Home of the Pesto Sauce

The finest, most delicious pesto sauce can be found in its home region of beautiful Liguria where basil grows in abundance and the secret Pesto recipe has been passed down through generations.

One of Italy's tiniest regions, Liguria is the long thin coastal strip that curves round to the West, (towards the South of France) at the top of the ‘boot', also known as the Italian Riviera. It is here you may well spot many A list celebrities, particularly in the beautiful town Portofino, a constant feature in ‘Ok' Magazine.

Despite the major publicity constantly surrounding some of these glamorous resorts, the stunning landscape, the medieval hill towns, the tiny fishing villages, the crystal clear sandy coastline and the gourmet restaurants are still mainly only frequented by Italians (another advantage!).

That said, the Unesco World Heritage site of the Cinque Terre National Park contains the famous once isolated five villages that are now connected by well trodden paths hiked by travellers from all over the world. And rightly so because these five stunning Cinque Terre villages are picture postcard perfect, where pastel coloured houses cling to green vine-clad cliffs, sloping down towards the glittering blue bays, harbours and tiny cobbled piazzas. The lovely coastline with its stunning views continues towards the glorious capital, Genoa (a highly recommended city to be visited in its own right), and includes the fabulous Portofino.

We can't recommend this region highly enough as having everything for the most wonderful reasonably priced holiday, for families, couples and definitely, honeymoons!

For more information on Liguria, where to go and renting villas: http://www.loveitaly.co.uk/regions.php?id=9

Hidden Gems

Here at Cottages to Castles we are always looking for those hidden gems and our quest takes us far and wide throughout Italy to find the most wonderful of holiday homes.

So when we found Apartment Rosita we just had to announce its arrival.  There are very few places in the world that afford such breathtaking turquoise views of the Sardinian coastline and being just a short walk to the elegant marina, its really a hot property.  

We can give you lots of advice on other hidden gems http://www.cottagestocastles.com/.

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Top walks in Le Marche

If you are looking for picturesque, breathtaking walks then Le Marche is the destination for you. There are walks suitable for all levels of fitness, from rolling hills to sandy beaches to mountains over 1500 metres high.

Just walking this landscape you'll discover hidden gorges, lush pastures and stunning valleys, which we believe make for some of the finest landscapes in Europe.

Even more exciting is the knowledge that when setting off on a walk you are more than likely to stumble across historic Italy, passing through prehistoric settlements as well preserved castles dating back to the Roman times and middle ages. Just don't forget your camera!!

We can highly recommend a specialist trekking company run by Daniele Petrucci, a man who knows the area like the back of his hand. He has a created a broad range of different hikes, so all you need to do is work out which one suits you best. Our favourite is the Torricchio Natural Reserve walk, an area of unmatched beauty (we think) and located amongst Mt Ferma, Mt Cetrognola and Mt Torricchio – the area is of scientific interest and will leave a permanent positive impression on all who explore it. Daniele shares historical facts and knowledge as you go.

Daniele has created 12 walks, all offering something different and all well worth looking at. He welcomes groups and prices vary dependent upon numbers, but are extremely reasonable.

If you are looking for more information and Italian holiday tips please check out the Vintage Holidays blog.

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Sardinian Christmas Food

Christmas is nearly here and all good Sardinian housewives are now in their kitchens full time preparing the annual feast. With many of the dishes handmade or freshly picked from local allotments, all the wonderful fare has a truly great taste even though there will be far too much!  Typically fish will be served on Christmas Eve before attending midnight mass – then the real festivities begin. Should you wish to amaze your loved ones with a Sardinian Christmas lunch there here is an idea of what you need to serve up on the 25^th – a true feast!

Antipasti vari: A mix of beautifully prepared  bits and pieces – stuffed olives, filled vol-au-vents, tiny pizzettas, warm breads, wafer thin local ham, sliced cured sausage and much more. Overdosing is easily done here and to be avoided if possible as there is so much more to go!

Primi: Depending on family preferences, here the choices will be:  Gnocchi al ragu – tasty homemade tiny rolled gnocchi with delicious thick tomato and meat sauce.  Ravioli filled  with ricotta and fresh spinach served in melted butter with sage.  Pasta al forno – a much loved dish for children (and grown-ups!) better known as “lasagne”.

Secondi: Maialetta al forno – a wonderfully crispy roast suckling pig. Cinghiale al sugo – with the hunting season in full swing at this time of the year, wild boar is always found on the menu.

Contorni: Raw fennel straight from the earth – perfect vegetable with the pork as the freshness combats the delicious fatty meat. Patate al forno – the meat will have been slowly roasted with a large tray of oily potatoes covered in chopped rosemary.

Dolci:  Tiramisu – a favourite worldwide with mascarpone, strong coffee and sponge fingers.  Sumer fruits soaked in grappa – reminds you of the hot summer days and the grappa is pleasantly calming to a rather full tum!   Panettone – the traditional Christmas cake that is always purchased (and not home-made) in beautiful bright seasonal wrapping and full of raisins and candid fruit.

Local wine will abound throughout – fizzy Torbato so start with followed by cool white Vermentino and full-bodied red Cannonau.  Water will be the only soft drink on offer as a true Italian would never entertain a bottle of coca-cola (or the likes) anywhere near the table.  A good selection of home-made “digestivi” will help the digestion slowly get back to normal during the course of the afternoon (and also greatly help the post-lunch snooze!) – fruit liqueurs such as limoncino and the much loved “mirto” .

Should you wish to cheat a little and taste some of this wonderful food, typical dinners are often served throughout the year – if you stay at any of the following hotels you will be able to taste some of these super dishes rustled up by the experts!

Lu Ciaccaru - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_lu-ciaccaru.php
Hotel Rocce Sarde - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_hotel-rocce-sarde.php
Tenuta Pilastru - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_agriturismo-tenura-pilastru.php
Su Gologone - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_hotel-su-gologone.php

Buon appetito e tanti auguri per un natale felice e pacifico.
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Former UK favourite on Lake Garda opens its 5 star deluxe doors after nine years

After a nine year absence, a former favourite on the UK market, set on the shores of Lake Garda, is set to re-open in Spring 2011. The Lido Palace Hotel, housed in a magnificent Liberty-style building, hosted Franz Kafka, Friedrick Nietzsche and Max Oppenheimer in its hey-day. When it closed its doors at the end of Summer 2002 it was a tired, but still popular 4 star hotel. This coming spring, following a $20 million refurbishment, it's re-opening as a five star deluxe resort.

It will be the first and only 5 star deluxe resort, not only on Lake Garda but in the entire Trentino area. Where previously there were 102 rooms, it returns with just 42, including 8 suites and 6 junior suites, 9 deluxe rooms and 18 doubles. They're classic, modern and minimalist.There's a 2000 square metre Spa and 30m outdoor pool. The hotel is set in private parkland and enjoys spectacular views of the lake. It's 65km from Verona airport and 75km from Brescia.

 The new style will be ‘former splendour and historic elegance mingling with chic contemporary style.' (please forgive the translation). Of the two restaurants one will offer a choice of innovative Mediterranean and laid-back, local cuisine, the other, old-school, sophisticated, gourmet fine dining. Award-winning AiTO tour operator Classic Collection Holidays (www.classic-collection.co.uk 0800 294 9315) which features more than 130 properties throughout Italy, offers 7 nights at the Lido Palace Hotel from £1484 per person in May ( £1522 in August) based on 2 adults sharing a lake view double room on a bed & breakfast basis. Price includes return flights Gatwick Verona and private transfers.  Junior suites add £112 per person per night.

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Forte Village - Sardinia

Just had a client who has just booked a holiday having called us from Forte Village, Sardinia as he had turned up on his private jet (as you do) to recce it for his family holiday in 2011.

That probably tells you everything you need to know about the quality of Forte Village and if only more of our clients at Design Holidays, had private jets we could offer them the ultimate pre holiday on site visit to ensure the holiday of their dreams - now that's what we call decadent !

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Berlusconi Wins Italy Vote of Confidence - Just !

Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has won a vote of confidence by a margin of three votes, following a tense session in the lower house of Parliament and amid heavy protests outside in Rome. Mr Berlusconi also won an earlier vote in the Senate. He had urged MPs not to jeopardise the country's stability by ousting him.

Mr Berlusconi, 74, is halfway through a five-year term but his position has been weakened by a series of scandals largely involving his relationships with women. His critics argue the personal scandal surrounding Berlusconi plus the corruption allegations should be enough for him to step down. He has also lost the support of his closest political ally, Gianfranco Fini, along with dozens of his supporters, depriving him of his automatic majority in the lower house. But in the final vote, two opposition deputies switched sides and he won the vote by 314 votes to 311.

Mr Berlusconi's endless lobbying and pressure has paid off. But the margin was very thin - not enough to give him the new mandate he had wanted. That means his immediate political future is secure, but the long-term pressure on him is unlikely to subside, and this crisis will be postponed until the new year.

For more details:  BBC news

Ensure You Choose The Right Wedding Planner

What is the role of a Wedding Planner?

There are endless definitions and at the end of it all, how do you know which one to choose?  So based on the dilemmas facing many would be brides and grooms, here are just a few pointers from someone who has been in the business for quite a long time. I also have the grey hair around the temples look to show for it!

The role of the wedding planner or any planner, from event to travel planner is to facilitate, to mediate, to counsel, to advise, to negotiate, to calm everybody down, to be a punch bag, to have a sense of humour, good communication skills so that everybody knows when, what and how, charming, with a level of sophistication and creativity, knowledge.  A wedding planner should have a good fashion sense, this does not mean that your wedding planner's wardrobe must be filled with the fashions of Emanuel Ungaro's Autumn/Winter collection 2010, Valentino, Prada or Gerard Darel shoes and accessories….it means that she or he must have an eye for beautiful things and must be able to advise regarding colours, flowers, music, the general look and theme.

The wedding planner needs to be able to create and has to have a level of imagination and be able to share it with the couple however this imagination needs to be conservative and a little traditional yet there has to be a spark of adventure and sheer fantasy, Felliniesque type?  The wedding planner is there to ensure that the realistic budget you have set aside is used to its full potential and if the budget will not stretch, your wedding planner should be able to provide you with alternative suggestions or DIY ideas or may have to try and locate if possible suppliers who can meet her or his quota.

Your wedding planner must have the “full knowledge” so in the case of an Italian wedding planner and looking at myself in all this, your planner must know the rules and regulations in Italy and if he or she does not, then they should have the ability to investigate and challenge.  Your wedding planner must be a perfectionist, a workaholic, organized, well mannered however also brutally honest as it does save a lot of time, flexible, always available to the couple, stylish, a decision maker, understanding of religion, beliefs, cultures and traditions.  Your wedding planner must be fearless!

I hope this picture of the wedding planner has not put you in complete disarray but it is important to understand that when you do take on the services of a wedding planner that all the above is considered.

  How do I choose the right Wedding Planner?

It could all come down to trial and error however there is no time for error when it comes to your once day in a lifetime event so here are just a few suggestions…..again I will be leaning towards weddings in Italy since that is my specialization, however I am sure that there are parts here which will relate to wedding planners in the rest of the world.  Being a wedding planner has become big business over the last 5 years and now everybody is a wedding specialist, the hotels have their own wedding and events section and they have wedding coordinators on site and employed by them, farmhouses and B&Bs can now organize weddings, I even know of people who got married in Italy and now believe they have the qualification to be a fully fledged wedding planner but be wary of such pretences. 

Below I have selected 10 tips for choosing the right wedding planner and the most important aspect of it all is to ensure that you the couple actually get what you pay for.

1. Be wary of the wedding planner who will come or will insist on coming to see you but you cannot go and see them.

2. Make sure that your planner has a fixed land line.  Mobile numbers are great and we get calls transferred to our mobile when we are away from the office however mobile numbers are mobile, and any planner of any worth should have a land line as this shows a certain business stability?  Do your own research and you will see that the majority of established companies also have a landline.

3. Make sure that you know the legal entity of your wedding planner.  Will you be dealing with a sole trader?  A partnership?  A company?  This is quite important as it confirms that your planner is serious and runs their business in the best way possible.  It also confirms that that they exist so if it is a company ask for their company number and if they charge UK VAT make sure that they are VAT registered.

4. Ask questions if facts are not clear…. And some of the best questions to ask are:

How many years have you been in business?

Can you contact the clients or the couples who got married with you as indicated on your site

How many weddings have you arranged in the last 3 years….or even less years

Ask questions which are a littler more complex like have you been there yourself?  What is it like? How can you get from A to B and so forth. If they have not been there then that is fine as it shows an honesty on the part of the planner…..

5. If there is a massive price differentiation between one planner and another there must be a reason.  Just because one planner is more expensive than the other does not mean that you have to go with the “cheaper” option. There has to be a reason why one is cheaper than the other so it is really up to you to find out and ask.

6. Make sure that you can communicate fully with your wedding planner.  Does your wedding planner understand what you mean and what you are talking about?  Some couples think that planning your wedding with an Italian based planner will be cheaper…. Think again.  I would say that the costs work out to be if not different similar however you also need to consider the following: a)   If you want to meet up you need to fly to Italy however in the case of a UK based planner for example, you can go visit them or they can come visit you if need be… b)  You are only a UK based call away… Ok with Skype nowadays you have free telephone access but what about if Skype does not work or you are not at your computer or you wish to speak to your wedding planner early in the morning when all the computers are off? Or even late at night and you can only do it via landline or mobile?  c)   What happens if something goes wrong?  How are you going to deal with it if everyone is based in Italy? If you think organizing the documents is difficult and trust me it is not…. Then what on earth are you going to think about Italy's judicial system.  Things take slightly longer than they do here and of course you will be covered by Italian and European law and of course you may also need to go to Italy every now and then as you will not be able to do it all online.  d)   The beauty and benefits of working with some overseas-based wedding planners is that prices can be cheaper especially if you are paying in cash and I leave this to you to figure out. I do not want to be bias to overseas wedding planners as there are some great planners out there who are excellent if not some of the best in the world…. However I just want you to be aware of why sometimes there are differences in costs.

7. Make sure that your wedding planner has the facility to take credit or debit cards and if not why not…. Again this just adds to the stability of your wedding planner as to be able to take this facility ensures that a range of credit checks have taken place so if your planner can authorize payments by credit or debit card then the credit check has already been done on your behalf.

8. If your wedding planner is fluent in the language of the country they are promoting, then this is also a good sign.  Yes the English language today is universal however there are so many idioms, manners of expression, cultural and traditional elements that words can sometimes get a little mixed up and confused. For example, Italian does not use the present tense to make a connection to the present like the English do and as far as some vocabulary goes there are so many “false friends” where the meaning in reality is completely different or can have up to 3 different meanings.  So if your wedding planner can speak your language pretty well and you can understand them when you are talking on the phone and also in writing but that wedding planner also speaks the same language of the country they are promoting, then this is surely a plus.

9. Before appointing a wedding planner make yourself a list of all the things that are important to you and what your expectations are and share this with your wedding planner, who if they are being honest will be able to advise you if they feel that they will be able to accommodate you.

10. Before appointing a wedding planner speak to them. In this world of technology everyone relies on the computer and emails and more computers etc…. stop for a moment!  This is the most important time of your life… and you are going to do everything by email only?  Speak to your wedding planner, if they are not around leave a message, see how long it takes them to call you back, see if you like them, do they sound nice? Do they sound as though they know what they are talking about?  You need to know that your wedding planner will be the closest person to you for the whole planning stage which could be anything from 3 years to 6 months and on occasions even less, just thinking about a recent wedding which took place this November 2010 when contact was made on the 15^th October and we organized a whole event with guests flying from New Zealand, Australia, The US and other European destinations….in a matter of a few weeks…..It is so important that you get on with the planner and this will put you in good stead.

I hope this has given you some insight into what it is all about and the one thing you need to remember and to add to this is that all wedding planners are HUMAN…. Do not forget this as a lot of couples think that wedding planners are all Jennifer Lopez lookalikes with telepathic powers. Remember that we are all out there striving for perfection and we cannot read minds and really need you to achieve the ultimate.

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ANGELINA'S LOVE AFFAIR

Although the long awaited film ‘The Tourist' hasn't quite hit the mark (according to the latest reviews), it seems Angelina Jolie started a love affair of her own off screen.

The Hollywood superstar often sneaked out at night with her husband Brad Pitt during her stay in Venice whilst filming.  The couple chose to relocate to the Italian city with their six children whilst Jolie shot the film.

Visiting the wonderful Museums, following the cobbled streets to find hidden gems for Sunday breakfast or late night feasts, and hopping onto the ‘Vaporetto' boats as they sailed along the canals could not have been more romantic for the glamorous couple.

As for the actual romantic caper ‘The Tourist', based on the 2005 French thriller "Anthony Zimmer", it clearly sought to evoke the feel of early Hitchcock films but according to review, failed to hit the mark.

Sure, Jolie is as stunning as ever playing Elise, a mysterious, wealthy Englishwoman who obviously has an agenda behind those beguiling eyes, and Johnny Depp is quite the charmer as Frank, an ordinary community college math teacher from the U.S. captivated by her beauty after a chance encounter.

And of course, Venice, where the film is predominantly set, is picture-postcard perfect, but for the most part, that's where the enchantment and the tension in this thriller ends.

Despite the lack of "oomph" in the plot, however, the scenery remains breathtaking, Venice is almost as beautiful as the porcelain good looks of Angelina Jolie and the charisma of Johnny Depp. If nothing else, the film will certainly make you consider a holiday in Venice.

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