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What is Italy to you?

Mario Monti? Technocrat supremo and recent replacement for bunga bunga? Or will Italy always be pizza and gondoliers, mafia and ice cream, mozzarella and Pompeii with some linguini thrown in with the Lambretta and Leonardo da Vinci?

Whatever your reasons, now is not the time to forget the good and great things about that wonderful paradox called Italy!!

Browse the extensive listings here at Mirandasbeach and perhaps you will bag a real treat. And to celebrate you can knock back a nice glass of Chianti just like I am about to do right now!

2012 Holidays in Italy Start Here !!

Happy New Year!! 2012 will see the Chinese Rabbit move over for the Chinese Dragon on January 23rd but forget all that, it's time to start thinking about the most important leisure activity of your year - your holidays. Mirandasbeach is here to help - and the assistance that sites like ours can give is often invaluable, with independent ideas, brimming with variety and so simple and easy to browse.
So whatever your 2012 holiday aspirations - adventure, luxury, family self catering, camping, indoor pool, beach or something completely different, have a good look round and hopefully you will find something that you cannot resist!
And if double dip doom and gloom are getting you and your pocket down then rest assured there is plenty here at Mirandasbeach that has been chosen for it competetive pricing - we are all feeling the pinch except the super rich - and in my business plan I do not have the super rich down as my key target audience - perhaps I'm doing something wrong!!?

Piedmont and Turin - you'll love it!

So, you are looking for a European holiday destination with a difference? We suggest you consider a region in Northern Italy called Piedmont. It has some alluring charms such as beautiful countryside, classic Italian food and great local wine. And in some parts at least it is still suprisingly off the usual tourist track. Piedmont also has an amazing city, Turin, with over 2 million residents in the Greater Turin area and a high profile following the 2006 Winter Olympics with great architecture and great buzz.

The word Piedmont means foot of the mountains and, as you would expect, it describes the region. You would have been suprised, I think, if I had said it meant sandy desert, which it does not resemble. However do not expect a full Mediterranean climate, it gets the hot summers but the winters are very cold. Turin is bang in the middle of the region surrounded by hills and mountains.

Going baack to the food for a moment, which I so often do, you'll often find in the Piedmont region that there is a lot of French style cooking on offer. This is partly because it was ruled by the French House of Savoy for over five hundred years. Chocolate is big in Turin, they even claim to have invented solid chocolate and you'll find all sorts of chocolate drinks to savour.

I think you'll agree that you should consider this region of Italy, and perhaps it can compete with some of the more famous areas like Tuscany and Umbria.

Try these sites to start with ...

3 lovely Holiday Apartments in Piedmont
Piedmont Farmhouses
Italy Heaven - Turin

Fantastic Umbria

Umbria is known as "Italy's Green Heart" and is one of the very few landlocked Italian regions with a its mixture of landscapes, mountains, rivers and plains. Umbria's cuisine is world renowned and is based on its own agricultural staples of olives, wheat, grapes and not forgetting the famous black truffle.

Similar in its stunning beauty to its northern neighbour Tuscany but not as well trodden, and therefore a pleasure to visit, even in the height of summer. There are so many picturesque medieval hill towns you could spend weeks trying to discover all their secrets!

Don't rule out a trip in the winter, yes it can be rainy and sometimes it snows, but a lot of the time it is fine for long walks with the smell of wood burning and the fresh air in your lungs. Your appetite can gently build as you anticipate a fantastic meal in some smal restaurant serving fine Umbrian cuisine.

Try these links for some Umbria getaway ideas:
www.ilecci-villas.com
The Villa People - Umbria
Where to Stay in Umbria

Go Sicily

If you want to learn a bit more about what Sicily has to offer then a good start is the Sicily guide on the GoSicily.com site. With writeups on around 30 of the top destinations in Sicily, which are relatively brief and to the point, you'll get a good idea of what a wonderful and varied place this is. GoSicily can further tempt you with accommodation listings for Sicily.

Cooking in Tuscany

For prices from 1650 Euros to about 2650 Euros for a week long thrilling Italian culinary experience, you should have a look at TuscanyCookingCourses.com because this could be just what you are looking for. There are a number of offerings ranging from wine tasting to full on cooking courses and even triathlon training. The philosophy of the cuisine is fine fresh ingredients finely tuned and cajoled into some of the most popular dishes in the world - its amazing what you can achieve with some mozzarella, basil and Chianti ! This kind of holiday takes a bit of a leap of faith into the unknown, but can be an exhilaratingly different kind of holiday, an antedote to the normal beach or city break. What better country that Italy to get some fine wine and cooking tuition in ? Go on, its not all about Pizza ...

Italy - Italy - Italy

I love Italy. I think Italy loves me. You have got to go there and you'll see why ! I have enjoyed such wonderful times in Tuscany, Sienna, Rome, Naples, Sicily, The Italian Riviera, Venice, Milan, Florence and Turin. The Italians have always been so lovely with my children, making restaurant meals a great family experience. The climate is so warm, the countryside so inviting, the history so pervasive, that it is hard not to just throw it all in and move there ! If you want to go on holiday to Italy then you must visit Holidays In Italy - the home of variety, choice, inspiration and value holidays to this fantastic country for the last five years.

Discover San Pietro

San Pietro is an island of 19 square miles off the South coast of Sardinia with a history, people and dialect, not Sardinian, but Ligurian. It is relatively undiscovered and this is why it could be the perfect place to get away and see something new in Italy. Read this Observer travel article for more of a flavour on what to expect if you do get on the 30 minute ferry crossing from Porto Vesme or Calasetta:
www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/jun/15/italy.europe

For a list of Hotels in the islands main town Carloforte visit www.vacans.com/en/italy/hotels/carloforte.aspx

Carloforte (pictured above) is a jostling pretty port where you'll find good food and drink including the local crispy pancake, farinata.

Links:
http://www.carloforteholiday.com/english.php
http://www.sardiniatourism.com/carloforte.php
A Holiday on San Pietro Feels Like A World Away

The Wonderful Italian Lakes

The Italian lakes are up in the north of Italy and have attracted many types of tourist over the years. Of course the prime reason for coming to enjoy an Italian lake holiday is the quiet beauty of the surroundings which can offer a chance for real relaxation. Others will be more inclined towards the water sports, walking and cycling and of course you can combine the two aspects, making it a dream holiday all round.

The amazing landscapes of the Italian lakes holiday region are guaranteed to impress. The famous lakes are Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore and they are all worth a look. If you want to learn more then try our new Italian Lakes Holiday section.

Plan your 2008 Italy Holiday

Here at Holidays in Italy there are plenty of holiday ideas for 2008 to keep you busy browsing through the cold winter evenings. We have included sections for those of you looking for something different this year, such as Activity Holidays, Art and Cooking and Horseriding as well as the familiar staples like Golf and Camping. Don't forget to bookmark this site.

We also recommend you read some of the excellent Italy holiday online guides on the web. The Daily Telegraph Italy 2008: Planning Guide is a must visit, and the following are among our favourites:

Guardian Travel Italy Section
Word travels - Italy Travel Guide
World66 Travel Guide - Italy
Real Travel - Italy

Happy hunting ! Happy Italian Holidays in 2008 !

Saddle up Italian style !

What connection do you make between Italy and horses - not the horses head in the mafioso bed I hope ! Well that was the USA, not Italy, and we are here to entice you to enjoy living horses in the Italian countryside. There is nothing quite like the exhilaration of horseriding and when it is accompanied by some of the most beautiful landscapes, friendly hosts and plenty of fine food and wine, it can all add up to a holiday you will want to do again and again ! Here at Holidays in Italy we have a fine selection of Holiday sites and links specializing in Horse Riding in Italy - click the link and take a look !

Venice - Luxury or Budget

Venice - luxury or budget, is somewhere you have to see before you die. Out of the main summer season maybe, to avoid the real big crowds and sweltering heat. Now, it can be expensive, and for the lucky ones this is not a problem, in fact its a pleasure - so why no ramp up the pleasure potential at the Capriani:

This is an Orient Express hotel with views from the deluxe all-suite annexes of the Venetian cityscape, the campanile of St Mark's and the Doges' Palace on the horizon. This place is a haven of exclusivity and carefree luxury, five minutes away from the bustle of St Mark's Square private boat across the lagoon, set in formal gardens on the small island of Giudecca. It boasts an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a tennis court and health and fitness centre with a sauna, steam bath and gym. There are four restaurants and three bars, "mmmmmama mia !"
Now thats the luxury - what about budget Venice - can you do that ? - well there are some cheaper hotels, obviously, but some are better than others. The Hotel Meridiana is a three star on Venice Lido (the 12-km-long sandy island that protects Venice from the fury of the Adriatic Sea - when it gets furious) - only 100 metres from the beach and a 20 minute boat ride to central Venice. But that is still going to set you back 120 Euros (about £80 or $160) for a double room and I do not call that budget ! So what about a real Budget break in Venice ? You can of course try the Hospitality Club which brings together friendly people all over the world and then you can pay nothing for your accommodation, and see what choices there are in the Venice area. Or try hostelbookers.com , our link takes you stright to the Venice page and there are some bargains there - with hostels and cheap hotels, some near the centre, from 20 to 40 Euros per night.

Farmhouses in Tuscany

Sometimes you have to go for the obvious, a farmhouse in Tuscany. Everyone knows that Tuscany is the English aspirational middleclass get-a-way idyll, but cut-a-way the hype and drop the "keeping up with the Jones's" and you'll find a dramatically beautiful holiday destination for the whole family. Casa Toscana Holidays has a mouthwatering selection of some of the region's best farmhouses and there are always special offers and last minute offers. There is also a large choice of other types of properties.

Other Tuscany Farmhouse sites:
http://www.tuscany.org/Accommodation/Farmhouses/
http://www.invitationtotuscany.com/typeresults.php?Type=7
http://www.agriturismo.net/tuscany/

The Amalfi Coast and Scicilian National Parks

The Amalfi Coast on a budget
It has been a magnet for the rich and famous for 50 years, but you don't have to be wealthy to enjoy Italy's most celebrated shoreline. John Brunton has a miser's guide to the millionaires' coast
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/may/06/escape.italy


Scicilian National Parks
o In Sicily there are 3 big Natural areas and other little ones.The first one in The Etna Park. Mount Etna is not only a Volcano but it has also a lot of paths and trekking itineraries in the nature. The best one are the Excursions on the summit craters on the South side in Catania.
o The second park is the Nebrodi Mounts, between Messina and Catania. This park is full of forests. A four wheel drive and a good map are recommended.
o The last park is the park of Alcanara river which was formed in a lava eruption a thousand years ago. The river is walkable.More info here: http://www.volcanoetna.com/

Beautiful Sardinia !

On 24th April we (family of 4) arrived in Sardinia for a really-enjoyable-family-bonding holiday in one half of this house:
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/orosei-nuoro/3274
It is within walking distance of lovely sandy beaches.
It was hot (28 degrees C -perfect for me)– Ben got burnt on the first day and had to cover up for the rest of the week. Here he is lying on Volleyball beach.
He learnt never to underestimate the sun even in April!
It was a good time to go as it wasn’t crowded. Volleyball beach was about 100m walk away down a flowery path where there is a nice beach bar shaded by creepers and vines.
There were lots of holiday homes in the area with pretty gardens surrounded by pine trees.

We brought instruments and played music and painted after the beach then we ate dinner on the terrace. Later we walked to the ice cream bar and bought various delicious ice creams and sorbets which the children were promised - if they were good!
Because it was hot we went to the beach every day instead of touring. By the afternoon the sea had warmed up enough for me to swim in– but the kids played in it all day.
The supermarket is a drive away. A car is recommended.
This property is safe for children as the garden is gated and the owners are very friendly.

Seafood Restaurant, Sicily

Ristorante Trappitu, Cefalu, Sicily
Restaurant in a converted oil mill with much-coveted terrace overlooking the sea (the views are beautiful but, more importantly for Italians, it's outside so you can smoke). The main attraction is the lobster, clams, sea bass, cuttlefish and just about anything else that can be removed from water with a net, pot or hook. But it's also a great place to come to watch people make idiots of themselves: get a table in the atmospheric stone-walled interior (much more room, aircon), order a prosecco and watch as the beautiful people attempt to beg, threaten or bribe their way on to the terrace. We saw cash, fags and what looked like an offer of sex, but the maitre d' stood firm: no prenotazione, no prime preening spot. Via Bordonaro 96

There's a scattering of B&Bs in Ginostra, a remote village on the Aeolian island of Stromboli. Try Luna Rossa who'll arrange for a donkey taxi to carry your luggage up to the guest house. · ginostraincontro.it.

Up Pompeii !

Pompeii - the Roman City frozen in time after the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius is considered by many to be the most important archaeological site anywhere in the world. So it has to be on my list of places to see before you die, and if you can do it I believe you will not be dissappointed. To get a feel for what you will see there we have put together here a number of important Pompeii links - and it is the photographs on these sites that will be the most inspiring - it really is different from other sites that have decayed over thousands of years and it gives real insights into the lives of Romans, rich and poor, as they were in the year 79AD when everything stopped in this thriving city.

You can take Pompeii in as part of a holiday in Southern Italy. Naples is near and there are plenty of villas and hotels in the area.

Interesting Pompeii Links:

Michael Cole's Pompeii Tour
The Forgotten City of Pompeii - Tour of Italy for the finacially Challanged
The Current Archaeology Interactive Map of Pompeii

Bloo Mountain's Pompeii photos - Some lovely photos on Flickr
HeavenUpHere's Pompeii photos - More lovely photos on Flickr (the images here are from this collection).
Pompeii - Stories from an Eruption - website for an 2006 exhibition packed with info, interactive timeline and pictures

If you are looking for Holiday Villas in the Naples - Pompeii area try these links:

http://www.apartments2book.com/naples8.htm
http://www.holidaylets.net/properties-in-naples/3/316
http://www.italy-weekly-rentals.com/WEBPAGES/NAPOLI.htm
http://www.gumtree.com/london/01/8139101.html

And try here for a list of Naples Hotels

Biodynamic Wine Holiday

In Liguria Stefano Belotti has been producing biodynamic wine for 20 years. Biodynamic agriculture is the oldest consciously organic approach to farming and gardening and is one of the most sustainable in existence. It is founded on a holistic and spiritual understanding of nature and the human being and builds on the pioneering research work of Rudolf Steiner.

Now his Cascina Degli Ulivi are among the most highly regarded Gavi wines.
You’ll find his beautiful winery 50 km north of Genova near Allesandria, where you can visit and stay, he’ll even cook you dinner if you call first 0039 (0) 143 744 589.
http://www.cascinadegliulivi.it/ (this is in Italian, but the English version of the site is under construction and will be available soon at http://www.cascinadegliulivi.it/english/eng.htm)

Perfect Holiday Getaways to Italy !

Throughout Italy the people are friendly and open and in places like the Apennines and the Madonie mountains in Sicily foreign tourists have rarely been seen. Traditions live on too, in the form of country fairs, processions and superstitions.
The scenery is varied and beautiful ranging from the Dolomites to the hills of vineyards of Piedmont, and to the glittering waters of Lake Garda and Lake Iseo. Why not walk the “ancient route of the gods” between Bologna and Florence.

A Florentine Christmas Break Sounds Rather Good

It’s almost Christmas, why not get a late deal to Florence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The architecture is stunning and because, most of it is so old, doesn’t tower above you – it is human size. Take a moments contemplation in the quite monks’ cells where you can let the tranquility of the paintings by Fra Angelico wash over you.

Every year in the historical center of the city, a variety of festive holiday events are planned to celebrate the Christmas season. Among them: a special exhibition of masterpieces by Tiziano, Boticcelli and others in the Uffizi Gallery.
Breathtaking palaces and trees are lit with twinkling lights, Pinocchio will be present to meet the kids, and a finale celebration with performances and treats for all.
Large screens in the main city piazzas will inform visitors on all the Christmas events they can enjoy. Admission varies by event.

For Florence tours:
http://www.viator.com/Florence/d519-ttd

Florence breaks by train would be a lovely way to get there (there’s something about train journeys that are seasonal and romantic):
www.railbookers.com/breaks/italy/florence

Get Florence travel and vacation advice from over 700,000 VirtualTourist members. Post a Florence travel question and get unbiased, timely answers and insights from real travelers and Florence locals.

For details on the traditional Italian Christmas:
www.initaly.com/regions/xmas/xmas.htm

Christmas and New Year in Italy :call Italian Getaways 0871 871 0071


For the latest Readers offers in the Guardian:
travel.guardian.co.uk/readeroffers/italy

For Italian winter getaways:
www.cyberrentals.com/Italy/r39.htm

Italy, a great holiday destination

Italy is alluring, Sophia Loren with Alpine Mountains and La Dolce Vita on the Riviera with a Lambretta eating Pizza. Maybe also it is Europe's most complex destination. Of corse it is one of the G8, a modern, industrialized nation, but also, it has the timeless quality of a Mediterranean country, with a southern European sensibility more influenced by the Catholic church, Wine, Olive Oil and Pasta than Big Macs and Global Banking.. The country is covered with Agricultural land, much of which, certainly in the south of Italy, is still owned under near feudal conditions. Siesta stops everything in the middle of the day in towns and villages across the land, and life is very family-oriented, with the rituals of the Catholic Church still dominant even though the youth are getting a tad skeptical about that.

Italians can be rude, or incredibly generous, angry and happy, just like the rest of us, but then even more so. There is a volatility, a lack of indifference which gives the strong feeling that the people are embracing life to the full. You can see this in the multitude of local festivals taking place across the country every day, to celebrate a local harvest, saint or the arts and music, where a great importance is placed on good food and wine. You can see their passion in their obsessive love of chic clothes and image. You can see their sociability in the the daily ritual of the collective passeggiata (stroll in the evenoing), which is a very sociable affair still adhered to by all age groups in every Italian town and village.

Italy as a country is very new, it only became a unified state in 1861, and, as a result, Italians often have more loyalty to the region they live in than to the Italian nation as a whole. This shows itself in the many different cuisines, dialects, landscapes. And you cannot forget Italy’s vast cultural legacy. In just Tuscany alone there are more classified historical monuments than in any other country in the world.The Romans left there mark of course, especially in Rome, and the Renaissance leaves its mighty legacy all over, notably in Venice and Florence. But every region retains its own relics of an artistic tradition generally acknowledged to be among the world's richest. From Siciliy to Naples, Rome, Florence, Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna you will find so much to delight.

If you are the type that wishes to immerse oneself in some of the most beautiful art, architecture, cuisine and fine wine anywhere in the world then Italy is the right place for you and you could even try a tailored art or cooking holiday. Italy is also a great place to be adventurous, and you’ll find there are loads of Italian activity holidays to choose from. But Italy also provides magnificently for those of you who want to lie on a beach, swim in a pool, and laze around relaxing. Try Family Holidays in Italy for a break in one of the child friendliest countries in the world where of course camping is well catered for. Mountains also run down the country's spine, from the Alps and Dolomites in the north right along the Apennines. Skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports are big in Italy. In the five national parks, protected from the national passion for hunting, wildlife of all sorts thrives and Italy is a great destination for Horseriding holidays and Fishing Holidays. Golf is on the up in Italy so catch it while its still possible to beat the crowds, book a Golf Holiday in Italy and play on some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. All in all, Italy really has a lot to offer.