Author: Daniele Dell'Accio

Rovereto e Vallagarina

In addition to the cultural attractions of Rovereto, the Vallagarina offers many other things to see and do. Here are some other attractions and activities you might consider during your visit:

Avio Castle: Located near Avio, this impressive medieval castle offers spectacular views of the Vallagarina. You can visit its towers, walls, and well-preserved interior rooms.

Sabbionara Castle: This castle, located near Avio, is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved in the region. It offers breathtaking views of the surrounding valley and hosts cultural events throughout the year.

Monte San Martino Sanctuary: This ancient sanctuary is located on a hill above the town of Rovereto and offers panoramic views of the valley below. It’s a place of peace and tranquility, perfect for a relaxing stroll.

Art Trail: This hiking trail follows the ancient Via Claudia Augusta and offers the opportunity to admire outdoor contemporary art along the way.

Food and Wine: The Vallagarina is famous for its wines, especially Marzemino and Teroldego. Numerous wineries in the area offer tastings and guided tours. Additionally, the local cuisine offers a wide range of traditional dishes to enjoy.

Outdoor Activities: The Vallagarina is a paradise for nature lovers, with numerous opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and much more.

These are just some of the attractions and activities that the Vallagarina and Rovereto have to offer. I hope you find them helpful in planning your trip!

 

 

 

Il Presepe a Napoli

Luci, suoni, colori, immaginazione, arte, passione, tradizione.

Questa è l’atmosfera in cui si viene avvolti in Via San Gregorio Armeno a Napoli nel periodo di Natale.

In questa via famosa in tutto il mondo, ci sono i più grandi artigiani che ricreano nel presepe, tutta la magia di quei giorni e quella notte di 2000 anni fa. Il 25 Dicembre: la notte della nascita di Gesù.

Passeggiare per San Gregorio Armeno, per un napoletano è una tradizione ma per un turista che visita Napoli è una tappa obbligata.

Non solo nei giorni dell’Avvento ma anche durante tutto l’anno. Anzi, è proprio durante il resto dell’anno che è anche possibile ammirare gli artigiani che nelle loro botteghe si dedicano alla realizzazione di queste vere e proprie opere d’arte.

Quest’arte, infatti viene tramandata di generazione in generazione sempre conservando la tradizione, la cura e la passione nella realizzazione dei personaggi più legati all’evento sacro ma anche inserendo personaggi o eventi più attuali e non sempre religiosi ma che lasciano un segno non solo nel popolo napoletano ma in tutto il mondo.

Quando un personaggio contemporaneo, diventa protagonista e soggetto di una nuova statuetta del presepe profano di San Gregorio Armeno, è come se avesse apposto un sigillo al raggiungimento della sua notorietà.

Grazie alle capaci mani, fantasia, ironia di questi artigiani napoletani, i personaggi famosi diventano

pastorelli di questi moderni presepi.

Nei presepi di Via San Gregorio Armeno, potrai, quindi fare veramente un viaggio nel tempo.

Non perdetevi questa tappa.

Il Presepe a Napoli

Lights, sounds, colors, imagination, art, passion, tradition.

This is the atmosphere that envelops you in Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples during the Christmas season.

In this street famous throughout the world, there are the greatest artisans who recreate in the Nativity scene all the magic of those days and that night 2000 years ago. December 25th: the night of the birth of Jesus.

Walking along San Gregorio Armeno is a tradition for a Neapolitan, but for a tourist visiting Naples, it is a must-see stop.

Not only during Advent but also throughout the year. In fact, it is precisely during the rest of the year that it is also possible to admire the artisans who in their workshops dedicate themselves to the creation of these true works of art.

This art, in fact, is handed down from generation to generation, always preserving tradition, care, and passion in the creation of the characters most linked to the sacred event but also including characters or events that are more current and not always religious but that leave a mark not only on the Neapolitan people but on the whole world.

When a contemporary figure becomes the protagonist and subject of a new figurine in the secular Nativity scene of San Gregorio Armeno, it is as if they have affixed a seal to the achievement of their notoriety.

Thanks to the skilled hands, imagination, and irony of these Neapolitan artisans, famous figures become shepherds in these modern Nativity scenes.

In the Nativity scenes of Via San Gregorio Armeno, you can truly take a journey back in time.

Don’t miss this stop.

The Giomici’s Castle

The Castle of Giomici is a medieval fortress dating back to the 11th century, built for enemy sighting and the defense of the Valle del Chiascio from attacks by Perugia and Assisi, historical enemies of Gubbio. Kept in good condition, there are 2 towers, some houses, and the church of 1154 which houses frescoes executed between 1200 and 1600, some of which are the work of Matteo da Gualdo, a beautiful wooden ceiling, and, behind the altar, a Della Robbia style frame.

The first written document mentioning the Castle of Giomici dates back to 1160 and consists of an imperial bull of Frederick Barbarossa, which assigned the ownership of the castle of “Giomisco” in favor of the lordship of Assisi and then entrusted it three years later to the Gabrielli lords of Gubbio. During the Middle Ages, the castle of Giomici was the scene of armed conflicts between Gubbio, Perugia, and Assisi.

Famous historical figures passed through the castle, such as Petruccio de Ciuccio de Villamaina who, in the 14th century, fell in defense of the tower under attack by enemies. Later in the 19th century, the bandit Cinicchia found refuge hiding in the castle’s cellars. Cinicchia is known as the “Robin Hood of Umbria” because he stole from the rich to give to the poor.

The Castle of Giomici passed into the hands of the Vagni family in 1650, which is still the owner today. The Vagnis have restored the castle and the nearby farms, preserving their historical and architectural characteristics. Thanks to the same family, the tower of Petruccio de Ciuccio was restored in 1944 together with the church, the palace, and the surrounding walls.

Today, the castle is also a wonderful structure where you can spend a romantic weekend.

Il Bosco dei Giganti della Sila

“Who plants a tree plants a hope,” goes a verse by the American poet Lucy Larcom, and the Mollo barons have planted many hopes when, in the 1600s, they decided to create one of Italy’s most beautiful monumental forests.

The Giants of Fallistro represent an invaluable natural heritage. This biogenetic reserve primarily houses larch pine trees (there are about sixty specimens), real monuments: imposing and spectacular, they reach up to forty-five meters in height and have a diameter of about two meters at the base. Being in front of these centuries-old wonders is an unforgettable experience; indeed, it is a fundamental stop for those who decide to visit the Sila National Park.

We are in Spezzano della Sila, in a protected natural area, where everything is left to the mercy of nature and its laws. The Giants of Fallistro Reserve (established in 1987) is special because human intervention is limited: nature takes its course, trees are born, grow, and fall without human interference, everything regenerates, following the perfect cycle of life. Since 2016, this centuries-old forest has been managed by FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano, a non-profit foundation that is committed to enhancing, protecting, and safeguarding Italy’s natural and cultural heritage.

Visiting these green giants is done in the company of specialized guides, and the FAI manager, Simona Lo Bianco, who reveals the secrets of each tree, especially the oldest ones (some of which are up to 350 years old). Their sight arouses curiosity and amazement: you can spot several details such as a huge fallen larch pine, affectionately renamed “pinosaurus,” for its shape reminiscent of an old dinosaur. Or cavities dug into the trunks, where you can enter as if they were small caves, signs left by “slupatura,” a practice that allowed the collection of resin, used in the past in cosmetics and to fuel torches.

Not only flora but also fauna, in fact, with a bit of luck, you can meet among the trees the Calabrian black squirrel (Sciurus Meridionalis), a native species of Calabria and Basilicata. This forest represents the typical Calabrian jungle, a natural colonnade where you can come into contact with the soul of the territory, on a journey through time, discovering a natural paradise, in the heart of Calabria.

deboracolamino.it

Venice celebrates its 1600th anniversary.

Venezia, originally a series of settlements on islands in the Venetian lagoon, was traditionally founded on March 25, 421 AD, with the foundation of a church in honor of Saint James of Rialto on the island of Rialto. However, the city of Venice began to develop and expand over the following centuries, becoming one of the most powerful and influential maritime republics in the Mediterranean.”

Venezia – Murano – The Glass Factories

The fascinating history of Murano Glass began in 1291 when it was decided that the glass factories of Venice should be moved to Murano. This decision, which soon proved to be important for the inhabitants of the island of Murano, was made because the furnaces of the workshops in Venice were the main cause of serious fires.

Concentrating all the glass factories in Murano was useful for Venice to control the activity of the glass masters and to safeguard the art that had made it famous worldwide. Jealous of the acquired fame, Venice forced the glass masters to live on the island and prevented them from leaving it without special permission.

Despite these restrictions, however, many glassmakers managed to escape, taking with them a wealth of experience and craftsmanship knowledge and exporting their famous techniques abroad. The most significant crisis that Murano Glass had to face was in the 15th century when the production of Bohemian crystals began. Venice managed to overcome this crisis, thanks also to the use of Murano glass for the production of chandeliers, still among the most famous and appreciated works in Murano glass.

In 1602, the podestà, in counting the islanders, resorted to the compilation of a Golden Book. The procedure for obtaining registration was long and took place only with the consent of the Republic. Those who were not registered in the Book could not work in the glassworks, did not participate in the councils, and did not enjoy the privileges granted to the inhabitants of Murano.

In 1900, the glass masters were able to follow modern artistic trends and styles, focusing on perfecting Murano glassmaking, while respecting the millennia-old tradition, which enhances Murano glass works in a unique and inimitable way.

Glass is made of silica, which becomes liquid at high temperatures.

It is at the moment of transition from the liquid to the solid state that the glass becomes soft and malleable, allowing the glassmaker to shape it to create unique and inimitable works.

Experience over time has led Murano glass masters to discover that the use of different materials during processing causes the glass to change its appearance, creating unique and suggestive visual effects. This is the case, for example, with sodium, which is used by the artisan to make the glass surface opaque, or with nitrate and arsenic, which are used, instead, to eliminate bubbles. Colors, techniques, and materials vary depending on the result the glassmaker is trying to achieve.

The processing of Murano glass is often divided into two classes: first processing and second processing.

First processing includes procedures that use raw materials, such as sand, soda, and other compounds, or raw glass, called “cotisso”. These elements are melted in specialized furnaces to obtain the glass mixture, which is then worked.

Second processing includes lampworking with the use of glass rods, glass fusing, and “cold” processes such as decoration, engraving, and grinding.

Turin Royal Museum

At the Royal Museums of Turin, the new Archaeological Gallery has been inaugurated: a permanent exhibition for the oldest works.

The central corridor is designed to evoke a palace gallery, where along the walls are lined up Greek and Roman statues, sculpted reliefs, and marble busts, presenting to the visitor the salient features of ancient representation: portrait heads, true images of antiquity’s propaganda; Roman reproductions of famous works; banquet scenes on sarcophagi, culminating in the suggestive Rotunda of the Emperors, where the busts of the main characters of Roman history surround the visitor.

The Assyrian artifacts, which arrived at the Museum in 1847, are dedicated to the Ancient Near East area, which is joined by the richest collection in Italy of cuneiform texts and cylinder seals.

Within the fifth section on antiquities from the island of Cyprus, the museum’s largest collection is housed: it comprises over 1,000 pieces capable of documenting the evolution of this extraordinary cultural crossroads over a chronological period ranging from the ancient Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC) to late antiquity (4th-5th century AD).”

TURIN

Since 2006, the year of the Olympics, the city has undergone a transformation from its industrial identity linked to the FIAT brand.

In preparation for the Olympics, it revived its historical, artistic, and cultural heritage, managing over time to capitalize on all the work done and finally giving the city a tourist identity.

Turin now stands as a great alternative to other Italian cities such as Florence, Rome, and Venice, boasting important museums such as the Egyptian Museum, the Royal Palace, the Sabauda Gallery, the Automobile Museum, the Cinema Museum, the Shroud, and the Mole Antonelliana, just to name a few.

The city’s underground Roman remains, its Liberty style architecture, the scenic backdrop of the hill with the Basilica of Superga, and not forgetting the Reggia di Venaria are other significant stops on a visit to the city.

Turin offers so much to see and so many experiences to live that one visit is not enough.

GENOA – The Lighthouse and the Alleyways

Today the capital of Liguria, but once one of the Maritime Republics. From 1099 to 1797, Genoa was a major naval power not only in the Ligurian Sea but throughout the entire continent. Its splendor is evident in its fortifications, villas, and palaces.

In the intricate maze of mysterious alleys (caruggi), the historic center thrives as the cradle of a cultural, artistic, musical, scientific, and academic hub. It also hosts important international trade fairs such as the Nautical Trade Show.

In its culinary tradition, Genoa is renowned for its pesto, a sauce made from basil, pine nuts, and strictly Ligurian olive oil.

The port has always been one of the main crossroads not only for goods but also for people and, consequently, diverse cultures. Poets, writers, and singer-songwriters have also passed through here, finding inspiration in the fascinating landscape nestled between the sea and the mountains.

One of the places to visit is the House of Genoese Singer-Songwriters to understand how the city has influenced Italian music.

In Genoa, there is more to see than just the Aquarium. Perhaps less known but no less impressive is the panoramic viewpoint reached by the Spianata Castelletto Elevator, and how could one miss a visit to the Lantern Museum, a symbol of the city?