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The real story of how the phoenix rose from the ashes. Fenice means phoenix, the bird from Greek mythology which would die in its old age by setting light to the nest, to be reborn from the ashes of that fire as a new, young and vibrant phoenix. And this would happen again and again,…
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Rome is truly a magnificent city: the architecture is beautiful and grandiose with oversized churches built from Travertine stone in shades of grey and white and beige; long bridges over the River Tiber, wide roads to cross. Everywhere you turn and look up there are details to notice: highly decorated stone columns, statues, smooth marble…
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Vicenza is small and compact. Most visitors go directly to the main square and hang around there for a while but there are many beautiful little side streets to wander down that contain unexpected treasures and are worth knowing about.
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Once Christmas is over and Epiphany has passed on 6th January and you’ve taken down the decorations indoors and the fairy lights no longer twinkle on the balconies and everywhere is looking a bit bare and empty – sigh no more because it’s time to enjoy the next winter festival: CARNEVALE!
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We took off from Venice on a Friday afternoon of dark skies and rain and landed in Barcelona around two hours later to see the sun setting and palm trees silhouettedagainst the sky. Here’s what we got up to! OPERA RAMBLAS HOSTAL Don’t be put off by the name hostal. In Spain it’s a category…
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Bergamo, a charming city in Italy, offers a mix of history, delicious local cuisine, and scenic views. Divided into two parts, it features both medieval architecture and vibrant city life, making it a delightful weekend destination.
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When you’re travelling you want to try the local food. That’s a given. The typical and traditional dish of Vicenza is baccalà alla vicentina: a rich and creamy dish made with stockfish (dried cod), served with polenta. You might wonder how a Norwegian fish ended up on our plates here in Northern Italy. Especially when…
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Like many beautiful buildings in Vicenza, the calm and formal neoclassical exterior of this building contrasts with all the colourful and dynamic wonders you can find inside. There are permanent collections to enjoy and at any time there will be a temporary exhibition which completely changes what’s on offer, many times with something original and…
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Slovenia is this delightful little country just a few hours drive from home in Vicenza, and is bordered by Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia and the Adriatic Sea. Each one of those neighbours has influenced Slovenia in some way as you will discover when you see what’s on the menu here. At the same time, Slovenia…
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Have you ever tried snowshoeing? Now is the perfect time to give it a go and spend a day in the beauty of the Italian mountains.
Hello,
I’m Alison
I’m from the UK and I live in Vicenza, in northern Italy, so I like to think that I’ve learnt over the years to take the best from these two worlds and made myself an English European. Casa Alison is my home and a part of my rental and property project, as you will soon see. I started this blog to record all the things I’m doing and learning to create the Lifestyle that I want by sharing ideas and tips for those of you that love travel, good food, art . . .
casaalison 