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A question we often get: “What is the weather like in Italy? Italy is, of course, a big country. We may live in the north-west of the country, but it is still southern Europe. We are at about the same latitude as the Provence. Since we are a 45-minute drive from the Ligurian Sea, we […]

It may sound strange, but around this time last year we could not have imagined or hoped to start a new life in our beloved Italy, which we can now call our home. After a hectic life in Belgium with both a full-time job, a whole new challenge came our way this spring: Verdita. Meanwhile,

Agriturismo Verdita is not only about the blissful Italian life, la dolce vita, but Verdita also has 20 hectares of land, of which 2.5 hectares are lavender fields. These fields have to be maintained, of course. Ah yes, because in the summer lavender parties are held there. Pruning, weeding and winterizing are also part of

Time runs like water through our fingers and no matter what happens in the world, a new season is slowly but surely arriving. Usually, the start of spring also marks the start of the final preparations for our tourist season, which normally begins sometime in April / May. This year we were hoping for an

I don’t believe our small village Merana (Piemonte) is mentioned in a lot of history books, but its history will not get lost thanks to the work of several villagers who collected old pictures and wrote their own (very local) history book about Merana and its people. There are even lists of those who emigrated

Some areas on the coast skip winter, but in most Italian places that are more than a few km from the sea there truly are 4 seasons, especially in the North but also in the mountaineous areas more to the South. I don’t especially like the winter, but fortunately here in South-Piemonte they are a

We wish you happy holidays and a new year full of Italian warmth and sunshine! Until this peculiar year is over, I’m afraid to give a real overview of our life on the hill… The last mile is the hardest, they say. So, who knows what these last days of 2020 will bring. Our tourist

I’ve been in this city many, many times in the 12 years since I moved from Belgium to Italy and everytime I discover new things. I can’t imagine this city will ever bore me. During one of my last visits I took an evening tour (by bus and on foot) named Torino Magica by Somewhere –

In the 12 years that we have lived in Italy, we already we’ve visited a lot of Italian cities. But my first Italian city love, Torino, remains my favorite, even if it is often bypassed by the armies of tourists who have captured Venice, Florence and Rome. What particularly appeals to me is the “grandeur”

A few days ago I visited hazelnut paradise, Cascina Barroero, on a hill a few miles from Cortemilia. Guests told us this is a real hazelnut paradise, so I had to try it for myself. The winding road brought us higher and higher until we reached this wonderful farm with stone houses and hills covered