Forget the Job Hunt - This Is How Expats Actually Earn in Italy

 Five Euros, One Field, and a Business Idea: The Expats Who Brought Their Homeland With Them — and Made It Bloom

A few days ago, I drove about an hour from Biella to see tulip fields — entire fields of them, not just a vase on a windowsill. I’m a devoted tulip planter, so when I read there were farms worth visiting, I woke up early and went.

The town nearby is medieval and half under construction, its narrow streets the kind that make you wonder whether your sat-nav has quietly given up on you. But then the town ended, and fields spread out on all sides. I turned down a gravel lane — and there they were.

A patch of rainbow in the middle of green. The Alps behind them are still snow-capped. Above everything, a wide, luminous blue sky and light that felt almost apologetic for having been away so long. And the air — cool, crystalline, the sort that makes you stop mid-step just to breathe it.

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Guide to Spring Flower Photography in Northern Italy

Spring in Northern Italy is a magical time when the landscape bursts into a riot of colors with blooming flowers everywhere. For photographers, this season offers many opportunities to capture nature's beauty at its finest.

Northern Italy is a paradise for flower photography enthusiasts. The climatic conditions are very favorable for the growth and flowering of many plants, including exotic ones. This is why since the 19th century many owners imported exotic plants into their gardens. These have found ideal conditions so much so that many species are now considered invasive and dangerous for local species.

Trails of Tales in Piedmont's Countryside -- A Refreshing Walk Through History and Nature

Since Saturday was free from commitments, I decided that for the walk I should choose a warm and not so demanding place. And what could be better than the Bertignano Lake area (near Roppolo, Piedmont, Italy)?

Having left the car near the church of S. Vitalino I went to "visit" the ruins of S. Elisabett church. I was sure that this church was very old, more or less before the 10th century. But on the information folder nearby it says that it was built in 1638, I think, and was in operation until 1931.

It is said that even in the 60s of the last century women brought flowers there after working in the fields.

There is now a picnic table in front of the ruin. It wasn't there before when I passed by a few years ago. The administration of Roppolo, a larger village nearby, and others take great care to clean the paths and keep the places interesting for the people who come to walk there from all over the province.

Flower Watching. The Beauty of Early Spring Blooms in Piedmont

While many wildflower meadows might come alive later in the year, even February offers a charming display of early bloomers in Piedmont. Let's delve into the English and Latin names of these first flowers, along with some interesting details about each:

• English: Common Crocus, Spring Crocus
• Latin: Crocus sativus (Autumn Crocus, Crocus nudiflorus, Crocus tommasinianus are also possibilities depending on the species)
• About: These cup-shaped beauties are some of the earliest signs of spring, pushing through the winter chill in vibrant shades of purple, yellow, white, and even bi-colored varieties. Keep an eye out for them in meadows, woodlands, and even urban gardens.

Where Do Rhododendrons Grow Best? Rhododendrons Flowering

One of the most interesting things to visit in North Italy is the parks. You can find spectacular flowerings of different species there. This photo was taken a year ago in the park Burcina in Biella (Italy).

Biella is a little town and it’s very probably you’ve never heard about it till today. But it’s a town known in all of Italy for its rhododendron collections. Yes, there are two dells with many rhododendron plants in the region. The first one, Burcina, in the photo, has more than 120 species. They begin to flower in May, from the 10th to the end of the month probably.

We have been very unfortunate this year as we lost the flowering in this park due to the persistent heavy rains. As well as the flowering of the narcissus in the mountains.

The other park is situated not far from the town, too, but it’s higher above sea level and the rhododendrons normally flower one-two weeks later than in Burcina. This park is in Trivero. It is modern and has some pieces of modern art inside.

But the most spectacular is the road (sp 232) that is adorned with these plants. They come down like waterfalls. The road is dangerous but I leave my car and walk along the road to enjoy them.

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Stories About The Best Places To Visit In Italy

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