admin March 8th, 2007
The above photo is of a typical Austrian/ Bavarian balcony. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?? when I think about the miserable state of the balconies in my building… gray/black 
But here in Austria the norm is to have flowers everywhere! and I mean everywhere, in the garden, on the balcony, and also in the house in what they call a “WinterGarten” which is a winter garden.
Strolling through any of these towns is like finding yourself immersed in a fairytale. Little wooden houses, with abundance of flowers and at your back are the stupendous mountaintops that are still covered in snow. Isn’t it like being in the Heidi cartoon, there’s little missing!
admin February 1st, 2007
One of my favorite spots, among the many things to see in Parco del Corno alle Scale (near the thermal city of Porretta Terme) is the “Dardagna Waterfalls”.
I like them so much because in order to reach them you have to take a short hike in the middle of the woods, but nothing particularly tiring. The course of the Dardagna river measures about 25 km. and ends in the Rocchetta resort when it joins the Scoltenna torrent that gives origin to the Panaro river.
A good starting point for the excursion to the waterfalls is the Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Acero, that dates back to the XVI century, it’s found along the street that leads to Corno alle Scale from Vidiciatico, near the Pian d’Ivo resort.
It’s based on a local tale, from the XIV century, about a miraculous apparition of the Madonna to two death-mute Shepard boys that sought refuge under a maple tree during a thunderstorm. It is said that the young boys were miraculously healed from the vision and they received the power to speak.
admin January 22nd, 2007
A really nice place to visit close to Bologna is the Regional Park of the Abbey of Monteveglio. The park, founded in 1995, stretches left of the Samoggia and Ghiaia di Serravalle rivers, on the hills, which are behind the modern town of Monteveglio for a total surface of 900 hectares!
Most of the park is made up of gullies that display ancient clayey rocks. The area is rich in historical elements, among which the ruins of the castle, well known for its adventurous medieval history and the Santa Maria Abbey compound.
Inside the ancient walls (1092) there is a really good restaurant with air conditioning, “Trattoria del Borgo.” It is included even in the best guides of Italy. Its specialties are: dishes prepared with hand-made pasta, “tigelle” and “gnocco fritto” (flat breads) with excellent cold cuts, and fresh mushrooms all year long.