The beauty of Santa Maria al Bagno again in the middle of the scene. In fact, the international artist Ieva Baklane, who live and work in Canada, after seeing some pictures of her relatives regarding their holiday, got inspired by the place and painted “Santa Maria al Bagno, Italy”.
The painting is for sale on the website of the famous contemporary art gallery SAATCHI. Thanks to my friend Hakan for sharing this news and be part of it!!
As usual we'd like to offer you our virtual greeting card to wish you all the best for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
A Big Hug from all of us at www.sispropertyandtourism.co.uk
A destination well-known for its fabulous scenery, great weather and historic attractions, Italy is a country that many of us are eager to visit. If you are keen to find a region that's particularly unspoilt, Puglia holidays can be an excellent choice.
Indeed, this region is known for its rustic beauty and relaxed lifestyle, making it a fabulous option for those eager to get a taste of authentic Italy. What's more, by opting for rail tours, you can explore more than Puglia alone. In fact, you can combine travelling around this region with visits to the magnificent Rome and Basilicata, making this truly a break to remember.
And of course, train travel in Italy also means that you need not spend time worrying about organising complex connections - and that your break can begin as soon as you step onto your first locomotive.
Your holiday will begin at London's St Pancras station, where you'll board the Eurostar for Paris before changing trains to head to Annecy. The next day, you will complete your journey by travelling through Milan to Rome.
The following morning, your first excursion will begin - and what could be more fitting than a guided tour of this spectacular city? Famous for its architecture, Rome is home to awe-inspiring sights such as the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and the Roman Forum - all of which you can see during your tour. In the afternoon, you can spend a little time exploring independently, which is a great opportunity to see anything else you're interested in - or perhaps head back to your favourite spot of the morning.
Departing Rome, your next destination will be Lecce in picturesque Puglia. As a region, Puglia is often referred to as the 'wine cellar of Italy' - and you'll travel through some of its many vineyards and olive groves on your way to Lecce. As well as keeping an eye open for these, make sure you admire the beautiful Adriatic coastline and the Foggia landscape.
Also known as the Florence of the south, Lecce has a gorgeous old town that's home to wonderful baroque architecture - something you'll see during a guided tour of the area the following day. Among the key sights is the Chiesa di Santa Corce and Piazza del Duomo, which is the town's main square. This pretty centre is overlooked by the cathedral's bell tower, which reaches a height of 70 metres.
You will have a little time to explore independently in the afternoon, and perhaps one of the best places to see is the Roman amphitheatre. This stunning site dates back to the second century and is a fascinating slice of local history.
A lovely walled town, Otranto will be your destination the following day. Its historic centre is contained within its walls, but the town now actually spills beyond them. After enjoying a tour of the walled centre, you will head down the coast to a picturesque village called Santa Maria di Leuca.
Nestled on a section of coastline littered with caves, this is a wonderful spot for a seaside walk. As you amble along, keep an eye out for the wonderful local lighthouse that's 47 metres tall.
It's going to take place the 2nd Edition of "SIFF LONDON: BEST OF THE FEST", a collection of awarded films from the Salento International Film Festival, from Sunday April 17th to Tuesday April 19th in London at the Italian Cultural Institute located at 39 Belgrave Square.
The Italian Cultural Institute is a partner in this year event, and our special thanks go to the Director Carlo Presenti and his staff for their continous cooperation and support to SIFF events through the past year.
The 3 day London event will bring you a selection of SIFF movies, but it will also be an opportunity to know more about Salento and Puglia and its fantastic food and tourist sights, thanks to the support of the Hotel and Catering School of Santa Cesarea, the Salento Club, TerrAntica and Assoter Associations.
We will also welcome you with a glass of wine and some nibbles from Puglia. Bring your business card for your chance to win a short break to Puglia and Salento.
"The International Tourist Film Festival to be held in Lecce next May 25-29, is just one of many initiatives undertaken to promote the Salento, one of the most charming districts of the Apulia Region, (geographically featured as the “heel" of the country)," confirmed Stefania Mandurino, Apt Commissioner of Lecce and passionate promoter of Puglia, a region with a commendable solar spectrum offering its bright scenes through documentaries and commendable authors.
There are many surprises for those who put on the agenda a trip to Salento in 2011 - not only Lecce, the capital of “Baroque Architecture," but also all that revolve around one hundred cities that offer surprises in every corner, including those led by food and wine-wise draughts of "Primitivo di Manduria," a traditional wine of the region.
The widespread welcome hospitality among the old villages, sweeping "Notte della Taranta" (the ancient rites which see wheat hand harvester women of the nineteenth century fall into a trance caused by the stung of a spider), open museums (in addition to wineries mills), educational farms (for thematic educational trips), music events, and country style parties of unparalleled public illumination are all offered against the background of a transparent sea and pristine beaches, as Pasquale Squitieri's testimonial of the "Tourist Film Festival" states, with "hard-working people and sound principles." For information, call 0832.332463 or email aptlecce@viaggiareinpuglia.it . Article from http://www.eturbonews.com/21585/lecce-international-festival-film-tourism-relaunch-salento-area
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Piazza Sant'Oronzo at Christmas, Lecce, Puglia, Italy
Travellers who don't mind putting up with chilly weather could consider visiting the Puglia area of Italy during the winter, a season that offers a number of benefits for visitors, according to a tourism industry representative.Stefania Gatta, a spokeswoman for the Italian State Tourist Board, pointed out that coastal resorts in the south-eastern region will be much quieter during the colder months.'It will be easier to tour the region in winter and visit art cities such as Lecce and the Trulli area of Alberobello as there would not be many tourists there and prices would be low,' Ms Gatta explained.'The little towns will also be decked in Christmas decoration and you can expect to eat very well at reasonable prices.'ACI Europe recently released European aviation figures showing that Brindisi airport in Puglia welcomed 50.2% more passengers in October 2010 than in the same month last year.Ms Gatta said that more people may have been catching flights to the region in this period to get some late-summer sun.
Find more on http://news.opodo.co.uk/NewsDetails/2010-12-10/Winter__a_good_time_to_tour_Puglia_
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Once again we have the pleasure to wish you Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year with our home made christmas card, for which we have to thank the sunset of Santa Maria al Bagno for inspiring us everyday.
From all of us at www.sispropertyandtourism.co.uk
For this casa in (Santa Maria al bagno) a small fishing village in Puglia, his brief was to turn a 14th-century fortified farmhouse into a contemporary retreat. Pichler retained the broad interior arches that are set into the hefty sandstone walls. 'The idea was to expand those arches in the exterior façade to provide light and direct access from each room towards the exterior' he said.
The patterned aluminium panels on the façade were etched using a precise water-cutting process. 'It evokes a new interpretation of the classic Arabic "linear" pattern', says Pichler, explaining how the sunlight and artificial light from within causes the structure to cast dramatic shadows, inside and out.
Written by Jonathan Bell
Read the full article at http://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/casa-puglia-by-peter-pichler/4885
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written By Gareth Huw Davies for DailyMail
Think the high heel of Italy's famous 'boot' and you have Puglia, the country's buzzing destination. This long-forgotten region has been climbing the travel league table and is now challenging Tuscany and Umbria as the chic place to visit. Here is Gareth Huw Davies's must-see-and-do list in this tucked-away region:
1. Look out
Puglia (Apulia in Italian) is a land of vivid colours and rustic charm - all low hills and broad red plains smothered in crops and gnarled old olive trees. The big scenic feature is the long, east-facing Adriatic coastline.
Dotted with pretty seaside towns and bays of clear water and white sand, Italy's south-east extremity has been an invaders' thoroughfare down the millennia. Its early-warning system survives in ancient watchtowers along the Salento peninsula.
There are about 50 left, some Norman. Another ancient feature is the string of 800-year-old churches and cathedrals. Finest of all is in the seaside town of Trani. Its dazzling, chalk-white, big-impact cathedral sits on a broad square, on the lip of the turquoise sea.
2. Floor show
One of the many little-known marvels scattered about Puglia is in Otranto. This peaceful place is on the clear, clean Adriatic, near the tip of the heel, where Albania is much closer than Rome.
The astounding 800-year-old Tree of Life mosaic is in the Norman cathedral. Filling the entire floor of the nave and choir, it is arranged like a standard family tree. The trunk rests on two elephants.
Lose yourself in a fabulous and dotty mix of images spread through the branches, depicting Creation, the fall of Adam and Eve and Judgment Day. There's a supporting role for Noah and other biblical worthies as well as King Arthur, Alexander the Great, the Tower of Babel and assorted dragons, unicorns and Norse gods.
3. Bold build
In the 17th Century the city fathers in little Lecce commissioned their own masterpieces to compete with the grand cities in the north. The exuberant baroque architecture gave the town the unofficial title 'Florence of the South'.
Six fine churches are scattered through the compact historic centre, alongside Piazza Sant'Oronzo, the main square, the Roman amphitheatre, triumphal arch and shady courtyards under wrought-iron balconies.
Leading the over-the-top list is one of the most exciting baroque churches in Italy, the 16th Century Basilica of Santa Croce. Carved cherubim, mermaids and wolves swirl around the lavish facade and encircle the Rose Window. The Trattoria Le Zie does amazing home cooking.
Chiesa di San Domenico, Nardò, Lecce, Puglia
4. The chic of it
One of the key words in Puglia's current tourism boom is masseria. These once-crumbling fortified farmhouses, with turrets and thick walls to deter invaders, are being spruced up to boutique hotel standard. Rooms look out over orange groves and shimmering sea. Now seaside watchtowers are being converted, too. Expect sumptuous bed linen, swanky furniture and polished antiques. Some rooms have their own private gardens, or a pool. Many have a spa and there's usually a restaurant. The new deal is cookery lessons from the chef, and wine and olive oil tasting. Bikes are often supplied for touring.
5. Power of eight
The 13th Century Castel del Monte has the secret of eternal youth built into its ramparts. The exceptionally well-preserved, honey-hued fortress, commanding a rocky peak near Andria, is more maths formula than fairy castle. The perfectly regular shape is a homage to the figure 8, with octagons everywhere. Experts are still trying to fathom what it all means. Built by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, this unique piece of medieval military architecture is one of two world heritage sites in Puglia.
The others are the trulli - little stone houses with conical roofs - around Alberobello. Some are very old indeed. They were built without mortar using an ancient technique.
6. Smart chefs
Puglia chefs know how to make the land work for them. The cuisine is simple and glorious, based around the local orecchiette (ear-shaped) pasta and a cornucopia of vegetables.
Tough times made cooks inventive with chickpeas, capers, green peppers, aubergines and basil. They even have their own vegetable, the barattiere, a cross between a cucumber and a melon. Look around for small, extremely hospitable family restaurants. My drink of choice would be deep red Primitivo wine.
Article from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1329508/Italy-holidays-Six-things-Puglia.html
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