Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Dance in Puglia, Italy


You can Dance in Puglia on a YLTOUR adventure







Contact Yle Sambati the CEO of YLTOUR.    Make your next visit to Italy an adventure!
 info@yltourcongressi.com 

I will be returning for my 4th adventure this Spring.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

ITALY: purchasing or renting in Puglia?


Yle Sambati in Puglia Adds Rentals and Home Purchases to  YLTOUR list of unique services...............









YLTOUR has more than 12 years creating special travel events for visitors to Puglia.    

Custom events are created based on individual travelers' interestS or hobbies.



             If you have traveled to Italy and visited the big 3 or even explored areas other than Rome, Florence and Venice isn't it time to explore the local culture beyond the tourist sites?   

Now YLTOUR has created an authentic travel adventure for a traveler to live as a 'local' not a tourist.

Spend a week or longer in a village or a country farm setting and live as a local....immerse yourself in the daily life, shop at the markets, explore off the beaten track towns, enjoy the quiet beaches.
  

'Enchanting relaxing apartment in a farmhouse nestled in the countryside with swimming pool. Sleeps 2/4'
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Enchanting relaxing apartment in a farmhouse nestled in the countryside 
with a swimming pool.  Sleeps 2 to 4


Find the hidden places in Puglia with Yle.
She does all the research and finds the best match suited to your needs:  large or small groups, apartment or larger country homes. 

Your personal travel concierge can make all the arrangements.
Clients are contacted via email and skype to share all details, availability and pricing.


Pack your bags, your best adventure is just an email or 
Skype call away.
Contact Ylenia Sambati to discuss your next trip to Puglia.   info@yltourcongressi.com 

        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


If you have already fallen in love with Puglia, speak with Yle about searching for your next home in Italy:

rent or buy:  farmhouses, villas, apartments, houses in quint villages, wine or olive oil estates.   

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Experience Puglia with Yltour 

  • attend the new wine school 
  • food or cooking lessons
  • ride in classic cars 
  • magnificent olive groves
  • wine tastings at local wineries
  • amazing private estates 
  • visit quaint villages   







Monday, March 9, 2015

Italy More Affordable with lower Euro: Time to Learn Italian in Sorrento


     Special Offer for all Home to Italy Readers!



Sorrento Lingue


LEARN ITALIAN IN ITALY!

Study Italian in Italy - Special Offer for March 2015

  • Come and learn Italian in Italy at Sant'Anna Institute!
  • Are you looking for a complete and exciting Italian language program?
  • Choose Sant’Anna Institute (Sorrento, Italy) and get one of the following special offers reserved to you!



OFFER for Former students: 
students who come to attend a second course will get 20% off + Enrollment fee free of charge!!!! 

For each friend enrolling with you receive 20% off your course! 

Bring 5 friends and attend your course for FREE!

OFFER for New students: 10% off on the Italian course rates and Enrollment fee at 60€ instead of 75€.

If you want to stay for 2 weeks, book: 2 weeks Italian BASIC course + 2 weeks family accommodation B&B + enrollment fee at 590€

Deadline for Enrollments: March 20, 2015

Our Institute offers a wide range of high-quality Italian language courses for any level: from beginners to Italian teachers courses, all the year round (Italian language courses start every week).

Sant’Anna Institute provides:
- effective, flexible, modern and communication-oriented teaching method
- a friendly atmosphere
- qualified and motivated teachers
- small groups of students from different countries (a maximum of 12 people per class)
- Certificate of attendance
- Afternoon Cultural activities
- Trips and Excursions to Capri, Pompei and Amalfi coast
- Mediterranean cooking courses and tasting
- Pizza Making courses and tasting
- Ice-cream (Gelato) making courses and tasting
- Visit to Limoncello factory and tasting
- Tandem programs with local Italians
- Accommodation (host families, shared apartments, private apartments, hotels, B&B and more…)

Visit our FB page Lingua Italiana a Sorrento https://www.facebook.com/linguaitaliana.asorrento?fref=ts to discover the Sant’Anna world and get in touch with us!
For information contact us: info@santannainstitute.com






Monday, March 2, 2015

Sorrento Italy: Easter processions an unforgettable experience

                                              
I planned to arrive in Sorrento in time for the Easter Processions

In the USA I have 'processions' from the local Catholic church or during the Italian American celebrations but NOTHING prepared me for what I experienced in Sorrento at Easter.

Tour books only mentioned the ancient traditions in Italy but nothing prepares you for the sheer size of a procession that travels the entire town and which every resident attends.  
                                                                                       

         Both days are filled with symbolic procedures, clothing, colors and very moving music




The White Procession - : Arciconfraternita di Santa Monica -  Begins at Chiesa dell'Annunziata and follows the streets of Sorrento      It starts at 3 am  and continues all night until dawn.  The robes and hoods are white.  



                          Membership in the various 'brotherhoods' that participate is an honor

                                   Lanterns  the Lampioni, illuminate the entire procession.
       Shop and street lights are turned off as the procession passes. Many of the balconies had candles.



Over 200 members of the choir chant and the band performs the funeral march from Chopin'w Opu35




Many of the items carried in the processions have significant meaning:  the crown of thrones, the spear, hammer and nails from the Crucifixion, dice, blood stained whips, sponge, a bag of 'silver', wooden crosses and even a rooster.*
Lampioni









The procession started at  am on Thursday!   Yes I was out in the street by 3:30 along with the ENTIRE town.   Most of the crowd followed the procession through the streets of the town until early the next morning.


The Black Procession - : Arciconfraternita della Morta - begins at the Chiesa dei servi Di Maria -
                                                    on Friday evening starting at 8 pm  According to www.aponteviaggi, women are excluded from walking in this procession on Good Friday.  Representing the mourning of the death of Jesus, the band performs funeral marches, the Miserere is sung and Psalm 50 is sung in Gregorian style.   The music, chanting and singing was very moving (as a spectator)   But the entire pageantry of an entire town expressing their faith left me speechless.

Apartments windows and balconies all had candles on the procession routes.


More remarkable was the complete silence of the crowd lining the street.



The men gather in one of the ancient churches in Sorrento and organize for the procession.
During the balance of the year the statue of the Madonna and Christ are displayed here.



To represent the sorrow at the death of her son, Mary is carried throughout
the entire town, symbolizing her search for her son whose statue is carried at the front of the procession.












Photo Credits:
only a few of the above photos (circa 2008) are mine, the balance were purchased from a professional photographer in Sorrento, Italy.

www.sorrentotourism.com