Latest news with #Sicilian
New York Post
2 hours ago
- Health
- New York Post
Seawater-based thalassotherapy is the hottest new spa treatment
On a brisk autumn afternoon, immersed in a 100-degree pool at Italy's Verdura Resort, I admired the lush Sicilian landscape as seawater-filled jets eased my muscles, tightened from long days of travel. I felt I could easily get used to it, and experts on thalassotherapy, a broad category of treatments using seawater, say we all should. 'Seawater is incredibly effective for muscle-skeletal issues. It's anti-inflammatory and also really helpful for skin conditions like eczema. Inhaling aerosols of mineral-rich water in ionized form helps with respiratory issues,' says Dr. Marie Perez Siscar, president of France's national thalassotherapy association, and owner and medical director of the Côté Thalasso spa hotel in Banyuls Sur Mer, France. 4 The mineral-rich seawater at Côté Thalasso in Banyuls Sur Mer, France, promises anti-inflammatory healing. Cote Thalasso Advertisement Dr. Perez Siscar, a former emergency room physician, says that while lake bathing can be pleasant and beneficial, seawater's particular combination of living plankton and trace minerals provides superior results. Rich in calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, the water in Verdura's four outdoor thalassotherapy pools comes from the surrounding sea. It's combined with a slightly oily, mineral-rich water containing mud and salt from the salt marshes in Trapani, on Sicily's northwest coast. 4 Pools at Verdura Resort in Sicily, Italy, are quipped with seawater-filled jets. Hotel Photography srl Advertisement 'The therapy works by osmosis, meaning that the skin absorbs all the elements,' explains Luciano Porcu, spa director at Rocco Forte's Sicilian properties, which include Verdura, the Villa Igiea in Palermo and Palazzo Castelluccio in Noto, set to open next year. 'Osmosis of marine salts into the skin and warm water dilates blood stream, helping to detox and reduce water retention.' Verdura's 43,000-square-foot Irene Forte Spa features a large gym, saunas and steam rooms, but its thalassotherapy pools are the main draw. Visitors follow a 90-minute sequence, spending about 15 minutes in each of four pools before repeating the circuit. The first stop is the 100-degree pool, where the salt density is 24%, encouraging muscle relaxation and detoxification, and dilating blood vessels. The second pool, heated to 98 degrees and with a 17% salt density, features waterfall jets targeting areas around the neck and back. The third pool, at 82 degrees, has 10% salinity. The last pool, just 77 degrees with 5% salinity, encourages vascular constriction. 4 The thalassotherapy pools at Italy's Valle dell'Erica in Sardinia boast spectacular views of Corsica. Valle dell'Erica In addition to the pool circuit, Porcu says, the spa's Trapani sea salt body scrubs and algae and mud body wraps help remove impurities and intensify the marine water benefits. Advertisement In Sardinia, the Delphina group runs four other thalassotherapy-centered seaside hotel spas along the island's north coast. At its Valle dell'Erica spa, thalassotherapy pools offer sweeping views of Corsica. High-pressure jets massage everywhere from the bottom of visitors' feet to their shoulders. For the most energetic guests: An ersatz pool-based gym has water-based treadmills, bikes, trampolines and foam weights. 4 New York's own Aire Ancient Baths also offer saline serenity. 'The pressure exerted by the water on the body, combined with movement, creates a massage effect that promotes lymphatic drainage,' says Andrea Brucciani, who directs the spas, explaining that working out in water reduces impact on joints, creating safer conditions for jumping and running. As for New Yorkers hoping to approximate thalassotherapy, the subterranean and candlelit Aire Ancient Baths in Tribeca offers an impressively saline option. Among the six pools — ranging from 50 to 102 degrees — Aire's Epsom salt-filled 'flotarium' measures about 35% salinity. The buoyancy, meant to mimic the Dead Sea, provided a restful soak on a recent visit. It was a long way from the vistas of Sicily, but it would do.
Toronto Sun
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
CRIME HUNTER: Why did OnlyFans model lure man to his murder?
Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox OnlyFans star Chelsea Perkins was looking for revenge. INSTAGRAM Cops say Chelsea Perkins had revenge and rage in her heart. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account And like the old Sicilian saying, sometimes that bitter blue plate special is best served cold. Perkins had concluded a stellar career in the United States Coast Guard. After her service, her life took a different direction, and she entered the porn business before moving to OnlyFans as a model named Selena Savage. TRANSFORMATION: From Coast Guard to killer. INSTAGRAM But life is full of twists and turns, and the 35-year-old beauty was determined to settle an old score. The object of her hatred was a 31-year-old man named Matthew Dunmire. Perkins would claim to anyone who would listen that Dunmire had raped her years before when the pair were in high school in Virginia. The brunette beauty went to the cops in 2017, but they blew her off. Last week, Perkins confessed to second-degree murder in the execution-style slaying of Dunmire. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Chelsea Perkins claimed Matthew Dunmire had raped her in high school. *** In 2017, cops in Virginia Beach told the FBI they didn't have enough evidence to charge Dunmire, court records cited by the Cleveland Plain Dealer said. Perkins wasn't ready to let the matter drop. The Coast Guard vet confessed to travelling nearly 500 km from Virginia to Ohio to meet Dunmire. They were not strangers and had known each other for years before the slaying. In March 2021, Perkins messaged Dunmire on Facebook, drove to Cleveland and spent the night with him at an Airbnb rental. MUGSHOT: CHELSEA PERKINS. OSP According to cops, on March 6, 2021, he sent a text to his girlfriend that he planned to donate plasma and then return home. When he didn't show, authorities tracked his phone to the Terra Vista Natural Study Area of the park. Perkins had lured the aspiring musician to a popular trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Once on the trail, Perkins parked a bullet in Dunmire's brain. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'While hiking off-trail into a wooded area of the park, Perkins used a loaded firearm she brought with her to shoot the victim in the back of the head, killing him,' a U.S. Department of Justice press release read. KILLER: Chelsea Perkins. INSTAGRAM Dunmire's body wasn't discovered until three days later when hikers came upon the macabre scene. But putting the handcuffs on Perkins, who is married to another Coast Guardsman, was no easy task. It took the FBI nine months to find her using GPS data, DNA, social media records, tracking her phone and ballistics testing on shell casings discovered at the crime scene. *** Cops zeroed in on Perkins when one of Dunmire's co-workers revealed that four days before his murder, the musician said he was 'meeting a girl' who was staying in the Cleveland area. The co-worker added that a dark-haired woman had picked up Dunmire in a tiny white Smart car. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. GUNS R US: Chelsea Perkins. INSTAGRAM The vehicle was traced back to Perkins' husband, whom she had met in the service. Witnesses told investigators they had seen a woman who matched Perkins' description in the area on the day of the murder. They added that they heard a gunshot in the late morning. At Perkins' home in Alexandria, Virginia, the feds found three 9mm pistols. One had bullets that matched the slug they dug out of Dunmire's skull. Now, Perkins faces 25 years in prison for her plea. She will be sentenced on Sept. 9. WAS THE VICTIM A RAPIST? Matthew Dunmire. FACEBOOK *** But there was yet another sour twist in the bizarre slaying. Months after Dunmire was murdered, his grieving parents also took up guns to settle the score with Perkins. At the time, the porn star was still on the run. In November 2021, Tommie Lynn Dunmire and John Nelson McQuillen drove to Washington, DC, to kill their son's alleged killer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Tommie Lynn disguised herself as a UPS driver and rapped on the door of an apartment unit where she believed Perkins was hiding. A woman answered the door and was shot twice in the stomach. It was not Chelsea Perkins, the woman was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The innocent victim miraculously survived the gunshot wounds. Dunmire's parents fled the scene and were later tracked down by the feds in Florida. As cops closed in following a high-speed chase, the grieving mom shot herself dead. John Nelson McQuillen pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and was jailed for three years. Read More SERIAL KILLER FOR CHRISTMAS This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. No, this isn't a Hallmark movie. Looking for a Christmas gift for the true crime buff in your life? I've written a new book slated for release just before the holiday season. It's called Inside the Mind of the Golden State Killer (Gemini Books) and is a deep dive into the decades-long reign of terror unleashed by Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. The book turns up little-known details about the serial killer, his life and the twisted desires that drove him to rape and kill. Pre-order here! In this April 27, 2018 file photo, Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, the Golden State Killer appears in Sacramento County Superior Court in Sacramento, Calif. Photo by Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo / Files If Christmas is too long a wait, and you need a page-turner for the beach, you might want to order one or both of my earlier true crime books, Cold Blooded Murder: Shocking True Stories of Killers and Psychopaths, and Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy: The Real-Life Killer Clown. bhunter@ @HunterTOSun RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Canada
Condé Nast Traveler
a day ago
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
Pensione America – The Leading Hotels of the World — Hotel Review
Why book? Because as soon as you step foot on the adults-only property, you'll feel your shoulders relax and any stress will melt away. The wealthy Florentines who own villas in Forte dei Marmi have been happy to keep this posh beach town off the tourist radar, but the opening of this new member of the Leading Hotels of the World is primed to put it on the map. Set the scene The streets of Forte—as insiders call it—are a maze of tall box hedges and gates that shelter private villas built for wealthy and aristocratic Italian families. Set on a residential block a five-minute walk from the beach, Pensione America is nearly invisible from the street, but as soon as you step through the gate, a leafy pergola leads to the peachy pink L-shaped hotel with its shaded verandas. In the crook of the L is the pool flanked by cushy green sunbeds and surrounded by a perfectly manicured lawn. Every design detail conveys that this is a place meant for lazy summer days that are the very essence of il dolce far niente: pale terracotta floors, bamboo and wicker furniture (including egg-shaped wicker hanging chairs), huge potted plants (banana plants indoors and kumquat trees outside), cushions printed with images of the area's emblematic umbrella pines, a white baby grand piano and chess set just waiting to be played. It's meant to evoke a sense of villeggiatura, the Italian tradition of decamping to the seaside for the whole summer. The backstory The Maestrelli family, which owns and operates the hotel, has deep roots in Forte dei Marmi, where they've been summering every year for six decades and counting. They already own another boutique hotel in town, which has a loyal clientele, and Pensione America had always fascinated Sara Maestrelli, who played at the adjacent tennis club every summer. It was built 1899 as a private villa for a Roman artist and became a pensione (a humble boarding house) in 1922. When Sara and her aunt Elena purchased it in 2021, it was in desperate need of some TLC. They embarked on an ambitious renovation that took four years, pouring their hearts and souls into the project, which is the fifth hotel in their slowly growing hospitality brand, Collezione Em. Travelers who have stayed at their other hotels, in particular Violino d'Oro in Venice and Villa Roma Imperiale a few blocks away, will sense a through line in the sophisticated design (like all of their hotels and homes, it has interiors by Piera Tempesti Benelli), the emphasis on genuine cuisine, and the warm hospitality conveyed by the mostly female staff. The rooms There are 17 rooms in the main building and a two-bedroom villa overlooking the pool. Like the public spaces, the rooms and suites embody a nostalgic Italian coastal style with a predominantly white color scheme accented by varying shades of greens and blues. The bathrooms feature colorful tiles with geometric patterns by Sicilian ceramicist Nicolo Giuliano and come stocked with full sized bottles of bath products by Florentine brand Santa Maria Novella. Each room is slightly different from the others; some have refurbished antique dressers from the original pensione, while others are adorned with contemporary art. The Apuan Terrace Loft features high ceilings and a large terrace. For more space and privacy, book the two-story, two-bedroom Villetta, which is essentially its own standalone home, albeit without a kitchen. Food and drink Though there's only one restaurant on the property, a snack or a drink is never too far away. The day starts with breakfast served a la carte on the veranda. I loved the croissant filled to order with pastry cream, which I attempted (unsuccessfully, no doubt) to offset with a green detox juice. Lunch is served here too, but during the day most guests prefer to head over to the family's beach club, Bagno Assunta, which serves classic Italian summer fare, like a solid insalata caprese and spaghetti alle arselle (tiny local clams). Complimentary tea and cookies are set out in the restaurant every afternoon from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and aperitivo is served from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For dinner, expect unfussy cuisine with a few flourishes (the signature seafood-filled ravioli are heart shaped). Upon request, you can opt for half or full board, a nod to the pensione's early days, when guests would have eaten all their meals there. The spa No spa, but a treatment room adjacent to the gym is in the works. Guests can book treatments with trusted local therapists through the concierge. The neighborhood/area Far from the glitzy Amalfi Coast, Tuscany's Versilia coast is a bit of an unsung beach destination in a country known for them. It's all about quiet luxury here: the big outdoor market, which takes place on Wednesdays and Sundays, sells cashmere sweaters and high thread count cotton sheets. Streets in the center of town are paved in marble from the nearby quarries of Carrara. Designers including Giorgio Armani and Prada have set up shop amid the more local boutiques, like La Cestaia, which sells the kind of rattan tableware and baskets that are all over Pensione America, and Giovanni del Forte, an artisan who makes made-to-measure wooden soled sandals. The sandy beach stretches on for miles, much of which is given over to beach clubs. It's very much a summer destination that starts to fill up in June and empties out as soon as school is back in session. Pensione America closes in October and reopens around Easter. The service The service leans toward the more low-key end of the scale, with staff who are friendly and ready to offer suggestions and make reservations. Complimentary bikes—the preferred mode of transportation in Forte—are on hand for guests to use and an electric vehicle (shared with sister property Villa Roma Imperiale) is available to shuttle guests around Forte upon request. For families Though this is an adults-only resort, teens are welcome from the age of 13 and up. The Apuan Terrace Loft can be joined together with the adjacent room and closed off for added privacy, but the best solution for families is the Villetta, which has an exterior staircase as well as an interior one, so teens who sneak off to La Capannina or Twiga can return in the wee hours of the morning without disturbing their parents. Eco effort Solar panels on the roof contribute to the property's energy use and the hotel avoids single use plastic whenever possible, opting for glass straws, for example. Nearly everything in the hotel was crafted by hand locally. Accessibility There are handicap accessible rooms and bathrooms as well as elevators to reach the upper floors. The lobby lounge, restaurant, and pool deck are on the ground floor. Anything left to mention? Guests staying at Pensione America have privileged access to the tents, umbrellas, and sunbeds at Bagno Assunta, where the first rows (those closest to the water) are reserved for them. The Maestrellis have also purchased the adjacent tennis club and are planning to revamp it and incorporate it into the hotel.
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Toronto Grammy-nominated musician opens sandwich shop
Charlotte Day Wilson: singer, songwriter, Juno- and Grammy-nominated musician — and now, co-owner of a new sandwich shop in Roncesvalles. The critically acclaimed Toronto artist, who released her sophomore album 'Cyan Blue' a year ago and recently debuted a documentary on Crave about her Red Bull Symphonic concert, is set to open Tutto Panino — an Italian sandwich takeout spot — this Saturday at 100 Sorauren Ave., the former home of all-day brunch favourite Mitzi's Café. The bollito sandwich will be the highlight at Tutto Panino. Andrew Francis Wallace Toronto Star Wilson co-owns the shop with childhood friend and fitness trainer Paul Liliani; real estate agent Andi Larocca, a former Sam James Coffee Bar co-worker of Liliani's; and chef Kaitlyn Lasagna, who was previously at Pasta Forever and Robinson Bread. When the Mitzi's space became available last year, the group began hosting sandwich pop-ups at Burdock Brewery to test out recipes and build a following. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Music How Charlotte Day Wilson let go of perfection to record stirring new album 'Cyan Blue' The Toronto artist worked with an outside producer for the first time on 'Cyan Blue,' which dropped Friday. Music How Charlotte Day Wilson let go of perfection to record stirring new album 'Cyan Blue' The Toronto artist worked with an outside producer for the first time on 'Cyan Blue,' which dropped Friday. 'The timing of opening this shop has worked out really well for me because I managed to carve out a good chunk of time to be in Toronto and focus on getting the business up and running,' Wilson wrote in an email, as she was out of town when contacted by the Star. 'I've been touring and travelling a ton the past two years and part of the reason I wanted to start this business was to have more of a reason to spend time in Toronto and be surrounded by community.' Lasagna says the inspiration for the shop came from a sandwich they 'fell in love with while in Florence.' The star of the menu is the bollito — a boiled brisket sandwich. 'We do a brisket stewed in a broth and we make a vibrant salsa verde and chili oil.' For now, the shop will be open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sandwiches start at $13, and there's also a build-your-own option. Tutto Panino is taking over the former Mitzi's Cafe on Sorauren Avenue. Andrew Francis Wallace Toronto Star Other offerings include a classic mortadella ($13); a take on the Sicilian caponata consisting of eggplant, capers, olives, whipped ricotta and arugula ($14); and a capocollo with shredded iceberg and cacio e pepe-inspired aioli ($14). Buns are supplied by Brockton Village Bakery, a longtime Portuguese bakery a few blocks north. For dessert, Tutto Panino will serve cannoli ($3.5): the chocolate chip will be a menu mainstay, with rotating seasonal specials (rhubarb is first up). There will also be a drawer of tiramisu, scooped to order ($6). Singer-songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson is one of the owners of Tutto Panino. Aaron Wynia Adding a personal touch, the shop will also have a record player. 'It was important for me to put a bit of my musical touch into the space because I believe music plays such an important role in creating a welcoming environment,' wrote Wilson. 'The music we'll play will be anything that sets a warm tone and makes people feel good, with a very wide variety of artists and genres.' Tutto Panino joins a growing list of small, neighbourhood sandwich shops that have opened in quieter residential parts of the city — like Vilda's in Beaconsfield Village, Lambo's Deli and the neighbouring Hot Pork in Trinity Bellwoods, and Masa Deli in Dovercourt Village (now with a second location in Leslieville). While fried chicken sandwiches and burgers — designed to survive bike delivery — dominated during the early days of the pandemic, this new wave of sandwich spots is built more for in-person visits, ideal for a mid-errand lunch stop. Lasagna says the sandwiches at Tutto Panino aren't overstuffed and are not designed for virality, but a rather something a customer can eat more than once a week. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Co-owners chef Kaitlyn Lasagna, left, Andi Larocca, and Paul Liliani days before the grand opening of Tutto Panino. Andrew Francis Wallace Toronto Star 'The neigbhourhood really connected with Mitzi's and before that the space used to be a butcher, so it was a community hub,' said Liliani. 'The idea was born from the location, these corner spots in residential pockets.' 'That corner spot is a beacon,' added Larocca. 'It's our hope to connect with as many people and have a place where people can come multiple times a week like a coffee shop. The space is only 300 square feet so we can just fit a snacking counter, but we'll have a patio. Sorauren is an amazing street. I Deal Coffee is just up the street where there's the farmers' market at the (Sorauren) Park.' Gta Food Crawl: 4 delicious breakfast sandwiches to try in Toronto Many restaurants and food stalls in Toronto are creating their own versions of the humble breakfast sandwich. Gta Food Crawl: 4 delicious breakfast sandwiches to try in Toronto Many restaurants and food stalls in Toronto are creating their own versions of the humble breakfast sandwich. 'I remember going to Mitzi's a long time ago and thinking it was such a charmed spot,' wrote Wilson. 'I grew up spending lots of time in Roncesvalles so it's a very familiar area to me. I've got lots of family friends here. We're super blessed to have this amazing location with a soul already built into it and we hope we can honour the space that Mitzi's once occupied so lovingly.'
Euronews
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
These 5 villages have been crowned the most beautiful in Italy
Italy's countryside is peppered with villages rich in architectural marvels, gastronomic delights and arcane cultural traditions. Each year, these little-known treasures compete for national recognition through 'Borgo dei Borghi' (Village of Villages), a beloved television contest that has become a cultural phenomenon. Organised by RAI, Italy's national public broadcasting company, the annual competition is broadcast in weekly episodes that turn the spotlight on each of the 20 selected villages. The programme has become a form of travel inspiration as it recounts legends, curiosities and rituals that make each village one-of-a-kind. Here are this year's winners - chosen by viewers and an expert jury of historians and tourism professionals - and why you should add them to your next Italy trip itinerary. Lying on the northern slopes of the Iblei Mountains, winner Militello in Val di Catania is an exemplar of Sicilian baroque artistry and urban planning. The village of just under 7,000 inhabitants is included in UNESCO's designation of late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto. Following the devastating earthquake of 1693 that destroyed much of southeastern Sicily, Militello was rebuilt according to the baroque aesthetic principles of the era, resulting in an urban landscape that feels like an open-air museum of 18th-century design. The village is home to more than 20 churches with elaborate stone facades crowded with cherubs, saints, and intricate floral motifs. Militello is also home to numerous aristocratic villas and palaces that once housed the noble families who shaped the village's development. The village's cultural life is also abundant, with saints' day festivals involving processions, traditional music performances, and communal meals. Militello's victory marks Sicily's fifth triumph in the Borgo dei Borghi competition, following previous wins by Gangi, Montalbano Elicona, Sambuca di Sicilia, and Petralia Soprana. Heading up to the northern province of Turin, runner-up Agliè is characterised by both aristocratic grandeur and quotidian village life. The centrepiece is the Castello di Agliè, a palatial complex that forms part of UNESCO's Savoy Residences designation. The magnificent structure of imposing facades, elaborate gardens, and richly decorated interiors served as one of the primary residences of the House of Savoy, the royal family that ruled the Kingdom of Sardinia and later the unified Kingdom of Italy. The castle forms the heart of the village, surrounded by historic piazzas that are still the setting for weekly markets, seasonal festivals, and daily social interactions. The village gained additional fame as the primary filming location for 'Elisa di Rivombrosa', a popular Italian historical drama series. Third spot went to Vignanello, which exemplifies the sophisticated architectural and agricultural traditions of northern Lazio. The village's claim to fame rests primarily on the Castello Ruspoli, a Renaissance masterpiece whose gardens represent some of the finest examples of Italian landscape design from the 16th and 17th centuries. Vignanello is also renowned for its time-honoured winemaking traditions. The volcanic soils of the region, enriched by centuries of natural mineral deposits, provide ideal conditions for viticulture. The annual grape harvest festival is a grand celebration for the village, featuring wine tastings and food pairings as well as historical reenactments. High in the mountains of Calabria, Aieta lies in the untamed wilderness of the Pollino National Park. At over 500 metres of elevation, the medieval village commands lofty views over the Tyrrhenian Sea - its name is appropriately derived from the Greek word for eagle. Aieta's medieval character remains remarkably intact, with narrow stone streets winding between houses built from local stone. The village's 16th-century Renaissance palace stands as a testament to the wealth and cultural sophistication that even small mountain communities could achieve during Italy's golden age of art and architecture. The location within Pollino National Park makes Aieta an ideal base for exploring its ancient forests, deep gorges carved by rushing streams, and mountain peaks that provide habitat for rare wildlife, including wolves, eagles, and endemic plants. While the Amalfi Coast attracts millions of visitors annually to its famous destinations like Positano and Amalfi, Maiori offers a more tranquil alternative. The village has an expansive beach, unusual along a coastline typically characterised by small coves and dramatic cliffs. Behind the sweep of sand rise the village's colourful buildings and lemon groves that climb the steep hillsides threaded through with hiking routes. Visit the Abbey of Santa Maria de Olearia, a remarkable religious complex carved directly into the coastal rock face. Inside are frescoed chapels and meditation spaces hewn directly from the cliff. Maiori's lemon groves represent not just agricultural activity but a cultural tradition that has shaped the landscape and economy of the Amalfi Coast for centuries. These terraced gardens, supported by stone walls built without mortar, are an extraordinary example of sustainable agriculture that maximises productivity while preserving the natural beauty of the steep coastal terrain.
