| Best Italy Travel Deals | Sponsored Links |
Luxury Rome Hotels
Photos, Customer Ratings & Reviews. Save on Rome Luxury Hotels. Custom Tours of Italy
Custom itineraries & private guides from Nat'l Geographic Top Outfitter Hotels in Rome
Hotels.com Low Rate Guarantee! Book Now and Save on Rome Hotels.
| Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Italy attractions, posted by real travelers and locals. Map |
 | Italy Off the Beaten Path | Tips 1 - 10 of 508 |  |
If you want a different kind of travel, one that lacks sightseeing but is full of local beats, stop by Club Alpino Italiano.
Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) was created in 1863, in Turin, by a small group of outdoor adventurers. Since then, CAI has established branches in virtually every great city and small town, from the Alps to Southern Italy. Its members now number over 300,000 outdoor enthusiasts with all different levels of physical ability.
Each local branch plans its own monthly agenda. The organizers always make sure that members in each level can have at least one activity that suits them each month. Visiting (walking) a neighbouring town, hiking a local hill, and scaling a rocky mountain are all in the schedule. Being in these excursions will expose you to the local life, it will make you an honorary resident if only for a day, and you will see the area with different eyes.
The club's activities are designed for members only, but visitors are often welcome. If you are interested, stop by a CAI office, we’ll be happy to see you. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Visiting Italy?
Read reviews about Italy Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
One of the best Off the Beaten Path" experiences, try a Bed and Breakfast called "Casa dei Chianti" in Corsignano.
Talk about difficult to find! We had read about this place in the Karen Brown Bed and Breakfast Book and wanted to try it and the restaurant next door. We kept stopping to ask how to get to Corsignano, and we kept receiving different directions.
We were on some out-of-the-way road when we saw a lady getting out of her car. We stopped, and I asked her for directions. She said, "Forget that place and stay in our rental; I will take you there, just follow me".. We did as we were asked. That began quite an adventure.
The rental home was HUGE with four bedrooms, dining room, living room, three bathrooms, and a sunroom as well as a large balcony and a gigantic patio. It was Way Out in the country. She was renting it to us for the equivalent of $100.00 per night!" Reluctantly, we said no because it was too isolated for this late in the afternoon on a Sunday, and we had no food. Plus, we already had a reservation. [If only we could find out its location!]
After another hour, we finally found "Casa dei Chianti Bed and Breakfast". We were so glad that we waited. It was a joyful, lovely place. That evening, we had a devine dinner next door. But, best of all, we met Lorenzo and Olga & Bob and Dee from San Diego, California. We talked with them for about 2 hours and discovered that they were staying in the same place we were. It was said the next day when we had to say good-bye to such interesting people.
However, one day in Lucca when Allan and I were visiting the church next to our Hotel, who did we run into but Lorenzo, Olga, Bob and Dee. Now that is real Serendipity! Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Situated where the Brenta River emerges from the hills, Bassano del Grappa is a pleasant town of arcaded streets and old houses, many of which have frescoed facades.
The city suffered severe damage in the battle campaign, which was fought on nearby Monte Grappa. Bassano is known for its grappa (brandy), the best in Italy.
Ponte Vecchio or Ponte degli Alpini, a famous covered wooden bridge across the pitoresque River Brenta, which retains the form designed for it by Palladio in 1569, is the emblem of the town. Leave a Comment
|
The lesser known town that was covered in mud slides as a result of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Heculaneum is a in my opinion, nicer place to explore. Not nearly as crowded as it's better known counterpart, Pompei, it has very nicely preserved villas and streets. The Frescos and mosaic work are also beautifully preserved and still in their original locations. Where as in Pompei, most of the better pieces were whisked off to a museum in Naples. Leave a Comment
|
Desenzano del Garda is a pleasant resort, well equipped with hotels. From the quay a bridge crossesa tiny pitoresque inlet used as a harbour for small boats. Behind is the main squarewith a monument to St. Angela Merici (1474-1540), foundress of the Ursuline order, who was born here. The parish church contains "Last Supper" by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Leave a Comment
|
Visiting Italy?
Read reviews about Italy Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
Malcesine is a likeable resort which was the seat of the Veronese Captains of the Lake in the 16C-17C. Narrow roads lead up to the 13C-14C castle of the Scaligeri, restored by Venice in the 17th century. Very well maintained and open daily, it has various small museums and separate buildings, including one dedicated to Goethe.
A cableway mounts to ski-slopes on Monte Baldo (1750m), and there are pleasant walks in the area. Leave a Comment
|
After visiting Venice for four nights, we drove to Asolo, a delightful old town north and west of Venice. It's been called "the pearl of Treviso Province" because of the beautiful villas, gardens, antique shops, elegant workshops, and wonderful restaurants.
Asolo is dominated by castle ruins on the hillside above. It has charming streets, Gothic arcades, and frescoed facades.
We stayed at the Hotel Duse with a superb location, right in the heart of Asolo. It is surrounded by quaint streets that are lined with elegant shops. The rooms are charming, comfortable, and well priced. It is on Via Browning, 190.
We stayed for two nights and enjoyed our lovely walks, garden gazing, leisurely shopping, and delicious meals.
I feel that Asolo is often overlooked and perhaps that is why it is still so delightful. Leave a Comment
|
We stayed in Sorrento twice as the entrance to our "hair-raising" trips to the Amalfi Coast cities. We stayed both times at the CONTINENTAL Hotel, right next to some of the most expensive hotels in the city. Our room balcony looked out over the sea and a small park with Palm trees! We had large, fluffy white robes with hoods to wear after a shower; they turned down our beds each night and left chocolates on the bed stand; breakfast was included. It cost half of what the other hotels cost.
We walked everywhere and shopped in the ancient section. It's a great place for shopping. It's also a great place for people watching! One of the shops I really enjoyed was the butcher shop. The photograph shows one of the butcher shops we visited.
It is so different from what we are used to and so wonderful at that! Leave a Comment
|
Everyone has heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa but how many people know of the "Leaning Towers of Bologna"? The Tower of the Asinelli (Torre degli Asinelli) & Tower of the Garisenda (Torre degli Garisenda) are the two leaning towers of Bologna. I never heard of them until I visited Bologna. Bologna, like other cities in Italy built high towers as a symbol of status. They were the skyscrapers of the Middle Ages. Both towers were built in the 12th century. The latter tower of Garisenda is the shorter of the two and has a more pronounced lean. This is because it was built on poor foundations. It stands 49m high but was initially higher but was truncated in 1390 for reasons of public safety. The Tower of Asinelli does not lean quite so badly and is 102m high. This tower can be climbed and apparently the view are quite interesting however I cannot say so from experience.
The towers are located at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana. It cost 3 Euros to climb up the Tower of Asinelli which is open from 9am to 6pm. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Marostica, a stronghold of the Ezellini in the 12C-13C, was rebuilt in 1311-1386 by the Scaligeri. Today it is a charming old fortified townlet preserving its medieval ramparts, which connect the lower castle on the square with the upper castle on the green hillside above.
Partita a scacchi (chess game), in which the whole town participates, take place every two years in early September in Piazza Castello. The match commemorate and reproduce a duel fought in 1454 between Rinaldo d'Angarano and Vieri da Vallonara for the hand of Liopnora, daughter of Taddeo Parisio, the local Venetian governor. At the end of the game the wedding take place, with some 500 participants in 15C costumes. Leave a Comment
|
|
|
on June 2, 2005
on August 4, 2005
on February 4, 2005
on June 10, 2004
on March 25, 2004
