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[Hidden Italy] Discover Seborga, An Old Village in Liguria With A Unique Character

11/03/2022

There is a village in Liguria that wants to be independent. Discover Seborga, an old village perched on a hill that claims its independence.
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Visiting old Ligurian villages is one of my favorite pastimes and I have been to a lot of them over the years.

I have been to Triora, which is famous for being il paese delle streghe, to Apricale and Perinaldo, two lovely perched villages in the west of the region, to Verezzi and its scenic beauty, to Bussana Vecchia and its unique story, and to many other interesting places but there was one village I still had to cross off my list: Seborga.

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[Hidden Italy] Alta Langa, A Peaceful Corner of Paradise in Piedmont

08/18/2022

Alta Langa is the lesser-known part of the amazing area around Alba, in Piedmont, famous for its wine and truffles
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When you say the word Langa, people immediately think of wine, cheese, and truffle.

In fact, the Langhe, the hilly area around Alba in Piedmont, is one of the most famous gastronomy areas in the whole world. In autumn, people literally flock to the region to taste its delicious wine and maybe a bit of its superb white truffle.

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The Feast of Saint John in Italy: A Magical Time of the Year

06/23/2022

Traditions and celebrations of Saint John in Italy, a truly magical time of the year
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It’s the day of Saint John tomorrow and there is some magic in the air. 

Saint John, San Giovanni in Italian, is the patron saint of many big and small Italian towns and this makes it a very special day. The day of the patron saint is a public holiday in Italy and this means that tomorrow many people will be taking a day off if the town where they work celebrates its patron saint.

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Filed Under: Life in Italy, Visiting Italy 5 Comments

[What To See in Liguria] The Magnificent Beauty of the Hanbury Botanical Gardens in Ventimiglia

04/14/2022

This post takes you to the magnificent Hanbury Botanical Gardens in Ventimiglia
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Sometimes it seems that heaven on earth really exists. 

This is what I thought a few weeks ago when I visited the Hanbury Botanical Gardens in Ventimiglia, some really magnificent gardens with an interesting history that are located on the westernmost side of Liguria, right on the border to France.

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How to Avoid Crowds in Italy

03/17/2022

How can I avoid crowds in Italy? This is a very common question and I try answering it in today's post
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How can I avoid bustling crowds of foreign tourists when I visit Italy? 

This is probably one of the questions I get asked the most and I thought it might be interesting to answer it with a proper blog post.

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[What to see in Liguria] A day trip in Camogli

02/03/2022

If you are wandering what to see in Liguria, Camogli could be a great option. Lovely fishermen village in a perfect location.
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I had been talking about going to Camogli since the Christmas holidays. 

For weeks, I kept telling my husband that we absolutely had to plan a day trip there but somehow never found the right moment to go – until this past Saturday.

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Filed Under: Visiting Italy 4 Comments

A Winter Weekend in Florence

12/09/2021

Winter is the perfect time to visit Florence. Here is an account of my weekend in Florence this past November.
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Florence is always a good idea, especially in winter. 

Florence is one of the most beautiful Italian cities but it tends to be overcrowded in high season and I feel this ruins its incredible atmosphere. This is why lately I have chosen to visit it in winter.

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[Hidden Italy] A walk around the Cimitero Monumentale in Milan

11/11/2021

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One of the goals of this section of the blog is to help you discover off-the-beaten-track Italian locations.

I have specifically created this ‘Hidden Italy’ series to write about places that you might not know or that might not be on the usual not-to-miss list of Italian destinations.

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A Week in Friuli Venezia Giulia: What We Did and What We Saw

09/02/2021

I have recently spent a week in Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of the lesser-known Italian regions and this post is an account of my trip
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At the beginning of August, we spent a week in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the easternmost region in Italy and one of the country’s most ignored ones, especially by tourists. 

The fact that Friuli is not a popular tourist destination is a real pity because the region is so nice that it really deserves to be more famous but it is also a blessing for those who visit it because Friuli is beautiful, authentic, genuine, and not crowded at all.

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10 Reasons Why You Should Include Ravenna In Your Italy Itinerary

07/22/2021

In this post, you'll find a list of ten reasons to visit Ravenna the next time you come to Italy
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You know I always try to recommend lesser-known Italian places in my blog.

I always make a point of visiting places that are outside the main tourist routes. I do this because I love discovering new locations and also because I am always on the hunt for places that I think you might find interesting and worth exploring.

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Ciao!

My name is Cinzia and Italy is the place I call home.

Books feed my soul, music fills my days and travelling makes my life richer. I am a day dreamer, tireless walker and believer in the power of little things.

I’ve created Instantly Italy to take you to Italy with me and explore together this crazy but “oh so lovely” country. Read More…

Latest from the blog

The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante has just been made into a Netflix series and it is amazing!

[Italian Books] The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante

In this post you'll find some English words that are commonly used in the Italian language

How Do I Translate This? English Words That You Can Use In Italian Too

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