Rimini: the imposing fortress of St. Leo and Valmarecchia

Hello, my friends! Welcome in My Own Italy to discover Italy with my personal touch!

Today our travel is to Emilia Romagna in province of Rimini: I'll let you to discover the impregnable fortress of San Leo, also linked to the legend of the famous and discussed alchemist Count Alessandro Cagliostro, who was kept prisoner here!

The Fortress of San Leo is situated on top of the rocky spire that overlooks the city and dominates the Valmarecchia.

The Fortress is the symbol of this ancient town and medieval village.

 This impregnable Fortress was considered of great importance since the Middle Ages because of its formidable strategic position: in fact, it stands on the highest point of the rock overlooking the Valmarecchia, surrounded by a series of steep vertical walls impassable by any side.

The Fortress is impressive and beautiful: you can breathe a magical and mysterious atmosphere, issued by the legend of the dark character of the Count Cagliostro, cunning and devious alchemist, who ended his day in its cells in 1795 after long years of imprisonment.

For this characteristic and also for the attractive location on the border of Monte Feltro, this Fortress was the subject of clashes and bloody fights between tribes and of the most important families in the history of Italy.

Even after the unification of Italy, the Fortress continued to fulfill its function as a prison until 1906.

From the square of the Fortress, as well as from the Towers, you can enjoy a unique landscape which offers, once again, a wonderful view of the hills of Emilia Romagna: this village is a must-see destination in your holiday in Italy.
 

Leisure me, this is my tourism!




 
 

Ravenna: the city of the stunning mosaics

My friends, welcome to My Own Italy to discover Italy with my personal touch!

Our travel today is to Emilia Romagna and we are going to visit the capital of the Western Roman Empire: Ravenna, the imperial city, the Byzantium of the West, located a few kilometers from the Adriatic Sea!

Ravenna extends from the sea to the rolling hills of the Apennines and preserves the most beautiful and richest evidence of early Christian art. 

The gorgeous mosaics  are a must: they are the characteristic feature of this amazing city!

Ravenna, as mentioned, is the ancient city elected for three times as the capital: the Western Roman Empire before, the United goto then under Theodoric, and the last of the Byzantine Empire in Europe.
 




 

 
 The magnificence of that period has left a great heritage of monuments: the buildings that have been declared Unesco World Heritage are eight!

 In Ravenna there are the mortal remains of the poet Dante Alighieri,  whose tomb can be visited, and keeps alive the memory with important events.

The cultural offer of Ravenna is really rich and varied. I personally was blowled over by the Basilica of San Vitale and the adjacent Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, but I did not miss even the Basilica of St. Apollinare Nuovo!

Also I couldn't miss a visit to the historic city center in Ravenna, from Piazza San Francesco to Piazza del Popolo, passing through the ancient Chiostri of the Franciscans.

 In the end, in my holiday after visiting Ravenna, one of the Cities of Art nominated in 2019 as European Capital of Culture, I could not pass up the opportunity to taste the specialties of Romagna par excellence: the Piadina.

That's why, if you are looking for a place where to eat, my suggestion is this typical restaurant: Ca' de Vén!

Leisure with me, this is my tourism!

Lake Como: the surprising harmony of a unique landscape

Hello, my friends! Welcome to My Own Italy to discover Italy with my personal touch!

Today travel is to Lombardy and I suggest a hike truly suggestive and beautiful: let's go to Lake Como and relax in the enchanting garden of Villa d'Este!

The Lake Como is the third largest basin in northern Italy; it has three branches with a curious shape of inverted epsilon.

Ideally located in the center of the Alps, it is really appreciated by visitors from the North who see in it a glimpse of the Mediterranean among the mountains.

 

 A really surprising and fascinating landscape of innumerable shades: hues of blue and green waters, rocky peaks covered with snow or with forests, villages built of stone castled between lake and mountains, cities rich in history and culture.

If you like to enjoy an exciting and very charming walk, I suggest you visit the gardens of Villa d'Este: think that in the park surrounding the Villa there is one of the longest-running plane trees of Lombardy, 500+ years old!

The countless varieties of plants make it a real botanical garden: chestnut, magnolia, wisteria, laurels, agaves, palms, cypresses, pines, oaks and many other trees which are flanked by jasmine, azaleas, camellias, hydrangeas, oleanders, rhododendrons and also daffodils, pansies, geraniums. In short, a riot of colors and scents for a really surprising landscape and harmonious!

If you wish to enjoy a drink in total relax, I suggest you sit in the gazebo and contemplate the calm waters of the lake: a truly unique experience!

My personal experience was a day of poetry: the one of a place a bit magic in which sometimes you have to dip, a must-see destination during your holiday in the italian lakes.

Leisure with me, this my tourism!

Emilia, along the River Panaro: the Vignola Fortress

Hello, my friends! Welcome in My Own Italy to discover Italy with my personal touch!

Today our travel is to Emilia Romagna and we're going to walk along the valley of the River Panaro, in the province of Modena: I suggest you to visit to the Vignola Fortress.

The Vignola Fortress is a military fortress that dominates the valley of the River Panaro.

The imposing structure of the Fortress is visible in the distance. It looks like a mighty quadrangle, the final product of many phases of construction, which have transformed it from Roccaforte to imposing noble mansion. 

  The name "Vignola" comes from the Latin "vineola", which means "little vine" and today the the grapevine appears in the banner of the city. Until the early years of the fifteenth century the building was used for military functions; in 1401 the noble of Ferrara Uguccione Contrari received the feud Vignola as a gift from the lord of Ferrara Nicolò III d'Este. 

During the two following decades the Fortress profoundly changed its function, becoming the sumptuous home richly frescoed of the Family Contrari, accustomed to the comforts and magnificence of the court of Ferrara. 

This dynasty died out in 1577, the Fortress passed to the Boncompagni, who entrusted the administration of the fief to a governor, visiting Vignola sporadically. The Fortress, built of limestone, commonly called "tuff" overlooking the river, is today on five floors, from the basement, where there are the rooms of Grassoni and Contrari, to the walkways.
Regarding the halls and their function, the ground floor is open to the those engaged public events and official moments of the court life: banquets, parties, music, theater, administration of justice.
 

 

The first floor was dedicated to the private apartments of the ladies and lords and to their guests. At the top level there are the rooms probably used as the servants' quarters and  troops stationed at the fortress, but also there were the service areas, so essential in a building of this size. 

During the nineteenth century the political and social institutions in Vignola have found their headquarters inside the building: The Town Hall, the Library, and the Cassa di Risparmio di Vignola, which acquired the property in 1965.



 

 

In the end, Vignola is a must-see destination for your holiday in Italy to discover the italian villages.


Leisure with me, this is my tourism! 

Piacenza: Castell'Arquato and the Fortress of Visconti

 Welcome to My Own Italy to discover Italy With My Personal Touch!
Our travel today is to Emilia Romagna Region, between Parma and Piacenza: I'm talking about Castell'Arquato!

After your visit, I'm sure you will taste the famous specialties of Piacenza: I mean "Torta Fritta" and cold cuts in   Trattoria Capoponte: delicious!!

The medieval village of Castell'Arquato is strategically located on the hills of Val D'Arda valley, castled on the hill overlooking the pass.
 
It is assumed to be a military camp (castrum), dating back to the Roman colonization of the area. Then it developed as a small rural town thanks to the favorable position of dominance on the road network.

The historical part is really rich. The Fortress of Visconti, commissioned by the city of Piacenza and erected by Luchino Visconti between 1342 and 1349, is one of the most remarkable military factories in Northern Italy.

You can also admire the Palace of Podestà, built at the end of 300. In the midst of the windows is painted the coat of arms with two rampant lions COMMUNITAS CASTRI ARQUATI and a castle tower. The Palace of Podestà is not usually open to the public, but it is often used for exhibitions.

 

Castell'Arquato is a rare beauty village of art, steeped in the atmosphere of ancient times: you just have to visit it and discover its mysterious charm: a must-see destination in your holiday to discover the Villages in Italy.

Leisure me: this is my tourism!

The Marche: Senigallia, the 'velvet beach'

 Hello, my friends, welcome to My Own Italy to discover Italy with my personal touch!
Our travel today is to Marche and I'll introduce you Senigallia, in the province of Ancona.
Senigallia is located in The Marche coast, famous for its long and golden sand, lapped by crystal clear water, with its lively and fashionable promenade all the day: Senigallia is a truly unique and wonderful place!

 Senigallia doesn' t need to focus on only one item to be remembered and to attract droves of tourists.

  Inserted in the beautiful setting of the Marche, it is in an area surrounded by hills sloping down to the sea: harmonics and sinuous forms, cliffs and caves that are interspersed with unforgettable beaches, hills that recall the history, tradition, art.

The historic center of the city follows the Roman urban setting. In fact, Senigallia was founded on a hill south of the river Misa.

 In fifteenth century Senigallia became rule of the Malatesta, and in particular of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, who became interested in the city to the point of being considered the "re-founder". Sigismondo decided to rebuild the city walls and defensive bastions too, partly following the route of the old walls demolished, and created a fortified city with a rectangular shape, incorporating new defenses in the fort. Later it became the nucleus of the famous Rocca Roverasca.

Who knows Senigallia knows that its charm can't be reduced to a single aspect.
Besides the beauty of its coastline, its beaches and its warm clear sea, you can't forget the splendor of the squares and monuments, the wealth of museums, combined with a unique vocation for hospitality, where there is also the 'excellence of good food. That's why the accommodation offer of the city is large and varied, and able to accommodate millions of tourists every year. It's not difficult, in fact, find great hotels in Senigallia on the sea or in the center as a base to visit the monuments and fortresses.

 Among the unlimited attractions to visit, I suggest a walk to the Forum Annonario, harmonious circular neo-classical brick, designed in 1834.  The Forum features a porch that welcomes you with its twenty-four Doric columns, the newspaper and photogenic fish and fruit and vegetables market.
 In the center of the square you can admire the  "triccole" with their colorful tasty garden products; in the shade of the arcade, sheltered from the sun's rays that reach it only at sunset, discover the fish market. Currently the premises of the attic have been beautifully restored and used as the headquarters of the Municipal Library and Archives.

 The "Rotonda a Mare" is visually striking and spectacular. It is a structure created for hydrotherapy and recreational purposes, overlooking the beach of Senigallia. Launched July 18, 1933, soon established itself as a qualified place of worldliness and musical entertainment. On 7 July 1935 the Prince Umberto of Savoy came to Senigallia to inaugurate the Colonia Marina Maria Pia of Savoy, and to visit the Rotonda a Mare. In the years following the Second World War, the "Rotonda" was closed and destined to a military warehouse.

 But it was the '50s and '60s the witnesses to the golden age of the "Rotonda of Senigallia" true temple of worldliness and place in which they performed first-magnitude stars of Italian pop music. In the late 80s the Rotonda experienced a phase of gradual decline that regime closed down being unfit for use. It reopened in 2006 and today it is home to exhibitions and conferences in summer.

Carlotta Tenneriello

 So, in Senigallia the holiday should be tasted slowly, with your family or with your friends, being enveloped by its soft colors, such as during a walk through the forest by the sea towards the sunset.
For me it was really a fabulous vacation!
Leisure me: this is my tourism!

Tuscany: beautiful Viareggio, between papier-maché masks and art nouveau

Hello, my friends! Welcome to My Own Italy to discover Italy with my personal touch!
Today our Travel to Italy is in Tuscany to visit one of the most famous and popular cities of our country: Viareggio!

Located on the Tyrrhenian coast, between the shimmering sea on one side and the white peaks of the snow and the marble of the Apuan Alps on the other hand, Viareggio is known as "The Pearl of the Versilia".

Viareggio probably gets its name to the presence of a castle, called "Castrum de via regia" (Castle of the King Road), erected in honor of Frederick Barbarossa in 1172 AD from the cities of Lucca and Genoa, both enemies of Pisa, to defend the coast.

 The oldest fortification of the city is the Torre Matilde, which dates back to 1500, built by the Lucchesi to defend against pirates.
All around is the oldest neighborhood right along the Burlamacca canal, that is the ideal sport for fishermen and for also the people of Viareggio who moor their small boats.

 At the beginning of the nineteenth century Viareggio starts to turn into tourist destination, thanks to the holiday of Paolina Borghese, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte: Viareggio becomes a popular seaside resort.
The tourist vocation of Viareggio always combines art, and in fact you can visit the Museums of Villa Paolina, with the wonderful examples of Art-Deco and Art Nouveau that adorn the city.

The walk along the seafront is a showcase of Viareggio: a great avenue of more than 3 kilometers along the beach, decorated with Art Nouveau architecture: from Bagno Balena to the Caffe Margherita, where Giacomo Puccini loved to sit.

But Viareggio above all means Carnival: four weeks of madness while throngs of tourists come to admire the parade of the most famous papier-mache in the world.
 An ancient tradition: in fact, in 1873 a group of young middle-class, sitting at the Cafe Casino, had the idea of a procession of floats and masks along the avenue that runs along the sea and then the wagons parade on the Promenade: huge caricatures of cards that ironically make fun of the world of politics and the show business.

An unmissable event, which every year, with irreverent satire, tackles the big issues of current affairs and of politics with great sense of humor
After the parade the fun continues in the districts in Viareggio: parties involving alternately the four districts of the city, during which the closed roads are filled with costumes, music and dancing.

Viareggio therefore offers amazing vacation full of fun and relaxation.
Long sandy beaches, vast pine forests, sea and culture.
A place suitable for every season, which meets all the needs of the traveler.

Carlotta Tenneriello

I'd like to suggest you where to stay: choose among many proposals offered by HRS.
I personally had a great time: facilities located in picturesque areas really and equipped with every comfort. I'm sure you will experience a truly enjoyable and unforgettable holiday!

Leisure with me: this is my tourism!