Posted by grazia on November 10th, 2011 — in Emilia Romagna, Italy, Marche
The stronghold of Gradara is located at the border between the Marche and Romagna regions. Its geographical location has fostered its development as the fortress is situated on a hill 142 meters above sea level in a dominant position and in a strategic location for communication and road network since ancient times.
Gradara is located a few kilometres far from the Adriatic road, 25 kilometres far from Rimini and 13 far from Pesaro.
It is a fortified medieval village.
This is one of the best preserved examples of medieval town in Italy. The 2 city walls rings are still intact and one of them extends for almost 800 meters and the main tower is about 30 meters high, creating an imposing and almost intimidating building, visible from afar.
Gradara received numerous awards for its uniqueness, such as: “Capital of the Middle Ages”, Orange Flag, an eco-tourism and environment award of the Italian Touring Club and it has been rated among the most beautiful villages in Italy.
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Posted by grazia on September 16th, 2011 — in Italy, Marche
Frasassi Caves are underground karst caves and they are very famous for their beauty. These are located in the Italian region Marches, in the province of Ancona, in the Regional Natural Park of Gola della Rossa and Frasassi.
These caves offer an underground tour among the most important in the world thanks to their beauty and their geological significance.
The caves are developed over 8 geological levels and have an extension of about 30 km made of caves and narrow passages.
The beauty of this subterranean landscape comes from the huge stalactites and stalagmites that formed over the centuries.
Visitors have access to only 5 caves, which are spread over 1500 meters in length.
The first cave is called Abisso Ancona (Ancona Abyss). This is one of the largest cave in the world. Estimating or sensing its magnitude is a main difficulty visitors may encounter. There are no “urban” points of reference, allowing for immediate calculation of its amplitude by a simple comparison. To help, we can only say that from the top of the cave, approximately in the centre, hangs a stalactite. Well this is more than 2,50 meters long, so when you get there, please keep that in mind. Most people calculate its length as half a meter! (more…)
Posted by grazia on February 1st, 2010 — in Italy, Marche
Ingredients:
• 600 gr. flour
• 175 gr. sugar
• 3 whole eggs
• grated rind of one lemon
• a pinch ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons milk
• a pinch salt
• pine nuts
• Butter or margarine for baking
Preparation:
In a bowl beat 2 whole eggs and one egg white with sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon.
On a board sift the flour mixed with yeast and make a mount with a hole in the centre. (more…)
Posted by grazia on August 4th, 2009 — in Italy, Marche
Urbino (Urvinum Mataurense in Latin) is an Italian city of 15,528 inhabitants located in Marches. Since 1998, its historical center is one of the Italian UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
It is located in a beautiful position between the Metauro Valley and the Foglia Valley and boasts an extensive artistic and cultural heritage, covering the whole Renaissance period.
The origins of the first human settlement seem to be old; they go back, in fact, to prehistoric times.
It is the home of one of the oldest and most important universities in Europe (founded in 1506), the University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”.
Listing all the beauties of the city in such a short a space is impossible. But we can give advise about the some of the most famous cultural sites of the city:
House of Raffaello Sanzio
This is the house where Raffaello’s, Giovanni Santi, father was also born in the fourth decade of the fifteenth century, as it is shown by the plaque on the facade of the house. Raphael was born in 1483. In the small courtyard visitors can see the “rock” where father and son were used to prepare colours. Inside there are paintings, manuscripts and furnishings. Important it is the fresco of “Madonna and Child” in the room where the painter was born. (more…)
Posted by internetauthor on July 14th, 2009 — in Marche
Along the Eastern seaboard of Italy you’ll find a large number of resorts, water activities, beautiful ocean views and an ample amount of fun and music. This is the birthplace of the accordion, and in the villages and countryside of Emilia Romagna you’ll hear it’s music long into the night as the local enjoy themselves, hearty meals and good music. Also in this region, you’ll find a bit of a surprise. San Marino, a tiny republic, is sitting alongside Italian countryside.
In San Marino, there are rolling hills, rocky outcroppings, towns dotted up on hillsides and green beauty in every direction. San Marino might be surrounded by Italy, but the tiny Republic has been its own country – completely free of Italians, if not Italian influence, since 301 AD. With a constitution dating back to 1600, this is not only the oldest European republic; it also boasts the oldest constitution still in effect. (more…)