Official Information : Costa Concordia Tragedy - US EMBASSY TO ITALY ISSUES IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Due to the recent shipwreck tragedy of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Tuscany,Italy and with many Americans aboard --the US Embassy to Italy has issued important information with updates for those seeking information for loved ones aboard the ship. You can follow the embassy on Facebook or Twitter.

Click on the link for official updates:
http://italy.usembassy.gov/news-events/costa-concordia.html Tweet

Tuscany, Italy: Rustic Slow Food

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Rick Steves In Tuscany, Italy: The First Tuscans.

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Tuscan Jeep Wine Safari- Travel Tuscany's Wine Country In Safari Style.

Wine Producer, Donatella Cinelli Colombini (maker of Brunello di Montalcino) operates a bed and breakfast in the province of Siena, where her company offers genuine Safari Tours of wine country in a Jeep.

To learn more about this amazing new way to travel and discover Italy's wine country read more about them.

For more on this story:

http://tinyurl.com/o5mpk8 Tweet

Are You Ready For Agritourism? Live The Simple But Yet Magnificent Italian Way.

Did you ever dream about going to Italy for a once in a life time vacation? I still dream of Italy all the time and I've been there quite a few times. The newest and the latest in vacation trends is Agri-tourism. This term is really broad, living like a rustic- farmer with the simplest of necessities offered on a farm, grove or orchard estate in the hills of Tuscany. The experience is really quite amazing because you are truly exposed to the raw nature and exquisite lifestyle and culture of the Italian people.

If you think you know Italian, you really don't until you live and experience the traditions of Italian rural life, whether its milking cows, making wine, growing food, tending to goats, or cultivating your own land. Now, I really love the idea that Agri- tourism has become so trendy because in most living situations around the world today, we are so consumed with city and suburb life, which means little or no time for traditions. I mean come on, when was the last time you really had to make or grow your own food or tend to your live stock?(unless you live on a farm here in the US..which most of us don't)

The funny thing is I never realized that all the while-- while I visited my own family in Italy, that I was experiencing the Agri-tourism first hand. I didn't know that hanging out on my aunt's farm and helping to collect the fresh eggs was so hip and trendy. I'm really lucky because in experiencing my trips to Italy as a child and seeing the raw traditions first hand really gave me a sense of myself and education in knowing that if I had to, I could grow, cultivate and probably tend to my own live stock. Behind this glamorous (kidding of course) exterior is a Southern Italian agri-farmer.

So, in endorsing this new fabulous trend, I leave you with some links to really great places all over Italy that provide these Agri-touristic vacations. The beauty lies in the choices of these experiences, because you can choose a real raw first hand experience, or a some-what get your hands dirty experience with amenities. Not everyone is cut out for the rural life. If you're in the market for this experience, check out the links below.

http://www.agritourismitaly.com/

http://abruzzovillas.com/

www.holidayfarm.net/en/welcome.htm

http://www.agriturismo.net/ Tweet

Salvatore Ferragamo Family Purchases Exclusive Villa Estate in Tuscany. Agritourism Never Looked So Good.

When you hear Salvatore Ferragamo you think "Shoes," gorgeous shoes. Well, Ferragamo through the years has evolved into an international fashion powerhouse since the times of Salvatore Ferragamo's small shoe business. I love fashion and I love travel. I mean, I'm Italian==of course I love these two things.

I was actually watching one of my favorite shows on NYCTV 22 and caught an episode of Video Fashion-behind the label, with Judith Licht. She did an expose on the Salvatore Ferragamo label and interviewed the entire Ferragamo family. She began with interviews on the traditional business but then what I discovered about the Ferragamo family is that they own different travel, hotel and villa estate businesses in Tuscany, Italy.

Judith Licht broadcasted her interview from the very exclusive Tuscany estate owned by the Ferragamo's called, "IL BORRO." Just breath-taking. An estate with views that you can only dream of, rustic, but yet high-end. They feature and offer everything on this estate. Agri-tourism, wine-making, wedding catering, and high end stays. This is the stuff you can dream of and actually visit. Now, if you have the cash flow to finance a trip to this locale, then great. But if you don't, I strongly suggest just checking it out online. It opens your eyes to the magnificent destinations in the world, especially Italy.

To visit the Il Borro Site--Go to: http://www.ilborro.com/agriturismo/ilborro-index.aspx?lang=ENG&idArea=288 Tweet