sustainable travel

Sustainable Travel in Italy

A few short years ago, we thought we might never travel again. Now, “over-tourism” is the catch phrase of the day. And while media outlets continue to promote the same popular destinations, they line up to voice passionate concerns over the resulting difficulties of said “must-see” locations. The alternative to mass tourism comes with its own buzzwords, such as “sustainable travel,” an approach that minimizes the impact of today’s visitors on environments and their inhabitants for the benefit of the local area as well as for future generations. Read More

Imma Tataranni, Crime Drama in Matera, Southern Italy

A combination of mystery, comedy and travel, the Italian television series Imma Tataranni takes viewers on an armchair trip to Matera, the evocative Città dei Sassi (Stone City) in the Basilicata region, located in the instep of the Italian boot. The beautifully filmed drama follows the career and family life of its protagonist and intrepid investigator Imma Tataranni. Read More

wine tasting brochures

Wine Tasting at a Hospitality School in Calabria

Who doesn’t like a wine tasting? A friend recently invited me to a degustazione di vini at a school in Villa San Giovanni, Calabria, and I jumped at the opportunity to sample wines from twenty different Calabrian producers. Attempting to taste even a percentage of the wines on offer that evening would be a challenge, but I was certainly more than willing to give it a go! Read More

Sila Mountains of Calabria

Cool, crisp mountain air – make sure to breathe deeply when you visit Calabria, as the region has the cleanest air in Europe! All of the mountains contribute to this freshness with three major ranges: the Pollino in the north, the Sila in the center and the Aspromonte in the south. As a matter of fact, the Sila Mountains, a vast high plain just above Calabria’s narrowest geographical point, are known as the gran bosco d’Italia, Italy’s great forest. Read More

castle in Calabria

Fiumefreddo Bruzio, Picturesque Calabrian Village Between Mountains and Sea

Fiumefreddo Bruzio boasts a panorama that stretches from Sicily’s Aeolian Islands along Calabria’s Tyrrhenian coastline in the Province of Cosenza all the way to the mountains of the Cilento in Campania. The medieval old town was established for its strategic position, and today’s visitors can choose from numerous cliffside terraces from which to enjoy the beautiful Southern Italian views. Read More

Salvador Dalí in Matera

Salvador Dalí in Matera, Old and New in South Italy

Visitors to Matera in recent years can’t help but have noticed the oversized Dalí sculptures strategically placed throughout the historic center. The contrast between the artist’s provocative surrealism and the old-world setting, extraordinary in itself, cries out for attention in a very contemporary way. Look at me! Take a selfie! Who would have expected to see Salvador Dalí in Matera? Read More