I am back from Bolzano

As you guys might have noticed I am traveling around seeing different places every weekend since beginning of June. The weather has been constantly good and I don't see any reasons for not getting away in the weekends if I can. However, apart from two weekends in Rome (one in July with my dad and one in August with my friend Cicci) it has always been weekends at the sea side or by the lakes. But this weekend I tried something different. I got up in the alps in north east of Italy, to Bolzano and the area around it.

It is a place very different from the Italy I am used to. Actually for me it felt more like being in Sweden than in Italy. It was very nice, organized and clean. People are, like in Sweden, living a very healthy life style eating well and exercising a lot. Wherever we went people were out trekking, running or on their bikes. I can add that Bolzano normally gets on the top rank for being the city in Italy with highest quality of life and I can see why...

In the end I only spent the first evening in Bolzano town (see pics above), the rest of the weekend we were around in the mountains and we also did a little trip to Merano, another town similar to Bolzano. As most people I met (and also at the TV and on the radio) spoke in German (as most people do up there) it actually felt like being abroad.

This must have been the healthiest and also the most relaxing weekend I have done this summer. I have slept a lot, walked a lot, been breathing extremely fresh and clean air and have eaten nice and healthy all the time.

Here you see some of the typical products I brought with me back bought from the farmers outside Bolzano. Mountain forest honey, mountain blue berry jam, elder flower drink and multi grain bread. Except from the kind of special kind of honey I could had found the same (at least very similar) things also up in Sweden :)

Obviously more pics will be added in the next coming days...

xoxo

Next stop Bolzano

I will spend the weekend somewhere within the green area on the above map... First time I travel north this summer so and it will be the first time I get up in the Italian alps summer time too.

I write again on Monday!

Happy weekend to everyone :)

xoxo

Ice cream at Gelateria Concordia

We are still having very hot evenings (actually slightly too hot even for me) and there are not much to do than talking a short walk (not too long as you get sweaty) and get yourself something refreshing. I love granitas, called slash pappies in English I think, but as we all know the Italian ice cream is not bad either. So, my new summer evening hobby is to get around trying out new gelaterias (ice cream bars). I will share a top list another time...

Yesterday I took my boyfriend to the quite big "Gelateria Concordia" in piazza Risorgimento (just next to the Dolce & Gabbana Gold bar). I have passed it many times by car and it is always full of people so it was time to try. They seemed to have very nice granitas and amazing frappé's but both Torri and I got ourselves an Icecream. It was very nice, not the best I've tried but still very good. Will go back!

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Gelateria Concordia

Via Concordia 11
Milano

xoxo

45 minute workout program

Random pic from the web...

 My evening at the gym:

- Interval running (slower/quicker) 10 minutes
- 20 reps x 3 of squats
- 10 x 2 full push-ups
- 5 minutes quick run
- 20 reps x 3 of deadlifts (bending forward and pushing up from the hips)
- 20 reps x 3 shoulder press
- 150 basic sit ups
- 15 x 3 Biceps curl
- 15 x 3 triceps curl
- 10 minutes slow run
(got part of the progam from a fitness magazine and added some parts myself)

xoxo

Tropea

So romantic....

I fell in love with Tropea as soon as we arrived here. Love at the first sight! Such impressive scenery with a pretty little antique town with an amazing view over the stunning coast with the most colorful beaches.

We went twice to Tropea. Once in the afternoon on Ferragosto (the 15th which is an Italian holiday) and once during the day Friday before we left Calabria. The first time we enjoyed a after beach party down the beach, looked at the amazing sun set, had dinner at a very nice restaurant, strolled around the little streets and had a cocktail on a piazza while listening to a live concert. Amazing evening! The second time we came early in the morning and spent the whole day on one of the beaches. We rented a pedalo and saw the Tropea coast from the water side, had lunch at the beach and a refreshing granita before heading back to Capo Vaticano for dinner. It was nice too but Tropea was particularly fascinating during the evening!

I would have loved staying a whole week in Tropea to be honest. The reason we choose Capo Vaticano instead of Tropea was for the prices. In Capo Vaticano you get a very nice hotel, with half board and swimming pool for less money you get a one star B&B in Tropea. The only thing is that Tropea is the busiest and most attractive city in Calabrua and during the summer it is overly packed with tourists, the beaches are full and the atmosphere is very international while in Capo Vaticano it was very peaceful and only Italians around, so for that I am glad we stayed where we were.
I would recommended everyone to visit Tropea. All kinds of people of all ages. Everyone will enjoy and find it amazing!

Second time in Tropea

Awesome granitas

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xoxo