Free spas: a not-to-be-missed opportunity

Going to the spa (in Italian terme) means wearing only the swimsuits and laying down in hot water, relaxing the muscles and the senses and forgetting all the problems. In Italy, there are hundreds of terme that can be used freely without any fee to pay. Unless you want to use the nearby spa facilities which offer paid services to all of those who suffer from various diseases and can get greater benefit by using specialized professionals. Also, you may want to pay a ticket if you prefer to use a dressing room to change and a locker where to leave your clothes, or eat at the restaurant.  

Wellness and health thanks to the terme

No region in Italy, from North to South, is without the terme, many of them absolutely free. The benefits of bathing in these waters are known since antiquity and according to their chemical composition they can serve as a remedy for disorders of the digestive and respiratory systems, the joints and other parts of the human body, to the extent of being considered by many people miraculous.

Below some of the best free spas in the Peninsula:

Bormio
In the heart of the province of Sondrio are the Terme di Bormio. Its waters flow out at about 1,300 meters of elevation and reach temperatures of 41 degrees. Nearby is the Letto dell’Adda and a whole range of facilities which offer various rental services. Its waters contain bicarbonate and are ideal for sports therapies and water therapy. You can also enjoy skiing in many resorts in the surrounding areas. 

Saturnia
In the province of Grosseto, the Terme di Saturnia offer their mineral springs at a temperature of 37 degrees. Their healing properties are perfect for skin diseases, the respiratory and digestive systems. The baths can be taken in a series of swimming pools located at different altitude levels and connected by small waterfalls. Nearby, there are also some largest waterfalls always packed with visitors, day and night. Many places in Maremma offer local delicacies and fascinating medieval castles to visit.

Terme Segestane
Located in Sicily, in the province of Trapani, they offer a very fascinating atmosphere, almost "extraterrestrial", due to the fluffy hot fumes coming out from cracks in the ground. The water temperature is around 44 degrees and offers the right mix of substances to relieve rheumatic pains and treating diseases that affect the respiratory system. Famous is also the water of the Cave della Regina, a large natural pool formed by thousands of years of natural erosion. Beautiful is the surrounding landscape with the Greek temple of the 3rd century BC and the natural reserve of the Zingaro overlooking the sea with its 1600 hectares of valuable local flora.

The undeniable benefits of the spas
Free spas offer the possibility to people who cannot afford to pay a fee or the cost of facilities, to enjoy the remarkable healing effects of these waters. Situated everywhere throughout Italy, spas are a unique opportunity to treat diseases and pains affecting many parts of our body. In addition, the relaxing effect of the waters, the surrounding landscapes, and the typical food of the different regions are a further stimulus for taking a bath in a spa at the earliest opportunity.

Going To Spoleto?

Spoleto is a beautiful town of about 38,000 people on the slopes of a sacred mountain in the Apennines. It is located in the region of Umbria, 39 miles SE of Perugia and 78 miles N of Rome. Spoleto has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. As a Roman town in the 3rd century BC, it fought off the fierce invader Hannibal. Strategically situated on the ancient Via Flaminia from Rome to Ravenna, Spoleto became the stronghold of many rulers during the Dark Ages. The Lombards made it the capital of their empire in the 8th century; the duke they installed here governed most of central Italy. At the turn of the 12th century, Spoleto fell into papal hands, and its twilight began. Today's Spoleto has two levels: the Lower Town, extensively rebuilt after World War II; and the well-preserved medieval Upper Town. Spoleto contains a number of ancient Roman and medieval sacred sites - in addition to the Duomo, with Filippo Lippi's last fresco cycle, there are many Romanesque churches and a Roman theater, now restored and once again in use.

If you are on a budget, I suggest my friend Lucia's B&B: http://www.bblacasadegliartisti.it/en/

From her leaflet: The “Casa degli Artisti”, located in an historical building in the heart of the ancient town, is in the ideal position for those who want to walk through the very rich cultural heritage of the town, or who prefers walking in the nature, and as well for those who want to taste the good cuisine, just relax enjoy the and entertainment.

Exploiting the huge offer of bars and meeting points of the surrounding streets.

The atmosphere is comfortable: the hostess has long experience in hotel management therefore very professional, competent and able to speak many languages.

She will always be available to ensure a comfortable and nice stay for any needs, supported by any kind of interesting suggestion and studied in particular for any request.

B&b La casa degli artisti
Piazza Sansi, 5, 06049 Spoleto - Italia
Tel. 0039 0743 221694 - 0039 349 0645159
bblacasadegliartisti@gmail.com
www.bblacasadegliartisti.it

Fettuccine Alfredo.... all'italiana!

The recipe is simple: cook fettuccini at least twenty minutes, literally drown them in cream and then add to taste mushrooms, garlic and Parmesan cheese …Anywhere in the United States you are offered this "Italian" dish that is not Italian! That is, in a nutshell, the most famous Italian dish in America, in Italy … does not exist! Or rather, it exists but the story is a little different! Let's do a bit of clarity. 


The legend says that the dish was invented by some Di Lelio at his restaurant Alfredo in 1914 as a variation of fettuccine al burro (fettuccini with butter). He only added butter twice, before and after fettuccini were ready to be served, creating a soft creamy mixture.  The legend goes on with Di Lelio's restaurant being visited by actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks who fell in love with the fettuccine al burro on their honeymoon in 1927. They eventually gave him a golden fork and spoon along with a photo of them eating in his restaurant. ... Eventually, Di Lelio sold the restaurant which still exists in the historical center of Rome and is known as Alfredo alla Scrofa!


By the way, fettuccine and not fettuccini! For those who love Macaroni & Cheese - who does not in the USA? – if you want to impress your friends and are lucky enough to find fresh Ricotta cheese do the following: cook the fettuccine al dente (at the bite); drain well and add a mixture of butter, fresh Ricotta, pepper and, why not, Parmiggiano (yes, this would be Parmesan cheese!). The Ricotta cheese is a fresh, creamy and yummy type of cheese that is available only at some expensive food store on the East Coast or, at very high price, on the Internet. If you happen to travel to Italy, it is one of the most common comfort food available on the market. Please, don’t call it anything else than Fettuccine con la Ricotta. 


Buon appetito!

Itineraries: Medieval Cloisters in Rome

The majority of tourists from around the world arrive with their guides, city maps and full of information downloaded from the internet.

Places to visit are the usual Colosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, etc., but the city of Rome is not all there, forbid them.

This time I would suggest different destinations, less known, but certainly most fascinating: the medieval cloisters. Since you'll also get the Colosseum, the Vatican, and other famous places to visit, for now I suggest the following cloister: the one inside the Basilica dei Santissimi Quattro Coronati.

Places of peace and meditation, the cloister is a heavenly symbol. You will visit two of the most beautiful and ancient cloisters in Rome, hidden in the heart the Basilica dei Santissimi Quattro Coronati. 

Cloister of the Basilica of SS. Quattro Coronati

The Basilica of SS. Quattro Coronati in the Celio area, is one of the most important medieval Basilicas of Rome. The Church takes its title from four Roman soldiers martyred under the Emperor Diocletian. The story is narrated in the "Golden legend" of Jacopo Da Varagine: «the Quattro Coronati were Severo, Severino, Carpoforo, Victoriano; by order of Diocletian were beaten until they were dead. For a long time their names remained unknown, but were later revealed by the Lord and their names were listed together with those of five other martyrs: Claudio, Nicostrato, Sinforiano and Simplicio, who were martyred two years after the Quattro Coronati.

The Church is located on an ancient Roman domus, which had a large absided hall turned into Church between the 4th and 5th century. It is mentioned under its present name in 595 a.d. Under the papacy of Leo IV the Church was transformed into a magnificent three-aisled basilica, preceded by a portico on which stands the Bell Tower, today one of the oldest towers left in Rome. The building suffered severe damage during the Norman sack of 1084; Pope Pasquale II rebuilt it in 1110 in smaller size, with three naves obtained from the original nave. In 1138, the Church was entrusted to the Benedictine monks, who held it until the sec. XV; under them were built the monastery (late sec. XII), the cloister (secs. XIII) and the chapel of S. Silvestro (1246). In 1521 the church passed under the Camaldolesi and later, from 1560 was entrusted to the Augustinian Sisters who still hold it. The complex underwent extensive restoration, especially around 1630, when the church was frescoed and decorated again. In 1912-1914 Antonio Muñoz restored the whole complex according to the original medieval style. The last intervention dates back to 2004, when the beautiful 13th century cloister was returned to the medieval splendor.

The Interior of the Church shows, along the outer perimeter, the columns of the ancient basilica, while those of the present church are of granite, with simple capitals. The floor is from the 12th century, in opus alexandrinum. In the aisles are preserved remains of frescoes from the 12th century; in particular, on the left, you find the altar of S. Sebastiano. From this same aisle you will get to the cloister (photo), dating from the 13th century, one of the most beautiful of Rome despite being rather bare of decorations. Author of the cloister was probably a Roman marble master, Pietro de Maria, who erected also the cloister of the Abbey of Sassovivo.

I must warn you that it is preferable not to make this visits on Saturday or Sunday because of religious services (masses, baptisms, weddings, etc.) in the churches visited. In addition, access to churches is subjected to a strict regulation of dress and I suggest women to bring a shawl in case of need, and men to avoid shorts.

What Makes You Italian?

In 15 years as an Italian resident in the USA, I have met thousands of Americans claiming to be Italian. All it takes is to have some far relatives in their family who emigrated to the USA long time ago and, voila’, it makes them Italian. Sorry, but it is not that simple! First, you are Italian only if you were born and raised in Italy, fed with Italian food every single day, and you studied in Italian schools for most of your life.

In my humble opinion a society or a human society is a group of people related to each other through original and unique relations or a large social grouping that shares the same geographical or virtual territory and that are subject to the same political authority, cultural expectations, and philosophic values. What makes you American cannot make you Italian, and viceversa.

There are too many common places on what it is and what it is not Italian, and it really bothers me when in many Americans’ imagination Tony Soprano, grubbing down his gullet without regard to time, temperature or taste, is believed to be Italian. Not to mention the boys and girls from New Jersey Beach, are those Italians, too?

I do not mean to offend anyone and I never thought that I own the Coliseum because I was born in Rome. This belongs to the whole human society. I believe that people everywhere in the world can prepare and eat authentic Italian food, learn and speak a perfect Italian, and travel and live in Italy, as far as they stop labeling as  Italian things that Italian are not. Have anyone of you ever ordered Chicken Parmesan or Fettuccini Alfredo in any restaurant in Italy? You should ask my wife when we first met in Rome. I will tell you the story another time.

On the other end, to prepare and cook authentic Italian recipes does not require any Italian citizenship, passport or special permission. Most of the Italian cuisine, as I will eventually write about, is based on simple, basic recipes which may date far back in history. Many of those recipes have eventually evolved and maintained the original flavor and texture through time. Provided that you find the basic ingredients, anyone can cook anywhere in the world authentic Italian food.

Buon appetito!


<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">HyperSmash.com</a>