Umbria’s Tulip festival

Looking to add a little color to your Umbria vacation? One sure fire way to get the job done is at the annual Festa del Tulipano. The festival of tulips is pretty much what it sounds like, a celebration of one of the worlds favorite flowers. Each April Castiglione del Lago turns into a veritable floral paradise as dozens of floats take to the streets in a rainbow showcase to vivid to forget.

For 42 years this joyous tradition has been ringing in the spring and each year the floats become more elaborate. Each float is made up of thousands of tulip blossoms arranged to imitate a facet of Italian life. Among last years winners were gaily colored floats depicting yachts, a sea plane, water skiing, a local cantina, parasailing and more.

There have been over 1500 wagons since 1956 and there are more to come. They’ve covered every topic imaginable, but they’re sure to imagine more. Come for the festival and stay for as long as you like in a vacation rental, allowing yourself the freedom to see the country at your leisure.

Palace of beautiful strategy

There are some things, which simply can’t be found in America. A palace is one of those things. A palace fills minds young and old with images of faerie tale weddings, ultra-luxurious homes full of intrigue and happenings and lavishly appointed royal parties. In Castigliano Del Lago there is a palace that was the center of all those things and still looks as though it could continue to do so in modern days.

Castigliano Del Lago was considered such an important strategic position during the middle ages that is was hotly contested by Perugia, Arezzo, Sienna and Firenze. Eventually, in the 12th century, Perugia won out and ordered the reconstruction of the medieval town. It remains now much as it did after that reconstruction, the big difference being that beyond the historic area’s walls (area storico) there is a modern residential zone. The Palazzo Ducale (duke’s palace) is the best example of that reparation.

The palace was actually built from 13th century tower remains in 1563, but those towers’ components dated back even further and would not exist to this day if it weren’t for the medieval reconstruction. The palace is as much a luxurious villa as a defensive structure, and houses as many gorgeous frescoes and paintings as it once housed paranoid royalty-on-the-run.

If you plan on staying in Umbria, stay like royalty in your own palace–figuratively speaking. Check out a villa with Interhome and see what they can offer you.

Castigliano Del Lago, Tuscany

There are some areas that do not lend themselves to the sanitized, impersonal experience of a hotel. Then there are places where a hotel seems to simply be out of place. After that, there’s Castigliano Del Lago.

Castigliano Del Lago hotels are no doubt as fine as what you’d expect from a reasonably popular resort town. The hotels in Castigliano Del Lago are what you’d expect from any modern Italian town, and that’s exactly why they are out of touch with the spirit of this historic and charming town. They’re too up-to-date, too fast paced, too ‘modern.’

The essence of Castigliano Del Lago is in its ancient stone walls, its frescoed old buildings, its smooth stone paved streets and murals depicting the famous swordsmen and saints who called the town home. A hotel room will find you outside of this historic area and seated squarely within the kitschier, touristy modern town. Rent a villa for a week and your whole family can step out your front door and into the medieval city the hotel visitors have to trek to.

The only riverside town in all of Sardinia

Bosa Marina is, rather surprisingly, the only riverside town in all of Sardinia. Typically, rivers have been the locations for important cities. Bosa Marina is located where the Temo River spills into the sea on the western coast of Sardinia, where the fertile soil and strategic position has ensured its continuous occupation since ancient times.

Proof of its habitation is everywhere. Scattered about like the chess pieces of a drunken god are ancient and medieval monuments giving testimony to Bosa Marina’s rich history. One such monument is Serravalle Castle, the home of the XIIth century Malaspina family.

On the 15th of August there is another testimony to Bosa’s long and storied traditions. Our Lady the Protector of the Sea is honored by a procession of boats meandering down the river carrying singers and a statue of the Virgin Mary to the sea.

Bosa Marina is a beautiful and civilized place to explore and an enchanting base for a slow travel expedition around the entire island. Take a few days to discover all the ancient ruins and restorations before trekking out across the flatlands toward Alghero. Stop on the way with a bottle of the Bosa’s local wine in any of the multitude of hidden coves for a picnic treat you won’t soon forget.

Italian Penne Vodka

If you’re Italian, I apologize, I know this isn’t the way you make your penne vodka. Penne vodka is one of those incredibly popular dishes that no Italian restaurant, or Italian family, does exactly the same. If they find out they are making it the same they’ll be quite sure to change it up next time. My own aunts once realized they had both made the same penne vodka for a family function, glared at each other and wouldn’t talk for months. They both changed their recipes the same way, unfortunately, so the next family party was no better. They are expected to resume friendship sometime in the 22nd century.

Below you’ll find a recipe for an absolutely delicious version of penne vodka that I will contend and any Italian you meet will deny, is as good as any you’ll find outside of an Italian villa. Remember, though, you need to customize it slightly or you’ll end up in a feud with any Italian cook you feed it to.

It may sound cliché, but for the best Italian food you have to head to Italy. Rent a villa (cheaper than a hotel if you bring the family!) and really get to enjoy Italian hospitality. Once you’re there you’ll get plenty of advice on exactly why your–and everyone else in the world’s–penne vodka recipe is absolutely wrong.

Ingredients

* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil (I just used olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic)
* Salt
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 1 tbsp double cream
* Penne rigate or other short, preferably ridged, pasta
* 65 ml vodka
* 2 tbsp unsalted butter
* Parmesan for grating over at the table

Method

1. If you are cooking this just before you eat, put the water on to boil before you start the sauce. You will need a big pan, enough to take the pasta and its sauce later.

2. Finely chop the onion, either by hand or in a processor. In a large pan, heat the garlic oil and add the finely chopped onion and a good sprinkling of salt. Cook the onion fairly gently for about 15 minutes without letting it catch and burn, which just means giving it a stir every now and again. It should be very soft and just beginning to caramelize.

3. Tip in the can of chopped tomatoes and continue cooking over a gentle heat, simmering for another 15-20 minutes. If you’re cooking this in advance, stop here.

4. Reheat the almost finished tomatoes (or just continue as you were if you’re making this recipe in one go), stir in the double cream and take the pan off the heat. When the water for the pasta comes to the boil add a good measure of salt and tip in the penne. Set a timer for 3-4 minutes less than the packet instructions for cooking it, as you want to make sure it’s cooked al dente and will need to start tasting early.

5. Drain the cooked pasta, tip it back in the pan and pour over the vodka, add the butter and some more salt. Turn the penne in the vodka and melting butter and then tip it into the tomato sauce unless it is easier to pour the tomato sauce over the pasta: it depends on the sizes of the pans you are using.

6. Toss the pasta in the sauce until it is evenly coated and transfer into a large, warmed bowl. Put it on the table along with a block of parmesan cheese and a grater.

Art and History in Arles, Provence

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For those of you looking for another reason to vacation in Provence–as if you needed any more–or something to do with an extra day, I humbly suggest visiting Arles. You will find the ancient Roman architecture and charming avenues and vacation rentals as inspirational as Van Gogh did, and the traditional bull fights–while not for everyone–will certainly excite even the most jaded spectator.

But Arles’ should be noted for its museums as well as outdoor attractions. There are three major collections in Arles, all worth visiting. Of course there is a fine arts museum exhibiting works by Picasso, Zadkine, Alechinsky and Jacques Réattu, a revolutionary era painter. There is also a very well stocked archaeological museum and a on hundred year old ethnological museum exhibiting the local costumes and artifacts of life through the ages in Provence.

If you tire of the city and its warmth you can make an excursion to the Alps, which border Provence in the east, or to the Rhone river in the west for a little cooler weather and a natural setting, or you can retire to your rented villa–absolutely the best way to be in the heart of it and still retain your privacy–to relax and take in the day.

Engelberg-Angel Peak

Two things became apparent to me a fine morning of a recent Sunday. The first revelation came when I found my attention once again arrested by a view that amazes me each time. Gazing down at the amazing panorama of a powder frosted Swiss valley I once again realized how the town Engelberg got its name–Angel Peak, in English. No bluer skies, no crisper winds–like the breath of Gaia–exist on earth.

My second revelation was simply how lucky I was to work for once of the most established vacation rental companies in Europe. I know not everyone can just pack up and head out to the Swiss Alps, so I’ve decided to share my good fortune with my readers and describe the experience as best I can.

My father and I set out at the crack of dawn, just as soon as we noticed the weather would be favorable for skiing. Being Swiss and skiing go together like being American and lusting after a first car at sixteen years old. The difference is that while most twenty-somethings can out race their fathers in a car, at 67 my father is still better on the slopes than I am. Naturally he won’t take the same risks I will, but by easing back a little and concentrating on form skiing is a sport he’ll be able to enjoy virtually his entire life. A life longer than mine may be if I don’t do the same!

I’m proud to say it was I who called a lunch break. It’d been more than a year since my last Ski session and my legs were as weary as my senses were energized. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in Engelberg and, all of them being of refined quality, we weren’t picky. Out of practicality as much as tradition we dined on a hot and hearty soup before heading out for a chair lift to take us to one of the runs we had not yet explored. The lift took us over Lake Truebsee, frozen solid. There was something else frozen solid, or rather a series of somethings. I was not sure at first, but then my memory fired on an old magazine article or advertisement and I realized I was looking at a commercial Igloo village. If you want to spend a cool night on the rocks, that’s definitely the place to do it.

After a few more great runs on slopes groomed the way only the Swiss would even try the wind made further skiing unviable. At the peak above us entire clouds of snow were being blown from one ridge to be deposited against the next. There are few words to describe such a spectacle, something so epic that can be seen on a regular basis. The site of something so cold can inspire anyone to seek warmth, so the rest of the night was spent with whiskey, fire and food and the memory of a day well spent with Dad.

Rental on the French Riviera

The French riviera has been continuously inhabited since prehistoric times. Some of the oldest cave paintings in the world have been found in this area which remains a hub of artistic innovation as much as the subject of art itself to this day. The Cote D’Azur has attracted and inspired people for so long for reasons that become obvious to any visitor: an amazing climate, spectacular sunrises leading to bright days followed by enchanting sunsets and glittering nights. Even without the resort amenities–of which there are a great and many–the coast provides one of those serene natural wonders that seem to draw people to them like children to a dessert table.

These days the French Riviera is known not only for its beauty but also for the Cannes film festival–the Palme D’or–which is known not only to attract, but to create, stars. Producers, writers, directors and glitterati of all stripes come out to see the independent films on display. Some will win awards and some will be chosen to be produced into full length features, in this way many a hollywood legend has been born.

One of the towns by the famed coast is Montauroux. Known by canny locals and visitors-in-the-know for its location (central to a ski resort, the coast and a nearby picturesque village) and relaxed atmosphere it generally sees most visitors in the summer months. Montauroux is blessed with an abundance of sunny days and small population, and retains its quaint village routes, preferring to cater to a vacationer looking for relaxation between excitement.

Mokka, not Mocha.

In my often over caffeinated efforts to bring you information of interest from around the world I sometimes stumble serendipitously across a piece of information that resounds so harmoniously with my mission, mindset and audience that it seems criminal not to share it. Such is the case with the Austrian specialty, Mokka.

Mokka is a bit like what you may expect if you think phonetically like I do. It’s a kind of coffee drink, the kind that your favorite and least favorite chain cafes have been (poorly) imitating since their founding. Mokka is what you imagined espresso would be before you tried it: strong, flavorful, complex and as powerful as rocket fuel. You’re not going to get this without making it yourself, traveling to Austria or marrying into an Austrian family. That last option might be worth it, actually. I wonder what happened to Rachele Baumann from high school…

Mokka’s flavor is distinct, its texture rich and it’s so good you just know it’s bad for you. It’s probably good that it’s not that easy to make or you’d have it every night after dinner. My tip is to make it to impress friends, or to fill the kitchen of a vacation rental in Austria with that extra bit of genuine aroma.

Here’s the best recipe I’ve found for Mokka. I’ve tested out a few (ok, more than a few, I’m about to vibrate the legs off this chair) and this one makes my favorite. For a twist I added some Raspberry Torani syrup to the end result.

* 2 Tb butter
* 3 Tb sugar
* 4 c warm water
* 3/4 to 1 c ground coffee
* 1 to 2 Tb cocoa

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in sugar. Continue to stir sugar and butter until sugar begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pot a bit. Be careful not to burn the sugar! Remove pan from heat. Slowly and carefully add warm water. The sugar mixture will spit and steam as the water is first poured in. Do not add cold water, as this will cause the caramel to harden and stick to the bottom of the pot.

Return pan to heat and add
# 3/4 c ground coffee– not instant — and the cocoa. Bring to a boil, and allow to boil for a minute. Add more coffee if desired. When ready, the Mokka should have a crema on top: a fine, lighter brown foam.

Strain mixture into a mocha, coffee or tea pot. Serve in cappucino espresso cups that have been warmed by rinsing in hot water. Particularly wonderful with a teaspoon of cream and half a teaspoon additional sugar.

Thanks to the Buchmann family for the recipe and to christmas-baking.com for publicizing it!

Istria, Croatia–Genuine Adventure Without Genuine Pain

Adventure travel is getting harder and harder to find without abandoning all conceptions of modern conveniences. Adventure is one thing, but not everyone wants to give up having a toilet for weeks on end to be able to say they’ve been to the wild. On the other end of the spectrum is what’s driving modern day Lewis and Clarks to such lengths in search of the real foreign experience.

What is driving modern adventure travelers into jungle and mountain with no hope of comfort to be found? The difficulty in finding genuine, unsterilized experiences. Any popular destination these days is likely to be festooned with American products, English neon signs and T-shirts of popular western bands. Why go to another country to stay home? Croatia is one of the few destinations gaining popularity that is not succumbing to this trend and still offers rustic adventure alongside modern hospitality.

Istria, on its own, gives adventure travel a good name. Unspoiled lakes, thick forest and beautiful vistas that require some foot work to find are the rule and not the exception, and can be reached from vacation rental homes which also are in reach of great restaurants that will not compromise their local customs for tourists. For a genuine experience, try Croatia.

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