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Climbing Great Peaks in Italy with Reinhold Messner

mayo 18th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

Italy is often associated with good food, romantic piazzas, Roman ruins and turquoise beaches – few know about the majestic mountains that run through Italy. From the Dolomites to the Apennines, the peaks of Italy boast dramatic heights and grandeur but are often overlooked by tourists and locals alike. Thanks to Reinhold Messner, one of the most famous mountaineers of all time, Italian peaks are slowly moving into the travel spotlight and getting the attention they deserve.

Greatest Climber of All Time

Having conquered the highest and most challenging peaks around the world, Reinhold Messner is lauded as the greatest climber in history. Of course he didn’t earn this reputation overnight – in 1978, Messner made the first ever solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen and in 1986, he became the first climber to ascend all fourteen “eight-thousanders” (peaks over 8,000 metres above sea level) in history.

Originally from Brixen, Italy, Messner grew up in the mountains, spending his early years climbing the Alps. The Dolomites in Italy, was his playground and it remains one of his favorite places in the world. At the age of five, his father Josef had already led him to his first summit. In his early twenties, he became one of Europe’s best climbers. Today, he remains one of the most successful climbers of all times having broken several records in mountaineering.

His Love Affair with the Dolomites

Before conquering Mount Everest and other peaks in the Himalayas, Messner led over 500 ascents in the Dolomites. This was where he found his love for mountaineering, trained hard and perfected his climbing skills.

The Dolomites mountain range is located in North-eastern Italy, extending from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The mountain range was declared a UNESCO natural heritage site in 2009 and it is protected as a national park.

These days, most people visit the Dolomites to climb the Via Ferrata, a mountain route equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The Via Ferrata in the Dolomites was the first mountain route system ever to be built. It was constructed during the First World War, to aid the movement of the Italian mountain infantry. The long trails that run across the Dolomites are numbered from 1 to 8 and most climbers take at least a week to walk all of them, sleeping over at the numerous refuge huts along the way.

If you’re curious to see how Messner fell in love with mountaineering, be sure to make the Dolomites your next adventure – you won’t be disappointed.

Photo | dsearls

When you visit the Iberostar Hotel in Italy and you’re curious to see how Messner fell in love with mountaineering, be sure to make the Dolomites your next adventure – you won’t be disappointed.

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The Languages of Sardinia (Yes, More Than Just Italian)

marzo 2nd, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Snapshots - (1 Comments)

Ah, the lovely island of Sardinia. Home to the Hotel Iberostar Carlos V, just outside the town of Alghero. Part of Italy. Right? Well, yes, of course. But in Europe, nothing is ever quite that simple. Sardinians certainly grow up speaking Italian just like their countrymen on the mainland. But before Mediterranean’s second largest island became part of Italy in 1861 and started speaking and teaching standard Italian, it had already had a long, complex history that left it with not one but at least three languages.

So, yo, what’s up with that? Well, Sardinia was a province of the Roman Empire, and as in other such regions, as the island’s post-Roman rule passed to Visigoths; Byzantines; local kingdoms; the Iberian kingdom of Aragon/Catalonia; then the united kingdom of Spain (the Iberostar Carlos V is in fact named after a 16th-century Spanish king), ancient Latin evolved into a Romance language, as did Italian, Spanish, and French. In this case, it was sardu (Sardinian).

For many years, Sardinian was belittled by many as a mere “dialect” of Italian, but it’s actually a distinct language, a bit Spanish-influenced, with four local dialects. Here are a few words and phrases to compare — and of course use, when you’re on-island:

Good day!   Bonas dies! (Italian buon giorno!)
How are you?   Comment’istadese? (Come sta?)
Please   Pro piàghere (Per piacere)
Thank you   Gràtzias (Grazie)
Sorry   Mi dispiaghede (Mi dispiace)
Goodbye    Adiósu (Arrivederci)

And that’s not all – in and around Alghero, quite a few locals also speak Algherese, which is a dialect of Catalan, the language of Spain’s Balearic Islands and Catalonia/Valencia regions, a remnant of a period of Catalonian rule from the 14th to 18th centuries. It’s a slight variation on what’s spoken in Spain. Here again, some key phrases:

Good day!   Bon dia!
How are you?   Com està vostè?
Please   Per plaier
Thank you   Gràcies
Sorry   Me desplau
Goodbye   A mos veure

Today, both Sardinian and Catalan are still spoken by a significant chunk of Sardinia’s population, but sadly are somewhat in decline due to the aging population and because Italian is more practical economically and culturally. But for now at least, they’re still very much around, and a fascinating part of the local cultural fabric.

Photo | Lucia Cantone/iStockphoto

Curious to hear Sardinian spoken in person? Check out the deals at our local Iberostar resort!

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Teaching English in Italy: A Day in the Life of Kate Greenaway

febrero 22nd, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (1 Comments)

 

When Kate first left the United States for Florence, Italy, she somehow knew that it was going to be the start of a lifelong love affair. And she was right – since that semester of living in Florence as an exchange student, she’d instantly felt the magnetic pull of Italy, returning over and over again – until a permanent move to Florence was in order. Now that Katie has built a life for herself in Florence, she cannot imagine planting her roots anywhere else.

As a teacher and freelance travel writer, Kate Greenaway spends her time in Florence exactly the way she’s always dreamt it to be – teaching English, hanging out with local friends, discovering new parts of Italy she never knew existed, and writing about her beautiful adopted country.

Florence Living

For Kate, life in Florence is simple but fulfilling. She starts her day off in the early morning and bikes her way to the school. Florence is an excellent place to get around on two wheels; during her daily commute to work, she gets to whizz past traffic while soaking in the undercurrents of the city. She then spends the morning preparing for her classes before grabbing lunch at a nearby bakery/café where she either treats herself to some simple but outrageously tasty pasta or a piece of pizza topped with fresh zucchini.

Back in school, Kate usually teaches one class after another from 2pm to 8.30pm – most of her students are adults looking to improve their language skills, hence the late teaching hours. But Kate has no complaints – she loves her job as much as the country. “I love being able to witness my students improve with every lesson, it’s extremely rewarding.”

Work  and Live in Italy

For Kate, finding a teaching job in Italy wasn’t too difficult – holding dual citizenship (English and American), she was able to apply for residency and working papers in Italy. Most Americans on the other hand find it difficult to get proper documentation to work in Italy. Kate advises anyone who wants to teach in Italy to get proper qualifications and start hunting for a job online months before making the move.

On her free days, Kate shares her love for Italy with the world through the internet. She’s the local expert for the popular Nile Guide Travel Florence website, where she writes travel tips, guides and local favorites. Weekends are spent exploring various corners of Italy or uncovering new parts of her adopted city.

Italy’s appeal might be magnetic, but without determination and serious passion, Kate wouldn’t be leading her dream life. To those who are chasing a life like this, don’t lose hope because you might just be the next Kate.

Photo | Kate Greenaway

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The Spaghetti Western: A Taste of Italy

noviembre 21st, 2011 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in The View - (0 Comments)

 

Rather like the best 1970s disaster movies or the science fiction B-movies of the 1960s, the spaghetti Western still boasts a strong and dedicated following many decades after the last movie was produced and the dust, quite literally settled. And like these other genres, even those who look back fondly at the age of sharp shooters in dusty saloons remember the films not so much for their artistic merit as for the joy they brought to a whole generation of young movie fans.

What Were Spaghetti Westerns?

While the original westerns were filmed in the American Southwest, spaghetti Westerns such as the famous A Few Dollars More were shot in cheaper locations in Europe. The Spanish deserts of Andalucia were a popular filming location, as was Cabras in western Sardinia. The Italian film director Sergio Leone, known as the father of the spaghetti Western genre, had long been fascinated with the American Old West and in the 1960s embarked on his grand project of recreating the Hollywood western genre of movie but with a relatively tiny budget.

The tiny village of San Salvatore di Cabras was transformed into a Mexican desert outpost, complete with saloon bar and the obligatory swinging doors. Movies were churned out at an impressive rate, quantity clearly taking precedence over quality. It was reported that western Sardinia was the perfect location for Leone’s productions, not only for the arid landscapes that resembled the American Southwest but also for some of the shady characters that were known to live in this part of Italy.

The Legacy of Sergio Leone

Cabras now is a small sleepy town that is a pleasant drive south of the popular Sardinian resort of Alghero. A visit to Cabras will provide a flavor of Italy of course, but will probably feel a million miles from the American badlands of sharp-shooting cowboys.

True to form for an enterprise that was focused on low costs, most of the buildings put up by the movie makers are long gone. But look closely and you might still find one or two of those Mexican façades belonging to another time and another place. Perhaps the Wild West of Sergio Leone is still alive in Sardinia after all!

Photo | nicksarebi

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An Italian Love Affair with Giorgia Palmas and Sardinia

octubre 3rd, 2011 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

She’s hot, sassy and sultry. In the sizzling Mediterranean heat, her shapely curves and sculpted body give her an even bigger sex appeal. Lively and spontaneous – she’s every man’s dream. While not many get the chance to truly understand her, those who do always end up falling for her charms.

I’m talking about the island of Sardinia (what were you thinking?): the second largest isle in the Mediterranean Sea and a jewel in the Italian seas. Located closer to the French island of Corsica than mainland Italy, Sardinia (whose name, in case you’re wondering, has nothing to do with sardines) is plopped in the middle of the Med, surrounded by virgin turquoise Italian beaches. Featuring craggy, rugged coastlines, the island is dotted with deep bays and pebbled inlets. Further inland, Sardinia is mapped out with a network of mountain chains – the Marghine and Goceano chain cutting across the center, Monte Limbara in the northeast, Monte Albo in the southeast and the Sulcis Mountains in the southwest.

What to do in Sardinia, Giorgia PalmasSardinia is also home to the hottest name on Italian TV: Giorgia Palmas. As sexy and sensual as the island, this much-talked-about TV personality is one of the most famous Sardinians these days, having kicked up quite a storm in Italy after coming in second place at Miss World 2000. She’s since become a household name, pursuing a successful career as a model and showgirl.

Giorgia Palmas’ Birthplace

While there are probably few chances of finding Giorgia sun-bathing in Sardinia, there are certainly other ways to get acquainted with her and her hometown. Head on to the capital of Sardinia, Cagliari, a small maritime town where Giorgia spent most of her childhood. With striking historical architecture and outstanding sea views, the town of Cagliari (literally means castle) is brimming with historical attractions, such as the Castello, the Cagliari Cathedral, Basilica di San Saturnino and the Balletto Palace.

Beyond Cagliari, visit the most famous site on Sardinia: the fascinating Bronze Age stone fortifications at Su Nuraxi di Barumini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located just 60km from the capital. For more archaeological discoveries, hop over to Nora or Tharros to wander through the ruins of columns, thermal baths and city streets. And, of course, you can’t leave Sardinia without trying its food – sample porcheddu (pork) and culurgiones (pasta) with some Sardinia wine at one of the numerous restaurants in Cagliari.

Oh, and do be on the lookout, because who knows? You just might bump into Giorgia.

Photos | Michela Simoncini and KingLele

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