Attractions in Italy

Italy rentals are very popular in the Liguria region. The Liguria region is a one of the beautiful costal regions of Italy and the smallest among all Italian regions. This is very famous among tourists for its attractive beaches, striking small towns and delicious food. World famous pesto sauce is also made in this region. The city of Genoa if the famous among all the areas of this region occupied with numerous churches. Tourists can also enjoy beautiful sceneries, nightlife and parks of Liguria.

The best hang out of this region is to explore the beaches such as Andora and Cervo. Andora is most popular among tourists for its water sports, sea food, and the ultimate sight seen. This beach is surrounded with small mountains makes it more interesting. Tourists can also the separate grass area along the sandy beaches which is suitable for the relaxation. The best feature of this beach is that it offers separate showers and changing rooms for free. People who love water sports can enjoy this beach to the fullest as it is occupied with numerous Para gliders and boats. San Lorenzo al Mare is also another beach famous for its road made with the pebbles.

Other thing that can be enjoyed in Liguria is shopping. Tourists can shop here everything that their heart desire such as clothes, bag, jewelry and precious gift items. There are various supermarkets in this region which is opens all the week as well as on public holidays. Among all the popular markets, Ventimiglia is the famous market of this region where tourists can actually feel the real culture of Liguria. In this market, tourists can get the imitative products and clothes of various big brands which make it more attractive. Specialties of Liguria such as food, clothes and hand made items of Liguria are also available in this market.

The Liguria region offers so many different things it makes it such a popular region for a self catering holiday with holiday accommodation in the towns, self catering villas on the beach and beautiful hillside rental accommodation. If you go to this region then do not miss the A Valloria Fai baldoria, a famous Italian village fair with delicious drinks and tempting food. This festival remains for six months and is also known for the hand made items made by the local villagers of this region. Tourists can also enjoy the music and dance by various artists. In this festival, tourists can also take part in the painting competition and win exciting prizes.

Other that this, in this costal region, one can explore the beautiful churches such as Santa Caterina and San Lorenzo. These churches are famous for the inescapable paintings and sculptures. These offer very peaceful and beautiful surroundings. Santa Caterina is constructed on the sea shore and famous for the beautiful candles. Tourists can also buy various beautifully designed candles for their friends and relatives.

In addition, Rio Rocca restaurant is other famous destination palce of the Liguriaa located in the hamlet "Monti". In this restaurant tourists can find cuisine made from their own crops. Tourists can also enjoy some of the famous ligurian specialties such as pesto sauce, ligurian fresh tomatoes, dried tomatoes and dishes made by olive oil. Ligurian Rio Rocca's products are cultivated on their own 10,000 square meter estate. Tourists can also purchase the olive oil and famous peato sauce of the Liguria to take back to their rental accommodation for a great alfresco meal. Couples, families and individuals come to this region of Italy to rent a self catering holiday home and use it as a base to explore Liguria.

The southern Italian region of Basilicata borders on Campania to the west, Puglia (Apulia) to the east, and Calabria to the south, and has a short coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea and another on the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea to the southeast. While it’s not the first place you might think of for a holiday in Italy, the region has a special charm that is slowly being discovered by visitors who are keen to get away from the more touristy parts of Italy.

Basilicata offers stunning arid mountain scenery and inland villages, perched on the hills, where time seems to have stood still. On the coast there are charming villages and seaside resorts such as Lido di Metaponto, with its archaeological relics, Marina di Pisticci, Lido di Scanzano, and Lido di Policoro. Remains of the Roman Era can be seen in Venosa along with medieval art. Basilicata is divided into two provinces: Potenza and Matera.

Matera and the sassi

In Matera, the Ridola National Museum holds Paleolithic relics and ceramics that date back to the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages. Just outside the city are distinctive ancient settlements, known as sassi, that have been declared a World Heritage Site. These well–preserved settlements have been cut from rock and include over 100 rock churches from Greek-Byzantine Monastic civilizations. Important sassi include Montescaglioso, with its commanding medieval Abbey of S. Angelo; Miglionico, known for its fine Norman castle;

Irsina, famous for the 12th century Monastery of S. Francesco, its crypt decorated with fine frescoes; Tricarico, with its medieval religious buildings; Pisticci, known for its rows of white houses; and Tursi, set above the Sinni River valley, and the nearby lone church of S. Maria d'Anglona. While there are good hotels in Matera, staying in the rock dwellings is a very different experience, and hotels like Hotel Sant'Angelo, made up of 16 historical dwellings that have been reformed into living areas, include all mod cons. Another accommodation alternative in the old town is one of the many B&Bs where you’ll have a chance to interact with locals and enjoy delicious home cooking.

Potenza, the capital of Basilicata, is of pre-Roman origins, and its Saint Gerard Cathedral was rebuilt at the end of the 1700s. The city’s Provincial Archeological Museum houses an important prehistoric collection, an interesting ethnographic section, and numerous Greek and Roman treasures including the Tempietto and the Statuina di Persefone.

One of Potenza province’s most historic towns, Rivello, set on a strategic ridge that overlooks the Noce Valley and Mount Sirino, has a fascinating mixture of Longobard and Byzantine architecture. Also worth visiting are the Convent of Sant’Antonio da Padova and Santa Barbara’s Church. The Byzantine Church of San Michele dei Greci features a Neapolitan school polyptych dating from 1614.

The Vulture area

In the north of the province of Potenza, fertile soils allow the cultivation of excellent grapes and olives. Here the two beautiful lakes of Monticchio lie within an old volcano, not far from the two castles of Frederick II of Swabia at Castel Lagopesole and Melfi. The Norman S. Lucia Church at Rapolla, Venosa, known for its famous Abbey of the Trinità, and Acerenza, with its thirteenth-century cathedral, are additional district architectural attractions.

Italy rentals are very popular in the Campania region. Campania is a beautiful region of Italy famous for its numerous tourists attractions and rich culture. This region is best known for its fertile lands and amazing landscapes. This region also offers The Vesuvius that is one of the active volcanoes of Europe located on the Gulf of Naples. Its Amalfi coast is world famous for the grottoes and high cliffs. Tourists can also enjoy shopping, nightlife and beautiful beaches of this region.

One of the best things to do in Campania is exploring its market. Here tourists can easily explore the fantastic Italy's fashion and its rich culture. The best place of shopping in Campania is Sorrento or Naples, both known for their famous clothes and jewelries. Tourists can avail designer clothes in malls as well as local shops although local shops are less expensive than the malls. Besides fashionable clothes, tourists can also shop for good bottles of wines such as red wine, which is a specialty of Campania. Also, you can enjoy the wine specialties like key chains and shot glasses. This region is also known for its unique art materials and gift items. Above all, journey to Campania is incomplete without shopping.

If you go to this region, then you should not miss the nightlife as it offers various activities such as casinos and bars. One thing which is seen in Campania often is people sitting on the road and enjoying a glass of red wine. One can also enjoy the visits to the bars and clubs. You can spend your nights in cafes and enjoy delicious drinks. This region also offers various theatres and music shows like Opera in the nights. In addition to these, live entertainment shows can be enjoyed. Tourists can also visit the local shops known as piazza and restaurants as these remain open for the whole night.

One must also visit the Pompeii town which is located at the foot of famous Mt. Vesuvius. The interesting feature of this mountain is that it is the only mountain of Europe with active volcanoes. Here, tourists can know about the histories of volcanoes with the help of hired guides. This tour also includes the historical information of Pompeii town and the events during the volcanic eruptions. Another beautiful attraction of Campania is the Amalfi Coastal road known for its long stretch that runs through the various towns of this area. 

Tourists can enjoy the long drive of this coast which involves sightseeing of various landscapes, huge cliffs and ocean view. One can either go for drives by their personal cars or rented cars which is easily available there. Last but not the least, Campania has various beautiful beaches and rivers such as Marina Piccola and Baia di Ieranto. However, the famous among all is Marina Piccola, a beach known for the adventurous water sports and volley ball. Tourists can try surfing and sailing on this beach which makes this place more exciting and amazing. 

One can also enjoy paragliding and banana boat ride as they are the common water sports of this beach. Catch a boat from Sorrento and visit the islands of Capri and Ischia for exclusive shopping and great dining not worrying what time to be back as self catering villas will give you the freedom to explore. Families and couples come to this very beautiful Campania region of Italy to rent a self catering villa, giving them the independence to sample the beautiful foods and culture with total freedom.

Wine clubs love the historic wine regions of Italy, including Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. The wines from these regions offer a modern day wine from some very ancient vines that still produce grapes today. This article looks at these three historic wine regions along with the culture of the times when these ancient vines were originally planted.

Campania

The capital of Campania, Naples was founded by the Greeks, enlarged by the Romans, and subsequently invaded by the Normans, Hohenstaufen, French, and Spanish among others. Established by the Greeks in the 11th century BC, Naples was the earliest of a cluster of far-flung settlements throughout southern Italy.

Many important figures of the age, including Pythagoras, Archimedes, and Aeschylus lived in these settlements, and today some of the best ruins of the ancient Greek world can be found there. Along with mathematics, architecture, and drama, the ancient art of winemaking also flourished in the hills and valleys of the region as the cult of Dionysus spread. Aglianico and Greco, grapevines that the Greeks introduced, are highly priced today and prized by wine enthusiasts and wine of the month club members. The Greek historian Herodotus called this part of Italy Oenotria, the land of wine.

Basilicata

Along with Sicily, Calabria, and Puglia, Basilicata was part of Magna Graecia in the sixth century BC, when the Greeks planted one of Italy's finest grapes, the noble Aglianico. Later the Romans dominated the region, calling it "Luciana," but Basilicata derives its name from its Byzantine rulers.

Greek ruins, medieval abbeys, Norman castles, and a collection of hill towns grace this wild and remote region, the most mountainous in Italy with only eight percent of its surface area flat. Despite southern Italy's reputation for semi tropical weather, Basilicata's capital, Potenza, is often the coldest city in Italy, chilled by cold winds from the Balkans and the Apennine mountains. The best vineyards have developed on the high ground of Monte Vulture, both on the steep eastern side of the volcano and on the high plains around Venosa. The wines from the Basilcata region are a favorite of most wine clubs.

Puglia

Puglia, the heel and spur of the Italian boot, is rich in art and architecture that reflect the many cultures that have dominated the region over the centuries. The Greeks, Romans, Saracens, Normans, Swabians, and Spainards among others have all left their imprints there. The octagonal fortress in Castel del Monte was built by Emperor Frederick II in 1240. The towns of Otranto and Gallipoli evoke the Greeks. And much of Lecce is Baroque in style, having flourished in the 17th century.

Alberobello is the capital of the "trulli," whitewashed, circular buildings with conical roof tiles, whose origins no one is certain of. In the north, the terrain is hilly and the climate temperate. Red wines dominate but the region produces many white wines enjoyed by wine of the month club members. In the south, the traditional wines of Salento are the powerful reds Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, and Primitivo, related to California's Zinfandel, a common favorite of many wine clubs. Salice Salentino is the most prominent zone and is noted for its rich reds and its rose. These three historic wine regions of Italy still produce wines today using these ancient grapevines, providing a taste of the past along with enjoyment for today.

You're off to Italy on a cooking school tour you've been dreaming of for years, perhaps in the magnificent Barolo wine country in Piedmont or on the east coast in Sicily with views of the Mediterranean and snow capped Mount Etna. You want to enjoy your sensual experiences in Italy to the maximum: the beauty, the countryside, food, cooking lessons, wine tastings, sightseeing excursions and visits with local people. 

Here are four detailed tips on getting all the joy possible out of your Italian cooking school tour, gleaned from my 12 years of experience creating and leading cooking tours in Italy.

1. Many cooking school tour members tell me, "I've eaten too much! There's too much food. I'm a food lover so how can I discipline myself when everything is SO delicious."

Find out what is on your lunch or dinner menu so you can pace yourself. That way you avoid eating a lot of one course only to find three more courses are coming and you don't have room for all the wonderful food. Most Italian meals for special occasions (all cooking school tour meals are special occasions) have five courses: one to five appetizers, pasta or rice, meat or fish, vegetable side dish and dessert, so pacing yourself makes a big difference in your enjoyment of your meal.

A good cooking school tour guide will list all the dishes on the menu to the group before a meal. If she doesn't, ask her to do so. Sample a little bit of everything so you experience as many flavours and dishes as possible. That's one reason you go on a cooking school tour, isn't it? Trying a bit of everything will also avoid offending your hospitable cooking teachers or chefs. Then you can smile and say, "It was absolutely wonderful, but I just don't have the space." I'm on the petite side, so this line makes perfect sense to my Italian hosts.

2. Some cooking school tour participants say, "The cooking classes were hands-on but I didn't get enough time to cook hands-on during the lesson. The chef did too much of the cooking in the class." If you want to participate more hands-on in the class, get beside the chef and jump right in. If you hang back, waiting to get asked to do something, you may wait awhile and go away feeling disappointed you didn't get a real hands-on class. Some tour guides and chefs notice who is shy and hanging back in the kitchen and encourage them to "step up to the plate", but others don't. You have to be assertive and volunteer.

3. Some cooking school students wonder, "Will I gain weight during my cooking tour with the vast quantities of irresistible food?" One woman told me she lost 10 pounds during her cooking lesson trip in Italy. No fried chicken or hamburgers, just healthy, natural, less fatty foods. Italians eat less junk food and more fresh, local foods than many North Americans. She drank water and no pop. She did much more walking than she ever does at home.

If you can find time on your cooking school tour to go for walks or hikes, you'll go home weighing the same or less, and feel much more energetic while on your cooking tour. Better still, choose cooking school tours that include some good walks perhaps along paths in the Tuscan or Piedmont wine country or along coasts in Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast or Sicily.

4. Communicate in a direct, friendly way with your tour guide about what you want. Once you're in Italy in the middle of experiencing your cooking school tour, you may want to change the tour itinerary slightly. For example, you discover many tempting leather shops in a Tuscan hill town and want to spend more time shopping and forego your spa treatments on the itinerary.

Ask your tour guide how you can change activities. Most tour guides try to be as flexible as possible. After all, their job is making sure you enjoy yourself! If there's anything you're not enjoying on your tour, take your tour guide aside, give constructive, friendly feedback and work together to make changes. Don't be like some people who say nothing about their disappointments until they fill out the tour evaluation form at the end of the tour when it's too late to help them.

If you're enjoying an activity tremendously, ask your guide how you can do more of it. "I loved that boat ride! Is there any way we can do more boat rides?" Tour guides love seeing you happy and will do all they can to delight you. In conclusion, if you pace yourself at the table, try a small amount of everything, assert yourself in the kitchen, enjoy the healthy cuisine, get some exercise and communicate well with your tour guide, your Italian cooking school tour will give you all you dreamed of and more.

There are some little facts that tourists and holiday makers to Tuscany need to know about the reputed food and wine that have made the Italian city a must-visit destination. It is well known among visitors and tourists to Italy that Tuscany has some of the Continent’s finest cuisines and wines which are mostly used to entertain first-time visitors. Wine adds a special touch to any occasion that is worth celebrating. This explains why people from all over the world choose to travel all the way to Italy and specifically Tuscany, to celebrate special moments. As for Tuscany, it is not in any way different from other favorite tourist destinations in terms of relaxation spots but what makes it stand out is the unique taste of its dishes; making it an attraction to all comers.

Tuscany wine has an unrivalled reputation among all others in the region with a distinct flavor that makes it a favorite to many wine lovers all over Europe and globally too. Since wine is known to add color to all events being celebrated, it is only wise for one to make Tuscany a preferred holiday destination. There are multiple wine zones in Tuscany. Some of the most important of these wine zones include Chianti Classico, Bolgheri and Montalcino.

It is arguably true that Tuscany is a major center of Italy’s wine producing cities because it is also widely said that Italy is the highest wine producing country in the world. Thus, Tuscany boasts of some of Italy’s finest with a wide variety of such wines. For many decades, wine has been a major attraction to Tuscany; what with the number of visitors and tourists flocking into the city regularly for their fair share of wine-dine sessions. In recent years, Tuscany’s wine makers have been putting in extra effort to enhance the quality of their wines which results in the high class products that make their way out of Tuscany’s vineyards.

The excellence of Tuscany’s wines are better tried and tasted for the above facts to be agreed. Whether it’s for domestic consumption or for the world’s markets, Tuscany can’t simply be ignored on a list of the best towns producing the best wines. As the saying goes, “the taste of the pudding is in the eating,” so does the taste of Tuscany’s foods and wines. Within the town itself, it is very easy to locate any restaurant, eatery or bar for a quick go at any of the city’s numerous foods and wines. For those who choose to take away the exotic wines, there are lots of stores where they can be found.

Tuscany’s wines have come a long way that the best among the different wines have earned the term “Super Tuscan Wines.” These are the types that are made using several blends of exotic varieties of fruits like grape, strawberry, cherry, etc. The west of Tuscany where the Bolgheri wine zone has its base is known as the birthplace of Tignanello and Sassacaia; both of which are Super Tuscan Wines. The wines from Bolgheri have lately been receiving more attention than ever before. Most especially in recent decades and this is largely because of their high quality among other Italian wines. Red Tuscany wine is one of the favored drinks among both locals and visitors to the Italian city.

This may be because of its unique mode of preparation whereby several different grapes like Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are blended together to give the finished product. The above grapes are also used to produce different types of wines. Although much has been highlighted about Tuscan wines, the city’s food also enjoys the same attention as its beverage counterpart with the comments and feedback of many visitors and tourists to Tuscany.

Holiday makers to Italy always love to stop over in Tuscany to have a taste of what they often read about on the pages of travel magazines and journals. For many visitors to Italy, there are more than enough varieties of cuisines to try for an entire month for those who may be visiting the country as first timers. There is equally a wide array of mouth-watering delicatessens to try for those who are regular comers to Tuscany.

As a good way of enjoying your stay in Tuscany, you can decide to take down the list of the most popular dishes that are common among locals. Along with this list, you may also copy the recipes of the dishes that are easy to prepare or that belong to your list of favorites; with love from Tuscany. In the absence of something new to take home as souvenir from Tuscany, one can take this simple but important list of cuisines back home so as to make something out of the Italy trip. Really, foods and wines in Italy and to be specific, Tuscany, are cheap, affordable and readily available too. Depending on your preferences, you just can't run out of what to eat or drink while you are out in the Tuscan home of Italy. See you there.

Undertaking a renovation project in Italy can be very challenging but can also be plenty of satisfaction. Putting your own sign on a property to restore means to bring back to life a home and it is also very important to keep the region's architectural traditions, resulting into a home that reflects your own identity and expectations and at the same time can also fit into its natural surroundings. Restoring is not for everyone, it means time and money. Undertaking a restoration project, of course, is time and energy consuming. For a standard home, assuming the building structure is sound, a complete renovation with a supervision service takes between 6 months and a year.

A good way to save money is to do some of the physical restoration work yourself, but before starting to restore a home make sure you have the necessary technical skills, in order to avoid expensive setbacks, loss of time and poor results. For example, could you restore the roof of your Italian ruin by yourself? Are you able to check the condition of the existing foundations? Don't worry, in case you need some help you can always ask your Italian Real Estate Agency, which usually works with a network of selected partners and professionals, such as architects (Architetto) or Geometra (surveyors), which you must have to sign any restoration projects. We suggest you use an architect, especially if you have particular requests to realize your dream home. However, the use of a Geometra is usually enough to satisfy any standard needs.

The expenses of restoration for an Italian property depend on several factors, mainly on the size, on the structural conditions of the house to renovate and on the quality of materials that you choose. Italy has a very wide variety of great materials and a long tradition of their skilful use. If you have a generous budget, you can restore your dream home using local traditional materials like terracotta floors, wooden beams, travertine, etc. If you have a more modest budget, you can use medium-priced materials that still have very good standards and will allow you to have a high-quality result.

Labour costs and sometimes even prices of materials vary from one region to another. For example costs in Tuscany can go from €1000/1500 per square metre for a renovation that keeps original features using standard quality materials, to €2000/2500 using luxury materials. Umbria is a bit less expensive and prices go from €1200 to €1400 per sq. m.; Sardinia from €700 to €1000, about €1000 are needed in Liguria, from €700 to €1500 in Le Marche and from €400 to €750 per square metre for a restoration in Sicily.

You should also be aware that renovation estimates usually refer to building work alone and do not include plumbing, electrician's fees or finishing costs. You should ask for these separately or at least ask whether they are included. Moreover, a good way to avoid contingencies putting you over your budget, is to choose a property with an agreed fixed-price contract on its restoration work. Finally, you can obviously save a considerable amount of money in the long-term by following the principles of green building that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. 

Green building incurs higher initial costs, but will save you money in the long run and will reduce the overall impact on the environment. To give you an idea, a restoration using green-building materials that incurs a 15/20 per cent increase in costs on normal restoration, can save you up to 50/60 per cent on utility bills; whereas if we consider reconstruction with an upfront investment of 30% more, you can almost forget your bills and save in the region of 90%. At any rate, once the project of your restoration property is done, you will be for sure the proud owner of an Italian home that fully reflects your taste and your identity.

Years before Italy developed into the nation we now perceive, such country was divided among warring states, which shared no common spoken language and little cultural or social traditions. It was only in 1861 that the Italy we now know came into being. Do you know that the Italian language that we hear today was virtually non-existent up until the cessation of the World War II?

Regionalism

Regionalism runs fiercely among the veins of the locals. The landscape and terrain of the boot-shaped land mass fortifies regional integrity. From the mountains to the waterways and every natural element in between, only strengthens the sense of regionalism. Now, add to the mix powerful conquerors, political alliances and intermarriages. What you will have is a melting pot of customs, including culinary flavors. Regardless of regional differences, two distinct traits have often been used in an attempt to define Italian food: Flexible and Innovative. There is always a pattern on how to cook the base of certain cuisines that need be followed, after that you can add your own flavor and make the dish your own. With that said, no risotto or pasta dish would bear the same taste coming from any two kitchen.

Seasonal Ingredients

Each area proudly possesses its own specialities and delicacies, and these vary from season to season. It is a fact that Italians have a knack for freshness. When one goes to Italy in the last quarter of the year, do not expect to be served fried zucchini flowers. Why? Because it is not in season. In addition, regional or even provincial dishes have been developed due to the availability of the ingredients. The produce is at its best if it is in season. If artichokes are in season, why not use it as antipasti together with slices of sausages and marinated olives? Of course, if your trip takes you in a city near the sea, be prepared for a lot of fish-based dishes as well as other seafood delicacies.

North versus South

Many a diner has raised the north versus south cooking. Actually, there is no style of cooking that is strictly north or strictly south. Both regions use butter; however, the north folks tend to use more (they like their sauces creamy). On the other hand, their southern counterparts, almost always, use tomato in their dishes.

Dining In Italy

Now, when in Italy, one may be confused as what the locals eat and the time they eat. Normally, breakfast consists of cappuccino or espresso, or any coffee for that matter, with a croissant or a slice of toast. Breakfast is virtually irrelevant to locals. You will see no cereals, no pancakes, and no sunny-side ups either. The term ‘heavy breakfast’ is not included in the Italian vocabulary. Today, yogurts are becoming the breakfast substitute. Lunch is not eaten at twelve noon, it starts at one and it usually lasts for two hours, even three. Dinner is also served late, around eight in the evening (and that still is early).

The Menu

Generally, Italian menus have sections, each representing a part of a full meal. First out is the antipasti (appetizer), followed by the primo (first course) and the secondo (second course), which is usually accompanied by contorni (side dish). And last but not the least is the dolce, or the dessert. With this enumerated, one may wonder why Italians are so healthy with this amount of food at their disposal.

How Italians Eat

Well, their food intake is controlled and balanced. Plus shortly after their evening meal, locals would take a passeggiata (stroll). Another way that Italians burn off calories is through shopping. (Yes, shopping!) Fresh food connotes that you purchase the produce on the day or a couple of hours before the meal will be served. Running back and forth to the marketplace to get the freshest ingredient possible not only guarantees good food, it doubles as exercise as well.

Truly, chi mangia bene, mangia Italiano! (Who eats well, eats Italian!)

Ever hear of tarocchi or tarock cards? These were some of the names of card games believed to have evolved into today's Tarot cards. What is out of the ordinary is that no one seems to know the true history of Tarot cards which becomes a mystery in itself. For one thing, its origin has never been proven but only assumed.

Several versions of possible Tarot appear in different locations and centuries. To a certain extent, all may be valid to the progressing history of Tarot cards or just coincidental theories. Tarot cards are said to have originated in China more than 3000 years ago. It is fact that playing card games in tile and card forms were known and always popular among the Chinese. This theory can be strengthened that the original origin of Tarot may very well have been developed in China based upon playing cards showing up for the first time and being used in Italy in the 15th century. How could they come from China to Italy? This was the same time frame when Marco Polo returned from China.

It is speculated by some to forget the China link. The earliest set of Tarot known was solely created in Northern Italy during the 15th century. The Tarot began as a card game called tarocchi and soon spread to France and across the rest of Europe. It was not associated with fortune telling except through gypsies accused of witchcraft. In 1859, witchcraft trials took place in Venice documenting that a form of cards (possibly Tarot) were used for fortunetelling.

Other historians are doubtful of this theory to the history of Tarot cards. They argue the claim of it being created in China or Italy. They consider that the original Tarot was formulated as an expansion of 22 cards added to the original deck of playing cards by the ancient Egyptians. It is surmised that many symbols on the Tarot and Egyptian hieroglyphics are similar and can connect it to this culture. The Egyptians were a very advance and mysterious society who indulged in the occult but may have obtained the knowledge from elsewhere.

Many feel that the history of Tarot cards goes back even further than the ancient Egyptians. Many think Tarot dates back to Atlantis. They speculate that those who lived in Atlantis knew they were headed for destruction. They began to look for some way to preserve their advanced knowledge and gave out the 22 cards. Outsiders thought the cards were a game until the few gifted seers gained insight into the current and possible future situations of a subject and released the knowledge of its power.

The history of the Tarot cards it is also hypothesized as being just another card game that evolved into a fortune-telling device. However, this too cannot be proven since in conjuncture; rules for a game using 78 cards were never found or 78 cards rules were never created in the first place.

During the 18th century, the Tarot deck was used exclusively for fortune telling in France. The first known documented paid fortuneteller using the Tarot was named Alliette. As a fortuneteller, for an allusion of mystique, he turned his name backward into Etteilla. He assigned meanings to each Tarot card, which are still used today in modern readings for divination, guidance, and meditation. There are no concrete facts pertaining to the history of Tarot cards; it is as mysterious as the understanding the reading.

You're off to Italy on a cooking school tour you've been dreaming of for years, perhaps in the magnificent Barolo wine country in Piedmont or on the east coast in Sicily with views of the Mediterranean and snow capped Mount Etna.

You want to enjoy your sensual experiences in Italy to the maximum: the beauty, the countryside, food, cooking lessons, wine tastings, sightseeing excursions and visits with local people.

Here are four detailed tips on getting all the joy possible out of your Italian cooking school tour, gleaned from my 12 years of experience creating and leading cooking tours in Italy.

1. Many cooking school tour members tell me, "I've eaten too much! There's too much food. I'm a food lover so how can I discipline myself when everything is SO delicious."

Find out what is on your lunch or dinner menu so you can pace yourself. That way you avoid eating a lot of one course only to find three more courses are coming and you don't have room for all the wonderful food.

Most Italian meals for special occasions (all cooking school tour meals are special occasions) have five courses: one to five appetizers, pasta or rice, meat or fish, vegetable side dish and dessert, so pacing yourself makes a big difference in your enjoyment of your meal.

A good cooking school tour guide will list all the dishes on the menu to the group before a meal. If she doesn't, ask her to do so.

Sample a little bit of everything so you experience as many flavours and dishes as possible. That's one reason you go on a cooking school tour, isn't it?

Trying a bit of everything will also avoid offending your hospitable cooking teachers or chefs. Then you can smile and say, "It was absolutely wonderful, but I just don't have the space." I'm on the petite side, so this line makes perfect sense to my Italian hosts.

2. Some cooking school tour participants say, "The cooking classes were hands-on but I didn't get enough time to cook hands-on during the lesson. The chef did too much of the cooking in the class."

If you want to participate more hands-on in the class, get beside the chef and jump right in. If you hang back, waiting to get asked to do something, you may wait awhile and go away feeling disappointed you didn't get a real hands-on class.

Some tour guides and chefs notice who is shy and hanging back in the kitchen and encourage them to "step up to the plate", but others don't. You have to be assertive and volunteer.

3. Some cooking school students wonder, "Will I gain weight during my cooking tour with the vast quantities of irresistible food?"

One woman told me she lost 10 pounds during her cooking lesson trip in Italy. No fried chicken or hamburgers, just healthy, natural, less fatty foods. Italians eat less junk food and more fresh, local foods than many North Americans. She drank water and no pop. She did much more walking than she ever does at home.

If you can find time on your cooking school tour to go for walks or hikes, you'll go home weighing the same or less, and feel much more energetic while on your cooking tour.

Better still, choose cooking school tours that include some good walks perhaps along paths in the Tuscan or Piedmont wine country or along coasts in Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast or Sicily.

4. Communicate in a direct, friendly way with your tour guide about what you want.

Once you're in Italy in the middle of experiencing your cooking school tour, you may want to change the tour itinerary slightly. For example, you discover many tempting leather shops in a Tuscan hill town and want to spend more time shopping and forego your spa treatments on the itinerary.

Ask your tour guide how you can change activities. Most tour guides try to be as flexible as possible. After all, their job is making sure you enjoy yourself!

If there's anything you're not enjoying on your tour, take your tour guide aside, give constructive, friendly feedback and work together to make changes. Don't be like some people who say nothing about their disappointments until they fill out the tour evaluation form at the end of the tour when it's too late to help them.

If you're enjoying an activity tremendously, ask your guide how you can do more of it. "I loved that boat ride! Is there any way we can do more boat rides?" Tour guides love seeing you happy and will do all they can to delight you.

In conclusion, if you pace yourself at the table, try a small amount of everything, assert yourself in the kitchen, enjoy the healthy cuisine, get some exercise and communicate well with your tour guide, your Italian cooking school tour will give you all you dreamed of and more.

There are some little facts that tourists and holiday makers to Tuscany need to know about the reputed food and wine that have made the Italian city a must-visit destination. It is well known among visitors and tourists to Italy that Tuscany has some of the Continent's finest cuisines and wines which are mostly used to entertain first-time visitors. Wine adds a special touch to any occasion that is worth celebrating. This explains why people from all over the world choose to travel all the way to Italy and specifically Tuscany, to celebrate special moments. As for Tuscany, it is not in any way different from other favorite tourist destinations in terms of relaxation spots but what makes it stand out is the unique taste of its dishes; making it an attraction to all comers.

Tuscany wine has an unrivaled reputation among all others in the region with a distinct flavor that makes it a favorite to many wine lovers all over Europe and globally too. Since wine is known to add color to all events being celebrated, it is only wise for one to make Tuscany a preferred holiday destination. There are multiple wine zones in Tuscany. Some of the most important of these wine zones include Chianti Classico, Bolgheri and Montalcino.

It is arguably true that Tuscany is a major center of Italian's wine producing cities because it is also widely said that Italy is the highest wine producing country in the world. Thus, Tuscany boasts of some of Italian's finest with a wide variety of such wines. For many decades, wine has been a major attraction to Tuscany; what with the number of visitors and tourists flocking into the city regularly for their fair share of wine-dine sessions. In recent years, Tuscany's wine makers have been putting in extra effort to enhance the quality of their wines which results in the high class products that make their way out of Tuscany's vineyards.

The excellence of Tuscany's wines are better tried and tasted for the above facts to be agreed. Whether it's for domestic consumption or for the world's markets, Tuscany can't simply be ignored on a list of the best towns producing the best wines. As the saying goes, “the taste of the pudding is in the eating, so does the taste of Tuscany's foods and wines. Within the town itself, it is very easy to locate any restaurant, eatery or bar for a quick go at any of the city's numerous foods and wines. For those who choose to take away the exotic wines, there are lots of stores where they can be found.

Tuscany's wines have come a long way that the best among the different wines have earned the term "Super Tuscan Wines". These are the types that are made using several blends of exotic varieties of fruits like grape, strawberry, cherry, etc. The west of Tuscany where the Bolgheri wine zone has its base is known as the birthplace of Tignanello and Sassacaia; both of which are Super Tuscan Wines. The wines from Bolgheri have lately been receiving more attention than ever before. Most especially in recent decades and this is largely because of their high quality among other Italian wines. Red Tuscany wine is one of the favored drinks among both locals and visitors to the Italian city.

This may be because of its unique mode of preparation whereby several different grapes like Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are blended together to give the finished product. The above grapes are also used to produce different types of wines. Although much has been highlighted about Tuscan wines, the city's food also enjoys the same attention as its beverage counterpart with the comments and feedback of many visitors and tourists to Tuscany.

Holiday makers to Italy always love to stop over in Tuscany to have a taste of what they often read about on the pages of travel magazines and journals. For many visitors to Italy, there are more than enough varieties of cuisines to try for an entire month for those who may be visiting the country as first timers. There is equally a wide array of mouth-watering delicatessens to try for those who are regular comers to Tuscany.

As a good way of enjoying your stay in Tuscany, you can decide to take down the list of the most popular dishes that are common among locals. Along with this list, you may also copy the recipes of the dishes that are easy to prepare or that belong to your list of favorites; with love from Tuscany. In the absence of something new to take home as souvenir from Tuscany, one can take this simple but important list of cuisines back home so as to make something out of the Italy trip. Really, foods and wines in Italy and to be specific, Tuscany, are cheap, affordable and readily available too. Depending on your preferences, you just can't run out of what to eat or drink while you are out in the Tuscan home of Italy. See you there.