| The Roman Ruins of Velia and Lunch at the Castle with Rita |
 Traveling in Italy over the last several years, I've visited my share of Roman ruins but perhaps one of the most interesting and remote sites are the Roman ruins in Veleia (Veleja Romana) near the town of Castell'Arquato near Parma. The site was discovered by chance in 1747 and I don't think many visitors have been by since. This place is off the radar. Without a GPS you won't have a chance of finding it but if you do it will be worth your while. Read more . . .
While on way to Veleia, I stopped in the village of Gropparello and had lunch with Rita Trecci Gibelli. Her family are the keepers of the Castello di Gropparello of which there are many delights. One of the most ancient strongholds of its area, the castle still preserves the fascination of a medieval fortress. I ate one of the best meals I have had in Italy in the castle tavern and was led through a tasting of olive oil typical of the region. Molto buono!
The Gibelli family have transformed the woods surrounding the Castle into the first 'emotional parc' of Italy, called the "Parc of the Fairy Tales". Children dressed as riders, with the help of a guide, can discover the traces of the passage of fairies, gnomes, elfs and witches. Travelers of all ages will be captivated by this Sleeping Beauty like experience. Read more
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| Staying at an Italian Bed and Breakfast |
| I've stayed at a variety of places in Italy from castles to business men's hotels including villas, apartmenti, agritourismo's and friends's homes but until this trip I had never stayed at an Italian Bed and Breakfast. So how was it? In this case, fantastico! But just like any accommodations you would consider when traveling in Italy, it's important to do your homework. Web sites like Trip Advisor and Venere are good places to start but remember on line sites are small snapshots of reality. I like to cross reference several sites for opinions and information and also best pricing. Of course, the best sources of information are your fellow travelers . . . so ask them! And as a Miei Amici, you can always ask Cositutti. In fact, I may have some new and exciting travel news for 2009. Curious? Stay tuned.
But more about one of my favorite places to stay in Italy. It is an Italian Country House owned by Alice Frontini that without a doubt was the star of the 2008 Fall Trip. It all started because I was visiting a Cositutti vendor outside of Bologna. Read more . . . |
I always begin my trip to Italy "a Milano" by way of 
