Milan is one of Italy's most famous cities, known for its fashion and high art.  There are many international flights that fly into one of the two main airports (Malpensa and Linate) which give it easy access to visit all the museums, parks, and attractions that make it a great city.  However, there are also many daytrips from Milan that you should consider during your Italian vacation.  Here are some of the more popular ones:

Alagna

Alagna (pictured below right) is a major ski resort in the winter where you ski down Monte Rosa, the second highest Alp. It is onthe border with Switzerland and you can ski into Switzerland. It has great hiking trails in the summer.Alagna was founded in the 14th Century by the German Walzer and it still has a German flavor. Go to theBierkeller for beer and German food. You get to Alagna by taking the A26 to Romagnano Sesia and takingthe scenic mountain road of Val Sesia up the hill to the end of the road. Taking the scenic mountain roaditself is worth the trip.

Sacro Monte di Varallo

Sacro Monte di Varallo is one of 9 sacri monti or sacred mountains founded in the seventeenth andeighteenth centuries by Christian monks in Piemonte and Lombardy. Sacro Monti di Varallo is the mostimpressive for showing the life of Christ in life size dioramas in temples showing different stories from theBible and the life of Christ. Varallo is located halfway up the mountain from Romagnano Sesia to Alagnain Val Sesia. Take the exit of Romagnano Sesia off of A26. Follow the signs to Alagna and at Varallo follow the signs to the Sacro Monte which is high on the hill.

Sacro Monte di Crea

Sacro Monte di Crea has temples that primarily tell the story of the Virgin Mary. It is high on a hilloverlooking the vineyards and fields in central Piemonte. From the A26, take the Casale Monferrato exitand follow the signs to Crea.

Arona

Arona is a resort town on Lago Maggiore. There are several walking streets and river walkways and it isbest to find a place to park your car and get out and walk. If you park on the street, be sure to obey theparking laws. There are parking lots where you can pay to park your car. There are beautiful stores thatsell everything from designer clothes to items made by local craftsmen. There are excellent restaurantseverywhere. The view of the lake is also great. In August, Arona holds a Palio. People from the areadress in medieval costumes. There is a parade, sbandiatori (flag throwers), falcons and falconers, duelsand a boat race on the lake.

Isola Bella

Isola Bella is a castle on an island in Lago Maggiore. There is a ferry with a nominal fee that runsfrequently from Stresa. It was built in the 17th Century by Carlo Borromeo for his wife Isabella. It is richwith Baroque architecture and furnishings. The gardens are breathtaking. It is also know for its whitepeacocks.

Related Links of Interest

Fun Facts about Milan

Renting a car in Milan

In a few days, the EuroCup Championship will get underway in Poland.

The following link will give you the schedule of games for the EuroCup Championship, 2012.

Hopefully Italy can bring the championship back to Italia.  The last time they won this tournament was in 1968.

Forza Italia!

With the Euro Cup starting this week, there is a lot of excitement in Italy as they get ready to hopefully avenge their disappointing showing in the last World Cup.

It won't be easy, as the Italian squad so far has not looked good in the last few matches leading up to the tournament.  And now there is a match-fixing scandal that has resulted in a popular player (defender) Domenico Criscito being left off the roster for the Euro Cup.
These types of scandals have played out well for Italy in the past, as there were scandals that galvanized the team prior to their 1986 and 2006 World Cup Victories.

Another problem is that their top scorer in the qualifying stages, Antonio Cassano, has had recent heart issues, and will not probably play this summer.  So once again, the problem for Italy will be scoring goals.  Which makes their style of play quite boring, but they are usually effective in moving on to the later rounds of all the tournaments they play.  They never are the sexy pick, because their style of play focuses on a strong defense.  We all know the saying, defense wins championships, and that is true in most sports.

The X-factor for Italy in the EuroCup

The X-factor in this tournament for the Italian team could be Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), he is a strong, powerful and fast forward that could wreak havoc with other defenses. Coach Cesare Prandelli will have to babysit this star, because he is known for losing his temper.  If he picks up a red-card, that could doom the chances for Italy.

Some of the postives about this squad of course, is goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, a true leader of the team, with a World Cup Trophy to show for it as well.

The defense should be solid with the Juventus squad trio - Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.  Andrea Pirlo is also still a capable midfielder and should be a strong presence in the midfield.

Italy will get a test with Spain in the opening match

It won't be easy to start with, as they have to face the defending champion Spanish team, which is the favorite to win the whole tournament.  The Italians won in a qualifying game last year --- that was last year.  I believe the Italians have the confidence to play with anybody, but they typically start off slow in these tournaments, so that won't be a luxury this time.  I think this game is hugely important from a psychological standpoint. The Italian team needs to get a win or a tie against the defending champs to have any chance down the road of advancing.

Italy versus Croatia

The second match will be an interesting one, as Croatia is a very talented team.  They could easily advance out of the group.  In the last 5 games against this team, Italy has no wins, 2 draws and 3 losses.

Italy versus Ireland

This is a great rivalry game, having grown up in the northeast US, there are a lot of Italian-Irish marriages, so this is almost like a civil war rivalry, just because of the ethnic rivalries that take place as you are growing up.  This is the game where you say, please let's lose to anybody else BUT THEM!  Coach Prandelli hopes that the Irish team will have nothing to play for when the Italians get here, because it may come down to this game for the Italians to earn a point for them to advance.

In summary

This should be a very interesting Euro Soccer Championship.  There are a lot of story lines, and of course the game is filled with passion and excitement as these teams compete for nationalistic pride.  I think after the World Cup Victory in 2006, the Italians went on a cannoli circuit, which explains their first-round disappointment in the previous World Cup.  We'll see if they are still on the cannoli circuit or if they can come together as a group and pull off a shocker and win this tournament.  The odds right now are at 15-1.

Official 23 man roster for Italy's EuroCup (2012) team

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli) and Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain).

Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Christian Maggio (Napoli) and Angelo Ogbonna (Torino).

Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina/AC Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Antonio Nocerino (AC Milan) and Andrea Pirlo (Juventus).

Attackers: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Fabio Borini (Roma), Antonio Cassano (AC Milan), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) and Sebastian Giovinco (Parma).

Too many cannolis? - Is there such a thing? :-)

If the Italians continued to have too much cannoli eating and wine drinking after their 2006 World Cup Victory, it will be another disappointing and early exit in the upcoming Euros.

Please feel free to leave a comment!

http://www.addicted2italy.com/images/stories/italy9.jpg

Famhouse vacation stays, or Agriturismo in Tuscany, is a great way to spend a vacaction in one of Italy's most popular regions.

Tuscan History of Agritourism

This whole concept of agriturismo started back in the 1980's as many people from the countryside were moving into the bigger cities to look for employment such as Florence, Milan and Turin.  The Italian government then came up with an incentive to help out the remaining farmers, and that is where this concept arose.  Farms or ranches were allowed to open up their homes and take in paying guests if they showed them what it was like to live and work on a farm.

Grape Harvest for Wines

Thus, if you go in August and September, this will be the peak period if you wanted to stay on a vineyard and watch them harvest the grapes.  There are many great wines in the Tuscan region, including Chianti, which is a bold red wine that goes well with many dishes of Italian and Tuscan cuisine.

Olive Harvest in Tuscany

Likewise, if you want to stay on an olive grove and watch how they make olive oil, the best time to do this will be in November.

Other options and amenities

The industry has grown very rapidly, and now some offer rooms or apartments in the ranch or farmhouse.  It can be almost like having your own little Tuscan villa and have other amenities such as swimming pools, bike riding, horseback riding, city tours, shopping tours of Florence, etc.

Benefits of staying in a Tuscan farmhouse

If you are traveling with your family, and plan on staying about a week or so, you should look into this type of vacation option.  The costs will be less than a traditional hotel stay.  In addition, it could give you some relaxing time away from the big cities such as Florence or Rome.  It will be easier to travel around, particularly if you rent a car.  It will also be easier to travel around and see the Tuscan countryside and other places such as Siena, Pisa, Lucca, and Viareggio.

Tuscan farmhouses with good reviews

Fattoria il Milione - Galluzzo, Florence

Just outside of Florence, only 4 kilometers, lies the charming Fattoria Il Milione, on the Chianti Hills.  The property features 3 small and quaint lakes (laghi) in a large park planted with olive trees.  Some of the amenities include tennis courts, soccer fields, and tennis courts.  It is surrounded by greenery and is easy access to all the sites of Florence.

Farm House Podere Monti - Sant'Albino, Montepulciano

This 16th century farmhome (Farm House Podere Monti), is furnished and restored with traditional antiques and offers every comfort.  It is located close to Montepulciano Terme in the heart of Tuscany. The owners are very hospitable, along with the beauty and peacefulness of the surroundings, make it an ideal place to vacation in this region full of culture and tradition. The property features a swimming pool, a library and fireplace on the top floor, a small meeting room, and a big garden of 5K square meters in size.

Farm House Le Fontanelle - Radda in Chianti

Farm House Le Fontanelle features charming rooms and apartments located about 700 kilometers from town.  This is a nice restored ancient country estate right in the heart of Chianti wine country. Apartments come with either 1 or 2 bedrooms with shower and tub bathroom, kitchen and fireplace, living area, color television, swimming pool and private garden.