Prosecco

PROSECCO FINALLY RECOGNIZED....
THE AREA IS NOW A UNESCO HERITAGE SITE.

In the core of the Veneto Region, in an area stretching from Valdobbiadene to Conegliano, there is a small, hilly area where Italy’s most famous sparkling wine, the Prosecco, is produced. 

Characterised by dramatic steep hills (hogback) cultivated with a system of grassy terraces (ciglioni), interrupted here and there by small parallel-running valley, the synergy between man and nature gave life to the perfect viticultureenvironment. 

Already between the XVIII and XIX centuries, young men heading to Venice for their Grand Tour were totally conquered by the romantic views offered by this area. The “patchwork” landscape of small vineyard plots, interspersed with wooded areas and green meadows, offered the perfect place to stroll, meditate and relax. Nowadays, it is possible to follow in their footsteps and admire this wonderful and luxuriant land with special walking or biking tours that will lead you not only among the vineyards, but also to the small historical villages and little medieval towns of this area. You can even rent a gorgeous red Vespa and ride the rolling roads among vineyard, stopping to the casual osteria for a plate of simple food. Every journey in the Prosecco region is a glorious experience for all the senses: not only the beauty of the hills will fill your eyes and soul with gorgeous images, you will also please your belly with a perfect risotto matched with a fresh glass of sparkling Prosecco. Evviva!

#italywithjoe

Beware Caribbean Travel

While I personally have not recommended travel to Mexico for the past 18 months because of very disturbing occurrences some shared by media, some not, I don’t feel that way about the Dominican Republic.

The incidents being reported are eerily similar and all have one thing in common: drinking from an item in the room’s mini bar.

While the FBI is investigating, this is almost a common sense precautionary tale.

* If a bottle is not sealed, or seems to have been tampered with, DO NOT DRINK ITS CONTENTS!!

*watch your servers make your drinks...if in doubt, DO NOT DRINK IT

*NEVER leave your drink unattended.

The above advice is for ANYWHERE in the world you happen to be.

In Mexico, one of the major  issues was much more subtle and difficult to pinpoint ;  some resorts were caught buying cheaper, imitation liquor which had been tainted, and when served to guests, they got violently ill.

This was a way for those resorts to save money, and it backfired greatly.

Then, to make matters worse, when ill  tourists were taken to a medical facility, they were extorted by being asked for  large amounts of cash  before  being cared for.

For this and other reasons I am still not recommending Mexico as a destination. Drastic changes must occur before I do once again.

There is also another factor which is difficult to speak about....

The erratic and sometimes risky behavior of some travelers, who lose all sense of propriety and self preservation while abroad. From trying illegal substances, to engaging in behavior they would not dare try at home.

Basically, in all cases, in any country......... travel judiciously.

Travel to Egypt is on many people’s bucket list, and for good reason.

There is history, there are pyramids, there are sarcophagi, there are camels, and the very hottest attraction is the yet to be completed Grand Egyptian Museum, an archeological museum telling the story of a unique civilization with hundreds of thousands of artifacts.

BUT....there is also an under reported underbelly of dangerous crime activity, risk of terrorist attacks, and tourist scams.

Hygiene at many public sites is also a concern, with many visitors becoming ill after eating while on popular Nile River cruises or at the tempting side of the road food vendors and even at popular  tourist restaurants.

If you are interested in all things Egyptian, and you want to travel in a safe environment, enjoy incredible food and wine, shop for the latest in fashion and artifacts, go to Italy!!!

Italy you say? What does that have to do with my “ Egypt bucket list”?

Well, as a matter of fact, Torino, in the northern region of PIemonte,

has the most ancient museum dedicated to Egyptian culture in the world. It is the second largest Egyptian Museum in the world, after the one in Cairo.

I have visited it several times and have always left the museum  amazed at the incredible number of artifacts, sarcofagi, mummies, jewels, dehydrated food items all found in ancient Egyptian tombs and brought over into Italy.

The Museo delle Antichità Egizie in Torino, is the only museum other than the Cairo Museum that is dedicated solely to Egyptian art and culture. Many international scholars, since the decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs Jean-François Champollion, who came to Turin in 1824, spent much time pouring over the collections. It was Champollion who famously wrote, “The road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin”.The collections that make up today’s Museum, were enlarged by the excavations conducted in Egypt by the Museum’s archaeological mission between 1900 and 1935 (a period when finds were divided between the excavators and Egypt). Italy was the major recipient of this arrangement.

Italy, (PIemonte to be exact) is where you can find the Egyptian Museum, truffles, wine, chocolate, hazelnuts, the museum of motion pictures, an incredible automobile museum, fantastic food, elegant coffee bars, in one compact, elegant city: TORINO or TURIN as it referred to by the English speaking.

In the surrounding areas you can enjoy the Museum of fragrances when you can create your own personal scent, you can participate in the “Vermouth Experience” , go truffle hunting, experience a grappa tasting, and much much more!!

I will return there again in 2019 and encourage all my readers to do the same!

Hot or cold??

One of the most common questions I am asked by my clients when they travel to ITALY is: What kind of weather or temperatures can I expect? How should I plan when I pack?

I answer all my clients individually, and as specifically as I can since I know where and when they are traveling.

I will however take the opportunity here for some generic answers to those questions.

First of all, I am not a fan of alarmism when it comes to matters of nature and weather. I shudder when I hear: “ the coldest in memory” “the hottest ever recorded”, the stormiest, snowiest, etc..etc.. We have short memories and our lifespan on earth is relatively brief in the larger spectrum of time, and the newest instruments for measuring weather phenomena are a very recent innovation. Which begs the question, what are you comparing this year’s weather to? To a time when measurements and record keeping were not as sophisticated and therefore less accurate?

Weather is cyclical, giving us long periods of warming, and then other periods of cooling. Periods of more frequent and intense storms, and other periods of relative calm.

I’m now off my soapbox!

A basic knowledge of geography is helpful whenever traveling.

Italy enjoys its location anchored to the north by the snowy Alps, and sticking its toe (literally) in the mild Mediterranean waters to the south.

Think of it as a narrow piece of land,surrounded by water stretching from NY to Georgia. In summer it’s hot all over, with cooler spots on higher elevations. In winter it’s cold all over, with snow more prevalent in the north, but possible in the southern regions in rare cases, including in Sicily.

My least favorite month to travel in Italy is August, not only because it can be unbearably hot and humid, but also because most Italians close their businesses and go on vacations themselves. You will find many restaurants closed, as well as some shops. The art cities will be bustling with tourists, who in some cases will seem to outnumber the locals. You lose the local flavor, when surrounded by every nationality, but Italians. 

My favorite months are May and October for quite different reasons. In May it is usually pleasantly warm, so you can enjoy a dip in the Adriatic or Mediterranean, but you can also enjoy visiting monuments and tourist sites without having to endure oppressive heat. You don’t have to pack heavy sweaters or coats.

In October, the weather matches May, but you have the added benefit of the harvests, from olives to grapes. Truffles are prevalent, as are all the new productions of  salumi, cheeses, wine and olive oil to name a few. Another benefit, the latest season for fashion is always a bonus and an incentive for shopping.

In the winter months the chances of more frequent rains, sometimes quite heavy and causing flooding is higher. But there can also be very pleasant and sunny days with clear bright blue skies. Fewer tourists, therefore easier access to tourist sites without obnoxious crowds.

The shoulder season months (spring and fall) are a time when I suggest layering clothes, so that you can easily shed clothing items midday when it can be very warm, while adding those items back in the evening when cooler temperatures will prevail.

I also always suggest looking around at the Italians...follow their cue when dressing. They do it better than anyone on the planet.

Try not to stand out as a foreigner, both for safety reasons as well as for your own esthetic satisfaction. Pack light when you depart and buy clothing as you travel. You will be the envy of friends and family when you return with your purchases!

Contact me for your travel plans to Italy and for the most accurate and up to date suggestions!

WHY USE A TRAVEL PLANNER??

Use a travel professional who knows the ins and outs of Italy.  Know the facts about using a travel consultant and hire a good one who really knows the ins and outs of Italy!  

You may think that using a travel agent or travel professional is more costly, but this is in fact a complete misconception.  Travel agents are paid a commission off of products that you wouldn’t have access to otherwise, so they are not making money off of you but rather the suppliers or hotels that they may be recommending to you based on a great experience. It’s their intention to give you the best experience and believe us, organizing travel details and make things go smoothly from start to finish is a big task. 

Sure, maybe you can do it yourself, but definitely not with the same level of expertise and safety that somebody who specializes in this can do. 

#italywithjoe

TRANSPORATION IN ITALY

Considering that renting a car makes you more independent but also creates many limits: if you visit wine cellars in the countryside it is very easy to get lost, when you arrive in the city it is very difficult to find parking, if you drink a couple of glasses of wine or an average beer you will definitely exceed the limits of alcohol allowed by law and you cannot drive... For these reasons and for a more relaxed holiday, we always advise our guests to manage their transfers with a private driver.

• As a connection between the main cities (Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples) you can find  efficient, cost-effective and comfortable trains. On the other hand, we strongly advise you to not use local or regional trains, which are small, uncomfortable and often late.

• Trains and buses do go on strike quite often. The good news is that strikes are communicated in advance.

• Do not rent a car in Rome. There is a lot of traffic and few parkings, and you have to consider that the city is well served by the subway ("Metro").

• Do not rent a car in Florence. It’s a small city with lots of pedestrian zones. Plan on getting around on foot.

• You cannot rent a car in Venice because it is made up of islands surrounded by canals. You can get around Venice by foot or by boat, that’s it. There are no other options, so remember that when deciding how much luggage to bring.

• Traffic in Italian cities is terrible, so avoid driving inside the major Italian cities if at all possible.

• Many Italian cities have a Limited Traffic Zone, which is shortened to ZTL in Italian. If you enter the zone you’ll get a fine in the mail. This is not a tourist scam. Another reason to avoid driving in Italian cities.

• Parking in Italian cities can be a nightmare. If you must park in a city, use a paid parking garage.

• If you rent a car, beware of and understand international road symbols.

• You cannot flag taxis in Italy. You must either call the taxi to come and pick you up (and the meter will start running the minute you put down the phone) or find a taxi stand and take the first taxi in line. Make sure the meter is on – do not accept driver-dictated fares.

#italywithJoe
#booktravelwithJoe
An update from Rome....

The eternal city is eternally evolving, much too often in not such positive ways. The dirty streets getting dirtier, the already annoying abusive street vendors more brazen  and annoying, the homeless population more evident, and so on.

The one bright spot is definitely the food scene.

There are new venues not only offering inventive food offerings, but also innovative cocktails as well.

Here are three of them:

VOS 

www.VOSROMA.com

Opened recently by former employees of La Zanzara,in a great central location right off Via Del Corso,

This bright airy bar with several rooms housing tables including an inner courtyard garden setting is the new "in" place.

The drinks are elevated concoctions of spirits, mixed with great care and infused with herbs, aromatic oils, garnishes all perfectly balanced  and satisfying.

The food is not only good, but presented with a touch of artistry, so that each dish seems camera ready for that ubiquitous spot on Instagram!

Casual, inviting and delicious. A great addition to the legion of emporiums populating the Italian capital.

EMMA.    

www.emmapizzeria.com

If you follow my Facebook entries (Joe Gandolfo's Travel Page)

you are probably aware that Roscioli is one of my go to places every single time I am in Rome. You just can't get food that is more genuine, fresher, elegantly prepared and mouth watering.

The downside is that the venue is small, cramped and difficult to get into, unless yo go off hours or reserve a spot beforehand.

I ate lunch there again just yesterday!

Happy to announce that a new restaurant has opened called EMMA.

Not only is it an attractive new place, but smartly enough, it offers most of its creations using genuine Roscioli products.

Because this is a very large venue, you don't have to worry as much about getting a seat, however......a word of caution. Even here I recommend making a reservation, because when I dined there a couple of nights ago, the main room, which is quite large, was full and bustling with very happy diners. The food is extremely well prepared, the pizzas are as good as you can expect and the wine list is eclectic and varied.

This might just become a new personal favorite!

L'OSTERIA DI BIRRA DEL BORGO

www.osteria.birradelborgo.it

This is the newest addition to the very trendy Prati district of Rome.

Unusual in the fact that there is not a bottle of wine in sight! "Sacrilege", might be your first thought....an Italian restaurant and no wine? I can confirm: no wine!

However, this very modern cavernous space created by the famous pizza chef known simply as Bonci, offers not only dozens of artisanal and seasonal beers, but at the large bar, they make unusual cocktails all with a beer base.

The menu is very limited, mostly pizzas thicker than the very thin Roman style, yet light and airy. There are many variations,  from the usual toppings as well as quite unusual ones....all served cut in square pieces on a stone platter. 

There are also some pastas and even hamburgers.

The daily specials rotate and vary frequently.

The crowd is young, hip and very local.....few tourists here so far.

Since this venue remains open until 2AM, it is the perfect gathering place for hungry night crawlers particularly after the movies, a concert or an evening of dancing.

Not the typical Italian space, it almost looks like it should belong in London, New York or maybe Milan......yet this is the "new" Rome.