Genzano is a charming town built on one of Rome’s hills. Every year it hosts the Infiorata di Genzano, when its main street, the Via Italo Belardi, is carpeted by 2,000 square metres of enormous tapestries adorned with flowers. This artwork uses up nearly 500,000 petals, flowers and seeds meticulously placed to form intricate pictures inspired by religious themes. It is a collaborative venture involving many of Genzano’s inhabitants. Just as painters have their palette, for the Infiorata, different types of flowers are selected according to each colour – carnations are used for reds, broom for yellows.

For the three-day duration of the festival, the town’s shopkeepers set up their marquees from where they sell the region’s typical food products, such as olive oil or pane casereccio, a famous crunchy bread and one of the most emblematic of local gastronomic products. TheInfiorataremains on the streets until the so-called Spallamento, the moment when the music bands and the town’s children walk over the infiorata, until the whole carpet is trampled underfoot.

The Origin of the Flower Carpets

These colourful flower carpets are laid down in many other towns around the world. Notable examples are the Temps de Flors in Girona and the Alfombras de Sal in Lanzarote. Their origins go back to theCorpus Christicelebrations of the 13th century, when flowers were thrown during the Holy Week procession in Rome, a tradition that then spread to many other Catholic countries. Other towns in Italy also have their own infiorata, but the one in Genzano is the oldest and most famous, dating back to 1778.

The Historical Towns of Castelli Romani

Genzano is one of thirteen historical towns that make up the so-called Castelli Romani (Roman castles), which roughly correspond to the area of Colli Albani (Albanian hills) south-east of Rome. For centuries it has been a favourite spot for well-heeled Romans seeking a more temperate climate, to escape from the often suffocating heat of Rome and also to get away from the city bustle and dense traffic. The towns in the Castelli Romani Regional Park stand out for their medieval and Renaissance buildings and for their excellent wine, the so-called white Frascati. You can taste this wine, accompanied by olives, cheese andporchetta– a roast pork dish with herbs – at the local taverns or fraschette.

Genzano – A Charming Setting

Genzano, like other towns in the Castelli Romani, is set on the external slope of the Lake Nemicrater. Indeed, the volcanic origin of the soil is what endows the grapes used in the wine-making with their excellent quality. Its historic centre has a large number of historical and art vestiges for a town of its comparatively small size, including the Collegiata della Santissima Trinità (Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity), the Annunziata, the Church of the Cappuccini, and the Sforza Cesarini and Villa degli Antonini palaces. Lake Nemi’s claim to fame is that two of the largest and most luxurious vessels from antiquity were found in the crater – both had belonged to Caligula. For 2,000 years they rested at the bottom of the lake before eventually being salvaged in perfect condition, on account of the mud found caked around them. You will delight in the natural surroundings of the Genzano area, which is ideal for cycling. A bike tour will take you along scenic routes featuring lakes, craters and forests.

If you don’t want to miss this year’s Infiorata di Genzano, prepare your trip to this picturesque Italian town for 13, 14 and 15 June 2015. You will enjoy a spectacular event that draws thousands of visitors. Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Fabio | Claudio Vaccaro | supermiagolator | supermiagolator | Malega | Deblu68 | Valerio_D

Fuerteventura’s cuisine is as contrasted as their landscapes. A cuisine based on simple but very tasty products with a culinary tradition that goes back centuries. It has taken advantage like no other the agricultural and livestock resources and has preserved the traditions for processing. It is the case of "gofio amasado", the diet of the ancient inhabitants of the island that has been developed with flour from grain toast from long ago.

The typical dishes are the papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes)-a variety smaller than the common boiled with salt until the skin is wrinkled-, and served with a spicy sauce called Mojo. The word comes from the Portuguese molho, which means just gravy. There are generally two types of mojo: green prepared with green pepper and that is usually accompanies fish and the red mojo, with paprika that gives meat flavor.

The Majorero Cheese is elaborated in Fuerteventura, one of the most popular cheeses everywhere because of its very aromatic milk fat that majorera goats produce roaming freely around the fields.

Between the products of the land stands out the majorero tomato, grown with care in a fertile land with volcanic stones, which give an intense flavor and a great consistency and color.

But its flagship product comes from the sea. The fish is prepared in Fuerteventura in every conceivable ways: fried, roasted, sauteed or cooked and in classic recipes such as the Sancorcho, that you definitely have to try if you visit the island.

The commitment to sustainable fisheries has been successful and has allowed the proliferation of many species. Some typical are the amberjack, the dentex, the red fula , the “morena” or red pomfret, that you'll find really fresh in their restaurants.

To have a good meal in Fuerteventura, you should get away from the tourist areas and into the island. In small towns of the interior, it is still possible to find places to try truly traditional food.

To have a good meal in Fuerteventura, you should get away from the tourist areas and into the island. In small towns of the interior, it is still possible to find places to try truly traditional food.

Casa Isaítas
Calle Guize 7, Pájara
www.casaisaitas.com

Great majorera cuisine based in fresh and seasonal products. Try the local cheese, salads with products from the garden, the grilled cheese with green mojo, goat meat with sauce or a version of a dish, as it is the Ropa Vieja, but vegetarian to please everyone. To have between stone walls or in its interior and enjoy the best majorero environment.

Restaurante la Playita
Muelle Chico, La Oliva

From the sea to the stove. This area is rich in fish and at the Playita Restaurant they prepare them great. Try "la cabrita", deeply fried with good oil and from wich you can eat everything from the head and bones. And with stunning views to the sea as it is practically on the sand of the beach.

Casa Santa María
Plaza de Santa María, Betancuria

A farmhouse from the XVII century now restored and converted into a restaurant that has been awarded as the most beautiful of the island. In the historical center of Betancuria you will find this cuisine that blends traditional and experimental. Try the house specialty, the roasted kid.

Casa del Queso
Betancuria

There is also an ideal place for a quick stop and to try some of the specialties of the island in Betacuria. The Cheese House is a small venue that is located off Betancuria on the way to Pajara where you can taste the cheeses that are made in the village. If you're interested, they will explain the features of each, and if you want to take a piece home, they will vacuum pack it for you.

Picture mojo verde by Abhay Kumar | Mojo rojo by Fernando Carmona Gonzalez | Sancorcho by Canario1

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Up to Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean, comes all kinds of tourism attracted by its fantastic contrasts. Big claims are its magnificent landscapes, crystal clear waters and beaches – that nothing have to envy to the beaches of the Caribbean-, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. But up to Sardinia becomes also a tourism seeking to discover their valuable cultural legacy.

Ancestral traditions and rural ambiences that intermingle with modern cities and, in many areas, a luxurious tourism with big purchasing power. The fact that till not long ago, the island was a slightly exploited turísticamente, it does that the Sardinians still preserve predisposition is good towards the tourism. They always prove to be kind and ready to help and to advise.

Olbia is located in the North of the island. Olbia means ‘happy town’ and is not for less!. Here you will find that, for some, are the most beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean. It will cost you to choose between all of them, with its crystal clear waters and fine white sand. The beaches of Porto Istana, Lido del Sole, Li Cuncheddi, Bados, Il Pelikano happening by the 55 kilometres from the Coast Emerald in a postcard landscapes. And for the more daring, remember that it is an excellent area to practice the exciting kite surfing!

The Coast Emerald is a holiday place of jet set. The area of the gulf in which it places Olbia finds full luxurious yachts, and it is frequented by celebrities of all kinds that culture and history come attracted by the fascinating nature miscellany. And the fact is that Olbia preserves historical buildings and architectural value as the Town hall, the Romanesque iglésia of San Simplicio, the ruins cistenses or the Carthaginian wall.

The city of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, is located on seven hills (Sant’Elia, Bonaria, Monte Urpinu, Castello, Monte Claro, Tuvixeddu San Michele), in the gulf south of Sardinia and surrounded by marshes. Cagliari, and the entire island of Cerdagne in general, retains important vestiges of the Phoenician and Roman civilizations, and a true medieval air. You ll marvel at their culture, and the taste of marinera capital.

The oldest district of the town is the Castello, in which are the main points of interest. Perched high on a hill, you can easily access, either from the elevator of the market of Santa Chiara, from which it is located near to the Torre di San Pancrazio or climbing the staircase of St Remy that comes out of the piazza Constituzione. This square is a very lively place at night, with performances and lively local.In the district of la Marina, more mediterranean atmosphere, with plenty of typical taverns to eat. And let’s not forget the beaches! The most popular is the of Poetto, and one of the most beautiful of all the Mediterranean, as well as the marshes where you can see a host of migratory birds such as flamingos.

Finally, mention her excellent gastronomy. As in the rest of the Mediterranean, Sardinia is an island rich in healthy products from land and sea. Starting with its typical bread, the pane pane Carasau – of thin mass and crunchy, which many times is served drizzled with olive oil or to which you add tomato, fried egg or cheese. If you want to apply for a rich incoming, choose between the octopus, tuna, soup of fish, squid, shrimp, a dish of pasta or the rich rice that so well prepared. To choose a wine, keep in mind that the best come from the area of Alghero or Oristan.

Imagen de Max.oppo

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Walking through central Prague it’s hard not to get trapped in the elaborate net of touristy souvenir shops and hot wine stands. But just like in the Dark Ages, there is a hidden layer to the today’s city bustling with lights, sights and stores. Jewelry, accessories and home décor by local artists feeding on the country’s rich design traditions may be hard to spot by accident – but now you don’t have to.

ARTĚL

Started by Karen Feldman back in 1988, now ARTĚL is a renowned glassware brand with 2 stores in Prague and a reputation far beyond. Today, they carry Karen’s own patterned glass items as well as countless multidisciplinary articles by young local designers. Earrings to candles and rings to buttons and postcards, ARTĚL is a seminal element in the local design scene.

Celetná 29 (entrance on Rybná), Prague 1
www.artelglass.com
open daily 10:00-19:00

KUBISTA

Housed in a gorgeous cubist building called the House of the Black Madonna, Kubista shares it with the Czech Museum of Cubism and the Grand Café Orient restaurant upstairs. Focusing on one-of-a-kind cubist (and other) jewelry, lamps, and ceramics, Kubista offers a refined, intimate shopping experience. Each item has the designer’s name on the tag, and extra careful packing and shipping for fragile purchases are available.

Ovocný trh 19, Prague 1
www.kubista.cz/en/
open Tue to Sun 10:00-18:30

DOX DESIGNSHOP

The DOX Centre for Contemporary Art is alone worth a visit, but the Designshop within it puts the huge complex on the must visit map. Attracting a younger crowd in terms of both buyers and designers, the DOX Designshop shows how ambitious artists experiment with jewelry as well as traditionally Czech glass and porcelain,. The Bookshop right nearby offers the best design, art and photo book selection in town.

Poupětova 1, Prague 7
www.dox.cz/en/premises-and-shops/designshop
open Mon 10:00-18:00, Wed & Fri 11:00–19:00, Thu 11:00-21:00, Sat & Sun 10:00–18:00
closed Tuesday

FUTURISTA

A unique gallery slash shop slash workshop spot right next to the Bethlehem Chapel, Futurista Universum strives to offer what’s freshest in the local design world. Go there for an impressive selection of contemporary jewelry with an edge, cheeky accessories, and beautiful minimalist glassware. Check the website for the list of current exhibitions.

Betlémské náměstí 5a, Prague 1
www.futurista.cz/en/stranka-o-nas-2
open Mon to Fri 11:00-18:30, Sat 10:00-18:30

BELDAFACTORY

A family-run business dating back to the 1920-s, BELDAFACTORY fuses classical, contemporary and quirky in their distinctive jewelry, wedding rings and tableware designs. Made by hand with metal, precious stones and enamel, these are offered in their very own shop in central Prague, along with selected works by other local artists. Unique glass and porcelain articles are also available.

Mikulandská 10, Prague 1
www.belda.cz/english
open Mon to Fri 11:00-18:00

Image: Kubista

So you feel like visiting Prague, do you? Book your flights here!