OTBP: Terme Euganee

Did you know that for more than 2000 years, people have been visiting the Terme Euganee  to enjoy their thermal pools and spas? The Romans valued the area for its waters and would travel there for its healing benefits and relaxation. Living here, it seems the place is well-known in Italy, Germany, and Russia -  but not I think, to many others. I'm going to let you in on this well-kept (?) secret of Italy so you too can be in the know.

Here's the scoop:

Region: Veneto
Province: Padova
Main Spa Towns: Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme, Battaglia Terme/Galzignano Terme

The area of the Terme Euganee is the largest thermal spa in Europe. Set at the base of the Euganean Hills, the two main spa towns - Abano Terme and Montegrotto Terme - and the much smaller ones of Battaglia Terme/Galzignano Terme are host to more than 100 hotels offering thermal pools and spa treatments. What makes this area special is the water and the mud.

Thermal spring 

The water is classified as "hyper-bromine-iodic" and reads at a constant temperature of 87F (31C). It begins as rain in the Alps (about 50 years ago), collects in uncontaminated basins at the foothills, runs through mineral -rich soil (for about 80km) and is warmed by the volcanic (not active) Euganean Hills. As a result, the water is hot and full of beneficial minerals that just make you feel good.

The hotels offer numerous thermal pools in which the water temperature is regulated (so its cool in the summer) and which have various hydro-therapy jet areas. Hot tubs, of course, little individual "barrels" on the sides of the pool which offer whole body water jet massages, water "beds' with jet massages, waterfalls and fountains for neck/back water massage, or just a large area to swim or take a water aerobics class. Most, if not all, pools are indoor/outdoor which is an added bonus in the winter. There's nothing like swimming in hot water on a cold afternoon.  In addition to the pools, the hotels have various spa treatments you can try, one of the most popular is the mud therapy, called Fangotherapy.  This mud is particular to the area, taken from two small "lakes" at the base of the hills and aged in big tanks with the thermal water.

Abano Terme pedestrian area

The towns themselves are really centered around the hotels and will not satisfy your need for that old, quaint Italian town. But, there are plenty of activities and good food to be had. Both Abano and Montegrotto have expansive pedestrian areas with great shops to peruse and bars to have a leisurely espresso. Hotels also loan out bicycles so you can take a ride in the hills or around the towns (they are very bike friendly). Though you can find fancy, cosmopolitan spas, if you're looking for that Zen type spa - this is not the place. The Terme Euganee has an atmosphere that is more like those old black & white movies where people took months off to recuperate at the spa hotels, strolling around the grounds in their luxurious robes - kind of a casual elegance if that makes sense.

Catajo  - Valsanzibio

A few other attractions:
- The Euganean Hills themselves (more on that in another post)
- Montegrotto - Ruins of a Roman spa that can be toured
- Battaglia - Castello del Catajo, hosts events and offers night time ghost tours
- Galzignano - Villa Valsanzibio Garden with its hedge maze
- Numerous Venetian villas, vineyards, etc.

Other info of note:

• The towns of Abano Terme and Montegrotto Terme are very close together and offer a tram that runs between them making stops at hotels, pedestrian areas, etc. - it is called the Puffetto (because its painted Smurf blue and in Italy, the Smurfs are called I Puffi)
• There is a train station in Montegrotto which is the Terme Euganee station; it is a major stop on the train routes
• These spa towns are about a 45-minute train ride from Venice and even closer from Padova
• All the hotels have room/spa packages but if you aren't staying in town, you can purchase day passes to the pools
• Always check for local events - this area has a ton of events in the towns as well as the hills

So now you know. You're welcome. lol

More later...

La Biennale, Venice

Model of the Encyclopedia Palace

The Venice Biennale is one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. It began as an international art exhibition and has expanded to include festivals on art, music, cinema, theater, and architecture. Probably the two most famous exhibits linked to the Biennale are the Art and Architecture exhibitions, which alternate with each other so that they are bi-annual - usually, running from June to the end of November.

The cinema aspect of La Biennale takes place every year as the Venice Film Festival.  Music, theater and dance exhibitions are much smaller and don't last as long as the primary two. The festival also has kid and family friendly activities, so check the website for a calendar of events.

This year, 2013, is the International Art Exhibit - but what is it exactly you might ask? It is the most prestigious art exhibit in the world. You will find art from over 150 artists from 37 countries, as well as 88 national participants - meaning in addition to the individual artists,  88 countries have their own rooms or pavilions to display national offerings. It is spread in two main areas of Venice - the Giardini and the Arsenale.  The Giardini is in the eastern part of Venice and contains the main Central Pavilion showcasing individual artists as well as 29 national pavilions spread throughout the garden.  The Arsenale is a HUGE collection of buildings that date back to the 13th century where boats were built and armed for the military of the Serenissima. It was really the first assembly-type production center of the world. It's an interesting place to see in and of itself, and  now is used to host exhibits.

My Italian looks forward to this festival every year, whether art or architecture, he cannot wait to see what's on display. So, this past weekend we hopped on the train and headed to Venice to see what's what. There is so much to see that you can't do it all in one day; so the ticket you buy is good for two days - when you purchase the ticket make sure you get the right one, one is for 2 consecutive days, and another is for any 2 days be they consecutive or not.  We decided to see the Arsenale first as I had not seen the area since it was renovated.   It was very interesting - not only seeing the venue which consists of beautiful huge spaces, but also seeing the art. This year's theme is "Il Palazzo Enciclopedio" (The Encyclopedia Palace) which is based on an imaginary museum meant to hold all worldly knowledge. Marino Auriti had this dream and actually wanted to build a 136-story building in Washington that would take up over 16 blocks. While that building could not be built, the idea also correlates with the idea of "building" memory palaces, or memory maps, a technique used both in ancient times and today for remembering information. I don't know that much about art (especially modern art) or memory maps, but it did what art is supposed to do. It makes you think.

Sometimes the images are beautiful, sometimes they are scary. they are weird and creepy, maybe even smutty. you can get lost in the beauty of some detailed drawing and stare in awe at the talent of the artist. or you can avert your eyes from the creepy film clips of women with fluorescent makeup lounging in a disgustingly dirty space holding chickens. The art can be hauntingly beautiful or hauntingly grotesque (like the chickens. lol) but it all has the same purpose. It makes you feel and react. You don't always understand the underlying symbols or exactly what social point the artist is trying to make, but it does make you think. it makes you discuss possibilities, and it broadens your mind. We're only halfway through but I look forward to going back to see the exhibits in the Giardini. If you are going to Venice, you should try to catch La Biennale - it's really cool to share such an international experience.

Here are a few pics what we saw; click on my Instagram icon to see a few more.

More later...

Mangare Bene: Pizza

To eat well.

Eating well is definitely a perk when visiting Italy and it’s hard to eat better than a pizza! For a thin crust lover like me, Italy is a treasure trove of deliciousness. The pizzerias are plentiful (in my area they are HUGE spaces!) with a million toppings and cheeses to choose from. It usually takes me a good 10-15 minutes to decide which pizza I want from the 2-inch thick menu.

The other night we were craving pizza but didn’t want to make it ourselves and our favorite “da asporto” (take-away/delivery) pizza place was closed for vacation, so we decided to go out.  This time we went to a pizzeria called Hugel Keller in Montegrotto Terme (near Padova, in Veneto). The name Hugel Keller basically means “Cellar of the Hills” in German (there are a lot of German tourist in this area) and the name is fitting - from the expanse of wood used in the décor to the list of beers it serves. The menu is extensive with a ton of pizza options and a very friendly staff.  There are small intimate tables and HUGE tables that seat about 20, both indoors and outdoors. The atmosphere is casual and cozy, and the pizza is delicious.

On this particular night, I decided to get a pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Chiodini mushrooms (don’t know the American equivalent to these but they are good), and salamino picante, which is kind of like pepperoni in America. S. got a pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, porcini mushrooms and speck, which is an air-dried lightly smoked ham.  Both pizzas came out bubbling hot and oh my, were they good. The crust is crisp and flavorful, the salamino spicy, the cheese abundant but not too much so - Italians are wizards at what I like to call “abundant moderation”; they put just enough ingredients on/in things without going overboard. I have yet to learn that skill. Accompany all that with an ice cold coke (or beer if you prefer) and the sublime is attained. (sorry the lighting is not great in the pics below)

My pizza

S. Pizza

The pizzeria has been open for 20+ years and was one of the first restaurants I ever went to in Italy, way back when S and I were dating. I remember the place clearly as it had a big “Don’t Mess with Texas” sticker on the front door, which was highly amusing for this Texan. It was such a random find, who would’ve thought? Sadly, the sticker is gone now as they have expanded and remodeled over the years. BUT, one thing still remains – the pizza is cheesy, hot and outstanding!

Pizzeria Hugel Keller
Via Caposeda 24
Montegrotto Terme, Province of Padova
049 793482

More later…

OTBP: Bassano del Grappa (Veneto)

I’ve decided to start a series on the blog called “Off the Beaten Path”, or OTBP (cuz I’m lazy), where I showcase a lesser-known town mostly in the Veneto region. The big tourist attractions are wonderful and important to see, but Italy has so much more to offer if you can take the time to wander the less traditional areas. Today, let’s visit Bassano del Grappa.

Entrance to bridge - Ponte degli Alpini

Bassano del Grappa is in the Vicenza province of the Veneto. It’s a very old city at the base of the Pre-Alp mountain area and runs along the Brenta River. One of the most recognizable symbols of the city is the Ponte degli Alpini, which is a wooden pontoon bridge designed by Andrea Palladio in 1569.  The Alpini are an elite mountain infantry group that was created to protect Italy’s northern mountain border.

...those are bullet holes folks...

Because of the geography of the city, the town has been on the forefront of many wars – it was hit hard during The French Revolution (Napoleon stayed in the city for several months), World War I (The Great War) and World War II - battle scars can still be seen today. As a result, the Ponte degli Alpini has been rebuilt several times, most recently after WW2, where the Alpine soldiers funded the rebuilding through private collections.  As an aside for literature buffs, Ernest Hemingway spent some time in Bassano during his stint as an ambulance driver in WW1. Several parts of his book “A Farewell to Arms” were set here.

Aside from its war-time history, Bassano del Grappa is also famous for something else – Grappa. Grappa is a highly alcoholic beverage made from distilling all the leftovers from making wine – leaves, stems, pulp, etc.  It’s usually drunk as a digestivo (after-dinner drink) and is also frequently added to espresso for a caffe’ corretto. A well-known Grappa maker is Nardini, who has a very cool space-agey distillery near town that offers a guided tour and samples, in addition to a shop on the Ponte degli Alpini which displays old distillery vats, equipment, etc. and sells the spirit.  Be warned, Grappa is very strong – you can “feel the burn” all the way down when you drink it J.  

Palazzo Sturm -
Museo Remondini

The town is divided by the Brenta River and as you cross the Alpini Bridge you get to some of the oldest parts of the city. It is lovely, and the best way to explore is just to get lost in the maze of streets. If you are a nerd like me, a trip to the Museo Remondini which is a print/paper museum housed in Palazzo Sturm is a must. For 200 years, the Remondini family were high-end publishers who printed on paper they made; they were typographers - printing at a time when books were expensive and precious. The museum exhibits items they published, the presses and letter blocks they used, wallpapers made, etc. It is EXTREMELY interesting for someone who loves all things associated with paper. Throughout the year they also hold hands-on workshops, which I will totally blog about when I get to go! (If you want to read more about the Remondini’s here’s a nice article). Also, housed in the Palazzo Sturm is a ceramic museum. The area is famous for ceramics and the museum showcases the locally made ceramics as well as majolica.

Monument on Mount Grappa

If you want to get out of the city and spend some time outdoors, take a trip to Mount Grappa. The countryside is beautiful, with cows grazing peacefully in the meadows, bells clanging as they walk. You’ll see small wooden buildings, Malga, dotting the landscape where local cheese is made and where, if you’re lucky, you’ll find someone on the side of the road selling that delicious cheese or a sign showing the way to a Malga that will sell it to you directly. At the top of the mountain there is a rifugio where you can take a rest, have a coffee and a snack. Also at the top is an army barracks with a small museum explaining the importance of that location during The Great War and a bunker that you can explore that goes deep into the mountain – wear a jacket, it gets cold! The most moving part of the mountain top is the monument that commemorates the thousands of men who died on the mountain – Italian, Austrian, etc. – all buried together in the ravages of war. Each niche of the monument represents an unnamed soldier that lost his life there.

I think I’ve hit the highlights, but there is much more to explore in this town. It’s a beautiful area of the Veneto and an ancient town full of historical and beautiful sites – definitely worth exploring if you like to get off the beaten path.

More later…

A Honey of a Day

Well, I’ve just completed my first summer in Italy. It was hot, but thankfully we have air-conditioning (and my Italian is not afraid to use it!). It was also much, much quieter as a mass exodus occurs when Italians flee the cities for umbrellas on a sandy beach or hikes in the cool fresh mountain air. We worked, but did enjoy the slower pace of our city. Now the vacationers are back and the city is bustling once again.

It seems that the end of summer opens up a whole new universe of activities, many (or most) of which are around food. If you know anything about Italians, you know that they are passionate about their food. Every region, every city, has their own unique local products and cuisine that they like to celebrate. So from now until the Christmas markets start up, there are a million and one events available, from tiny to huge - to explore the people/culture and see parts of the country (or region in my case) that you won’t find in the travel guides.

Festa del Miele, Bosco Chiesanuova

Local vendor

My first exprience of the season was going to the “Festa del Miele” (Honey Festival) in the town of Bosco Chiesanuova, which is in the province of Verona (region – Veneto).  Bosco Chiesanuova is a small town in the “Pre-Alp” mountain area known as Lessinia, in the northwest corner of the Verona province.  I was very excited about the event because 1). I love honey and 2). my husband S. was not familiar with the area – so it would be an adventure for us both.

Evidently, honey is one of the "prodotti tipici" of the area and while it was a small event, it was charming! Full of locals and not so crowded that you couldn’t take your time wandering around looking and tasting the different products. Before I met S. I was unaware that honey came in different flavors and forms (growing up, my honey came out of a bear shaped bottle) – the flavors on display varied from a mild light honey collected from bees who flock to wild flowers (millefiori) to the medium taste/colored one from dandelions (tarassaco) to a strong dark honey from chestnut trees (castagno). There were also blended honey mixtures like the two that we bought - strawberry jam/honey and a spread made from ground hazelnuts and honey (which almost has a chocolately taste).  There were candies, candles, and various creams/lotions all produced from local bee keepers.

Another perk is trying dishes that are particular to that area/town.

Local gnocchi

Evidently, the population of the Lessinia area is Cimbri, so their culture, food, even language are unique.  While we didn’t have time that day to explore the history of the Cimbri in depth, we did get to taste some of the food. Our lunch was a bowl of delicious “Gnocchi Sbatui” – what? I know, S. had never heard of it either, but let me tell you – it was DELICIOUS. Instead of the gnocchi being soft little pillows, they were flatter and irregularly shaped – kind of like a cross between standard gnocchi and spaetzle – made from smoked ricotta cheese (I think, my Italian is not great yet), tossed in melted butter, then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. YUM!!!  Talk about delicious! and it’s unlikely you would find it anywhere else in Italy. 

As we walked around we also saw that there was a film festival starting and while we didn’t stay to see any films, we did get to explore the theater and little book fair they were hosting. Italians are seriously creative and the event décor for the film festival was stylish and elegant - even a small local festival looks modern and cool. On our way out, we found a shop which sold Cimbri food and specialties so we decided to try some local cheese seasoned with chives and a pastry (can't remember the name) – which was a zabaglione-cream filled éclair type pastry. Both were very tasty, though only the cheese made it all the way home J

Before I close, let me just say that the Lessinia area is BEAUTIFUL. I fell in love with it. The mountains had wide expanses of green meadows and the towns were lovely – it is an area I look forward to further exploring and posting about.

More later…