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Is Italy overrated or just not listening? We keep visiting the same old places, but maybe the real Italy is hiding somewhere else. There’s more to Italy than clichés and crowded sights.
Forget the crowded canals of Venice or the endless queues of Florence. There’s a quieter, more ancient Italy waiting to be discovered, nestled deep in the northwestern Alps: the Aosta Valley
Rebecca asked me to write this post since I’m an expat in Italy, I’ve lived for 30 years here, and I face the same problems as everyone (post written with a bit of a smile)
However, I’m passionate about history, other curiosities, the beauty of nature, and
Visiting Monza offers a chance to step beyond the well-trodden tourist paths and encounter a site that invites reflection on the complex interplay of personal loss and political upheaval.
For travelers venturing beyond the iconic Colosseum and the romantic canals of Venice, Italy holds quieter, yet equally poignant, historical sites. One such place is the Royal Villa of Monza, nestled in the verdant landscape near Milan.
Sunday, almost the first sunny day this year, I went with a friend to Lake Viverone and I remembered the story of this marvelous zone that not everybody knows.
As you know, I lived in the Campagna region (with the capital Naples) for 22 years and learned some of their traditions, which I took with me when I moved to Biella. Here is one of my “rituals.”
As the train gently meanders into Biella, the surrounding mountains—rising majestically to 2,600 meters (ca. 8,530 ft)—seem to embrace the town in a silent, protective hug.
What could be less pleasant than spending your holiday in Italy in the pouring rain? But the Alps are always beautiful, and rain makes them more special in contrast to the everyday sunny mood.
Those were hard times, and neither side was made of “saints”. Iblet de Challant had a reputation as a hard and pragmatic man, not “courteous” to enemies. Giovanni Fieschi was not an innocent victim.
Mountain Rivers in the Biella region are the main arteries of human history, from the dawn of time to the present day, even though we are much more advanced than our ancestors in antiquity.
I finally understood that I need a page where I can see all the books I have written. There are these books on Amazon, but I still haven't updated the old editions to the new ones. So, they actually exist only in digital format. If you are interested, please contact me to receive them.
High in the Adamello range, where the wind howls and the snow never truly melts, stands an ancient sentinel of war—a cannon known as “L'Ippopotamo.” For nearly a century, climbers ascending Cresta Croce at 3,300 meters have stumbled upon this rusting relic, a silent witness to a feat of sheer determination and madness.
In the tender glow of a clandestine March in 862, amidst the formidable landscape of 9th-century Europe, a love story blossomed in defiance of royal decree.
The Alpine passes, magnificent gateways through the towering ranges of the European Alps, have been pivotal for trade, migration, and cultural exchange for centuries. Read some heartwarming stories
This article explores the vital role of moats in castle defense, illustrating their significance through the story of brothers Oleg and Yaropolk and the dry moat of Villa Castle in Valle D'Aosta
Amalfi’s Darkest Legend: The Duchess, Her Lover, and Her Brother. Could This Love Story Be More Tragic Than Romeo and Juliet?
Today, we return once again to the Amalfi Coast, and I will tell you about the terrible fate of a real, beautiful princess. I don’t know; maybe she wasn’t that beautiful, honestly. History has left us no portrait of her, but it doesn’t matter. It’s just the genre that obliges. Her name was Joanna.
Joanna was the niece of King Ferrante I of Naples. She was born and raised in the splendor and scandalous freedoms of the Neapolitan court. In 1497, she had to marry Don Alfonso Todeschini Piccolomini, the second Duke of Amalfi.
A Historical Overview of The Ancient Art of Falconry
During carnivals and other celebrations in Italy, reenactors with hunting birds often participate. It was so interesting, and I wanted to learn more about this art.
A hawk flies between two strings of children
Here are some examples of photos I took. I have had several close encounters with these birds. Once, while walking down to the city, I saw a common buzzard falling from the rock. It was not well. I managed to catch it and bring it home, where people from WWF came to catch it. I remember how it grabbed my arm with its claws. They seemed more significant than themselves.
A bird of prey used to come to us here at night (many times) — probably a large one. It was definitely after Timur, my Maine Coon cat. The bird came many times and cried near the terrace. Maybe Timur was occupying his territory — a competing carnivore. But the terrace is covered with netting. Timur probably wanted to catch it: I felt something was happening that night, but I only saw a shadow of wings when I arrived. I think they were about a meter large. The fight was serious: Timur had a scratch on his nose. Did that bird put his paw in the hole in the netting? I don't know. Once, driving through the woods on a cold but sunny morning after a snowy night, I saw 5 (FIVE!) different birds of prey hunting mice in a sunny patch of ground. One of them was very big!
Continue reading this story here https://exegi.substack.com/p/wings-of-love-the-timeless-romance
Colle del Nivolet
For travelers venturing beyond the iconic Colosseum and the romantic canals of Venice, Italy holds quieter, yet equally poignant, historical sites. One such place is the Royal Villa of Monza, nestled in the verdant landscape near Milan.
Lake Viverone
