Archive for the 'Tuscany' Category

Terme Di Saturnia : A Real Fantasy In Maremma

Friday, April 10th, 2009

Terme di Saturnia, the farmhouse locality of Tuscany is attracting the entire world with its single label as the ‘healthy tourist spot’. The features of this wonderful land are enough to add a refreshing experience to both your body and soul.

The nature, the food, the climate, and the aquatic flora and fauna- Terme di Saturnia is flourishing with the healthy natural elements. The farmhouses are surrounded by hilltops, providing an ideal opportunity for a healthy walk. The mountains are for those adventurous trekking activities. The pollution-free environment cleanses your lungs and improves the overall functioning of the body.

Terme di Saturnia is known for its agri-tourism, beautiful farmhouses and the wonderful natural beauty. The tranquil atmosphere makes it as the favorite destination for people from across the world. Terme di Saturnia has been chosen as the best center for relaxant treatments including the spa treatment.

The farmhouse location is developed for providing the best service for the visitor. The swimming pool at Terme di Saturnia offers a 37oC temperature throughout the year. The water in the swimming pool is fortified with hot air and the ‘plancton thermal’ facility. So it functions as the best idrofitness services even in harsh winter. The warm water therapy is the most advantageous form of treatment that can be availed from the nature. Hydrotherapy improves the overall health, especially, that of heart, joints and the stomach.

Terme di Saturnia has been chosen as the hotspot for the relaxant treatments by the people all over the world. Apart from the facility for hydrotherapy, it offers various fitness services too. Terme di Saturnia has got facilities for numerous activities such as bocce, tennis sauna, and golf.

You better call it a country life experience, and you will like it. Most of the city dwellers are enchanted by this feature of the Terme di Saturnia. You never feel you are away from your home, for it offers you the most relaxing experience. The shady pine trees are born to serve you, the crystal-clear sea water is to revive your spirit, and the food prepared by your hosts is the most nutritious as they don’t have any artificial ingredients in it.

Every visitor who lands at Terme di Saturnia would have planned a tasty treat at this spot. The Fiorentina steak or the rostinciana and salsicce are the favorite choices of the tourist here. The food contains all the ingredients prepared from the same soil, including the best quality olive oil.

And not to forget, this is the land of wine, the Ambrosia on the earth. Tuscany is famous for the grapevine cultivation, and that is another reason why it has become the attractive spot for many an Adam and Eve. And how can you leave the “acqua cotta”-soup, wild boar and “polenta”, and the maremman “tortelli” filled with ricotta-cheese behind you when you think of having a sip of wine?

The olive gardens, the grape wine yard, the pine-clad mountain, the hot spring sprouts, and the virgin food- Don’t you feel that we are talking about the heaven on earth?

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com

Terme di Saturnia : Information on Terme di Saturnia and Saturnia

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Capalbio : Information For Your Holiday In Maremma

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

Capalbio is a comune in the province of Grosseto in Tuscany. It is the southern border of Tuscany and is surrounded by the municipalities Manciano, Montalto di Castro, and Orbettello.

Capalbio is known for the white alabaster stone that is found in plenty in this region. The name Capalbio is probably derived from a Latin word because of this feature of the land here. The Latin word Caput Album refers to ‘white cape field’.

The center of attraction of Capalbio is a hill that is mounted on it. The hill was originally the castle of the Tre Fontane di Roma of the 8th century and it belonged to the Aldobrandeschi family that time. Later it was transferred to the Orsini Counts. The hill was later seized by the Sienese Republic. Maremma had a black history of social disintegration under the autonomy of Lorrane, which resulted in its poor social and economic condition. The land was under the control of Bandits for many years. Capalbio was chosen as the main hideout by one of the legendary bandits of those periods, Tiburzi.

It was the Agricultural Reforms of the 1952 that reshaped the town to the new form. The hard work and the commitment of the people towards the soil resulted in a fertile land that now has turned to be a common tourist spot. Capalbio is better known for its agri-tourism.

Capalbio attracts the tourists with its rare medieval structures that have been maintained without altering their sense or values. Apart from these man-made structures, there are three attractive beaches in Capalbio, viz., Chiarone, Macchiatonda and la Torba. The Tarot Card Garden, created by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle is just another example to show the respect of the community towards its valuable soil.

The groups of tourists who visit Capalbio include the students, couples, artists, or anyone who desires to taste the essence of this civilization. The Italian coast known for its blend of art and civilization is the destination for many who aspire to learn the values of the great Tuscany culture. It has also become a hotspot for investors who are looking for investing their money for agricultural or residential purpose.

Capalbio is the creation of a matured civilization. The essence of their creativity is its eternity. The land, the valley, the villages, and the parishes – all these bring a picturesque of a professional medieval art. This is the favorite destination of tourists who wish to make their trip more pleasurable with a ride through the beautiful valley. The people of Capalbio have learnt the art of hospitality and they welcome the visitors with their artless mode of communication. They are very sociable too.

If you are fond of Golf, don’t go from here without trying a hand at it. Capalbio is known as the paradise of golfers. Why to hesitate, if you are given a chance to play the best in the earth’s own paradise with the green-clad cliffs around the meadows arranged by the Tuscany earth? The famous golf clubs, Toscana, Terme di Saturnia Golf Club, Punta Ala Golf Club, Argentario Golf Club, and many others are waiting for you.

Get ready for an incredible Italy experience this vacation!

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com

Capalbio: A travel guide on the town of Capalbio in Maremm

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Renaissance Water Fountains Of Tuscany

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

There were two broad classes of Tuscan water fountains known in the fifteenth century: the freestanding or “isolated” type, designed for the center of a piazza, court, or garden; and the “engaged” or wall foun¬tain, placed against a wall at the end of a square or courtyard.

The only example of a Florentine wall fountain from this period is the handsome structure of pietra serena in the court of the Palazzo Orlandini, now the property of the Banca del Monte dei Paschi. This consists of a single niche crowned by an arch and framed by classical pilasters, the water falling from an ornamental spout within the recess into a basin placed at its foot.

Structures similar to wall fountains, known as lavabos, abound in Florentine churches and monasteries. These, although supplied with running water, are not true fountains; for the water, controlled by a tap, is turned on only when needed, not utilized for continuous display. The lavabo was a lava¬tory at which the celebrant washed his hands before consecrating the host. Consequently the basin was placed much higher than in the true wall fountain. The lavabo had its secular counterpart in the acquaio or lavatory of the private palace.

Few isolated fountains of the fifteenth century have been preserved intact. Museums and private collections contain scattered basins and figures in the style of the Florentine Quattrocento, pierced for the passage of water. With the help of contemporary Italian engravings, paintings, and drawings in which fountains are represented, we can recon¬struct the most common forms. From the small size of both statues and basins, it is evident that they were intended for private courts or gardens.

The Florentine fountain figures that survive from that period are mainly variations on the popular theme of the putto. However, repre¬sentations of fountains in contemporary Italian art indicate that a wide range of subjects, generally based upon classical prototypes, was known in the Quattrocento.

A jet of water was usually connected in some way with the statue. At times it fell from some accessory held by the figure, trickling from an urn or spouting from a fish or dolphin. Often it issued directly from the human figure in motifs scarcely acceptable to modern taste, but very popular in the Renaissance. See a selection based on Tuscan styles here: http://www.garden-fountains.com

In wall fountains and lavabos, sculptors simply adapted the forms of contemporary altarpieces and wall tombs. With freestanding fountains, however, they had to face new challenges. Chief of these was the necessity for a 360-degree treatment of figures. In most of the sculpture produced in the Quattrocento this problem did not arise, since freestanding figures of that period were usually given an architectural background, or set within a niche, where a frontal treatment sufficed. A statue decorating the summit of an isolated fountain, in the center of a court or garden, was another matter. It was approached from various angles, and called for a more complex handling which would make it in¬teresting from many points of view. This was a difficult technical problem, and was not solved at a single stroke. Rather, the skill apparently evolved over time, as evidenced in the surviving statuary from that period.

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com

Elizabeth Jean writes water fountain and related articles for Garden-Fountains.com, the #1 destination for wall fountains and Distinctive Water Features.

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