Links We Like

Ortensia Blu Blog has a list of our favorite blogs.

Here are some other favorite links:

Residence San Rocco    

http://www.residence-garda.com/lake-garda/residence.html

Perched atop a hill overlooking Lake Garda, the Residence San Rocco is located directly on the property of Azienda Agricola Manestrini. Take a stroll through the olive groves, relax by the pool or spend your days sight seeing around the beautiful region of Lake Garda. Paolo and Nicoletta Manestrini, the hospitable and warm innkeepers, will help make your visit a memorable one. Stay for one night, one week or a month as the lodging includes studio and one bedroom apartments complete with a small kitchen. And you can pick up a GPS from the Strada dei Vini right from the Residence to complete your unforgettable visit to Lake Garda.

Abruzzo Cibus

www.abruzzocibus.com

Abruzzo is another non touristy part of Italy located about 2 1/2 hours east/northeast of Rome (let's call it the back of the calf of the boot)  Massimo, educated in the US, runs a terrific cooking school with culinary tours highlighting the cuisine and local culture of Abruzzo. The video on the website gives you a great overview of this beautiful region, focusing on the regional food and wine specialties.

Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori del Garda  

http://www.stradadeivini.it

Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori del Garda (Road to Wines and Tastes of Garda) is a regional association with the objective of introducing and promoting the wines and flavors of Lake Garda.  This non-profit association brings together representation from wine, food, hospitality and culture.  Okay, so the website is in Italian, but you can still get lots of great information (or use Google Translate).  The site lists all of the vineyards, olive mills, hotels and restaurants that participate.  And one of the wonderful things the Strada provides is use of a GPS which is pre-programmed to take you on 5 different tours of the region. Definitely a site to check out!

Il Sasso      

http://www.ilsasso.com/eng

If you're looking to study Italian in Italy it doesn't get any better than Il Sasso, located in Montepulciano in the heart of Tuscany.  Go for a week, 2 weeks or 2 months and learn to speak from the terrific instructors at Il Sasso.  Check out their web site or see what others have to say at http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g194833-d1738941-Reviews-Italian_Language_School_Il_Sasso-Montepulciano_Tuscany.html