Italy
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Asiago Christmas Markets: An Ageless Tradition
I’m so blessed to be living in Europe just in time for Christmas this year. Christmas Markets are famous throughout Italy and Europe, and my list of “to-see” markets is quite long. In Italian, a Christmas Market is called Mercatini Di Natale. They are in most of the major towns around Italy and even throughout countries like Germany and Switzerland. The Asiago Christmas Market was the first on my list as it is only an hour drive from Vicenza. Known for its cheese and beautiful surroundings, Asiago is located in the Veneto region in Northeastern Italy. Looking at the weather report, we saw that it had been snowing a good…
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Hiking and Cow Festivals: A Cool October Weekend in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Picture this: mountains with snowy peaks, cows parading through town with floral headpieces, shops of the most amazing handmade items, and delicious fresh meats and vegetables. What you’re imagining is the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo. Lucky for you, I have actual photographs of all the above so keep reading to find out about this quaint ski town in Northern Italy! Cortina d’Ampezzo has been one of my favorite towns to date in all of Italy. It has something for everyone! I highly recommend visiting this place if you are having guests in town and need the perfect place to go sightseeing and/or shopping. This village located at the base of…
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Whitewater Kayaking in Italy
When I think of kayaking, I think of a nice, slow ride down the river. It brings back great memories with my family and friends in North Carolina. But since living in Italy, we’ve had a hard time finding any information on where to go river kayaking (also known to some as whitewater kayaking). When I first googled kayaking in Italy, all that turned up was information about kayaking through the canals of Venice, along the Amalfi coast, around the island of Sardinia (which we did and you can read about here), or on lakes like Garda. But, I wanted more information on where to go to put my kayak…
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Naples, Italy: First Impressions
Let me preface this post by providing you with a little background knowledge of my travels that I have to compare to Naples, Italy. Within the United States, I have been to too many places to name, so for now, I’ll name the relevant ones – Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Washington DC. In Europe, however, our experiences have been with mainly eco-friendly countries – Norway, Switzerland, Austria, just to name a few. When we visit a new country we seek out the mountains, lakes, and smaller villages. But, I’m a Paris fanatic, a lover of Rome, and I find Venice fascinating. Basically, I tell you all of…
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A Life-Altering Climb
FYI: writing this post has not been easy. I have written about it. Deleted it. Written it. Deleted it. Too many times to count. I struggle between sharing it and keeping it to myself. We have told no one about this, yet. Nothing but good and supportive comments have ever come out of my writing and truthfulness, so here it goes. At dinner that night, I sat across from my husband with tears in my eyes, and I asked him, “how do I ever explain this to someone? How do I put into words this experience in a way that anyone could ever understand? How do we tell our friends…
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Lessons From a First Time Mountain Climber | Via Ferrata Style
Full disclosure: I am not an expert. As the title says, it was my FIRST time on a via ferrata in the Dolomites. All things I recommend below come with this caution and warning. Please consult your physician prior to performing any of these activities (or whatever the correct wording is here). I am able to write about these events and recommend them to others because I survived… so there you have it! I’ve never had a fear of heights. I grew up loving to go fast, ride every roller coaster, and go as high up as possible thanks to my dad. That was the one thing we loved to…
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Hiking in Trentino, Italy: Lakes, Waterfalls & Gorges
I recently organized my first group hike for some friends and me, and it was so much fun! I planned it as a short day trip, leaving at 8:00 am and returning by 6:00 pm. This would make a great day/weekend trip for those living in or visiting the Vicenza / Lake Garda / Province of Trentino area! Lago di Tenno The first stop of the day was at a serene lake – Lago di Tenno – located above Lago di Garda. It was a 2-hour drive from Vicenza through lakeside towns and tight switchback roads (8,70€ in autostrada tolls). We found a parking lot right by the lake that had…
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Student Trip to Europe: Part 2 | Venice, Italy
Continue following along on our journey from Switzerland to Italy on Day 3 and 4!
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A Tuscan Winery Experience – Castello di Verrazzano
Tuscany is the type of place you see in love stories, like Under the Tuscan Sun, and then dream about going to one day. It is undeniably a region full of postcard material. Famous in Italy for its rolling hills, food, and most significantly wine, there is so much to see and do in Tuscany. Choosing A Tuscan Winery For Valentine’s Day weekend, we traveled to the Chianti region of Tuscany. We stayed in Monteriggioni and decided to do our first winery tour and tasting just a few towns over in Greve in Chianti. Recommended by a friend who had been there recently, we chose Castello di Verrazzano as our…
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Brent de l’Art: A Ravine in the Province of Belluno, Italy
If what you’re seeking is a unique hiking experience with photogenic surroundings, Brent de l’Art is the place to visit. Located within 2 hours driving time from Vicenza, Italy, this ravine lies in Trichiana, Province of Belluno. What’s a Brent? The term Brent indicates a stream. It flows at the bottom of a deep valley and is more or less quite narrow. You will often see the word “brent” when driving over a short bridge as it names the small river or stream below you. The ravine formed at Brent de l’Art is a result of water, stones, and plants once entering the canyon creating whirlwinds and slamming intensely against…
