborhood. be sure to visit the Tekka Centre , Little India Arcade, and the various temples you will come across. If you want to go shopping, The Mustafá Centre is a must-see, IT'S HUGE. With its 24-hour stores, it is located on the important Serangoon Road , the nearest subway station is Farrer Park. Just a detail, there are multiple Bollywood magazines on the street that catch everyone's attention. Go for a ride in the Singapore Flyer, the world's largest Ferris wheel, for a breathtaking view of the city. I did not go up there because I am so afraid of Ferris wheels , but it deserves special attention. All the details and activities you can do while you are at high altitude , you can find them QUI Savor local street food at the Maxwell Food Centre food markets or Lau Pa Sat. I definitely have a love for food, but C hinese and Asian food in general have a special place in my heart, stomach and all. If I had had more time I would have gone there every day. They are called Hawker Centre . and it would be the street food of excellence. Singaporeans love to eat out at these hawker centers , that are, large indoor spaces that bring together different stalls where t hey can enjoy specialties of all kinds to eat sitting at a table or take-out. You absolutely must go and eat da A l Lau Pa Sat Food Hawker Centre you find food 24 Hours a Day is perhaps the most famous, certainly the largest and busiest of the open-air food hubs, Singapore's Hawker Cente rs . It is open the seven days a week , It is the most fascinating architecturally: the only low-rise building in the entire neighborhood, with a Victorian flair, situated among the tall concrete and crystal towers of the C entral Business District. You won't be disappointed, I can assure you. This is where you will find the widest variety of street food, with enough space to seat up to 2,500 people at once. Sometimes there is also live music. The closest subway stop is Bugis. Alternatively, you can enjoy authentic local dishes also very cheep for $1 at Maxwell Food Cent re, where you can find Tian Tian's famous chicken fried rice. A walk along Orchard Road, the city's main shopping street. Orchard Road is the symbol of shopping in Singapore . Even if you are not passionate about shopping, a walk along this road is a must. The city's beating heart this is where you will find most of the most renowned shopping malls where you can make crazy purchases if you have enough credit cards, Two things to explore along Orchard Road are ION Orchard , one of Singapore's most renowned shopping malls, and Emerald Hill Road, where you can admire the city's picturesque Peranakan shophouses. Getting lost among the healing plants at the Singapore Botanical Garden After crossing Orchard Road, the Giardino botanico Is located down the street. If you come by subway, there is just the Botanic Gardens stop. You can enjoy free tours if you come around on Saturdays - (Free Guided Tour) There are over hundreds of species of healing plants, and there is also the National Orchid Garden inside where over a thousand species of Orchids are grown , with about 600 of them on public display. This is the largest tropical orchid display in the world. Sultan Mosque at Bussorah Street: all the glamour of the Arab Quarter. The Sultan Mosque is the largest and most magnificent mosque in Singapore, with sumptuous architecture that includes white walls, four majestic minarets and a golden dome that is eye-catching as soon as you see it. Along this walkway, there are many bars and restaurants with a Chic atmosphere, the palm trees create a very scenic setting, especially because they are very tall, leaving in the background, the golden dome of the Sultan Mosque. WHERE TO SLEEP IN SINGAPORE We spent our stay at the Hotel Indigo , a real dream with a rooftop pool for guests to use. The rooftop pool was just one of the many extras that made for a great stay. This hotel really impressed me, not only with its elegance and design, but especially with the many advantages offered to guests. Finding a cell phone available in my room was a blessing because it allowed me to connect to the Internet without having to purchase an Asian number, especially for navigating maps and planning travel by public transportation or cab. In addition, I really appreciated the fact that toothbrush and toothpaste were always available in convenient disposable packages. Asian breakfast was a masterpiece with eggs, chicken, rice, and all kinds of noodles that could be ordered from the menu Altri hawker centr e in cui ho mangiato e che vi consiglio Makasuntra Gluttons Bay A fantastic Indian Muslim street food spot with top-quality dishes, offering the most beloved dishes of the local population. It also serves Italian cuisine. It's called Saporita and is the first halal Italian restaurant bringing the authentic flavors of Italy to the

9 km in seven hours for a trek along one of the most characteristic stretches of our coastline as well as a visit to the Fiord of Furore a UNESCO site since 1997, Amalfi and Ravello The name “ Path of the Gods” is enough to give you a sense of the spectacular nature of the path itself. If you think that a trail of only 9 kilometers is too long, you will be surprised to discover that it is beautiful, and also accessible to “almost everyone.” I say “almost” because it is a trek characterized by climbs and downhills, rocks and nature, where it is essential to wear comfortable clothing. I have been to the Amalfi Coast and if you decide to take this route as I did, you will experience the adventure of discovering a new face of this area, often associated with luxury vacations and exorbitant prices. In my column "A portata di Manu" I offer you ideas, experiences and itineraries as well as things to do if you come to these parts whether you are a foreign visitor or a tourist at home. In the article (next to each experience) are all the references for booking tickets or excursions or guided tours in the area . DEPARTURE FROM BOMERANO OF AGEROLA The walking time varies from each person. On average it takes 7h to get to the end where, I guarantee, you will arrive with pains in your legs. We drove from Bari to Bomerano di Agerola, a charming village located inland on the Amalfi Coast. It is one of Agerola's most enchanting villages. This little corner of paradise offers an authentic immersion in the traditions, culture and unspoiled nature of the region. Bomerano by the way is known by trekking lovers for being the starting point of this famous Sentiero degli Dei, We parked our car on the white stripes and started walking towards Nocelle a suburb of Positano where the path ends. It is important to walk along this path in the direction that goes precisely from Agerola to Nocelle so as to walk on a slight descent and have the view of the Amalfi Coast and Capri in front of you. The path goes between the Amalfi and Sorrento Coasts and is considered among the most beautiful in the world. Along the way you will be surprised at every glimpse. At the end of each rising path is the sea overlooking with its deep blue waters and the beautiful views of the Amalfi Coast, Capri and its stacks. Getting to the destination I guarantee you is challenging. This is not a Sunday walking, it is a serious trek for people with a minimum of basic training or enthusiastic walkers who are used to physical activity. When I arrived to Nocelle, this small suburb of Positano on Mount Pertuso I was hungry and tired but despite my tiredness I thought I had done something crazy and that the Path of the Gods was a breathtaking itinerary in which the coastline had revealed to me its natural wonders, cultural treasures and unique experiences. ARRIVAL IN NOCELLE But once you arrive at the quiet and lonely suburb of Nocelle, with its only 150 inhabitants, you can continue on and reach the center of Positano, via a long stairway of 1,700 steps, continuing another 500 meters on foot. Or you can take a bus at the Sita bus stop. I experienced it as torture for my knees, legs and feet, which, however, I faced until the end. The route is marked by red and white signs with the word 02.. PATH OF THE GODS: HOW TO REACH IT We arrived by Car from Bari. 3H and a half for almost 300 km, Adriatic Highway A14 BY BUS To reach Bomerano of Agerola there are Sita buses that leave from Amalfi, ask the driver to direct you to the Bomerano stop. From there follow the road signs that will take you to the trailhead. To return Bomerano di Agerola (if you left your car in Amalfi or Bomerano di Agerola) from the small port of Positano, you can take the ferry to Amalfi (20 minutes) there are ferries every half hour and from Amalfi go to the Sita bus station to have the bus take you back to Agerola if you parked your carli. Along summer months there is a servizio di navette Amalfi - Agerola offerto dalla Travelmar, la compagnia dei traghetti, che offre questo tipo di servizio ai suoi clienti. Orari dei Traghetti Orari degli autobus THE PATH OF THE GODS: HIGH PATH OR LOW PATH? The Path of the Gods can be walked in various ways. There are two paths that you can choose: there is the “high” path that goes from Bomerano and ends in Santa Maria Del Castello: it is more difficult because you go up and continue in height. The low path from Bomerano leads to Nocelle and you walk downhill for stretches, which is why it is chosen by many tourists. INFORMAZIONI UTILI SUL SENTIERO DEGLI DEI Il Sentiero degli Dei è una meraviglia gratuita che mi ha lasciato senza fiato per la sua bellezza. Questa avventura, che abbiamo vissuto in tre, ci ha portato attraverso i pittoreschi villaggi di Nocelle e Montepertuso. Partendo da Bomerano, il sentiero ci ha regalato panorami spettacolari su montagne e mare. Lungo il percorso, è stato bello essere circondati da uliveti, agrumeti e boschi di castagni, oltre che da una vegetazione rigogliosa e viste mozzafiato sul Golfo di Salerno che hanno reso questa esperienza indimenticabile. Questi piccoli comuni perfetti per i camminatori, ci hanno offerto un'ospitalità autentica e calorosa, ideale per immergerci nella cultura locale. Abbiamo scelto di soggiornare in un agriturismo Casale Paradiso proprio ad Agerola, un pò defilato che ci ha colpito perchè la sala da pranzo/cena é all'interno di un giardino con pergolato di kiwi. L'idea era proprio quella di vivere questa esperienza autentica, soprattutto a tavola, mangiando piatti tipici e con scarpetta scarpetta finale nel sugo. Teresa la nonna, ci ha accolto assieme a tutta la sua famiglia, la gestione qui è familiare. Hanno fondato qualche anno fa l'agriturismo oggi gestito dal figlio maggiore Carmine. Ci ha confidato che nel 2022 era stata notata da Denzel Washington  passando sotti i portici di Atrani mentre giravano Equalizer 3 in Costiera Amalfitana, e fu ingaggiata per un ruolo nel film che l'ha resa celebre. UN BAGNO NELLE ACQUE DEL FIORDO DI FURORE Immaginate un angolo di Norvegia scolpito nelle rocce del Mediterraneo: questo è il Fiordo di Furore.  Situato sempre nella Costiera Amalfitana, poco distante da Bomerano, questa profonda fenditura nei Monti Lattari è un tesoro nascosto che dal 1997 è stato riconosciuto come Patrimonio dell’Umanità dall’UNESCO.  Il Borgo di Furore (da cui prende nome la frazione) fa parte del prestigioso Club dei borghi più belli d’Italia si trova a 300 metri sopra il livello del mare, nella parte superiore del suggestivo Vallone di Furore. Una visita qui è un'immersione nella bellezza naturale e storica di uno dei luoghi più affascinanti d'Italia. E poi fermatevi a pranzo da La Locanda del Fiordo trattoria tipica, con vista e pesce freschissimo. Prenotate con largo anticipo. E' dotata anche di stanze con Jacuzzi a vista mare, ma vanno a ruba infatti non sono ancora riuscita a trovare un fine settimana libero per poterci tornare. VISITA A VILLA CIMBRONE A RAVELLO Devo ammetterlo, sono arrivata a Ravello senza sapere molto su cosa vedere, guidata solo da alcune foto mozzafiato viste sui social. Villa Cimbrone è uno di quei luoghi che sembrano usciti da un sogno: i visitatori possono esplorare solo i giardini, a meno che non soggiornano nell'elegante Hotel Villa Cimbrone.  Anche se avevamo l'auto, abbiamo raggiunto Ravello con un autobus della Sita. Incamminatevi lungo il Viale dell'Immenso, incorniciato da un pergolato di wisteria che è un tipo di glicine, fino a raggiungere la leggendaria Terrazza dell'Infinito. La vista è da togliere il fiato motivo per il quale ho scattato foto e video da condividere con voi. Come arrivare. Consultate il sito della SITA per dettagli su orari e percorsi, in autobus, partendo dalla fermata degli autobus ad Amalfi, dalla quale partono la maggior parte delle corse per Ravello. L'ingresso costa 7 euro per gli adulti, con riduzioni per i bambini, e all'entrata vi verrà consegnata una mappa per guidarvi durante la visita. COLAZIONE DA "SAL DE RISO" Sognavo di mangiare il suo babbà alla crema da prima di andare in Costiera Amalfitana. Salvatore De Riso è probabilmente il pasticciere più famoso d'Italia. È sua la geniale creazione della torta ricotta e pere con biscotto alle nocciole, un dolce il cui successo ha superato i confini nazionali. Si trova a Minori (raggiungibile sempre in autobus da Amalfi). Questa pasticceria è un vero e proprio tempio del gusto. Spaziosa e affascinante, offre una vasta gamma di delizie: torte e monoporzioni, gelati, caffè, pizze, oltre a un bistrot e un'area per aperitivi. Qui tutti i contatti APERITIVO A POSITANO Cosa fare a Positano se non un aperitivo! Ovviamente in terrazza e con vista o sulla spiaggia. Fateli entrambi. A noi è piaciuta l'idea di ammirare lo scenario mozzafiato con vista sul mare e sulle iconiche case colorate della città. Positano è il posto sicuramente più particolare della Costiera Amalfitana, non potete andare via senza aver visitato il suo centro storico, piccolino ma molto caratteristico, percorribile esclusivamente a piedi.

Orecchiette, grilled octopus , potatoes, rice and mussels, panzerotti, fish sandwich, mussels au gratin, bread balls, restaurants to try. Enjoying a delicious meal without emptying your wallet is the desire of many, whether on holiday or exploring your city. With a little cunning and creativity, it is possible to satisfy your palate without spending a fortune. In my column "A Portata di Manu" I offer you ideas, experiences and itineraries, but also things to do if you come to these parts, whether you are a foreign visitor or a tourist at home. In the article (next to each individual experience) all the references for booking tickets or excursions or guided tours in the area are indicated. Read also 10 UNMISSABLE THINGS TO DO IN POLIGNANO A MARE I'll give you my personal list of trattorias and restaurants where you can eat in Polignano a Mare by the sea or in the historic centre Discover the secrets to eating well while spending " the right amount" whether you are traveling or looking for new places to try in your city. From local eateries to hidden corners of markets, exploring options that offer taste and convenience. With a pinch of savings and a generous dose of discovery, every meal becomes a satisfying experience for the palate and the wallet. Osteria Piga - Pietro and Gaetano have created a real jewel. The environment is rustic and familiar. The highlights of the menu are Taglieri, artisan pasta and meat main courses. I suggest you try the Spaghetti all'assassina with buffalo mozzarella and the "Braciole" with diaphragm sauce. Also unforgettable are the pappardelle with porcini mushrooms during the season. It is located outside the historic center. From Tuccino Lamare - Kitchen and Homes Ancient Walls - For some it is a romantic place despite being rustic due to the white walls. The cuisine is divine. You can find fish-based dishes typical of Apulian cuisine. Try the lobster linguine Osteria dal Chichibio Osteria dei Mulini You can eat well with fish-based menus. I recommend the gnocchi with clams and a mixed fry to taste. Locanda Porta Pic - The fish is delicious and they also have an excellent wine list Il Grottino The place is really informal almost without pretensions. We eat in the Apulian style. A classic Apulian trattoria with typical cuisine based on orecchiette with turnip tops and much more. A beautiful, very local experience that I recommend you not to miss. Grotta Ardito Restaurant - It is located on the sea and the summer terrace overlooking the sea is truly something incredibly beautiful to look at while eating. The fish is always fresh. I suggest Arso wheat Orecchiette with pistachio cream, prawns and speck or the great classic Cavatelli with mussels and clams Details of the Sea - Chef Francesco takes great care, it must be said, of the details of the dishes he brings to the table. I recommend you book. Pescaria - To enter on public holidays, there are standing queues of 15/20 m. I assure you that if you are in Polignano for a spot visit it is worth queuing. It's a fish fast food restaurant that has created a new way of eating raw and cooked fish. He makes excellent sandwiches with tartarre, and offers a sandwich or a special dish weekly. You will find many interesting proposals that are worth tasting. Ruz - I liked it mainly because of the name of the place "Cucina Confidential". Then I was there twice and one of these I organized a table with 8 people. I recommend it to you - Leo's Braci d'Autore - Braceria Restaurant.. If you go there, take the meat starters, really very good, the very tasty sweetbreads such as the very tender beef cheek cooked at low temperature Wonderful Modern Osteria Specchia Sant'Oronzo Jamante Monachile terraces Palazzese Cave Trattoria Casa Mia If you go to visit San Vito, the wonderful hamlet of Polignano a Mare and want to eat excellent fish, an obligatory stop La Colonna restaurant Giselda's Veranda You can eat a good pizza in Polignano a Mare Beautiful 'Mbriana Read also 10 UNMISSABLE THINGS TO DO IN POLIGNANO A MARE

Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech the the places with timeless charm I will never forget my trip to Morocco. This land is stunning, However, the success of a Morocco vacation depends completely on the season climate and the cities you choose to visit. Spring and autumn are the best times. In winter the temperature ranges are marked, going from 18 degrees during the day in the sun (it's cold in the shade in winter) to 5 degrees in the evening (on the coast) to zero degrees inland. In my column "A portata di Manu" I offer you ideas, experiences and itineraries as well as things to do if you come to these parts whether you are a foreign visitor or a tourist at home. In the article (next to each experience) are all the references for booking tickets or excursions or guided tours in the area . On this trip I visited the gorgeous imperial cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech. These places of timeless charm were at different times the residence of the Sovereigns of the Kingdom of Morocco. Then I went on to the interior, to the Dades and Todra Gorges, slept in the Berber tents in the Erg Chebbi desert finally a walk in the Cedar Forest and then back to Casablanca. A show of nature (no doubt) that I wasn't prepared for, however: from the 20 degrees in Marrakech in a snap, I came to the sub-zero inland Moroccan temperatures, with no heating in some of the accommodations, but above all no hot water. That is the way it is used in Morocco, or at least in the less touristy, more authentic area, in line with their culture. And I found myself sleeping in bed, with a sleeping bag, with a quilt on top, because I was freezing. But I want to let you know the most beautiful things I did on this trip, which may be useful to you when you plan your vacation around here. Because after all, for me a trip is pure experience, knowledge of an area that teaches me something more each time. To do this tour you have to consider that you spend a lot of time in a bus for travel. HOW TO GET TO MOROCCO Morocco has 25 airports throughout the country. Airlines offering direct flights (seasonal ) from Rome, Milan, Turin, or Bologna (on several airports but usually Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez - Sais, Rabat) are Ryanair, ITA Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Air Arabia Maroc, easyJet, Wizz Air Malta. We started from Rome with a direct flight to Casablanca with Royal Morocco whose duration is 3 hours and 30 minutes. The airlines that fly from Rome to Marrakech are Wizz Air and Ryanair and they depart from Rome Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino. The airlines that fly from Milan to Marrakech are EasyJet and Wizz Air and depart from Milan Malpensa. There are direct flights from Bologna and Marrakech Menara. In any case, Ryan Air covers several airports. LANGUAGE AND CURRENCY The currency is the Dirham (DH). The exchange rate with the euro is € 1.00= Dh 11.00. I suggest withdrawing some of the money as soon as you land at the airport, maybe you can get a better exchange rate. The language spoken in Morocco is Arabic and French but in tourism English is spoken by all and Italian is very common. To call Morocco the international dialing code is +212. Italy is 1 hour ahead of Morocco WHAT TO DO AND SEE Il mio tour con Viaggi Avventure nel mondo era di 8 giorni e prevedeva in questo ordine: Casablanca, Marrakech, Ait Ben Haddou, Gole di Dades e Todra, Erg Chebbi, Fes, Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca. Anche Marocco la prima cosa da fare appena arrivati è quella di prendere un autista con pulmino. Noi eravamo 15 e sono partita con Viaggi Avventure nel mondo, ma da partecipante e non da coordinatore. Il nostro autista era Omar, vi suggerisco di contattarlo dall'Italia e trovare magari assieme a lui la soluzione perfetta per la vostra vacanza, che siate in gruppo o in coppia. tappa 1: Casablanca Una tappa velocissima ma efficace. In effetti, considerati i tempi un pò stretti per fare tutto, di Casablanca abbiamo visto ben poco. La visita alla sua splendida moschea di Hassan II è stata decisamente emozionante. La Moschea costruita sull'acqua, da sola è un ottimo motivo per fare una sosta in questa città. Era una delle tappe che aspettavo di più e che avevamo voluto assolutamente inserire nel nostro itinerario di viaggio in Marocco. Si tratta della più grande moschea del Marocco, può accogliere circa 25.000 fedeli in contemporanea. E' la terza più grande moschea al mondo, dopo quella della Mecca in Arabia Saudita (Al-Masjid al-Haram) e quella del Sultano Qaboos a Muscat, in Oman. E’ una delle poche moschee ad essere accessibile anche ai non musulmani. Ma devo dire che anche solo la vista che offre dall’esterno è un vero colpo d’occhio: si adagia sull'oceano offrendo uno set fotografico da capogiro. Abbiamo soggiornato in un hotel caratteristico del Marocco, il Moroccan House Hotel Casablanca vicinissimo al centro della città, un luogo dove abbiamo cominciato a rilassarci e a respirare aria di vacanza. Cena di pesce da Chez Michel Et Hafida . Ottimo pesce. tappa 2: Marrakech La prima cosa che abbiamo visto a Marrakech sono stati i meravigliosi Giardini Majorelle. Si tratta di Uno dei giardini più memorabili del Marocco (e del mondo) ricco di vegetazione, esaltata dai vivaci colori pastello, blu majorelle, della villa antistante, nido d’amore di Yves Saint Laurent e Pierre Bergé. La coppia aveva acquistato l'intero complesso (villa Oasis e giardini) nel 1980, procedendo ad un lavoro di recupero incredibile. Nel 2008 dopo la morte di YSL, Bergè Bergé ha convertito la loro dimora in un centro artistico visitabile, donandolo alla Fondazione Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent, una fondazione senza scopo di lucro. Finalmente ci dirigiamo verso la Medina (il cuore di ogni città). La Piazza Jamaa el Fna è la piazza centrale di Marrakech ed è il luogo più importante della Medina, ma tra tutte quelle che ho visto nella mia vita, le medine del Marocco, vi lasciano senza fiato. L'odore. Quello che ti resta addosso. E' forte, inteso. Lo ricordi. Potreste imbattervi in personaggi strani o in macellai con esposizione di carni a vista, ricoperte di mosche (e la mangiano tranquillamente) o di gente che vuole venderti la qualunque. Qui si svolge la vita sociale di Marrakech, sia di giorno che di notte e vi suggerisco di vederla in entrambe le modalità. Irriconoscibile. (alcune foto sono state prese da internet) Una visita al Palazzo El Bahia, una delle opere architettoniche più importanti di Marrakech. Quella volta che ho provato il vero hammam marocchino.... E poi facciamo l’Hammam tradizionale marocchino. Una esperienza inaspettata e che mi resterà per sempre impressa nella mente. Dimenticate il lusso sfrenato che ci propongono sui giornali. Noi siamo stati in un Hammam comunale e precisamente da Mouassine. L'Hammam è un complesso termale arabo, in cui la pulizia del corpo si realizza attraverso il vapore e l’esfoliazione della pelle. Per gli arabi è un rituale religioso: purificarsi prima della preghiera. Uomini e donne entrano rigorosamente separati. Nessun lusso, l'umidità da condensa rendeva evidente la muffa sul soffitto e sulle pareti. Ti fanno accomodare completamente nuda, anche se entri con un asciugamano bianco. Ti fanno accomodare prima in una stanza con vapori, dove ti siedi a terra e aspetti il tuo turno per l'esfoliazione a cura di una signora marocchina. Giunto il tuo turno inizia il rituale tradizionale che consiste in un savonage, un trattamento che prevede che sempre stando seduti per terra, la signora marocchina che si dedica solo a te, procede a lavarti, con secchi d’acqua (la cui acqua ti viene lanciata vigorosamente dalla signora marocchina a tal punto che pensi per un attimo di essere nel posto sbagliato). La seconda fase prevede che con un vigore degno dei migliori massaggiatori tailandesi, sempre la stessa signora, ti cosparge tutto il corpo di sapone nero marocchino, gelatinoso (sapone Beldi) abbinando massaggio con un guanto ruvido chiamato kessa. Da noi in Puglia avremmo detto "strica forte" cioè pulisce forte. La pelle però davvero setosa, ti resta morbida per qualche giorno. Decisamente una esperienza totalmente diversa dagli Hammam che ci propongono, ad un prezzo esorbitante, dedicati ai turisti. Ma penso che questa sia stata una esperienza a cui non ero preparata e che mi ha davvero colpito. Le saune mettono appetito e siamo andati a cena da EL BAHIA buona cucina marocchina, ottima posizione, c'era musica dal vivo. dove dormire a Marrakech Abbiamo soggiornata nel Riad Moulay Said molto bello nelle parti comuni (piscina e atrio) ma stanze orribili. Tuttavia eravamo nel periodo di Capodanno ed è impossibile trovare posto per tante persone e soprattutto a pochi minuti a piedi dal centro storico di Marrakech. Ad ogni modo altre proposte interessanti di hotel tipici e belli in vero stile marocchino (occidentalizzato) che vi suggerisco per una riuscita perfetta della vostra vacanza sono: Riad Jasmine - Riad Be - Riad Due - Riad Le Rihani terza tappa: Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate (la porta del deserto) -Skoura, visita alla Kasbah Amridil, Gole di Dades e Todra Arriviamo con il nostro autista e ci troviamo difronte a questa meraviglia della natura. Ait Ben Haddou, nacque come città fortificata, o ksar, lungo la rotta carovaniera tra il deserto del Sahara e l'attuale città di Marrakech. Si trova sul fianco di una collina lungo il fiume Ouarzazate. Il Ksar è protetto dall'UNESCO come Patrimonio dell'umanità. Caratteristici del Ksar le torri angolari e i vicoli stretti che si arrampicano tra le abitazioni, le Kasbah di ricchi mercanti. Sulla sommità della collina svetta un grande granaio fortificato chiamato agadir. Questo straordinario complesso comprende anche una moschea, una piazza e il santuario del Santo Sidi Ali. Andiamo a visitare Kasbah Amridil, la Kasbah (fortezza) più ammirata del Marocco. Sicuramente per il fatto che é raffigurata nella vecchia banconota da 50 DH. Parte della Kasbah Amridil oggi é stata trasformata in un hotel. Vi consiglio di contattare la guida Mr. REDA Gérant Familiale scrivendo una email a amridil@gmail.com Proseguiamo sempre con il pulmino verso le Gole di Dades e di Todra. Nonostante il freddo incredibile, le Gole del Dades e quelle del Todra sono uno dei luoghi di maggior interesse in Marocco. Personalmente, non conoscevo il Marocco e non mi sarei mai aspettata che in un Paese noto per le escursioni nel deserto, a poche centinaia di chilometri ci fosse una catena montuosa che nel suo punto più alto raggiunge i 4000 metri nella parte dell’Alto Atlante. Le Gole di Dades si possono apprezzare raggiungendo il punto più alto (vicino ad un baretto dove è stata realizzata per l'appunto una piazzola di sosta) dal quale sono visibili questi tornanti scavati nella montagna. Todra invece è diversa. Poco distante da Dades facciamo un percorso a piedi tra le montagne ed i ruscelli e ci godiamo l'imponenza delle rocce a strapiombo sulle stradine strette. dove dormire nelle gole di dades Abbiamo cenato e dormito a Hotel La gazel de dades ristorante davvero fantastico, ottima cucina marocchina. Stanze gelide e davvero minimal, senza acqua calda. Qui ho dormito nel sacco a pelo, nel letto, coperta dal piumone. quarta tappa: deserto Erg Chebbi e notte nelle tende berbere Una delle escursioni più attese della vacanza. Quella nel deserto, sui dromedari, trascorrendo tutta la notte ammirando le stelle. Arriviamo a Merzouga un piccolo villaggio situato ai piedi delle grandi dune sabbiose di Erg Chebbi. Siamo stanchi per i tanti km percorsi e per le ore trascorse nel pullman. Ci dirigiamo verso il nostro hotel, location in cui non abbiamo dormito Kasbah Le Touareg (fighissima) lo staff della struttura mette a disposizione dromedari per raggiungere il campo tendato berbero nel quale trascorrere la notte. Alla Kasbah Le Touareg abbiamo lasciato le valigie in una stanza chiusa a chiave, portando con noi lo stretto necessario per trascorrere la notte. Si viaggia in sella al dromedario. E se siete anche in sovrappeso, meglio non sovraccaricare. Tuttavia l'hotel mette a disposizione anche Quad e Jeep se voleste fare una esperienza diversa. Su dorso di un dromedario tra le dune Round Trip dal deserto optando per una cammellata che solitamente si svolge poco prima del tramonto e all'alba, e che mi ha regalato emozioni da togliere il fiato. Alba e tramonto insieme, i miei colori preferiti. Ho ammirato il sole che scende al tramonto e sale all'alba tra le dune. La cammellata dura un paio d'ore, durante il tragitto eravamo circondati soltanto da dune di sabbia dai colori arancio e rosso, complice la luce del tramonto. L'arrivo al campo berbero è stata davvero un'avventura. I dromedari non sono comodissimi ma sono scenografici. Nei giorni a seguire avevo lividi sulle gambe. Un tappeto rosso orientale, circondato da fiaccole e lampade, ci ha accolto nel camp, con ai lati le tende che ci avrebbero ospitato per la notte. Cena tutti insieme, falò e poi escursione notturna nel deserto fino a raggiungere il punto più lontano dalle luci del villaggio, dal quale potersi stendere tra le dune e ammirare le stelle, milioni di stelle mai viste cosi tante. Il camp era molto carino, unica nota stonata i bagni (comuni) in cui abbiamo trovato degli scarafaggi. Prestissimo, prima dell’alba lasciamo il camp e saliamo in sella al dromedario. Ne ho viste milioni di albe, soprattutto sul mare, penso di poter affermare con fermezza che l'alba nel deserto è stata una delle più belle della mia vita. Le dune escono piano piano dalla oscurità ed il sole fa capolino tra di loro. Ci godiamo questa luce. quinta tappa: Fes Qui c'è tanto da scoprire motivo per il quale abbiamo scelto di prendere una guida locale Mohamed Korkari che potete contattare scrivendo una email a mohamedkorkari@gmail.com Assieme a Mohamed facciamo un tour di 5 h della città Fez (o Fes) è la città imperiale per eccellenza, vera roccaforte della cultura e dell’identità del Paese. Entrando vi sembrerà di aver fatto un tuffo nel passato respirando un’aria medievale. Si divide in Città nuova cioè la città imperiale costruita a partire dal 1200, dove si trovano la stazione, il Palazzo Reale e il quartiere ebraico e Città vecchia (la medina) a più antica parte murata di Fes, un vero labirinto di stradine, oltre 9 mila, con mercati di ogni tipo, dai tappeti agli oggetti in ottone, della ceramica ai tessuti e alla pelle, e dove le merci vengono ancora trasportate a dorso d’asino. La Medina di Fez, sede anche della più antica università del mondo. Nel tragitto in bus verso Fez ci siamo fermati in questi posti Gole di Ziz - Foresta dei cedri - Ifrane (la piccola svizzera in marocco) Concerie di Fez Quello che non scorderete mai è il loro odore pungente. Le enormi vasche di pietra piene di pigmento e le pelli stese ad asciugare una dietro l’altra, sono famose in tutto il mondo. Questo quartiere è un must do. E' costituita da tantissime vasche in pietra disposte a nido d'ape, una accanto all'altro, ciascuna contenente liquidi e coloranti diversi. Gli uomini lavorano immersi nelle vasche, alcuni fino alle ginocchia, altri fino alla vita, intenti nella pulizia e la tintura della pelle. Fez è leader nella loro produzione e lavorazione di pelli di mucca, cammello, pecora e capra. Le concerie sono accessibili ai turisti con una minima quota di ammissione ma i turisti possono ammirare lo straordinario spettacolo delle cisterne ad alveolo dai terrazzi dei numerosi negozi di pelletteria della Medina di Fez Prima di arrivare a Fez facciamo una serie di fermate intermedie che vi cito e potete tranquillamente visionare in autonomia Madrasa Bou Inania Uno dei pochi edifici religiosi islamici aperto ai non musulmani. Bab Boujloud, la porta azzurra E' una bellissima porta monumentale costruita nel 1913, nonchè accesso principale alla Medina Fès el-Bali, la zona più antica e affascinante di Fès. dove dormire a FEZ Abbiamo alloggiato in un Riad molto carino e piccolo poco fuori dalla medina Dar Hidaya Hotel Colazione internazionale ed un terrazzo molto bello. sesta tappa: Meknes Sulla strada per andare a Meknes facciamo tappa alla città santa di Moulay Idriss a solo un’ora da Fez e a 25 chilometri da Meknes, da secoli luogo di pellegrinaggio. Anche in questa città ricca di storia ci facciamo accompagnare da una meravigliosa guida turistica Jamai Bouchra che potete contattare scrivendo a questo indirizzo email bouchra_jamai@yahoo.it e che vi suggerisco, tra le migliori in assoluto in termini di sensibilità, apertura mentale e conoscenza. Ci ha fatto scoprire e ci ha spiegato alcuni dei tesori nascosti di questa città come la Medersa (scuola coranica), Heri Souani più conosciuti come "I granai" e le scuderie e la medina di Meknes Non potrò mai dimenticare "un tesoro dimenticato" ed il significato che ha dato a questa frase (SCRIVETEMI se siete curiosi di sapere cosa significa e se arrivate a leggere l'articolo fino a qui) dormire a Meknes Abbiamo soggiornato da RIAD MAMA che consiglio vivamente Suggerisco anche DAR MEKNES TRESOR - Riad Yacout - Riad Zahraa Al Ismailia settima tappa: Rabat Rabat è la capitale del Marocco è una città elegante e raffinata. Nella capitale troviamo il Mausoleo di Mohammed V ospita il primo Re del Marocco unificato, ma anche il defunto Re Hassan II e il Principe Moulay Abdallah. Tra le cose da vedere a Rabat, la Torre di Hassan simbolo della città, la più grande testimonianza del suo glorioso passato. Nella grande piazza potete ammirare i ruderi di 360 colonne che avrebbero dovuto sorreggere il tetto di una moschea mai costruita. La Kasba degli Oudaia è tra le principali cose da vedere a Rabat dove è bello passeggiare per le stradine fiorite e contornate da abitazioni in calce bianco e blu, tipiche del quartiere. dove dormire a Rabat Noi abbiamo soggiornato da Riad da Soufa nel cuore della Medina. Consigliatissimi anche Hotel des Oudaias - Riad Jbara - Riad El Bir Per tutte le vostre richieste o curiosità SCRIVETEMI

It is considered by many to be the Venice of Northern Europe because of its canals. For me it is a city of character, gritty. Vibrant, entertaining but at the same time also intellectually stimulating Amsterdam at last! I have left my heart in this city! Modern, Vibrant, it never sleeps while keeping its history. A trip to Amsterdam I had long wanted to do, but this time I didn't fly there from Bari, (read on to find out the airlines that fly from Puglia). I was in Germany, near Stuttgart, and from there I crossed the whole country by train, la DB tedesca the German DB, has crazy connections and modern trains with wi-fi on board. I made a stop in Frankfurt am Main. a German city in the heart of the state of Hesse, Germany's fifth largest federal state by population, has 700,000 inhabitants, is crossed by the Main River. In my column   "A portata di Manu"  I share with you ideas , experiences and itineraries as also things to do if you come to these areas  whether you are a foreign visitor or a tourist at home. In the article (next to each experience) are all references for booking tickets or excursions or guided tours in the area . I loved it and appreciated its ability to blend modernity and tradition with a skyline dominated by imposing skyscrapers as a testimony to its role as a financial center, while in the old town there is an atmosphere of the centuries past. We had time to visit the majestic cathedral see the Romer the City Hall located in the heart of Frankfurt, one of the city's distinctive historical symbols , with its famous three-gable façad e and appreciate the picturesque half-timbered houses, stroll along the picturesque riverfront, have a coffee and a slice of the famous cakes in the bakery Coffe House to the Golden Scale    oltre che salutare Monica, una nostra amica di nazionalità rumena che dopo aver vissuto 20 anni a Bari  vive qui a Francoforte dove ha aperto il suo ristorante   Power food Earth che vi invito a provare se venite da queste parti. Promuove la Puglia In Germania Il  giorno dopo sempre in treno eravamo pronti per proseguire il nostro viaggio nella città dei tulipani. Ovviamente dalla Puglia ci sono voli diretti, che ti ho riportato HOW TO REACH AMSTERDAM At last, even from Bari, several airlines are offering direct flights: ITA Airways and Transavia . Schiphol is the nearest airport, around 20 kilometers south of Amsterdam, well connected to the city by train, which leads into the center in twenty minutes. Public transportation works very well. The subway, which is partly underground and partly above ground, has four lines ( green, orange, yellow and red) and operates until just after midnight. The main station is the Central Station , from which also run buses, streetcars and trains. It is located inside a beautiful building built in 1889 in the center of the Dutch capital, d esigned by Dutch architect Cuypers, the same designer of the Rijksmuseum. Visiting Amsterdam by bicycle Amsterdam means bicycles. Getting around the city by bike is the only way to discover this city even if you are a resident but also a tourist As soon as you arrive at the Central station, you will be impressed by millions of multi-level parking dedicated to bikes and as well the street corners drowning of bicycles it will seem impossible to you to park because of they are overflowing with bikes with chains locked anywhere. We spent the whole weekend strolling by bike among the canals but also opted for an out-of-town cycling trip to the Village of Mills, Zaanse Schans , 20 kilometers away from Amsterdam , a good walk, however, we went back by train, taking the bike by train and only after having a cheese tasting. Stopping to take pictures in the hidden glimpses visible only if you're on a bike, giving each other a kiss on the canals , making a wish whenever you use the lock to secure your bike, was perhaps the most beautiful adventure that allowed me to fully enjoy this experience. Amsterdam has more than 150 canals and about 1,300 bridges. We rented bikes here from Holland Rend a Bike at a really good daily cost. Beware, most bicycles have foot brakes , which at least us italians are not used to and is very common, however, in Amsterdam. Where to sleep in Amsterdam: Experience a "Dancing House" To fully experience this city, you need to take an apartment on the canals, overlooking the canals, maybe not one of the super famous cross streets, but you need to move around on foot or by bike . We had a great time, especially in the morning, for breakfast time. I loved to go for my continental breakfast in a robe, preserving the casual chic style typical of us Italians. Fixed date from Caffe Hoppe a good cafe with g reat intercontinental breakfasts , we went here every morning The first 3 nights of the vacation we slept in a Dancing House, an apartment inside an historic canal-view building (Singel) of those tall, narrow, sloping, wooden ones with over 200 steps to get to the rooftop that we had booked from an Apulian friend (from Castellana Grotte, near Bari, in the south of Italy, Puglia Region. This city is famous for the CAVE ) who moved to Amsterdam for work , where he runs some of the most beautiful canal houses. If you decide to come to these parts, write to him at this address davidesecundo@icloud.it his name is Davide Secundo and greet him for me. These colorful, crooked houses, without elevators , look like an optical effect but they are not. All I know is that getting to the top floor by foot was really "badass" . The houses were purposely built that way to facilitate the custom of hoisting food and raw material supplies transported by water with ropes into the house. For the rest of our stay, we decided to change the area to experience the other side of the Amstel, the more than 30-kilometer river that flows between the provinces of South Holland and North Holland and runs through the city of Amsterdam, to which it also gave its name. So bike in tow we took the ferry that offers a "free" taxi boat service to go to the other side and takes a few minutes. Welcome to Amsterdarm Noord . It is a lively and exciting neighborhood , full of cultural points of interest. There is also a pretty good nightlife, mostly unknown to tourists . St. Rita's Church has always been a gathering place for residents of the area. In here today is the BUNK Amsterdam , the cool hotel where we stayed. An old monumental building with 106 rooms and 50 private bunks (we slept in one of that) eight communal dining tables and and a kitchen/restaurant among the best found in Amsterdam. Must-do activities in Amsterdam If you are planning a long weekend from this neck of the woods, I invite you to read some tips related to places and Experiences that I have done , little suggestions for your trip. Of course, time is never enough to do everything, and especially Amsterdam is a city where you need to make reservations online before getting here, otherwise it is impossible to get tickets in the museums. Among the best known attractions no doubt Red Light District (but only to be seen once and no more than one evening) the Rijksmuseum, the Royal Palace, the best coffeeshops (I had one under my house). I will tell you everything you need to know to have a great stay! Amsterdam is one of the most modern and fun capital cities in Europe . It is ideal to be visited in a long weekend, because the city is not very big. But it is Is always a good idea to s pend even more than one weekend there. It is very expensive unfortunately. We were amazed day after day at the crazy prices for everything. Anna Frank House Cell phones are prohibited. Rule No. 1 As soon as we planned the weekend in Amsterdam a couple of months in advance, I immediately bought tickets online from the official website. Eighty percent of the tickets are sold online 2 months in advance otherwise it is impossible to get a seat. The tickets sell out very quickly. Amsterdam also means discovering an obscure part of the city's history. That is why we were particularly keen to visit the Anna Frank house . Today the house has been turned into a museum, w here we walked through the different rooms that contained excerpts from Anne Frank's diary, photos and objects . Anne Frank is famous for her personal diary that tells the story of her family who hid in this house for 2 1/2 years to escape the persecution of the Jews during World War II. For a few months and for reasons still unknown today, they were discovered and taken to concentration camps. The museum shows the living conditions in which the family lived, helped by friends who supplied provisions. The hidden house. I was particularly touched by the attachment to life and the fear of dying that drives one to resist. An incredible emotion. Transgressions: red light district and coffeeshops (Photos of the storefronts were taken from the internet) As soon as you arrive in Amsterdam, the first thing you want to do after renting a bike is to want to visit De Wallen , better known to everyone as Amsterdam's red light district. Characteristically it certainly is. Seeing women in shop windows is one of the most talked tourist attractions. (At least in the common immagination). You are immediately struck by these alleyways with so many rooms with clear glass windows (there are apparently 300 of them), rented by female prostitutes (and also transgender women), who offer " sexual services" in the back room, lit by the typical red lights. Many of the women are plastic surgery and extraformed; they deserve to be looked at. And if you look closer, you realize how some men look like losers as they come up to ask the price by knocking on the door. Amsterdam's Red Light District, a free zone for prostitution since the 14th century is now a tourist-only area transformed into a theme park about transgression. Coffeeshop, fresh air in Amsterdam Another very interesting topic is Coffèeshops. In Amsterdam Cannabis is legal, and this I assure you this fact does not create any disconfort to the normal course of life outside the Coffèeshops (there are more than 250 of them). Entrance of course is prohibited to minors. No alcohol is served so if you want to try this experience, y ou can smoke while sipping mint flavored boiling water. I drank a lot of it. I had never been to a coffeeshop but I will try to tell you what I was faced with as soon as I entered. I ntimate little coffeeshops with little sofas and seating stations. Normal people (about normality we could for hours) like us, sitting and chatting. Of all ages, that's what struck me . As if people my parents' age were just sitting there relaxing like everyone else. I mean, you walk in and like in a real Italian-style tobacco shop, th ere is a wall specifying the qualities of marijuana and hashish available, with prices and quantities, divided by sativa or indica . While Cigarettes are displayed in the tobacco shop, here you find marijuana . You approach the cashier and you choose before to sit down. There are products that are sold by the gram and weighed at the time (usually the cost for 1gr of hashish is around 12 euros) and those pre-packaged in joint. Cartridges and filters are free and available on the counter, and ready-made, ready-to-use joints are also sold for inexperienced smokers. Since 1976, it has been possible in Amsterdam to legally sample marijuana and hashish exclusively on the designated premises. Musei Purtroppo non sono riuscita ad entrare nel famoso e bellissimo Van Gogh Museum che come vi suggerivo, va prenotato con largo anticipo e online. Di seguito vi scrivo alcuni dei musei che ho visitato e altri che tornerò a vedere. Potete cliccarci sopra per acquistare i biglietti. Ma Amsterdam è una città piena di musei di tutti i tipi. Dai più stravaganti a quelli più seri e importanti per grandi e piccini. Alcuni imperdibili o altri che si possono trovare in altri paesi del mondo Rijksmuseum è il più importante museo statale dedicato all’arte e alla storia dei Paesi Bassi. Famoso per le sue collezioni d’ arte. La collezione comprende dipinti di Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jan Asselijn e Van Gogh, tra molti altri, ma anche lavori di artisti internazionali, tra cui Goya e il Beato Angelico. Museo Della Casa di Rembrandt ad Amsterdam, la casa di proprietà del famoso pittore olandese Rembrandt, dove ha vissuto tra il 1639 e il 1659. Heineken Experience per gli appassionati di birra e non, è un viaggio incredibile in chiave moderna, con illustrazioni 3d e giochi di luci . Purtroppo dura troppo poco e la visita è serrata, non ti permettono di stare più del tempo dovuto 2h. Ti offrono 3 pinte di birra a fine tour in una location al piano di sotto dell'edificio, che sembra un disco bar. Carina. Madame Tussauds, se non ci sei mai stato a Londra e non conti di andare a Londra a breve, allora sei autorizzato a visitarlo ad Amsterdam Tropenmuseum un museo etnografico di Amsterdam, inaugurato nella sede e nella forma attuale nel 1978 e dedicato alla cultura, all'arte e all'economia delle ex-colonie olandesi e di altri Paesi dell'area tropicale e subtropicale. La collezione del museo si basa sui reperti raccolti dagli antropologi che lavoravano nelle ex-colonie olandesi. Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder This is an example of an " underground church ." E' il nome di una ex chiesa cattolica di Amsterdam, fondata nel 1663 e nel 1888 trasformata in un museo. La particolarità della chiesa di Nostro Signore nel Sottotetto, a cui essa deve il suo nome, è di essere stata ricavata negli u ltimi piani di una casa privata in modo tale da rendere del tutto impossibile riconoscere dall'esterno la presenza di un luogo pubblico di culto in quello che ha l'aspetto di un normale edificio residenziale. Albert Cuyp Market: the Amsterdam Camdentown It was love at first sight with this market. L' Albert Cuypmarkt is a district market in Amsterdam , located along the Albert Cuypstraat in the De Pijp neighborhood of the Oud-Zuid district . The market began as a spontaneous gathering by street traders and hawkers. In 1905, the city government decided to establish a market, to be held initially only on Saturday evenings. In 1912, the market became a daytime market open six days a week. Various kinds of products can be found in the market: fruits and vegetables, fish, cuisine from other countries and nations, taste from the world , as well as clothing and cameras. Products of interest to residents of Surinamese, Antilles, Turkish and Moroccan origin are also sold. The market, named after the 17th-century painter Albert Cuyp, is the busiest in the Netherlands and is considered the largest daytime market in Europe as well as a major tourist attraction. Bloemenmarkt The Bloemenmarkt is the only floating flower market in the world . The market was founded in 1862 is located on the Singel Canal between Muntplein and Koningsplein south of the city. There are 15 florists and garden stores in the Bloemenmarkt, and the goods are displayed on floating barges, a legacy of a past when flowers and plants arrived on barges. I bought some beautiful blue tulip bulbs for my mother that she may plant in our countryside someday, hoping to see them bloom in the spring. And then we decided to stock up on cheese , my traveling mate was crazy about it therefore during the trip to the Mill village from Zaanse Schans , we tasted every kind of cheese of every color through free samples: and then we bought goat cheese , our favorite. We also bought a very special mustard cream that was really very good. Cheese stores are scattered all over the town , Some little info about this village that we reached by bike (but it is tough if you are not trained it is 20 km) . Here you will find small traditional houses now become museums or stores and the mills can be visited for a small fee you can enter and climb up to enjoy the breathtaking view. Piazza Dam Piazza Dam o semplicemente " il Dam " è la più famosa piazza di Amsterdam. Il Dam si trova all'interno della Nieuwe Zijde della capitale olandese nella parte centro-settentrionale di Amsterdam, tra le vie Damrak, Rokin e Kalverstraat e a circa 750 metri dalla Centraal Staation. La piazza è sorta intorno al 1270 come piazza-mercato e il nome fa riferimento alla funzione originaria del luogo dove, tra il 1204 e il 1275, venne costruita una chiusa sul fiume Amstel. Oggi si affacciano sulla piazza alcune delle principali attrazioni della città come il Palazzo Reale, il Nationaal Monument, la Nieuwe Kerk e il celebre museo delle cere Madame Tussauds. La piazza è di forma quasi rettangolare e si estende per circa 100 metri da nord a sud e 200 metri da est ad ovest Dove mangiare In Amsterdam every place is good to eat at all hours nonstop from simple fast food to oriental cuisine to takeout to starred. We are Asian food lovers and we tried several, between lunch and dinner - Wok and Walk - fabulous. It's a franchise there are several in Amsterdam and almost a hundred. The combination is simple. Open kitchen. Everything very fresh . You choose the type of Noodles and the ingredients and they make you the dish of your dreams. I discovered it by accident and fell in love with it. - Bird Thais Restaurant - very good. It is a very good Asian quality. The chicken and vegetable pad thai is really good. Stir-fry good and light. Soups are mild and tasty. Rice Good. Cozy environment. There is always a wait. If you find a table sit down - Caffe Hoppe a good cafe with excellent intercontinental breakfasts, we went there every morning - BUNK - Is a breakfast bar that is the end of the world. We had really special hummus and eggs benedicts. - Albert Cuyp Market - I'd go there every day - Thai Phutakun - simply delicious, very good pad thai - Wagamama - always a good choice - De Silveren Spiegel - Inside a beautiful period building in downtown Amsterdam , a Dutch dinner between traditional and revisited, carefully prepared and graciously served. T he ambiance is intimate you will feel like you are in the home of a Dutch friend . Try the soups, they are fabulous and in winter they will refresh you from the cold of the city!

We are in the heart of the city of Lecce, in a property where Baroque elegance meets the Mediterranean charm of sunsets and art and the pleasure of living, meet in a passionate embrace. La Fiermontina Luxury Home is much more than a historic residence, it is a life experience that I lived with my fellow man among the walls of a 17th-century masseria and that gave us in the greatest simplicity, disarming luxury, incredible refinement, art and discovery, just a step away from home. In this story I am about to tell you, the word "discovery" is the key to everything. I was intrigued by this family's story, before even spending time in their estates. So many businessmen have chosen Apulia as an ideal destination to invest in, it is only that the story of the Fiermonte family had a very powerful seductive effect on me, a mysterious something or other that made me wonder here and there to find out who they were. Zéphyr Restaurant: A Unique Gastronomic Experience in the Heart of the City So one fine day, accomplice to the extended fine weather, with my partner booked a table for dinner at the, Ristorante Zéphyr, with the intent then to spend the entire weekend in Lecce. We heard about Chef Alessandro Pascali and his multicultural cuisine. So then to tell the truth we are always looking for "new horizons, new stories to tell and new looks". So this restaurant sounded to us perfect for our desires of intimacy and innovation. As soon as we arrived we were greeted at the entrance and kindly they took the keys to our car, parking for us. Soon after, they are walking us to the garden and there the restaurant is hidden among the centuries-old olive trees. A secret citrus grove with just a few tables, which could be easily accessed by crossing a small wooden bridge that really amazed us, which was enhanced by atmospheric lighting, perfect for our sense of pronounced romance. This secret escape allowed us to experience an amazing gastronomic adventure. The restaurant staff is exceptional, and I am not saying this to flatter the brigade or the waiters or because I necessarily have to write good things. I can assure you that it is not obvious to meet staff, or waiters, either Italian or foreign who are at the same time polite, discreet, connoisseurs of the product and who can speak languages including Italian well dealing with young people sometimes even foreigners. We chose a menù degustazione with 10 courses, and in each dish that explosion of cultures immediately emerged, although proposing an innovative and unique cuisine had a very strong local connotation. This fascinating and dare culinary fusion, is to be possible only because of the culinary artistry of Chef Alessandro Pascali, the creator of the "contamination" of flavors, the maker of unexpected connections between Apulian products and French, Moroccan and Oriental gastronomic influences perfectly allied to the fascinating stories of art and passion of the Fiermonte - Filali family, which certainly helped to inspire him in the creation of a menu. His culinary proposal is as much a tribute to his Apulian roots as an opening to innovation and culinary diversity from Paris, Hollywood, Rabat. This merge is reflected in the dishes. Of those tasted on our menu "Fico in Tempura" con capocollo di Martina Franca e buccia di limone, "Alici marinate" con aglio, prezzemolo, anguria, maionese di tuorlo d'uovo e soia. "Cocktail di gamberi con lo Spritz" incapsulato nel ghiaccio, "Nigiri di Wagyu" con tartare di baccalà e salsa tonnata, "Insalata di quinoa", sgombro arrostito, gamberi rosa fritti, pomodori, fichi, crema di burrata affumicata e salsa di soia, "Frisa sbriciolata" pugliese che lo chef ha reso gourmet con sashimi di tonno, avocado accompagnata da un sorbetto alla meloncella. We found daring but wonderfully good "Spaghetto freddo" condito con crunch di porro, olio allo zenzero e olio a lemon grass, tabasco e caviale con una cascata di pomodoro freddo. "Tubetti di cernia" un piatto caldo, zuppa di cernia, tartare di cernia, pomodorino, origano e basilico. "Filetto di Rombo alla piastra" servito all'amatriciana The "Leccese coffee" is unforgettable in taste and in the design in which it is served. You definitely cannot leave the table without tasting it. Surrounded in a cloud of nitrogen with a coffee-marinated pan perduto at the base, with white coffee, an almond oil popsicle with an almond mousse and cupeta cream inside. Over the ice cube coffee popcorn and almond milk. Flanked by coffee ice cream. An author's note that bears his signature. CHEF ALESSANDRO PASCALI, DA Zéphyr Chef Alessandro Pascali, has a background of experience alongside big names in Michelin-starred cuisine such as Alain Ducasse, Carlo Cracco and Stefano Baiocco. If you get a chance like me to meet him in person and taste his cuisine, you will note how his dishes are the result of a meticulous selection of ingredients from small local producers, transforming Mediterranean cuisine into a fresh, contemporary and visually appealing proposition. In the inner part of the restaurant there is a very large bar room with French doors and a high ceiling. What stands out is an illuminated counter; continuing to the central part of the first room reveals the history of this place: the marble sculpture "La liberté" by Jacques Zwobada, dated 1953, which tells the fictional story of Antonia Fiermonte. CHI ERA ANTONIA FIERMONTE? La parola "scoperta" è quella che ho trovato ricorrente in questo fine settimana. Ho scoperto infatti che La Fiermontina Luxury home in Puglia (assieme ad altri edifici come La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso) è il tributo dell'imprenditore franco-marocchino Fouad Giacomo Filali e di sua sorella Antonia Yasmina alla loro indimenticabile nonna materna, la pittrice pugliese Antonia Fiermonte originaria di Casamassima (Bari). È una storia di amore, passione e, soprattutto, di sentita gratitudine verso questa donna Antonia artista eccezionale e donna avventurosa, musa di due scultori francesi del XX secolo. Da Casamassima a soli 17 anni si trasferisce con la famiglia a Roma e poi a Parigi dove pare sia stata protagonista della leggendaria scena artistica parigina ed ha legato il suo nome alle vite e all’opera di due importanti scultori francesi del Novecento, René Letourneur (con cui si è sposata) e Jacques Zwobada (per cui ha lasciato il marito e lo ha sposato). Antonia morì giovane a 42 anni per questo i suoi "nipoti" Fouad Giacomo Filali e sua sorella Antonia, hanno deciso di celebrare il talento di nonna Antonia, le sue opere e le sue radici pugliesi. Sembrerebbe che la decisione di ritornare alle origini sia stata presa durante una vacanza in Puglia, durante la quale i due imprenditori franco marocchini si sono innamorati del territorio pugliese . A distanza di quasi un secolo dalla nascita di Antonia, nel maggio del 2018, a Lecce è stato inaugurato il M.A.M.A. Family Museum (Museo Artistico Moderno Antonia). uno spazio dove è esposta parte della collezione privata di famiglia mentre altre opere sono visibili nelle camere, nelle aree comuni e negli spazi esterni de La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso e La Fiermontina Luxury Home, nel cui giardino si ammirano le sculture in bronzo “Due sorelle” di Fernand Léger,“Armonia II” di René Letournere “La coppia” di Jacques Zwobada “Due sorelle” di Fernand Léger, “Armonia” di Letourner e “La coppia” di Zwobada La Fiermontina Luxury Home. Lecce Rinasce con Stile In questo luogo ci si sente come se si stesse passeggiando tra opere di design moderno e ulivi secolari, tipici della ricca vegetazione pugliese. Ci siamo goduti un momento di relax a bordo piscina, Intorno c’era un'atmosfera incantevole, che ci rimandava indietro al XVII secolo, data di nascita della masseria, poi trasformata ne La Fiermontina Luxury Home. In questo angolo speciale, la sensazione è di essere lontani dal centro di Lecce. È come se ci trovassimo isolati nella campagna, immersi nel silenzio più profondo, dove ci si può rilassare tra gli ulivi e le antiche mura della dimora. Mi sono quasi sentita come la dama dell'alta società dell'epoca per l'intero weekend. Le masserie del XVII secolo, leggevo, erano spesso residenze rurali o aziende agricole di famiglie benestanti, e molte di esse erano caratterizzate da una sontuosità architettonica e da una ricca decorazione. Quando Fouad Giacomo Filali comprò questa masseria versava in uno stato di degrado. Tuttavia, dal 2015, ha trasformato questa struttura in un hotel di lusso con 19 tra camere e suite, arricchendola con le preziose collezioni d'arte della nonna e di altri artisti, La nostra Suite era la ONE BEDROOM SUITE, 45 mq con un letto matrimoniale KING SIZE, un salotto privato e un ampio bagno di cui ho goduto degli spazi senza rimanerci all'interno l'intera vacanza. Colazione a La Fiermontina Luxury home L'attenzione ai dettagli e al benessere dell'ospite è una caratteristica distintiva di questa struttura. L'ottimizzazione degli spazi, l'accoglienza, le aree di relax e business sono elementi chiave che consento di vivere un'esperienza straordinaria sulla base delle proprie personali esigenze. Comfort superiore e un ambiente che rispecchia l'impegno per la qualità. Svegliarsi la mattina con questi presupposti e trovare una colazione internazionale fatta di prodotti locali è un'esperienza davvero speciale. Lo chef de La Fiermontina prepara artigianalmente ogni elemento della colazione dal pane ai dolci appena sfornati. Gli ospiti poi possono scegliere se desiderano una colazione a buffet con una varietà di opzioni o un servizio à la carte per personalizzare ulteriormente la loro esperienza. Nel nostro caso coccolati da Alessandro, abbiamo scelto una Collection Eggs, una rivisitazione dell'avocado toast con pane lievitato con lievito madre, crema di avocado, cipolle stufate, pomodorini e uova fritte e poi la Special della struttura La Fiermontina Eggs con pane tostato ed una selezione di prodotti locali: stracciatella Igp, due uova pochè e capocollo di Martina Franca alla piastra.

From 1st to 6th August a sensory journey with Dinners in the Villa, Gusto folk, Masserie Didattiche, the sweet street, Piazza del Vino, Gusto lab, Taste of poetry, Jazz, junior market, Tirar tardi at night and much more quality street food. What makes an unforgettable food and wine experience are precisely the small details that make every dish and every sip of wine shine! It's not just about food, but about discovering thepassion, the love and the art behind each culinary creation. From 1th to 6th August get ready for this sensory journey in Maglie, the XXIV edition of the Mercatino del Gusto is about to return, bringing with it the flavours, the sounds and the most authentic smells of southern Italy, An incredible culinary show as well as one of the longest-running taste events in Puglia. This year's theme is “The detail that makes the difference” , what makes the difference in a quality project. “The difference between something good and something great'” lies in the attention to detail. Che is a dish , a dress, a wine, a farmhouse are the details that make a product unique, but also universal. You can consult and download the event program directly from the MARKET OF TASTE (programme) This year I'll be there for the evening column too TIRAR TARDI Sunday 6 August starting from 11.00 pm - CAPECE HIGH SCHOOL - FREE ADMISSION An “intimate living room”, in the moonlight, where you can talk about stories, faces, souls, laughter, sounds, noble and pleasant thoughts. Late in the evening, space is given to words, music and signature cocktails. An appointment dedicated to those who love and experience the night, to those who can't resist the surprises that darkness holds, to those who don't want to waste his time sleeping. SUNDAY, AUGUST 6th Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, Youtube or the dear "old" Facebook. Opportunity or slavery? With Manuela Lenoci (A pugliese around the world), Lela Tommasi (social media manager), Eleonora Tricarico (marketing and communication) , Fabiana Vitulli (digital creator), Ester Fracasso (general manager) TIRAR TARDI programme starting at 11.00 pm

Authentic "works of art" made by Annalisa Caricato using 3D items applied to all the accessories in its collections. Pop, ironic and original. The shoes are like lovers (chosen on impulse). handbags are similar to husbands: before marrying one, you think about it for a while. If we stop and reflect, a handbag can be more helpful than a husband (at least the one of the 2.0 age), it never gives up on us (in our time of need), it takes care of everything (without complaining), gaining the role of status-symbol among "accessories" for women all over the world. This quote is from journalist and art critic Paola Jacobbi, who I follow with great enthusiasm and whose philosophy of lifestyle I completely share. In fact, the one with handbags is an enduring relationship, in intention at least. (Crazy for Bags! 2005). And while in my head always resounds my mother's phrase, "What a bad attitude you have daughter of mine" (I can even recognize the intonation of her voice), I am wondering how it is possible that a woman's innate talent in choosing a handbag, which represents her alter-ego, her first aid, and her everything, will go to hell when her arm has to extend it to a man. On a personal note, I have been swallowing so many frogs in my life, Prince Charming might have ended up among them. (cit) I may have kissed just as many, but no one, unfortunately, has turned into one. Which is the reason why since I discovered Annalisa Caricato's “Lovely Prince Frog” di Annalisa CaricatoI started to believe again in miracles by watching them with a keen self-irony. In Short, an upstanding shy girl who is in love with love, with a apparent hard bark but a tender heart. Lovely Prince Frog Wow how cool is that! The only words I have been able to express as soon as I saw it. A "shop bag" especially dedicated to us, sweet latest romantics on this planet earth. It's no ordinary bag. It is the fairy tale. If you have never heard of it, you need to do a refresh on the new trends of Luxury Bag Brand ART A PORTER by Annalisa Caricato.I would like to invite you to have a look through her collections in which she offers bags with 3D decorations, hand made and applied on them, one by one, by master artisans. Her bags are made entirely in Italy in all possible models so you can fancy: crossbody, belt bag, small tote and shopping bag. I was taken by the “Daisy Power” minibag. Only by wearing it I realize the true meaning of of what it means to "incorporate a territory" and to be raised in a magical region like Apulia. A field of margheritas, a beautiful spread of white flowers among which a poppy sprouts. 'Love is like a flower, it needs to be "watered" every day, by making a sincere love story with solid roots blossom and then flourish. Daisy Power Annalisa is from Bari but she lives in Switzerland, where she moved after experiencing the creations she made for haute couture maisons on the most prestigious fashion runways halfway around the world. Her bags are about Puglia, which she represents in a "pop" style with the genuine freshness of her memories of a little girl who grew up in this land. Spreads of white daisies, red poppies, prickly pears, parrot feathers, butterflies, dandelions, nocturnal landscapes, beautiful floral applications shine on the bags of her first collection. A T-shirt is paired with each creation, completing a story, the one in which a woman can be lost without the need for words. As in the "Lovely Prince Frog" where a dreamy princess tries to kiss a frog, tied to a passionate story. Definitely my favorite! I mean with lightness and irony, you feel you can grab the world, being aware that you are wearing real works of art. What if your intent is to leave an imprint, the result is assured. Prickly Pear Bag I remember an episode from a few years ago when I was interested not only in the beauty itself of the bag but also in its ability to contain the world in it, which I considered at the time to be all necessary. On a Christmas Eve I had first accepted an invitation to lunch, from one of my ex fiance's parents at the time. My "mother-in-law" on that occasion gifted me with a handbag that I greatly appreciated and still wear. And that gift gave me the positive thought that she had good taste and class as well as respect for traditions so much that she cooked panzerotti for everyone. I have always loved panzerotti and those who know me know that I like to "schiscetta" (host's gift to the special guest, with leftovers from meal) to enjoy at breakfast the next day (I like salty better than sweet). At the time of greetings, on the door step, my much-loved mother-in-law said "this is a thought for you." At that moment I got excited, I thought "today I found the right family for me," they fulfill my wishes without even having known me. Lovely Parrots Bag Unfortunately, instead of panzerotti's schiscetta, I received a free "trash bag" to be dropped off in the dumpster under the house. It is good to keep in mind, that " The only men to chase are muggers. And that's not even certain, it depends on the bag." (cit) And for all your chest dreams, I recommend you visit Annalisa Caricato instgram profile or her Facebook fanpage and choose your favorite bag and show it off, having fun with "style." Photo Credits Roberta Campanella

The cuisine of the executive chef, Stefano Carcagni, surprises with good and imaginative dishes, not to be missed is the pacchero with grouper sauce and the perfect egg cooked at low temperature. Its 70s-style sign as I arrived at the front door of the Leccese restaurant, 300mila, unexpectedly took me back in time to the days of Happy Days , the famous American series that ruled television with its engaging, lighthearted spirit. Although it has a history and a family tradition of restaurateurs, until now I had never been to its "gastronomic hub". It looks like a masterpeace, a perfect snapshot of an era that left an indelible mark in cultural history. This experience left me with a good feeling, I felt like they wanted to evoke for us as customers that perfect environment of those happy times. And I stepped inside. As I was immersing myself in this timeless dimension, I immediately understood that Davide De Matteis' restaurant , which I had the pleasure of meeting among other things, is an enchanted refuge, where passion for art, design and culinary excellence come together to create a unique and enveloping experience. He is a visionary, a dreamer but he is also a son of art . It is enough to think that he breathed the air of good things as a child, when after school he used to go to his parents' historic " Cotognata Leccese," which we all still appreciate today for the wonderful sweets and most of all for the pasticciotti . Are you ready for this extraordinary journey where the soul is refreshed and the heart is filled with joy? In my column A Portata di Manu today I would like to share with you this incredible gastronomic experience if you come to Lecce, as well as ideas, experiences and itineraries, but also things to do if you come to these parts whether you are a foreign visitor or a tourist at home. 10 must-do experiences in Lecce Everything is studied in detail starting from the vertical garden, an unexpected green oasis, which embraces the dehors, giving a touch of nature and freshness to this enchanted place. But it is in the spirits list that Davide De Matteis has shown all his skill. A worldwide selection of gin, rum, whiskey, cognac, vodka, each sip is a sensory journey through the places of origin. Among other things, in 2022 he received the special award "restaurant with the best spirits list in Italy" from the prestigious Gambero Rosso's Ristoranti d'Italia guide. Young and international staff, vast offer both sweet and savory - croissants, pasticciotti, parisian, brioche, muffins, cakes, pastries, shortbread biscuits, sandwiches, pralines, holiday desserts - excellent ice cream, fabulous bread, centrifuges, cocktails, sorbets. Everything is strictly at km 0 and this is what makes it unique. You should know " sushi lovers" when Asian cuisine had not yet imposed itself so overwhelmingly on our tables, Davide DeMatteis, after having managed internationally, some of the most prestigious chains in the world, as early as 2006 was offering sushi made in Puglia in his restaurant. Of course, he had learned this art from the Japanese masters, and he were the first to have the intuition of Italian-style sushi with the highest quality products , mostly from the local area, that we do not all appreciate today such as the Uramaki with goat cheese cream, purple Gallipoli prawns and semi-dried tomatoes from Torre Guaceto or the Special Maki Roll Felicity with steamed prawns, avocado, crumbs of tempura with basil outside, Hot Maio. And then let's talk about the cooking of the executive chef, the young Stefano Carcagni. The shyness of this guy, if you get to know him, goes before himselfs, but when he brings the dishes to the table, you immediately f eel that he has that ability to surprise you with pairings and balance of flavors that are appreciated for the freshness of the ingredients and the imagination in the preparation. I tasted most of them. He said small samples, as we always say in Puglia, but after that they were so good that I couldn't resist. Interesting I also found the spaghettone alla chitarra with fresh tuna, fresh tomato and lemon, amazing the pacchero with grouper sauce (which I beg you to taste) very tender instead the octopus in oil cooking seared with rosemary with homemade giardiniera 300mila, Without equal is the perfect egg cooked at low temperature , which would vary according to the season, in summer enjoyed it on "scattarisciato" tomato cream, spring onion and frisa crumble. I am aware that I am a good fork but I swear on the goodness of the table , I never joke about it, everything was really good and the place is also suitable for a seafood salad so if you are on a diet, there is certainly the right dish for you too. Davide De Matteis preparing his personal Bellini with fresh peaches. Ask for it!!!!! 10 unmissable things to do in Lecce

It was on my wish list, the Floating Breakfast , the world's most delicious and romantic floating breakfast for two served in the Infinity pool with a view Dolomiti What a tragedy to be romantic! I am just back from a romantic weekend that I wished would never end. I have been to " Chalet al Foss Alp Resort " on the Val di Sole . It was simply an unforgettable experience , one that surprised and impressed me with the ability to make dreams of love possible, at least those that could be realized while staying at the facility. The scenery was breathtaking, at the foot of the Dolomite mountains. A gift from my partner to celebrate my birthday. which he "independently" decided to give me after the 1,000th video I sent him in direct on Instagram with the words " we too... " as soon as the facility posted some thousand and one night videos. It is undoubtedly one of the most photographed locations in the region, Have a look at ther profilo Instagram .A nche noi l'abbiamo scoperto così, come gli altri ospiti a cui abbiamo chiesto. Returning to my gift I wanted to share with you how much I enjoyed receiving it especially it was nice to be pampered by a quality staff, professional and ready to fulfill my every wish. Y es because that is what it is all about, dreaming at every open is good for everyone, and they make you dream, giving you the illusion that everything is possible at least in the facility. I really felt like I was filming a Netflix series , and I thought that my romantic wishes, the ones I had as a little girl, w ere about to come true and who I was in season four. I recommend without a shadow of a doubt, if you are coming to these parts, to have at l east one of the experiences in the catalog and to book them well in advance. esperienze make it unique Chi viene qui sa di avere l'opportunità di immergersi nella natura. Non ti accorgi davvero del tempo che passa. Il mio long week end per esempio si è svolto sempre stando a mollo con la pelle d'oca per effetto dell'aria frizzantina appena uscivamo dall'acqua, provando tutte le piscine riscaldate. The mood of Chalet al foss lifestyle is to sell dreams, then everyone plays it as they see fit. There are those who want to rekindle desire and those who are just looking for some quiet and reflective moments or even those among millennials looking for the perfect social snapshot. “Mancava solo il mare”. Non l'ha detto ma sono certa che il mio compagno lo ha pensato. Davvero una piacevole scoperta, uno spaccato di vita "luxury style" che ci siamo concessi ad alta quota. DOVE SI TROVA E COME ARRIVARE Chalet al Foss Alp Resort si trova nella località di Vermiglio. Situato in una zona tranquilla della Val di Sole in Trentino, non sono ammessi i bambini sotto i 16 anni. Per raggiungere il Chalet al Foss Alp Resort, dall'aeroporto di Bari o Brindisi, la soluzione più comoda è prendere un volo per l'aeroporto di Milano Malpensa o Bergamo , o Verona (Ryan air o Wizz air). Dall'aeroporto è possibile noleggiare un'auto per raggiungere in poco meno di 3h l'hotel. In ogni caso, è sempre meglio pianificare il viaggio in anticipo per trovare l'opzione più conveniente e adatta alle tue esigenze. LA TRASFORMAZIONE DELL'HOTEL, 3 ANNI PER RINASCERE Questo hotel è stato oggetto, negli ultimi tre anni, di un’opera di riconversione non da poco, che ha portato lo chalet ad una totale trasformazione da vecchia e “tipica” casa dei visitatori frequentatori delle dolomiti trentine ad un posto di Lusso specializzato nel benessere di alto profilo con una serie di pacchetti e di esperienze che ti immergono nella grande offerta di divertimento. A chalet mixed between an underground disco , very youthful and always bubbly and in some ways tending toward sex-shop style. There is great customer care, not always taken for granted even when you pay a lot. And it is also very oriented to brand care and membership value. The only thing that cannot be changed is the presence of the highway that passes right in front of us, sometimes spoiling the fairy atmosphere of immersion in the nature Oggi l 'hotel è un gioiello con camere, da standard a top level, arredate con gusto e attenzione ai dettagli. La piscina centrale è bella da vedere da tutte le angolazioni, anche da sotto. come vedete nelle foto pubblicate. La mia camera era dotata di un balcone privato con vista sulle montagne e sul paesaggio circostante, Sul balconcino è stato bello sorseggiare in totale privacy, una bottiglia di vino rigorosamente del posto, da dove mi sono goduta la vista in tranquillità con la musica del sax che suonava live in piscina. COCCOLE & MORE. BE MY LOVER Appena arrivati ci hanno offerto subito un bicchiere di Ferrari. Tutto era innaffiato con questo spumante che dal 1902 ha fatto la storia delle cantina vitivinicola di Trento. Poi è proseguito sempre cosi per due giorni, solo che ogni bicchiere era addebitato sulla stanza. Sia dalle foto che poi quando arrivi al parcheggio, balza subito agli occhi una curata zona esterna con infinity pool con incredibile vista sul ghiacciaio della Presanella. Questa è una delle attività più esclusive per chi soggiorna. Ci ho passato due giorni alternando una sauna finlandese panoramica (dove cercavo di andare negli orario in cui non c'era nessuno) Non mk sono fatta mancare l'intero percorso benessere articolato con una zona interna con piscina, bio sauna, bagno turco e area relax in cui vi assicuro ho dormito come la "Bella addormentata nel bosco" rilassandomi come non capitava da secoli. Nella parte esterna ci sono tante piccole piscine di forma sferica, con acqua riscaldata dove è possibile immergersi e godere delle diverse angolazioni della montagna. L'esperienza di coccolarsi è indimenticabile perché ti permette di dedicare del tempo a te stesso e al tuo benessere. FLOATING BREAKFAST EXPERIENCE Il Floating Breakfast di coppia presso il Chalet al Foss was perhaps one of the best experiences of the stay much sought after by all, but difficult to find availability. You book well in advance. and you can do it exclusively from 9 to 10 , with exclusive use of the pool. Really in words it is not easy to describe this experience.. It was beautiful. In its simplicity the beauty of nature dominated. Woke up at 8:30 a.m. to crisp, fresh air typical of the mountains I n the room upon arrival was a welcome kit: a l arge branded fabric bag with two pairs of brown olore room slippers with faux fur inside (cool) and two pairs of flip-flops for activities in the spa. There were also bathrobes in the room . The pool as expected was reserved only for us and the opening time for the public was 10 a.m. At this hour the other guests, whose rooms overlook the pool, voyeur-style " Only Fans" can only watch from the window without taking part in the pool party. Joking aside, the air is cool and the pool , pleasantly warm enough to caress the skin very gently. The dive at the first step was something extremely relaxing mixed with a hint of adrenaline. Dopo qualche minuto sono arrivati due meravigliosi collaboratori della struttura ad immergere la nostra colazione galleggiante, servita su un canotto con al centro, un trionfo di frutta freschissima arricchito da tante composizioni floreali colorate tra le quali spiccavano cappuccino, croissant spremuta d'arancio e altre leccornie golose . Insomma la colazione era deliziosa, con una vasta selezione di prodotti freschi e di alta qualità, ma questa esperienza non la si fa tanto per il cibo quanto per l'atmosfera intima e romantica perfetta per una colazione di coppia. La colazione normale in Hotel è in assoluto stupefacente. Il giorno dopo, la seconda colazione era quella prevista dall'hotel. Per me che sono amante della colazione salata, l'offerta dell'hotel è stata strepitosa. Non solo per la qualità e la freschezza che vi assicuro essere di primo livello, ma anche per la vastissima selezione di cibo da scegliere ad oltranza. Una colazione da re consumata con una verticale di uova alla benedicts, affettati del posto, formaggi locali. pane tostato e crepe panna e nutella, fino a sazietà PHOTO SHOOT WITH DREAM DRESS Da appassionata di fotografia non ho saputo resistere a questa tentazione. Il mio ragazzo un pò meno "per la contentezza" ha fatto un cameo in accappatoio mentre il resto del servizio era dedicato a me. The facility provides guests, a number of couture dresses to rent. I chose the red one with a few feet of tail. Quando mi capitava un'altra occasione per poterlo indossare? Posare con un abito da sogno può essere diverte e può fare sentire una persona speciale ed elegante. Ciò che può sembrare un abito da sogno per una persona potrebbe non esserlo per un altra, l'importante è riuscire ad esprimersi e sentirsi bene oltre che se stessi nel fare le cose. I had forgotten to tell you that when I entered the room I found the roses and heart-shaped balloons on the bed. A romantic pampering, which I would have been sorry not to find after all those wonderful pictures had been looking at for months. So men, you have no more excuses, i t is up to you to choose how many petals your love is worth . The catalog is available by calling the facility , which makes this one of the most popular experiences. Poi per i miei "44 anni" numero palindromo (non posso nemmeno togliermi gli anni) volevo prendermi in giro, non essere sempre severa con me stessa e dimostrare sempre a me stessa che anche io una volta nella vita posso giocare e sentirmi una diva di Hollywood . Per tutti i dettagli scrivimi a apugliesearoundtheworld@gmail.com Il colore rosso è spesso associato all'amore e alla passione. Il rosso è un colore vivace intenso e caldo che richiama sensazioni di forza, energia e desiderio. Il rosso è anche il colore del cuore, dell'amore romantico. In sintesi, l'amore non deve essere limitato ad un solo colore o ad un simbolo, tuttavia, è bello, finchè dura.... WHERE TO EAT All'interno della struttura come avrete certamente intuito si possono gustare dei pasti favolosi. Infatti è dotata di due ristoranti dove poter cenare cucina tipica locale. Tuttavia, abbiamo optato per la cena di andare in esplorazione della zona e sperimentare quanto di buono potesse offrire LA VOLPAIA E' un azienda agrituristica che oltre agli allevamenti di animali e varie, offre anche il servizio di ristorazione. Qui tutto è a KMO. A mio avviso una esperienza contadina da provare assolutamente. Davvero molto buon il tris di primi piatti, con pasta rigorosamente fatta in casa. Cibo e piatti semplici ma tipici della tradizione del posto. Tutto era buono e perfetto Clicca qui per leggere la recensione de La Volpaia on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/cGbqGxKFAZQwmhun6 BIO AGRITUR MASO CELESTA Un agriturismo locale con produzione di formaggi (strepitosi) e allevamento di animali. La stalla è posizionata al piano di sotto del ristorante ed il pavimento è trasparente, cosi da sopra si possono vedere le mucche. La cuoca è rumena. Il maiale arrosto con polenta era davvero un piatto favoloso. come anche la salsiccia con la carne locale di allevamento e il formaggio arrosto. Clicca qui per leggere la recensione di Bio Agritur Maso Celesta on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/bKiVRkjSe3dLm8Q87

Discovering with "Viaggi Avventure nel Mondo Tour Operator" a Caribbean island with a thousand extraordinary peculiarities starting with its people The right approach for those visiting Jamaica for the first time is to know about customs and traditions of the locals. The philosophy of life in Jamaica is " don't put off until tomorrow what you might very well put off until the day after tomorrow." This phrase explain the lifestyle of the reggae land, characterized by a very leisurely pace, no stress and hustle, slow... " no problem. " So if you go somewhere to eat, keep their lifestyle in mind without playing the role of "il milanese imbruttito" after they make you wait barely an hour for the meal you ordered. Rule of survival in Jamaica: order a fantastic " chicken jerk" (a staple dish of the local culture) and wait for them to bring it to you while you drink a mango Daikiri on the beach . They will come to find you when the dish is on the table. Meanwhile on the streets they will offer you " ganja" (or try to sell it to you), in the name of brotherhood and the "Rastafarian" mood that pervades the island. Even if you are pro-weed or not, ganja, weed for short, in Jamaica while illegal, is literally part of the culture, as well as a fundamental element of the religion, a way of life according to the people who populate it. The rastafarianesimo as a way of life was also professed by Bob Marley and is rooted in history. For many, rastafarianism may simply mean moving to the beat of reggae music, but its expression of love, hope, anger, and social discontent is the real meanning of Jamaica, at least modern Jamaica, a densely populated and impoverished country, trying to redeem itself from its addiction. THE MOTHER TONGUE “Waah gwaan” was the key word of the #ioviaggioavvenure vacation. And one that I will never forget! It is difficult for foreigners to understand Jamaicans right away. They speak in slang " Waah appn'?" or "What gwaan?", Creole variants of " What's up?" or "What's going on? " both of which can be translated as " How's it going?" They are pronounced with a very strong accent and accompanied by an equally strong physical stance. Although English is the official language, they speak this Creole-English dialect "the patwah"-(broken English-) a term derived from French patois that has African (Akan and Yoruba), Spanish, Portuguese, French, Amerindian (Arawak) and Asian influences. It is important to keep in mind that the Jamaican population consists mainly of descendants of slaves from West Africa (76.3% of the total). This is followed by mixed African Americans, mainly descended from the African and European branches (15.1%) Asians (Indians 3.2%; Chinese 1.2%; Lebanese 0.1%), Europeans (3.1%). Therefore "this is a black continent" in the heart of the Caribbean, the main characteristic to remember when choosing to come here. DOVE SI TROVA LA JAMAICA Jamaica is not just a Caribbean island to visit. It is a voyage of discovery, a journey to be fully experienced by contaminating yourself with the locals. It has a its own dimension of life, completely disconnected from the reality to which we are usually accustomed. This island, is completely different in customs, traditions and landscapes from other Caribbean populations. When Cristoforo Colombo landed on the island in 1494 at Discovery Bay , between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay he described the new discovery as " the most beautiful island that human eye has ever seen ." Although very small, under 3 million inhabitants, as large as Rome 2.8 mln , slightly larger than Paris 2.10 mln, and slightly smaller than Naples, 3.02 mln , Jamaica is an island with bad road conditions, with an almost total absence of properly made roads, equally used to reach the island's locations, but making travel difficult and slow. It has an its own state, with its own government, laws and currency, It is a British colony. An Independent country since 1962. The head of state is King Charles III of England. This land in the common imagination is the home of Bob Marley, of Reggae music . Jamaicans will be forever grateful to Bob. Walking the streets, the myth of the king of reggae, is well alive. A religious symbol of the possibility of redemption for all Jamaicans. The First World Star to emerge from the Third World at least until the 2008 Beijing Olympics, then the phenomenon exploded Usain Bol t (but more commercial) and after that the Jamaican artist Shagghy who in 1995 with his track " Boombastic " won the award for Best Reggae Album in 1996. In addition to Jamaica, there are truly many Caribbean islands to visit: Barbados, Cuba, Anguilla, St. Martin, Aruba Island, Martinique, and Santo Domingo. Precisely, Jamaica is located 630 km from the Central American continent, 150 km from Cuba to the north and 190 km from the island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located, to the northeast. HOW TO REACH From Bari/Brindisi Obviously there are no direct flights you have from Rome or Milan . In any case you can reach both Rome and Milan from Puglia: by train consulting all trains from the website of Frecce di Trenitalia by plane (su Fiumicino con Ita) consulting all trains from the website of Aeroporti di Puglia From Milano or Roma To get to Jamaica there are no direct flights from either Milan or Rome. You must always make at least one stopover and in the worst case even three , considering a trip that can take from 17 hours to more than 30 hours. The main airports of arrival in Jamaica are Montego Bay and Kingston . Stopovers usually take place in New York, as in our case from Rome we traveled by United Airlines direct flight to Newark . Or stopovers in Miami with also other airlines such as American Airlines, Air France, British Airways and Caribbean Airlines. From major European capitals. There are no direct flightseither although many European cities are well connected to Kingston and Montego Bay. The cities from which to depart and reach Jamaica in less than 20 hours are Frankfurt with Lufthansa (World Adventure Travel's preferred choice) London with American Airlines , Madrid with Iberia, and Amsterdam with Delta Airlines, making one stopover in Miami, Atlanta or New York . JAMAICA MOOD Its mood is " Out of Many, One People " - " ONE LOVE " taken from Bob Marley's song for " goodbye." It refers to the universal love and respect for all people, regardless of their race, creed or color that contributed to the creation of the Jamaican people . The phrase began in Jamaica among Rastafarians, but has since spread around the world and is used in reggae and hip hop communities as a way of saying " goodbye." HOW TO MOVE . We landed in Montego Bay , which is a mess. I have Never seen an airport so packed, it couldn't hold the people. From here there are several alternatives of touring. (see map below) Begin the journey toward Negril, or stay north by moving toward Ocho Rios and continue to the northeast area of Port Antonio . Either way, you need a driver or for the brave, rent a car (not recommended choice). You drive on the right but because of the nonexistent roads and unmanageable traffic this is not recommended. For the entire vacation our personal driver was Mr. Othoniel Brown, aka O'Neill. A reliable, serious, good person with excellent taste, but above all, calm. He was able to advise us, taking us to exclusive above-average places (restaurants, markets, bars, hotels) capable of combining Western taste with Jamaican style. He was punctual and that was enough to choose him. He definitely made the difference in our vacation, acting as a mediator whenever misunderstanding (in heated tones) occurred with the locals. You will notice that Jamaicans shout, get angry, are proud and they may seem aggressive. Only to realize that theirs is just fear, lack of confidence, or perhaps a defense mechanism they carry with them from history. The two loudest women in Jamaica we met in Ocho Rios . They were shouting and railing at me, never looking at me in the eye, shouting at my date. Anyway, I leave you the contact of Mr. Othoniel Brown - aka O'Neill - if you come this way, email him before you arrive - othnielcbrown@yahoo.com - and give him my regards. Services: He provides transportation from all the vacation, for round trip to the airport, and also makes himself available for hotel reservations and suggests great restaurants. Instead, I booked from Italy the transfer service from the airport to Negril by Dudley Warren - duds24@hotmail.com A big big man with a good face but very very stubborn. He made us wait 3h at the airport in Montego Bay , because of traffic " he said" , howewer risked lynching by my group because of him. He is very helpful He provides transportation and also makes himself available for hotel reservations, which he booked for us while we were still in Italy, but which you always need to verify with written email from the hotel manager, despite his intermediation. During our days in Negril we also met an Italian guy from Novara transplanted to Jamaica - Francesco Tour Jamaica - very nice and with a dreadlock. Married to a Jamaican and who has " totally changed his life " integrating perfectly. He organizes excursions and experiences for Italians going to Jamaica . His mood " Discover the face of the real Jamaica, make the vacation within the vacation." BASIC/PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS Despite its economic backwardness, Jamaica shocked me with its high cost of living . Very high . They have a local currency, the Jamaican dollar, but prefer to be paid in U.S. dollars. In fact, prices in major tourist centers are comparable to some cities in the United States or Europe. I suggest bringing from Italy, o nly a few hundred U.S. dollars by booking them in advance from your bank . For current expenses, however, I suggest to pay in local currency. B ehind the usual clichés, however, it is not about the carefree island. It is possible to withdraw from an ATM in Jamaica, or, very important, when you pay by credit card in a restaurant ask specifically to pay in Jamaican dollars. For all other expenses such as excursions, you need to have exact amount for paying, otherwise the change becomes "tips." WORD OF ORDER : bargain, always, everywhere, with everyone. TIME ZONE There are 6 hours less than in Italy. Free WIFI, everywhere but bad. I personally bought a local DIGICEL card at Montego Bay airport with 22 USD I had internet all week VISA If you have a stopover in the US you need to arrange for ESTA: it is done online and expire in 2 years from issuance and is about 24 USD. New regulations require, for those who have traveled in the last 2 years to Cuba Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen an entry visa to be obtained from the US consulate or embassy in Italy for the modest fee of 180 USD. CLIMATE Tropical. Temperatures never too high during the day 25 to 30 degrees, fresh air in the evening. The best time to vacation in Jamaica is from December to April (Sun sets early at 6 p.m.) although you can visit year-round. ELECTRICITY Indispensable adapter. ITINERARY 29.12.2022 My trip to Jamaica began with a direct intercontinental flight from Rome to New York-Newark with an overnight stay in NY - THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEP 30.12.2022 - 03.01.2023 We landed in Montego Bay at 1:00 p.m . and it was really frenzy. A traffic jam that forced us to revise the schedule. Initially we were scheduled to visit Montego Bay , take a dip in the crystal clear waters of Doctor'Cave and then bioluminscence from Waters Luminous Lagoon. Traffic out of the ordinary led us to change our plans. We went to relax at the beach, first end-of-year swim since Tropical Beach Montegobay and here we order the first Jerk chicken of the vacation, at the Chiringuito on the beach with a Daikiri cocktail. Clear sea and white sand. We were exhausted after 78h non stop and here we started to relax. Immediately after sunset we go for a hike from Glistening Waters Lagoon . It was described as an unforgettable experience. In reality the blue luminescence is not very noticeable , for the cost per person (Usd 25 pax) i t should have been at least as blinding as the Northern Lights. They offered a drink and then let us boardinng on a boat The excursion is to take a tour of this lagoon and the bravest take a swim in the dark. The bottom is marshy. As you move your arms and feet, the water changes color, The changing color is very slight. If you can bargain on the price, then fine. Otherwise I would skip it. FIRST STOP NEGRIL In Negril you find the true Caribbean sea with blue water, almost always clear skies and a dreamy sunset that falls into the sea , visible only on this side of Jamaica.. Negril is considered the mecca of local tourism with many accommodations and small restaurants on Seven Miles beach: the longest and most beautiful beach on the island with more than 10 km of boardwalk and many small restaurants where you can enjoy your vacation taking care of your self- Hakuna Matata. In this part of the island your life takes place on the beach , barefoot, and it is incredibly rejuvenating to abandon all means of transportation except the boat for a few days. Here I suggest staying at least four days and unplugging. Enjoy lobsters, swimming and walking. We stayed at the Shield’s Negril Villas a 3-star hotel located at the beginning of Seven Miles right by the sea. Very minimal in everything but it allowed us t o have breakfast every day on the sea view terrac e. This was the reason I chose it. However, I also suggest keeping an eye on other accommodations that I discovered during my stay while walking on Seven Miles that are also more comfortable for the same price, affordable, and offer more services: - Legend Beach Hotel Very nice hotel. On the beach. Good rates at all times of the year except New Year's Eve - KUYAKA The hotel is on the beach and is fabulous very original. They have created a microcosm of the forest with wooden rooms. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and was also excellent. - Negril Beach house Condos , very cool little apartments on the beach - Barry rooms IrieStyle, very Jamaican style an experience not to be missed - Yellow Bird sea, quiet, surrounded by greenery but sea view, the hammock on the beach is the beginning of the dream - Fun Holiday Beach Resort Negril - An all-inclusive family hotel. It's pretty simple, nice and small but on the beach. With what Jamaica costs, I would think about it. The important thing is always to make arrangements before you arrive. - Rondel Village, has 56 rooms each named after a Jamicano fruit. It is grand class and the economy version costs 140 USD per night for a double room - SANDALS RESORT- A place where your dreams come true. With an ambience that melds relaxed tropical luxury with barefoot elegance in Jamaica , In Negril we spent New Year's Eve. For dinner, the guys in my group choose a very nice little bar to eat lobster the KAMARA’S RESTAURANT . For New Year's Eve, there is no Western-style celebration , but the atmosphere was equally very nice. Dinner and after dinner on the beach. Large bonfires had been set up on the sand. The various little bars at Seven Miles were playing reggae music and it was possible to stop and drink at any of them. A group of Americans were having fun with lantern lights throwing, and we asked to do that too. At midnight, Negril greeted the New Year with fireworks and it was very romantic indeed. Among the activities not to be missed in this part of the island were the drinks at Rick’s Cafè . Ideally, you should arrive by boat before sunset. A boat to take you to Rick's is also easily found on the beach. I suggest returning by BUS by arranging with driver for a pick up after sunset (it sets at 6 pm). The atmosphere is nice and staying for dinner is also very pleasant. Go there in costume bringing a pareo . The great thing is that as soon as you arrive, you see lots of people diving off the cliff and you think you want to do it too. There are various heights or watch for others to dive while waiting for the sunset. I dove from a medium height cliff while a daredevil in my group from the highest cliff. Great burgers and fries 15 USD fabulous mango daikiri 12 USD Jamaica is also famous for waterfalls as well as reggae and the sea . There are several of them. In this area we have been to YS FALLS , very very nice little ones, a sampling of the higher-ups like BLUE HOLE (ocho rios) and SOMERSET FALL (port antonio) which are sensational. We took an excursion to the small island of Bobby Cay , opposite Seven Miles. You arrive by boat, they cook for you a barbecue of Lobster, chicken jerk, rice and Red Stripe . Dudley had provided us with Captain Mickey's contact information. We had a great time and the lobster for all of us in the group was one of the best we had and is perhaps the only reason this excursion is really worth doing: Mickey'barbecue lobster. Negotiate on the price ( cost $65 USD per person ) otherwise get a boat taxi and go there just to take a swim and go eating in the on of the restaurant listed belove. Because of I am a sea lover, together with two friends, equipped with mask, tube and fins we took a long (fabulous) swim with snorkeling in which the reef was visible and swam to a private beach , gorgeous till the private beach of Point Village Resort . On the way back from Bobby Cay, we stop for an aperitif at MARGERITEVILLE . (see video above) A beachside bar where we drunk a daikiri and admired one of the most beautiful sunsets of the vacation . Any little can be perfect. at that hour with some music and drinking. No place is ever particularly crowded. Frequented mainly by Jamaicans . Amazinf frozen cocktails. We ate in lots of restaurants in these 3 days, we discoverd really interesting ones and we loved them all. We stayed in all of them. The menus are varied, from fish salads to chicken to chips and shrimp. Many dishes are coconut. All good. Prices from as low as 25 USD to as high as 35/38 USD. RESTAURANTS IN SEVEN MILES AT THE BEACH (preferably for lunch) Root’s cafè The menu is really varied. From fish to meat to salads. Great breakfasts if you want to try a typical Jamaican breakfast. It is a breakfast bar Rasta Ada Refreshment One of the best alternatives to chicken jerk and fried chicken. Vegan Restaurant. Light, vegan and really TASTY dishes. Big and rich. Eat food accompanied by mango or papaya DAIKIRI. Great Alfred’s Ocean Palace One of my favorites. Local food in a typical Jamaican atmosphere, so very spartan. No reservations necessary, go just before dinner and let them know you will be going for dinner at 7:30 p.m. max 20 Kuyaka Restaurant I f I return to Jamaica I will try to come and stay at this place . Really cozy in its simplicity. Cozy place and great food, sophisticated dishes. I really enjoyed the crab cooked souffle-like with the crust around it. The atmosphere was lovely . Compared to other places they really care about the presentation of the place with dim lights and candles. Flag City This beach restaurant has the BEST lobsters on the island (it keeps them alive on the shoreline). Lobster are big and tasty. After you try them, you won't be able to do without them. Kenny's Italian Cafe A taste of Italy in Negril that never hurts. At this venue we only stayed for a drink after dinner at Corner Bari's Woodstock bar Crowded but always organize some live concert RISTORANTI PER ESPERIENZA UNICA NELLA NEGRILDELL’ ENTROTERRA Corner Bar A cross-section of Jamaican life. Take-out food (mostly chicken jerk or fried chicken) to eat on the tables outside. It's really minimal throughout but the food is good. It is frequented only by Jamaicans. A must-do experience. TREASURE BEACH We leave Negril with regret and we moved in the direction of Tresasure Beach. (Intermediate stop). It takes 3h by bus the roads are bumpy so it is difficult to be able to keep a certain schedule. It is always subject to change depending on traffic or potholes in the road or missing signage. We stop along the way for a guided tour by APPLETON RUM ESTATE The house of the world's finest rum distillery , purchased by the Italian company Campari and employing more than 2,000 Jamaicans . We took a 3h tour with tasting and leave there drunk . (35 USD per person) but satisfied. Obligatory stop at the shop, obviously very expensive but a few rums in mignon version we managed to buy for gifts Moving around by bus on this day was a tragedy, we arrived at TREASURE BEACH after 6 p.m., after sunset and went straight to dinner at JACK SPRAT The food was great seafood and if you miss Italy and want to get the PIZZA really good for 20 USD . After dinner we go the hotel, we stayed at IRIE REST GUEST HOUSE We arrived at 10 p.m. We were warmly greeted by the owner's nephew, Chin, a young boy, very helpful he told us all about his life and gave good suggestions. Curly hair, tall, barely 18 years old but he was very helpful. As a type of facility very nice, I would say cozy, minimal though with large rooms. Surrounded by trees and greenery, close to the sea, which is "apparentely" fabulous. Unfortunately, too much vegetation leads to cockroaches in the house. E ach of us found at least 1. The air conditioning was not working. Best of all, it was a stone's throw from the sea and breakfast was good. It was fine for one night. Before we leave Treasure Beach , we go in the morning by boat to see the Floyd Pellican Bar, a hut i n the middle of the sea that we unfortunately didn't get to see at sunset (where I red before it's amazing because of the color of the sun enveloping you) By 8: 30 we were in the water bathing from BILLY’S BAY BEACH , 5 minutes walk from the hotel. There is a cool little bar that indicates you have arrived and there are colorful little moored boats . At 9:30 we are ready to set sail for the Floyd Pellican Bar . A cool place to go there I repeat only by boat at sunset. To Jamaicans cool means it makes you money because loved by western people. It looks like a hut in the middle of the sea, styled after the adventures of the mutant Kevin Costner in Waterworld, looking for the last patches of land in a waterlogged world. They advertise descrive as the coolest bar in the world, I guess if you go there at sunset it is really a wonderful place because the red of the sun conquers everyone and they make a really good chicken jerk. The background music is always that reggae music. But the hut when you get there can be disappointing. With a small tip, you get your initials on the wooden beams of the hut and it is difficult to find a small space Look at this video promo OCHO RIOS (Tappa intermedia) At 1 p.m. off the forecast , we got into the bus and set off for OCHO RIOS with the knowledge that this day would be tiring, and it really was because it was almost always by bus . From Treasure beach to get to Ocho Rios, we crossed and cut the island centrally. We covered just 70km, it took us 5h. Midway and highly anticipated stop on this vacation, 9 miles, il mausoleo di Bob Marley, Capitan Loco , a real lunatic, showed us the place where Bob Marley was born, lived 13 years (they showed us his bed and the little room where he grew up) and was buried together with his mother. Getting this house was the real journey. It closes at 5 p.m. Tickets you can buy at the ticket office on site. C ost 30 USD per person At 6:40 p.m. we get back in the bus toward Ocho rios where we arrive directly at dinner time, our driver O'Neill thankfully suggesting a nice place MONGOOSE RESTAURANT . Very nice, cozy, spacious with background music and good food. Friendly staff. We spent the night in Ocho Rios staying at MARINA VIEW . The hotel was old but clean. Breakfast was not included. The two owners were really out of their minds. They Shouted. In any case, we had a good time. I report other interesting and affordable hotels that I really liked and can be a viable alternative in this location. KG APARTMENT Silver Creek Resort Sunny View At Sandcastle Ocean Palms Resort Hotel Riu Ocho Rios Before we leave the next day, let's take a tour to the beautiful waterfalls of BLU HOLE really an experience to remember especially for the dives from great heights into the icy waters They are really fantastic and unmissable . We had a great time and were in touch with nature. You pay the 10 euro ticket per person at the entrance. Leave tips for the guides are discretionary, but HERE tips are important. Rock shoes are required. Immediately afterwards we go for a walk in downtown OCHO RIOS and for a quick stop at the market to buy some gifts and get something to eat. Lively and extremely popular. Much more modern than the previous Tresure Beach. A tour of the Ocho Rios market, a few souvenirs, time for a PITTA and then it's off for another 3 h by bus to Port Antonio. 05/07.01.23 PORT ANTONIO Around 3:30 p.m. we head to PORT ANTONIO. Almost a two-hour drive to get to this location, which in my opinion is the most beautiful after Negril. Port Antonio in my opinion i s the real Jamaican soul, the one that is still strongly tied to tradition, that does not know the mass tourism of Montego Bay and Negril. Wild, unspoiled. You need to spend at least 4 days here. We go straight for drinks at WINNIFRED BEACH a beautiful beach. On this side of the island there is no sunset at sea . This is the Jamaicans' beach probably because it is one of the few with free access. It is a large, sandy bay surrounded by dense vegetation. There is only a little hut bar on the beach where you can have a red stripe. We swam in the rain. I also swam, What a great feeling. Hotel direction for check-in. We stayed overnight for two nights at TIM BAMBOO Highly recommended. Very welcoming staff. Fortunately it was located in the central street of Port Antonio, so we could walk around by taking a walk after dinner. The first night we had dinner at Di Hip Strip Ultra Lounge Beautiful atmosphere, good food and well plated. We had fun all evening singing Italian songs on karaoke: VOLARE by Domenico Modugno and others. After taking a tour of the village market, we went by bus from Frenchman’s Cove .A famous beach, considered among the 7 most beautiful beaches in the world with d ense vegetation made up of trees, plants, streams and a river that flows past it forming a small freshwater lagoon on the left side. It flows directly into the sea. It is beautiful and named after the hotel that houses it. There is an entrance fee of 15 USD. If you want you can rent sunbeds, buy drinks or have lunch at the little kiosk on the beach. After spending the whole day relaxing in this wonderful place, we return to the hotel at 6:30 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. we go to dinner at another wonderful place that this part of Jamaica has reserved for us. WILKES CUISINE SEAFOOD The best restaurant in Jamaica . Chef Nigel does great seafood dishes, Western-style plated. Beautiful to look at and to eat . The place is tiny, but if you look out the window, you are in the water. AMAZING. A varied menu although the star dish I then chose was coconut milk curry shrimp served with ric e. Fabulous. We also invited Mr. Odoneil to join us for dinner. I suggest some activities to do in Port Antonio that we were not able to do, we needed two more days of vacation San San Beach: characterized by a long stretch of white sand and an iridescent sea with a green color. It overlooks the islet of Monkey Island which can only be accessed by boat. A fee is charged while on Saturdays and Sundays access is free Boston Bay: It is the home of jerk and surfing enthusiasts . Well-informed people have told me that when you are near this beach, a white cloud is visible accompanied by an intense smell from the mix of roasted fish, chicken or por k. That is the adjacent Boston Jerk Center! There are several hut bar where you can eat and then when your belly is full relax in the adjacent cove for a nap. The most popular HUT is the Gold Teeth. Long Beach: a large honey-colored beach with some nice little restaurants on the beach and also colorful bungalows for rent at modest prices Rich Falls (unfortunately currently closed for construction) These are much lesser known waterfalls, nestled in the rainforest and frequented almost exclusively by locals. In addition to swimming in the pools, you can swim behind the main waterfall and up it alternating between walking and swimming stretches (it doesn't always touch so consider the tour carefully if you can't swim). The water is chilly: the first impact breaks your breath because you immediately have to cross the jet stream of the waterfall. Blue Lagoon: ( also unfortunately closed for renovation) This is a volcanic crater up to 65 meters deep with emerald green water, framed by lush vegetation! There is no real beach, but rather a short jetty from which to dive into the lagoon. Admission is free of charge. Somerset Falls: unknown but apparently the most beautiful in Jamaica, in fact these I was sorry to have missed. They are small but very atmospheric especially because of the natural jacuzzi that distinguishes them 07.01.23 MONTEGOBAY – NEWARK - FRANCOFORTE - ROMA - BARI Departure from the hotel at 8 a.m. Exceptionally and kindly the hotel prepared breakfast for us at 7:30 a.m. otherwise we would not have been able to make it. It takes 4h to arrIve to the airport. The Montegobay airport also is super crowded with lines that take hours and hours. You risk missing the plane even if you are well in advance For all further info write to me manuela.lenoci@gmail.com If you want to try a sharing experience, if you want to meet new friends, if you have a spirit of adaptation, then VIAGGI AVVENTURE NEL MONDO Is the right tour operator for you

Belonging to Portugal, They are an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and America What I allowed myself in the Azores (Acores in Portuguese) was an experiential trip, immersed in nature, with enchanting landscapes (different on each island although all of volcanic origin,) rejuvenating, between trekking and bathing in the natural pools found on some islands. It is at the same time a food and wine trip, the Azores being a leader in cheese production, possessing several PDOs in Sao Jorge, a leader in wine production in Pico thanks to its special grape varieties declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Azores also leads Europe in coffee production, with a dedicated plantation in Sao Jorge 9 unspoiled islands São Miguel, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores, Graciosa, Corvo and Santa Maria, 9 islands very different from each other, but united by the beauty of the lush, almost unspoiled nature, a very rich flora and fauna and a sea of intense colors. I visited three of them, discovering the excellence and typical beauty of each. My trip started from Terceira (3 days) then went to Pico (3 days) continuing to Sao Jorge (3 days) ending the last night in Lisbon. Variable and humid weather, certainly with the humidity it was tiring to keep "hairs in the crease" during the tour, fortunately, I encountered frequent fog banks and sudden torrential rains, and no one paid attention. Cows were a constant feature of the landscape. Apparently there are about 500,000 of them in total on the islands: twice the number of inhabitants. These islands appear to visitors who may be visiting them for the first time, a veritable piece of paradise. Getting there and moving around From Italy there are no direct flights, but a stopover in Lisbon is necessary. The most prevalent low-cost airline is Ryanair. Internal flights between the islands are operated by Sata The ideal stay is with solutions in private houses or villas Travel between the islands by ferry is handled by Atlantico Line Personal driver with minibus is preferred for travel within the islands There is a 2 hr time difference with Italy (the Azores are 2 hr behind) Il mio itinerario con Viaggi Avventure nel Mondo #ioviaggioavventure First stop Terceira Island It is the third largest in the archipelago, home to the historic capital of the Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, the liveliest center for folk festivals if you want to be late at night, dating back to 1534 as well as the first place in the Azores to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. We did and saw many things on this island straddling sea life and rural life in contact with nature. The first thing to do as soon as you arrive on these islands is to find a "personal driver - tour guide" to live symbiotically with you. My "angel" in Terceira Island was Mario Mendes, nice and super professional. He "guided" us on this incredible cultural, gastronomic and naturalistic journey to discover the authentic beauty (the sweetest pampering the daily sack lunch to be eaten in always different equipped picnic areas) where to sleep What makes all the difference in a trip is where you go to sleep. In the Azores if you have a personal driver you have a better chance of choosing wonderful facilities, at honest prices, even if they are located in more remote areas or poorly served by public transportation. Casa Dos Romeiros, in August, was the best option for us (location Santa Barbara plus or minus 50 minutes by car from the center of the island, off the known circuits). A villa hotel at our complete disposal, including breakfast: modern, completely renovated, comfortable and spacious rooms almost all with private garden. Sweet and savory breakfast very plentiful, by the way, they always also turned a blind eye to the brazen and usual all "Italian" practice of making us sandwiches "for later" as the English say and emptying the fruit cart. cosa fare The activities on this island were many I suggest some of them. - Rocha do Chambre 3h trekking with medium-high difficulty for a distance of 10 km - Baías da Agualva 2h trekking medium difficulty, breathtaking ocean views with tropical forest crossings - Gruta do Natal (a 700-meter lava tube with an altar where mass is celebrated at Christmas) and Algar do Carvao (a volcanic chimney (inactive) almost 100 meters deep indeed a hole with vegetation around it, illuminated by sunlight (ticket 12 euros - last entry 17:30). These are two symbolic places that encapsulate the whole essence of the island. - Porto das Cinco Ribeiras . A dip is a must here in one of the three most beautiful natural pools in the Azores. - Touradas a Corda. Terceira islanders are literally crazy about the tourade a corda da Ilha Terceira, the Azorian version of bullfighting. They are so popular that there is an official calendar with dates, times and venues. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the party, the wine, bifanas and beer as well as the performance of the bull and the bullfighters running after it. Every year, from May to October, about 230 "touradas" take place in the streets, fields and beaches of Terceira. The Azorian version of bullfighting bears little resemblance to the more famous Spanish or mainland Portuguese tradition. Here the bull is controlled by a rope around its neck, held by six people called "pastores." The intention is not to kill the bull, but only to grab it by the horns. - Monte Brasil. Visit to the monument overlooking the island that celebrates the Portuguese occupation of the Azores. dove mangiare "Azores Comfortable" was the leitmotif of the group of vacationers I left with. A journey punctuated by waking up "never" before 9 a.m., and "meal" time always set at the first sign of contagious and simultaneous stomach "grumbling" on time every day. Eat "a lot but well." The cuisine of the Azores is rich especially in fish and seafood, with generous portions like a true Apulian trattoria. Among my favorites, I recommend dining at. - SABORES DO ATLANTICO where you should try grilled limbets served on a black plate or Lapas grelhadas., on which squeezing fresh lemon on top is a must. - O CHICO very good trattoria (perhaps my favorite. Don't miss the typical regional dish ALCATRA made with beef (the portions are large, with an order for 4 people you can eat plentifully in 8). Best beef stew in my life. - BERIA MAR fish and location intimate and excellent Seconda tappa Isola di Pico We also stayed three days on this island. If you prefer, I suggest you reach this island by a 1 h internal flight Sata Azores instead of by ferry ( 6 h at sea). The cost is about 70 euros per person. Each island in the Azores has its own charm and strength. Pico for example is nicknamed the "gray island" . It is the most volcanic of the entire archipelago rich in vineyards of immense charm, turned into black stones, dominate the landscape, This uniqueness, in 2004 led to the inclusion of the "Landscape of the Vineyard Cultivation of the Island of Pico" in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Not only because of its cultivation practices (which protect the vines from the fickleness of the Atlantic Ocean) but probably one of the most distinctive ones we find anywhere in the world, made with dry stone walls made of lava stones (currais) that demarcate small parcels of land within which the plants dwell. Here in Pico I have given free rein to my food and wine passion. For those who love wine and food like me and my traveling companions, Pico is the right place for a wine and food tour. Its wines pair perfectly with the island's gastronomic specialties and its grape varieties give rise to a fresh and light wine (white) that is produced right here Pico that the "vinho de cheiro" of the Azores. dove dormire We slept at Alojamento Bela Vista in Lajes do Pico strategically located on the harbor, close to restaurants and bars. The owner of the hotel is named Camillo. He is a handsome man of indefinite age, tall with a mustache whom you should definitely contact and visit in person as soon as you arrive on the island. (You can always find him in the souvernirs store on the harbor inside which you can also book the boat trip (Whale Watching) to spot whales from him while you are there. For a successful vacation in Pico, you need to make a "deal with the devil" i.e., the island's cabs. There were so many activities we had planned on this one and travel was essential. Camillo gave us a hand. I tried to define transportation as best I could by setting clear hourly appointments together with him, with the TAXI picking us up from the hotel every day. cosa fare - Adega Luca Amaral - Interesting wine tasting proposal (3 or 5 glasses) in a charming atmosphere in the vineyard guided by Mrs. Sandra (who became a grandmother on the day of our visit). Her family has tried, with success, to recover the prestige of wine from the verdelho grape variety by improving its production. Accompany everything with typical local cheeses. - Ilha do Pico - A visit with tasting at this Cooperativa Vitivinícola da Ilha do Pico is a very nice sensory experience. They have you taste 9 wines including Frei Gigante, T.L. Branco, Arinto dos Açores, Verdelho, T.L. Rosé, T.L. Blend, T.L. Merlot, Lajido 2003/2007 + 10 years aged). - Ilha do Pico Wine Museum - This museum illustrates the history of wine on the island of Pico and the centuries-old importance of the grape variety called "verdelho." Cost 2 euro - Whale and Dolphin Obervation - an amazing 3h experience to see whales and hope for their tail waving to come - Cella Bar - Aperitifs with an ocean view. Not to be missed. Located in Lugar de Barca, Unique design a peculiar wooden building with a curvy shape meant to remind you of the wooden barrels where wine ages. Good food and gin and tonics prepared with the local distillate. - Moinho do Monte - Climbing a mill is an incredible experience especially if from its summit you can admire the cultivations Unesco site (Igreja area) - Climbing Montana do Pico - Ascent and descent are tough (9 h total)., 2350 meters above sea level, the highest point in all of Portugal. Trekking equipment is essential. Recommended to tackle it with a professional guide who provides two poles to facilitate the walk and a GPS device per person for each participant. In the main crater is a lava cone called Piquinho, with permanent fumaroles. The heat from the fumarole at the summit is so pleasant that it makes the bag lunch sandwich even tastier. where to eat - Fonte Tavern - Buona proposta di pesce, mi raccomando GARLIC FREE, perchè esagerano - Cella Bar - Cibo di qualità e ricercato, salumi di prima scelta serviti croccanti e un po sciolti terza tappa Isola di Sao Jorge I left my heart here. São Jorge is one of the most scenic islands in the entire Azores archipelago. The most beautiful and experiential stay on the island . Nature conquers and envelops you, giving you lifeblood if it understands that you can appreciate it. It is called the island of fajãs, plains/insins originated by landslides. There are more than 40 on the island, some of which can only be reached on foot. In fact, the trails are without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best ways to get to know the island and its nature. For travel I recommend Brasil & Silva, Lda. / Virver-Viagens and Descobertas (owner Antonio) who assigned Giorgio to us as our personal driver/guide for the days we stayed. where to sleep Sao Jorge deserves to be experienced by living in this area. Kuanza Natura Experience in Faja do Belo in the Calheta region. Far from the town, surrounded by greenery, at the foot of the mountain facing the ocean. Reaching the villa the real adventure: only on foot. A 30-minute trekking route totaling 2 km - full of ups and downs and waterfalls. Fortunately, waiting for us with the ATV at the foot of the trail was BEDU, general manager of Kuanza, who loaded our suitcases and supplies of food and wine needed for our three-day stay. Every morning Bedu, brought us freshly baked hot sandwiches for breakfast. A complex of 13 villas (distant and indioendent). Ours was a villa (self caterng) surrounded by nature, with a beautiful ocean view, a swimming pool, and with a super-equipped kitchen that prompted us to always stay for dinner at home and takeout from the best restaurants on the island. On this island we also took advantage of the Government Voucher of 35 euros per person to spend on some services, transportation or participating restaurants. An incentive voucher to visit the island, which is sometimes subject to earthquake tremors that can discourage choice. cosa fare - Visita a Velas - Città principale dell’isola - Visita a Urzelina e Manada - note rispettivamente per la torre, tutto ciò che resta di un’antica chiesa che fu sepolta quando il Pico de Esperanca eruttò nel 1808 e per la Igreja de Santa Bárbara. Molto piccola ma ricca di storia, di affreschi e di un soffitto il cui tempo dedicato per vederla vale moltissimo. - Cafè Nunes a Faja Dos Vimes. Unico in Europa, produce caffè nelle piantagioni sull’isola e serve tazzine di espresso fatte con il caffè biologico prodotto dalla famiglia. Tutta la produzione, dalla raccolta alla tostatura, viene eseguita manualmente. Abbiamo in principio degustato il caffè (1 euro) non male devo dire e poi fatto una interessante visita guidata nella piantagione con Marcus (che ha ereditato l’attività) per ascoltare la loro storia e toccare con mano tutte le fasi della produzione. Sopra la caffetteria, la madre di Marcus, Alzira Nunes e sua sorella Carminda, si dedicano alla produzione di copriletti fatti ancora a mano con il telaio come una volta. Credo di aver capito che sono gli unici che continuano a produrli sull’isola. - Poca Simao Dias - Meravigliose piscine naturali in cui tuffarsi a Fajã do Ouvidor. Una delle più grandi fajã di origine vulcanica della costa settentrionale di São Jorge. Il Simão Dias è stato un vero paradiso naturale. - Visita alla Fabbrica di Formaggio UniQueijo Sao Jorge - Il viaggio alle Azzorre è stato scandito dal morso continuo e costante ai formaggi. Lunga vita al "Queijo" di quest'isola, compagno inseparabile dei momenti conviviali, soprattutto con il calice, nell'altra mano. Hanno anche una DOP. La visita guidata è durata poco più di un’ora ed è stata molto interessante. Ci hanno fatto indossare le protezioni: raccoglitore dei capelli, scarpe e grembiule. Visitare un caseificio è un vero e proprio viaggio alla scoperta del formaggio. La cosa più bella, per me, la visita ai magazzini di stagionatura dove le forme riposano e vengono curate quotidianamente in attesa del settimo, quattordicesimo e ventiquattresimo mese necessario per raggiungere le tre maturazioni dei tre tipi di formaggio dell’isola. - Visita al Parco Forestale delle Sete Fontes. Uno dei più importanti dell'isola di São Jorge, occupa un'area di 12 ettari. Ricco di vegetazione e di innumerevoli sentieri immersi nel verde che conducono a spazi ricreativi come parco giochi e un'area pic-nic. Lungo il cammino ci sono laghi e fiumi, scorci bellissimi per scattare foto fonte di gioia degli amanti della natura. E tanti animali liberi. - Fajas do Cubres e Faja da caldera do sto cristo - Un percorso stupendo a piedi che abbiamo fatto partendo da Faja do Belo dove mangiare Avendo la cucina da mille è una notte, la prima sera in questa isola ho deliziato tutti cucinando un piatto pugliese Spaghetti alla San Giovanni - O SPOT- Comes e e Bebes (pagando con il Voucher del Goveno) a base di Bifana (porchetta azoriana) - Sabores Sopranos (pagando con il Voucher del Goveno) ottimo pesce e frutti di mare Come ogni vacanza che si rispetti, anche le più belle volgono al termine. Traghetto fino a Faial e poi volo per Lisbona dove, causa ritardo del volo siamo arrivati giusto in tempo (entro mezzanotte) per un giro veloce nel cuore della città Barrio Alto dove avevamo l'alloggio. Central Hill Apartament - ho dormito in una stanza da sogno, con il letto a baldacchino nel cuore di Lisbona.

So many tourists looking for something special or simply wanting to experience, as I did, a magical evening My trip to Jamaica began with a direct intercontinental flight from Rome to New York-Newark with an overnight layover in NY. What a dream!!! And it just happened to happen to me. I got caught up in the eagerness and craziness to do anything and everything and experience every moment of this wonderful lion's night. I mentally put on standby for one night the 'Jamaican island tour that I organized as coordinator of viaggiavventurenelmondo.it and go into "NY, here I am" mode. We landed in Newark at 2 p.m. The last time I was in this city that never sleeps was 20 years ago, and I won't deny you that one of the reasons I applied to coordinate a Jamaica Express of world adventures was the one-night stopover in the Big Apple. I had never traveled with United Airlines. They were Friendly and the staff always attentive, comfortable seating and goof food. I don't know about you, but I love eating on the plane. Once again I honored the in-flight menu by not sending anything back to the galley as a sign of "respect." The coolest thing about flying United Airlines is having free wifi on board that allows you to use whatapp even at high altitude. The trip literally flew by. Between movies, reading and new acquaintances on board. The shuttles to the hotels from Newark airport, all departed from the P4 parking lot but we were too tired and eager to see NY that we preferred to get in a cab and be taken to our hotel. We arrived in 10 minutes. Choosing to get a hotel near the airport was a wise decision. Just enough time to take a quick shower and call Uber (much more convenient and cheaper than cabs) and we were already on our way to Times Square before dinner. I was excited, cold, incredulous. I was returning to NY after so many years and had been dreaming of that day for too long, to the point that as soon as he had heard about the assignment, I had already begun to fantasize. (Special Thanks to Enzo, participant of the Jamaica Express group) . My psychedelic #apugliesearoundtheworld outfit had been on my mind for some time. I was just eager to wear it and hoped there would be enough cold so I wouldn't suffer from the heat. Maybe even too cold, since an exceptional wave of bad weather hit NY in those days with temperatures below 50 degrees. Could an Apulian woman go unnoticed in the heart of Manatthan? It was out of the question. Anyway, two days before New Year's Eve the city was in absolute frenzy. It took us 3h to get to New York for a ride that usually takes 1h. As we passed under the HOLLAND tunnel that leads from New jersey to Ground Zero and is the first undersea tunnel to connect Manatthan AL NewJersey since 1927. My eyes sparkled and my heart beat wildly. From the car, the city skyline was beginning to come into view in the background. The idea that it had been 20 years since I had last been to NY, made me think of so many things, especially how quick it was to miss it and then that in those years, to go to NY from Washington DC (where I was studying) I had taken the night bus operated by the Chinese, the cheapest way at that time. Fortunately, New York is atmospheric despite the cold and the crowds. We start with a walking tour from Ground Zero. It was amazing. The site of the World Trade Center also known as "Ground Zero" in New York, is exactly where the Twin Towers once stood. Now there is the 9/11 Memorial. It is always a touching place for so many people. You can visit the 9/11 Museum and this memorial, built in memory of the 2,752 victims of the attacks. Immediately afterwards we took the subway. It remained the same, noisy dark but still quaint, as it was so many years ago. We come out at the Times Square stop: I can't contain my joy. Lights, colors, noises, bright LEDs. It's like being in a playground and I feel perfectly in tune with my surroundings and I think that for once I guessed the Outfit: fuchsia pink latex leggings from Calzedonia, padded on the inside that if I think about it I could have worn them only here without being noticed by anyone. Then walk from Radio City and Rockefeller Center symbolic place of the big apple, where at Christmas time, in Rockefeller Plaza, between 5th and 6th Avenue, and bounded by 48th and 51st Street, they set up the most famous Christmas tree in the world, over 25 meters tall, decorated with 45 thousand lights and with a huge Swarowski star to shine on the tip. Finally Broadway, (getting lost and finding ourselves again and again) the lines were endless and we stopped for dinner at a cool place I had discovered on Instagram from the stories of my favorite Apulian travel blogger, Manuela Vitulli, who was in NY in those days and luckily, on the first night with new friends, I immediately made a splash. ELLENS STURDUST - We were literally overwhelmed by the atmosphere. The waiters are Broadway singers and they come up to the tables staging a real show of the highest order. There is a long line at the entrance but it flows smoothly. We waited, it was really worth it. An incredible night where I wanted to do so much more. I said goodbye to NY this time with a see you soon Then straight to the hotel. I had booked it close to the airport anticipating a very taken departure in the morning, to avoid the 3 a.m. wake-up call. Clean, modern and just right for one night. Included self-service breakfast with coffee or tea for all. If you find yourself having a layover around here it's called the HAMPTON INN & SUITES ELIZABETH NEWARK AIRPORT. .

The city of Monopoli ONAIR on Radio Monte Carlo for the traditional sunrise swim on Sept. 1, 2022 Tra eventi vicini e luoghi lontani, il viaggio-blog di Maurizio sbarca a Monopoli, in provincia di Bari per far conoscere ed apprezzare le novità e le diversità di questa terra. Ascolta il racconto andato in onda in diretta su RADIO MONTE CARLO il 1 settembre 2022 Ecco la DIRETTA su Radio Monte Carlo Clicca sul link per vedere le foto in spiaggia all'alba di Manuela Lenoci - apugliesearoundtheworld Special Thanks a Maurizio di Maggio (Radio Monte Carlo) Da bambina ero solita fare il bagno all'alba del 1 settembre con i miei zii, al Capitolo, che per i Monopolitani della mia generazione era "la sbarra" per intenderci. Mettere i piedi nella acqua di mare era di buon auspicio per una buona salute in vista dell'arrivo dell’autunno e dell’inverno. Questa tradizione è ancora molto sentita dai Monopolitani tanto quanto il più blasonato "rito dell'affascino" che ogni pugliese esorcizza a modo suo. Anche quest'anno c'ero ed eravamo davvero in tantissimi a crederci ancora. Mi è piaciuta la scelta del sound (nel video postato è quello originale).... profondo, accattivante un crescendo sonoro di musica antica ed elettronica (nonostante il rumore di sottofondo) grazie Gabriele Larssen Industrie Panico per averci accompagnato nel magico clima dell’aurora adriatica con Alba di note per Ritratti Music Festival Special thanks Monopoli Turismo Seguimi su wwww.manuelalenoci.com #apugliesearoundtheworld #weareinmonopoli #1settembre

On display the original screen prints that have decreed the global success of one of the most complex, brilliant and intuitive artists of our century "When the time comes to go, walk away in silence, without making a fuss." For a long time I had wanted to see the original screen prints that have made Bansky the global success, the British artist, one of the most complex, brilliant and intuitive of our century. I took advantage of the beautiful temple to enjoy the last rays of September sun in Salento and stroll through the historic center, which in this period is usually fabulously pleasant. Visit the exhibition. among other things, I learned that the Castle of Otranto is the first Gothic novel in history as well as the symbol of the city, In fact, this majestic and ancient Castle gave the title to the first Gothic novel in the history of literature: The Castel of Otranto by Horace Walpole, from 1764. The first milestone within a very long and flourishing literary tradition, set precisely in the city of Otranto was born from the attempt to combine romanticism with a natural style. In recent years, it has been transformed into an ideal location for hosting exhibitions and events, such as Bansky's exhibition in Otranto, which allowed me to see two of the artist's outstanding works: icons of his production, Girl with Balloon, (girl who makes the balloon fly away) a 2004-05 silkscreen print on paper, voted in 2017 as the most beloved work by Britons, and Love is in the Air, the stencil depicting a young man throwing a bouquet of flowers. In the body of work on display, there are also other particularly interesting pieces such as Virgin Mary, also known as Toxic Mary, a silkscreen print on paper from 2003 that some say represents Banksy's harsh critique of the role of Religion in History, or the series of rats, metropolitan animals among the most iconic for the British artist, (Get Out While You Can; Gansta Rat Love) made with spray and acrylics on plywood after 2000. But also the silkscreen print Barcode (2004), the first image in which Banksy uses barcodes, which he would later exploit in other works, and again Laughnow (2003), with one of the recurring subjects, namely the monkey, used to testify to man's arrogance towards other living species. Tutte le info a questo LINK - INFO MOSTRA

In Puglia, a Monopoli (Ba) le magie accadono davvero perchè questa è una terra che crede ancora nelle favole A molti farà ricordare il successo di Matteo Garrone, Pinocchio, girato in Puglia, con Roberto Benigni nel ruolo di Mastro Geppetto, Per noi pugliesi, o meglio, per noi monopolitani, è un posto magico (degno della scena dell'incontro di Pinocchio con la Fata Turchina) di proprietà privata ma di dominio cittadino, che speriamo resti ancora per molto "il posto segreto" ad uso esclusivo dei più bravi conoscitori di questa litoranea. Infatti non vi fornirò le coordinate precise per andare a farvelo scoprire. Vorrei solo parlarvi di questo miracolo della natura, quasi sconosciuto, anche a me che l'ho scoperto durante il periodo di quarantena forzata, facendo jogging (unica attività consentita) con un amico monopolitano puro, che vive da oltre 25 anni all'estero. Il posto era nascosto a sud di Monopoli. E solo se sei pratico della zona riesci ad arrivare. Ho fatto due scoperte. La prima è lo splendido e unico “lago di Santo Stefano”: specchio d’acqua ovale collegato al mare attraverso un canale sotterraneo. I suoi colori sono pazzeschi, si riflette il cielo. L'ho ribattezzato il posto segreto (per gli amici). Anche se quelli della mia generazione, ci andavano con la fidanzatina per fare subito bella figura. E poi camminando tra una fitta vegetazione, il miracolo. Una grotta con al centro un lucernario e un carrubo (quella ripresa da Garrone nel Film di Pinocchio). Non ho indicazioni storiche chiare e precise da fornire, ma ogni tanto lasciamo alle cose e ai luoghi quella punta di mistero che li avvolge. So solo che il posto era davvero magico soprattutto perchè segreto.

Nel ristorante di Trani, l'indomabile onda dei sapori, raccontata in un ciclo di incontri conviviali Non solo il gusto, ma tutti i sensi sono capaci di influenzare la nostra esperienza quando mangiamo e beviamo. Sono una buona forchetta, amo mangiare bene e quello che sento al primo morso o al primo sorso, per quanto mi riguarda è l'unica cosa che conta...per dire se qualcosa mi piace veramente. Cibo o persone. La regola è sempre la stessa. Se mi piaci lo sento subito. Per scoprire quanto ci sia da “sentire” a tavola Ognissanti ha organizzato un ciclo di cene sensoriali a cui era presente il gotha del Lifestyle culinario pugliese. Gli eventi sono stati organizzati in collaborazione con il mio amico Mario Bolivar, (che ne ha curato la VIP LIST) eclettico giornalista nomade, conoscitore delle migliori cucine pugliese, frequentatore dei salotti bene delle masserie più IN che questa regione può offrire, noto negli ambienti più formali come autore di alcuni manuali dedicati alla cucina. (In foto da sx Pierapaolo Sammartino, Manuela Lenoci, Mario Bolivar) Sono stata ospite della serata dedicata "all'udito" quella con lo "chef star’ tra i più prestigiosi della scena gourmet, nei panni inediti di dj, Remo Capitaneo, Ero seduta ad un tavolo degno di nota, strategicamente posizionato nei pressi del bancone del bar, dove Andrea Malcangio, il bar manager del ristorante, ci deliziava in continuazione, se non altro per la vicinanza al tavolo, con Muma tonic, GIN con tintura di acqua di mare e conchiglia. Degustare cibo e vino rendendo protagonista ogni volta un senso differente è stata una trovata del ristorante Ognissanti che ho apprezzato davvero molto. La location è accogliente, la cucina a vista, gli chef Danilo Partipilo e Fabio Palumbo si sono ingegnati ogni volta per riuscire a mantenere sempre quel giusto equilibrio tra menù, dj set, e nettare degli idee. Il mio alimento preferito è stato il pane (fatto in modo tradizionale dagli chef del ristorante). Sono pronta a giurare che l'ho inserito nella mia top list dei primi 10 carboidrati più buoni in assoluto che abbia mangiato nella mia vita. Si sposava bene con tutto ma soprattutto mangiarlo semplicemente puro, è stato il vero piacere dei sensi. Riesco ancora a sentire la freschezza del piatto con il gambero rosso, Un piatto bello da vedere ma soprattutto da mangiare: insaporito con ciccioli di maiale soffiato, maionese di broccoli, colatura di gambero e polvere di limone. Il menù buonissimo ma anche il resto della serata e il day after davvero niente male. E dopo una bella serata ed una lunghissima giornata, sono riuscita ad andare a dormire, ero davvero stanca ed un tantino ubriaca, Naturalmente non dovevo guidare. quella sera, perchè ero nella VIP List. La mia stanza era una delle suite vista mare dell'hotel. Molto spaziosa e accogliente. La luce naturale al mattino e la vista del mare hanno reso la mia notte in questa stanza un vero angolo di paradiso. Ma a svegliarmi e rendere magica la mia giornata, è stata la colazione in camera. Sento bussare alla port, Toc Toc, ed erano le 8 am. Vedo entrare un carrello pieno di ogni bontà. Tutto era abbondante. Ho apprezzato infinitamente e subito, la colazione salata, Successivamente ho continuato a degustare tutto il resto, al termine della day spa prevista nel mio programma. giornaliero (da Ognissanti sono stata coccolata da tutti i punti di vista). Sicuramente l’esperienza della prima colazione, se di alto livello come questa è l'esperienza più bella e gustosa da fare in albergo e che ne decreta il ritorno. Il centro benessere Ognissanti è il luogo della quiete, offre diverse esperienze: la stanza del sale, le docce con cromoterapia, il bagno turco, la sauna e la piscina. Le ho provate tutte e soprattutto completamente in esclusiva per me. La piscina si affaccia sul porto. Buon divertimento.

Edizione 2021 nel segno del Rock del maestro Enrico Melozzi. Con Madame, Il Volo ed Al Bano voce narrante Questa è stata la Notte della Taranta di #apugliesearoundtheworld trascorsa nel backstage ad incontrare i grandi musicisti e protagonisti del festival della musica popolare salentina. Ero follemente emozionata. Una sensazione che provo ancora adesso se ci ripenso. L'edizione 2021 della Notte della Taranta è stata all'insegna del valore della libertà, della voglia di rinascere, del coraggio di andare in scena nonostante tutto e di suonare e far vibrare i tamburelli. La forza ancestrale della pizzica e la bellezza della Puglia. Come le notti estive che solo questa meravigliosa terra è capace di regalarci, unica e magica è stata per me e per altri 1000 fortunati, quella de La Notte della Taranta a Melpignano con tanto spettacolo e musica. Questa edizione numero 24 sarà ricordata anche perchè ha riportato il pubblico in piazza nell'ex convento degli Agostiniani, dopo i mesi difficili del lockdown La manifestazione si è aperta con la "pizzica della liberazione", un brano scritto dal maestro concertatore Enrico Melozzi, un inno in chiave rock, che porta il ritmo della terra salentina. Intensa e appassionata la voce narrante di Al Bano insieme alle due orchestre: l'Orchestra Popolare La Notte della Taranta e l'Orchestra Notturna Clandestina. Super ospiti il trio Il Volo, che si è esibito cantando in grico. A fare da "padrona" sul palco è stata Madame, la più giovane maestra concertatrice, ha cantato e ballato, interpretando intensamente i brani della tradizione e il suo Marea, riarrangiato per l'occasione con innesti del brano salentino "Aaria caddhipulina". Il concerto si è chiuso con la pizzica di Aradeo che mi ha emozionato tantissimo E guardandomi intorno, si percepiva nell'aria la voglia di libertà, di rinascita e di ricominciare a vivere che riecheggiava nell'animo della gente incantata dalle sonorità, dalla bellezza delle luci ma ancora troppo timida per lasciarsi andare alla normalità.

Ad Alessano per scoprire un boutique hotel riemerso nel cuore del borgo antico grazie a un importante intervento di riqualificazione dell'immobile Sono stata la Dama di questa “Corte” - Corte Manfredi - per un intero fine settimana. Amo questa terra, i suoi colori, i suoi profumi, la sua storia. Mi sono ritrovata a percorrere le viuzze della @cittadialessano un piccolo borgo del @salento_official_page guidando una fiat500clubitalia (d'epoca) . Che esperienza!! Dall’accensione dell’auto alla retromarcia che non sono mai riuscita a ingranare. (mi hanno spinto mentre ero con auto in folle). Ho trascorso un week end rilassante in questa un’antica dimora salentina, che ho scoperto per caso in quanto ubicata nella omonima strada dedicata a don Anselmo Manfredi, Canonico della Cattedrale di Alessano e capostipite di una delle famiglie più illustri del tempo. In passato era una "dimora a corte", oggi è diventata una chicca, una dimora di charme a seguito di un importante lavoro di recupero che le ha donato una nuova vita. Guardate con i vostri occhi: Prima e Dopo Spesso gli amici mi chiedono come faccio a stare sempre in giro, alla scoperta di posti nuovi e senza "apparentemente" fermarmi mai. A mio avviso, sbagliano la domanda, non dovrebbero preoccuparsi di come faccio a stare sempre in giro, ma solo di come bisogna essere per farsi travolgere dalle emozioni che ti portano a stare sempre in giro. Curiosità ed entusiasmo. Due parole che scatenano in me, da sempre, un sentimento incontrollabile che mi spinge a guardarmi attorno alla scoperta della realtà che mi circonda. Vi confido una cosa. Grazie alla mia curiosità sono nate sempre grandi cose, grandi amicizie, grandi amori..ma anche grandi delusioni. C'è sempre un risvolto della medaglia. Il mio desiderio di conoscere e di scoprire nuove culture ha stravolto in alcune occasioni il mio mondo. Vi racconto un aneddoto. Il mio nickname quando vivevo a Roma era "bella festa". Mi fu dato da un caro amico, pugliese ma trapiantato a Milano, che alla fine di una delle mie tante feste organizzate a Roma "quando ero ancora under 30", con fare sognante e tono suadente esclamai "ragazzi che BELLA FESTA". Da allora sono bella festa, che se ci pensate è una cosa davvero entusiasmante, tra l'altro, mi definisco una persona curiosa ed estremamente entusiasta. L'entusiasmo lo percepisci subito. Mi comporto sempre come se ogni cosa la facessi per la prima volta, non mi fermo quasi mai alle apparenze e soprattutto non mi accontento mai dei rapporti superficiali. Amo e desidero creare un feeling particolare con la gente che mi circonda e nei rapporti interpersonali. Che dire, autentica, così come la Corte che ho avuto il piacere di scoprire in questi giorni Una donna curiosa è una donna da sposare. (Gary Stone) Il bello di Corte Manfredi è che tutto è rimasto come allora. Le abitazioni che un tempo caratterizzavano questa struttura (vedi la gallery) oggi sono state trasformate in stanze, ciascuna con i propri servizi e le proprie peculiarità, e ne conservano l'antica numerazione. Oggi Corte Manfredi è una struttura ricettiva con un design ricercato ma autentico, minimal ma con tutte le comodità senza perdere di vista il fine più profondo: rispettare la storia e far rivivere, anche con piccole cose, il passato di quest’angolo di Alessano La colazione salentina poi davvero è stata la ciliegina sulla torta. Sul terrazzino privato, in totale silenzio dove nessuno poteva disturbarmi (considerato che è noto a tutti che noi del segno dei pesci la mattina siamo intrattabili) mentre degustavo (non è vero lo mangiavo con tanta voglia) il rustico leccese che tanto amo ed i pasticciotti caldi appena sfornati. Location @cortemanfredi Video @campanellaroberta Foto @fj_orlando Outfit @naftalinastore Un grazie speciale a Federica e Massimiliano ❤️